NZ field trips Jan 2008

[t00lie]

Took the opportunity on the last day of the year to have a look around up country and field test the new camera.
From observations it's going to be a good if somewhat early flowering season.

I'll show the worse pic first,reluctantly included only as an example of how well the early Celmisias are blooming.
The shots do get better.Well i hope you all think they do!--Smile.

Celmisia semicordata

Raoulia grandiflora and close up

Caltha obtusa

Chionohebe densifolia as it is normally found as a single flower at the branch tip.

What i think is Chionohebe densifolia except multiheaded

Not sure of the flowering and berried ,(which was a separate plant),Gaultheria pics .David Lyttle will hopefully be able to confirm the id.

Finally Ranunculus pachyrrhizus --followed by a plant further advanced and to scale.

Cheers dave.

[t00lie]

oops

Chionohebe densifolia single

Multi headed

[Susan]

They look great Dave.  Hope you have recovered from Christmas and have survived New Year. 

What sort of camera? Have just bought a new one myself.

Happy New Year to you and Hilda,

Susan

[Lesley Cox]

Much the best way to see in the New Year Dave, Not a hang-over in sight!

I'm pretty sure the berries are of a Coprosma, not the Gaultheria. Could be C. perpusilla - or not. The Gaultheria could be G. nana - or not. But there is foliage and bud of the Gaultheria in the Coprosma pic, and to the bottom right of that pic, is the fruit of the Gaultheria, a rather dull and dried up fruit, compared with the large and succulent berries of G. depressa, for instance.

[ranunculus]

Super shot of a very pretty little Ranunculus Dave....many thanks for posting!

.....And to everyone who contributes to, reads or administers this wonderful site....

                         
       HAPPY NEW YEAR

[t00lie]

Lesley on further investigation i think the first Gaultheria sps pic is of G. nubicola --it's pink lobes being the clincher.

As for the second pic --well spotted !!!--it never entered my mind at all that i had photographed two plants interwoven together.A closer look and i see a flower with a pink lobe and also a small green fruit in the faded background--these being the descriptions for G. nubicola .
As for the Coprosma --i guess we'll need to see the foliage to get a positive id.

Thanks Susan .I've handed my old compact Canon A35 ,(4 mgpx),on to my son and after reading a number of reviews and comparisons with other brands upgraded to a compact Canon A640,(10 mgpx), to improve /obtain more detail in my Macro shots.
Not yet up to the level of the Pauls ,the Cliffs,the Marks and others ,(names which escape me for the moment),of this forum ---but i'm seriously working on it !!!.Big Grin.

Thanks also Cliff--sure to be back up there later if you are interested in fresh seed.

Cheers Dave.

 

 

[David Lyttle]

Excellent pictures Dave. The detail  and clarity in the flowers is phenomonal. The Gaultheria is G. nubicola, the Coprosma is C. perpusilla and just to be pedantic the Caltha is now known as Psychrophila obtusa.

Where were these shots taken?  Garvies?

[t00lie]

Thanks David for your comments and id.
Wouldn't consider your words as being pedantic --my alpine plant interests are so broad i'm an apprentice of many ,a master of none.

In saying that i knew the new name of the Caltha--i just refuse to acknowledge the change however.......

Yes it was a visit to the Garvies.

PS --the new camera is a Canon A640 model not A650.--error maybe a result of looking at that many many makes over the last 3 weeks.
I've amended the original post above.

Cheers dave

[Katherine J]

Hi Dave,
I love that Raoulia grandiflora. I have R. australis in a trough (and finally it seems to like the place and not dying as the others I had before) but this is more beautiful. What kind of habitat is that "Garvies"?

[David Lyttle]

Hi Dave,

So Garvies was correct which just goes to show you cant go posting plants on the internet without people knowing where you've been.

Kathrine,

Raoulia is a very diverse genus and the various species occupy a range of habitats ranging from lowland grassland to high alpine screes. In general they are plants of open stony places such as rock outcrops or shingle riverbeds. Raoulia australis is not a plant of the alpine zone being found mainly in depleted tussock grassland in the eastern part of the South Island ( altitudes below 1000 -1500 metres). It is common in the driest most barren parts of Otago where it forms tight cushions on areas that are mostly bare ground. Raoulia grandiflora is a true alpine being found in openings in other vegtation between 1000 -1900 metres.
Other species for example Raoulia eximia, Raoulia buchananii grow as massive cushions generally on rock outcrops. Hence the name vegetable sheep. Another species Raoulia youngii grows on very high alpine screes.

I have some pictures to post though not strictly alpine I will put them in this thread on the basis that one is of a Celmisia.

First is of Surat Bay, Catlins South Otago on the coast half way between Dunedin and Invercargill. A number of coastal representatives of predominantly alpine genera are found growing on the cliffs. Amongst these are Gentiana saxosa, Celmisia lindsayi, Anisotome lyallii. There is also a Pimelea and a Pratia.

Second is a picture of Celmisia lindsayii which forms massive cushions on the coastal cliffs. Originally all the land here was forested and the Celmisia was restricted to the cliff faces. Third picture is a close up of Celmisia lindsayi.

The fourth picture is of the shore spleenwort Asplenium obtusatum growing just above high tide line.

The fifth picture is the  compound leaf of Schefflera digitata.

The sixth picture is of the tree fern Dicksonia squarossa. The seventh and eighth pictures are of a second species of tree fern Cyathea smithii. Two other species are found in the area, Dicksonia fibrosa and Cyathea dealbata but i do not have any pictures of them.

The final picture is of Metrosideros umbellata in full flower ( Southern rata).  The tuis were squabbling over possession of the tree as it is a rich source of food (nectar) for them.

[Katherine J]

Thanks a lot, David.

[t00lie]

Kathrine
The Garvies are a mountain area up in the northern part of my home province of Southland. 

Not much i can add to what David has mentioned regarding Raoulia grandiflora except that while reading up on some background on the plant i found out it grows in the North Island as well as the South.

That's what i love about this Forum i'm being educated all the time.Smile.
 
I'm going back up there in a couple of weeks if you are interested in seed.Just send me a PM.

Cheers dave.

[Katherine J]

You are really kind Dave. But I think it is not hardy in Zone 6 is it? (Though these years we obwiously slowly draw near Zone 8  )

[t00lie]

Hello Kathrine
 
You raise an interesting point.

Zone 8 is where we live on the coast.

It is much colder where Raoulia grandiflora lives in the wild and would guess if you have reliable snow cover ,(or prepared to place a cover overhead during winter), and do not experience deep penetrating ground frosts you may be okay.

You will also need to take into account any prolonged summer drought -- I find in the garden here
NZ alpines generally require some moisture at the root all year round.

Cheers Dave.

[David Lyttle]

Four of us, Dave Toole, myself, John Fitzgerald and Ian Young have been on a three day trip visiting various places in the lower South Island. This has been a special trip as we have had the pleasure of Ian's company. We visited two of the three sites we had originally planned to go to due to wet weather on the second day but enjoyed as an extra bonus a free night at a platial mountain lodge and a drive through the Nevis Valley ( 25 fords and 60 km)

We have returned Ian safely to Dunedin at estimated time of arrival  (8.00pm) which was a minor miracle as we usually leave the mountain at dark or when the CF card is full - whichever happens first.

To reassure his nearest and dearest here are some shots of Ian...

 On a boulder field on Mt. Burns




 


We have had a great trip and have really enjoyed Ian's company. Sharing ones experiences over the forum is great - the real thing is even better.