New Zealand Alpine Field Trips - Spring 2014

[kiwi]

A small team of us carried on to Mt Arthur for two nights.
A nice pocket of Raoulia rubra.
Plentiful is Ranunculus insignis, also a favorite of the alpine grasshopper!
The plant I was hoping to find was Notothlaspi australe, and right on top I wasn't disappointed!
Unfortunately it was too early to find any in flower.

[kiwi]

The top of Mt Arthur was had the most incredible selection of Celmisia hybrids.
It was not too hard to see who Mum and dad was, C.sessiliflora & C.traversii.

[kiwi]

A new an exciting find for me on the top ridge-line was this Pachycladon species, I need some help with this ID please, possibily P. fastigiatum or P. stellatum?
The weather closing again...
Dracophyllum traversii with Kate Caldwell.

[ranunculus]

Amazing images, Doug … SO ENVIOUS!!!  Regards to the entire SWAT team 2014.

[Hoy]

I second Cliff - and add amazing plants and places too!

It is remarkable how different genera in different parts of the world have come up with the same solution for growing in harsh places!

As seen here in S. America, Viola volcanica:

[HamishBrown]

Good photo of Tooleio prostrata.
My guess at the Pachycladon species is stellatum.  Here is a picture I took up Mt Owan last Jan that I identified as stellatum

Here is a photo of N. australe in flower that I also took up Mt Owan last Jan.

[kiwi]

Wow that Viola is stunning! It is amazing how these plants have evolved similarly.
Thanks guys!

Hamish, great weekend with your family, I think that species may be more likely Toolieo vulgaris? Possibily T.foetidus? 
Maybe Dave would know?

Going to have to get back out there to get another shot of N.australe in flower....

[Maggi Young]

Doug, amazing photos - just terrific plants and scenery - what a country!

Haven't had too many reports of readers fainting from the unexpected sight of t00lie's knees but it may be wise to give a warning of that kind of shot in future     
I really must renew my efforts to find him new purple wooly leggings- things  have never been the same since  t00lie sacrificed his leggings for a boot repair for David L. some years ago .......

[Maggi Young]

Doug and Hamish: that  Pachycladon stellatum is  one  neat plant

[kiwi]

Thanks Maggi, appreciated! You will be happy to know that Ian and Ann are safely back in Christchurch and still in one piece!
It's been great to catch up with them again, even better to get into the mountains plant hunting with them!
Yes Dave hasn't been the same without those tights, I think it is really effecting his performance in the mountains.
I think a nice soft pink pair would suit him now....

Any comment Dave?

[jandals]

It was a great weekend especially after I had to cancel the previous weekends activities because of gales and snow . We are not having a summer at all in the far south .
The turnout was the largest in SPAT history with 15 people staying at Sedgemere and 2 others turning up on a day trip . Most of us stayed in tents and the wind on Saturday night was something special and will not be forgotten in a hurry . The wind did calm down when it started raining on Sunday morning and then the afternoon was beautiful weather



Some of the crew sheltering behind Sedgemere Hut on Sunday morning . From left to right :-

Brian Rance - DOC botanist
Jandals - in gumboots and wearing full sandfly protection gear
Doug Logan - Kiwi
Ann Christie - well known Scottish import
Kate Caldwell - NZ native plant curator at Dunedin Botanic Gardens
Arne Clelland - Pukerau Nurseries
Peter Salmond - Hokonui Alpines
Ian Christie - well known Scottish endemic
Dave Toole - Toolie



Arne showing off his new thermette and making us a cuppa before heading off up the hill





The Blues Brothers - Peter S and Joe Cartman , who is making full use of a cushion plant (Haastia pulvinaris)



Raoulia bryoides and the road we travelled up from is in the bottom right corner

[jandals]

A very happy camper



On Sunday we split and went our various ways . As you have seen already a few headed off to Mt.Arthur and we headed off to Wakefield , Nelson after spending some time botanising by the road . At Bert's Creek , Brian and Hamish were admiring a very large Helichrysum when they were dive bombed by a NZ falcon . As you can see the angle of approach is head high



Being a travelling speaker is arduous work and each evening Ian would prepare tinctures for us to keep us fit and healthy . Here Pam Ladley and Stuart Murray are joining in after Ian's very successful talk in Nelson



After Nelson we travelled south via Arthur's Pass where we stopped off to admire the prolific flowering of Ranunculus lyallii . I'm surprised that washing powder companies have not used these flowers for some sort of "whiter than white" advertisement



It was a marvellous interlude and we made it back to the car just as the rain set in . Unfortunately a gust of wind blew off some flowers so we borrowed one



Ian and Ann are on their way home and it was a great privilege to share some time with them . Attendances were fantastic for Ian's lectures and everyone enjoyed them . The spreads at the meetings had the tables groaning and I fear that Ian is slightly heavier than when he arrived .

[ichristie]

Hello all, we have arrived home from a superb adventure Baltic weather 4 inches of snow but good to be home. We are extremely grateful to The Team first Steve who spent so much time to make sure we really had a great time Doug, and Dave as well  thanks very much. I will post some pictures with Dave Toole first you will see from one pic that he is as usual chatting up the birds, cheers Ian the Christie kind

[ichristie]

next

[ichristie]

I  post a few pictures with Steve Newall otherwise known as Jandals he did admit that he forgot his 4 wheel drive Jandals for the scree we were on,  cheers Ian the Christie kind.