New Zealand Field Trips March 2008

[David Lyttle]

It is getting a bit late in the month to start a new thread but as I am just back from the Pisa Range I will do so anyway. The primary purpose of the trip was to modify some snow fences erected by the Botany Department , University of Otago for their experimental programme, but we finished the job with time to spare and so were able to have a look around.

The first set of pictures were taken from the hut where we stayed about mid altitude.

Picture 1 is a view taken looking approx north west towards Lake Wanaka which is not visible as it is hidden by the ridges in the immediate foreground.

Picture 2 is looking approx north east to the crest of the Pisa Range.

Picture 3 is looking west across the Cardrona valley directly towards Mt Aspiring which is hidden by cloud.

There were a few alpine plants down by the hut though the area has been heavily modified by burning and grazing.  It would have originally been covered with narrow-leaved snow tussock (Chionocloa rigida). Not surprisingly it is mainly the cushion vegetation that survives.

Picture 4 is a cushion of Anisotome imbricata

Picture 5 is Celmisia brevifolia still showing a few unopened flower buds.

Picture 6 is a cushion of Dracophyllum muscioides with Celmisia laricifolia growing at its base and  up through it.

Picture 7 is Celmisia sessiliflora still with a few seed heads persisting

Picture 8 is an association of four plants -  the large green cushion is Dracophyllum muscoides with the grass Poa colensoi growing up through it. There is a plant of Celmisa sessiliflora at the front and Anisotome imbricata in the centre.

Picture 9 is Raoulia subsericea which is a vigourous colonising plant common in these depleted grasslands.

[David Lyttle]

 Picture 1 is another plant picture - a small lichen growingon the remains of a tussock followed some evening shots.

Picture 2 is looking west across the Cardrona Valley.

Picture 3 is of sunset clouds.

Picture 4 is a cloud formation above the top of the Pisa Range

Picture 5 is of sunset clouds above the Pisa Range.

Today it dawned fine and clear with a perfect view of Mt Aspiring ( Picture 6)
We headed up to the summit (four wheel drive van  that gets a hard life)

Picture 7 shows the rolling plateau that forms the crest of the range

Picture 8 is of a craggy ridge dropping down to the east

Picture 9 shows a cirque with a little lake in it on the eastern side of the range. The Clutha valley is directly below.

Picture 10 shows solifluction flows down into a large gully draining the upper slopes.

[David Lyttle]

Not withstanding the fine clear weather today the summit ridge of the Pisa Range is not a particularly benign place with gale force winds and sub-zero temperatures common even during the height of summer.

Picture 1 shows the patterned ground on the summit plateau with quartz pebbles that remain after the parent the schist rock weathers and is washed/blown away. The ground supports sparse cushion vegetation.

Picture 2 shows Anisotome imbricata growing on the gravel.

Picture 3 shows a plant of Gentiana bellidifolia  responding to late summer conditions. It is growing beside a small cushion of Dracophyllum muscoides. At this altitude these plants are eroded on the side that faces the prevailing wind and die off,  but continue growing on the leeward side.

Picture 4 shows a plant of Raoulia youngii which is confined to these severe high altitude sites.

Picture 5 shows a small undescribed Raoulia species growing amongst the quartz pebbles. Another more common species, Raoulia hectori is also present at these altitudes.

The final picture is of Aciphylla simplex. These particular plants were growing further down the range but were also present on the summit.

[Lvandelft]

B E A U T I F U L pictures David.
When looking at your evening light pictures I now understand why a
NZ Narcissus breeder gave the name to one of his new cultivars,
which I saw yesterday in the Conn. Coll. and made me wonder why.
This is a light with colours I never will see here, despite we have
many beautiful sunsets here near the sea.
I hope my picture does not spoil your magnificient pictures.
If so, we have to ask Maggi to delete it as soon as possible.

[Maggi Young]

David, as usual, you have been good company on this exciting trip! Light effects even more amazing than the plants..... the chubby Aciphylla simplex are realy fab but  then, isn't everything?!
Sights to inspire anyone....as Luit's narcissus breeder proves.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Stunning show David - awesome pictures.
Thanks a lot ! 

[Katherine J]

Really beautiful!!! Thanks a lot!

[David Nicholson]

As usual David fabulous pictures of a world I shall probably never see.

[ranunculus]

Magical David, quite magical!

[David Lyttle]

Thanks everyone for all your kind comments.This summer the weather has been relatively fine which is good in some respects but the strong bright light in the alpine regions makes plant photography somewhat challenging. The nice evening and morning light on the Pisa Range this time was a bonus. However what the eye sees and the camera records is not always the same so in some ways the camera never quite does justice to the scene. Going to these places, seeing the plants and experiencing these fantastic landscapes is always an immense privilege and I am pleased I can share these things in some small measure with all of you.

[Lesley Cox]

Magnificent colour on the gentian plant BUT... does this mean it is a dying plant?

[David Lyttle]

Yes Lesley the foliage appears to be dying down. Some NZ gentians are annuals (grisebachii) others are monocarpic (corymbifera). I think bellidifolia is perennial. It may just have a high concentration of anthocyanins due to a long sunny summer with high light intensities at these high altitudes.