New Zealand field trips:Winter 2009

[Lesley Cox]

Carmichaelias DO flower, some very freely indeed. They are pea family of course and the flowers are typical, usually in shades of purple though sometimes creamy or brownish. The very tiny, tight species when in full bloom are lovely things. However, it would be true to say that seems to happen more often in the wild than in cultivation where they are certainly very slow growing. Maybe a high potash fertilizer would help? I'm sure David and Dave both have good pics of species in flower.

[David Lyttle]

A question: does the carmichaelia do anything? Flower? I have two plants for about ten years and nothing ever seems to happen with them - they just grow very, very slowly, never a flower, no apparent leaves even.

Paddy,

Carmichaelia is quite a diverse genus; most species are shrubs some are small trees and one is lianoid.  The two species that are perhaps most interesting to alpine gardeners are Carmichaelia nana (syn Carmichaelia enysii) and Carmichaelia monroii.  Carmichealia nana is to 2-3 cms tall and forms a mat. My plant flowers most years but some are better than others. Carmichaelia monroii looks a bit like an up-ended yard broom. My plant of this species also flowers. Carmichaelia crassicalis ( formerly Corallospartium crassicaule) is  a sparsely  branched species that can be quite floriferous. Carmichealia kirkii is lianoid and tends to scramble through other shrubs.

I am including a photo of a plant of Carmichaelia crassicaulis from Mt Hutt which shows the typical pea-like flowers. Colour is generally white for most species with purple veining. If the plants are grown in the shade most species will produce leaves. Generally,  flattened branches (cladodes) perform the functions of leaves.

[Paddy Tobin]

Lesely and David,

Many thanks for your very informative and encouraging comments. John has reminded me that it is Carmichaelia ensyii which I have in the garden, likewise from AGS seed distribution.

David, your photograph shows the typical growth I see on my plant here but, unfortunately, I have yet to see a flower. I will follow Lesley's advise and give it some potash. Perhaps next year!

Many thanks for your reports and photographs, David.

Paddy

[David Lyttle]

I have taken photos of  some of my Carmichaelias to show how diverse they are.

1. Carmichaelia nana ( formerly C. enysii ) From Hokonui Alpines

2. Carmichealia monroii  Also from Hokonui Alpines This is the true Carmichaelia monroii not the closely related Carmichaelia vexillata which is the species that is found in Otago

3. Carmichaelia crassicaulis Grown from cuttings

4. Carmichaelia curta (out of focus as it was blowing at the time but you get the idea) Grown from cuttings - this is a rare species from North Otago.This plant seems to produce flowers throughout the year.

[cohan]

I have taken photos of  some of my Carmichaelias to show how diverse they are.

1. Carmichaelia nana ( formerly C. enysii ) From Hokonui Alpines

2. Carmichealia monroii  Also from Hokonui Alpines This is the true Carmichaelia monroii not the closely related Carmichaelia vexillata which is the species that is found in Otago

3. Carmichaelia crassicaulis Grown from cuttings

4. Carmichaelia curta (out of focus as it was blowing at the time but you get the idea) Grown from cuttings - this is a rare species from North Otago.This plant seems to produce flowers throughout the year.

very interesting plants! i do like oddities like this, thanks for the lesson!

[David Lyttle]

Yesterday I went back to the site on the Pisa Range that I posted at the start of this thread: it is now late winter with the snow receding rather than arriving. It was a lot warmer and the valleys were clear and not submerged in fog as they were in the previous visit. We drove up into Central Otago into clearing weather but on the way back another small front came through from the south. We dodged the rain and visited another site on the Old Man Range to the south where it was cold but improved as evening approached.

Pictures 1-4 general views of the Pisa Range with the valley of the Locharburn and schist outcrops.

Picture 5 shows a totara  (Podocarpus hallii) growing amongst some schist tors.

Picture 6 shows a good specimen of totara (Podocarpus hallii). Trees are not particularly common in this landscape.

Picture 7 shows the Hawkdun Range mantled with cloud after a southerley front has passed through.

[Kees Green]

Nice pics David, still I will wait a little longer before venturing into our mountains.
I will hopefully go to the Rock and Pillars and maybe Ohau range this year, quite possibly the Old Man Range but not sure. I will have to take pics for this thread, and include a few of my main interests alpine cicadas,-Maoricicada species, scarabs and weevils.
I will take a few pics of plants that interest me and ask you guys for ID's, there are many beautiful Celmissia's, Renuncular's  etc. I just love our Roulia, scleranthus, pimelias and Aciphylla species (spelling??)

[David Lyttle]

Hi Kees,

It is still a bit cold to go into the mountains but with the weather warming up the snow will be gone soon unless we have a late storm.

Picture 1 Podocarpus hallii (right) and Halocarpus bidwillii (left) - the remnants of the forest that grew here in pre-human times.

Picture 2 Foliage of Halocarpus bidwillii (bog pine)

The following views were covered by fog on my last visit;

Picture 3 Clutha Valley.

Picture 4 looking down the Clutha Valley across lake Dunstan towards the town of Cromwell.

Picture 5 looking across the Clutha valley to the Dunstan Range.

Picture 6 River terraces cut in the outwash gravels by the Clutha

Picture 7 Rock outcrop with totara (Podocarpus hallii) and kanuka (Kunzea ericioides).

[ranunculus]

Magnificent shots, David ... I particularly love the portrait orientated image of Podocarpus halliii, growing among the schist tors.  That would make a beautiful poster.

[David Lyttle]

Thanks Cliff,

I have been following your Dolomites thread: such a different landscape - very dramatic. The surprising thing for me are all the little villages, churchs and farms in a mountain setting.

[Paddy Tobin]

David,

Very different and very dramatic indeed, that is what makes it so interesting to us as we would otherwise not see such sights.

Great thread, as usual. Paddy