alpine and subalpine Plants from New Zealand

[David Lyttle]

Hello Thomas,

The plants behind Celmisia prorepens are top left to right:Celmisia allanii, Ranunculus insignis, Anaphalioides hybrid and directly to the left Bulbinella rossii. The Celmisia prorepens has a few more flowers open but it has been raining most of the day so I have not had a chance to take more pictures of it.

I have added two more photos of Celmisia prorepens taken last summer on the Lammerlaw/Lammermor mountains near Dunedin. In the second photo you can see the habitat in which it grows. It tends to get covered in snow during the winter though in recent years there has not been as much snow cover.

[Leucogenes]

Hello Thomas,

The plants behind Celmisia prorepens are top left to right:Celmisia allanii, Ranunculus insignis, Anaphalioides hybrid and directly to the left Bulbinella rossii. The Celmisia prorepens has a few more flowers open but it has been raining most of the day so I have not had a chance to take more pictures of it.

I have added two more photos of Celmisia prorepens taken last summer on the Lammerlaw/Lammermor mountains near Dunedin. In the second photo you can see the habitat in which it grows. It tends to get covered in snow during the winter though in recent years there has not been as much snow cover.

Hello David

The photos from last year are wonderful. What an impressive landscape. If they are there again and they find mature seeds, then please think of me. The foliage is also beautiful.

How are your experiences with the seed maturity of a Celmisia ?? With me and my friends are almost always "dead" seeds. Is that with you so?

Celmisia allanii is one of my favorites at the Celmisia. Unfortunately you can not buy them here. Also no seeds. I know C. allanii only from the Internet. She has a beautiful silver foliage.
I did not know Bulbinella rossii yet. I just looked at pictures on the Internet and am very
impressed. It has a very nice inflorescence and a very nice color.

Thomas

[David Lyttle]

Collecting and cleaning Celmisia seed is a frustrating task; the seed is heavily predated by insects and a lot is shrunken and non-viable. If you do get a good collection fresh seed germinates quite well. I do not usually grow Celmisias from seed but semi-woody one grow easily from cuttings. They hybridise freely and you find a lot of different hybrids in the field.

[Leucogenes]

Collecting and cleaning Celmisia seed is a frustrating task; the seed is heavily predated by insects and a lot is shrunken and non-viable. If you do get a good collection fresh seed germinates quite well. I do not usually grow Celmisias from seed but semi-woody one grow easily from cuttings. They hybridise freely and you find a lot of different hybrids in the field.

Thank you for the informations. I think however this in Europe no one of a Celmisia cuttings cut off. They are too valuable for that. The only species that is sometimes found here in Germany on stock exchanges is C. argentea.

There are so many unique alpine and subalpine with you. Have you ever seen on your tours Stellaria rougii, Erwartia and the beautiful Haastia? If so, please show some pictures. I love these little treasures.

thank you

Thomas

[Leucogenes]

Today I received some seeds of Ranunculus crithmifolius. Has anyone of you experienced sowing this precious thing? I do not want to do anything wrong.

[David Lyttle]

The cryptic buttercup - almost impossible to see unless it is in flower. I have never grown it but I would imagine it would be happy in a gritty sandy mix. Should not be too difficult.

[Leucogenes]

The cryptic buttercup - almost impossible to see unless it is in flower. I have never grown it but I would imagine it would be happy in a gritty sandy mix. Should not be too difficult.




Thanks David, for the quick reply. I will sow the seeds tomorrow.
A wonderful photo of this fantastic plant. What a brilliant combination ... Brown foliage and these yellow flowers.
My heart will remain the same.

[David Lyttle]

Here are a few plants observed on a trip to the Lammermoor Range west of Dunedin. It is rolling tussock grassland with Chionochloa rigida on the dryer sites and Chinochloa rubra cuprea on the wetter sites. There are numerous bogs and wetlands which support a diverse and interesting flora. Most is about 1000 to 1100 m elevation and can be covered with snow in winter but with climate warming in recent years snowfall is not as heavy as in the past.

Abrotanella caespitosa This is a tiny daisy that grows in bogs.


Anisotome imbricata This species is common in bogs in Central Otago mountains. It is different from Anisotome imbricata var imbricata which is also common in Otago.


Celmisia prorepens. Very common in the snow tussock grassland.


Celmisia alpina.  A common species in bogs.


Chaerophyllum aff colensoi. Another bog species. The NZ  Chaerophyllum species need revision.

[Leucogenes]

Here are a few plants observed on a trip to the Lammermoor Range west of Dunedin. It is rolling tussock grassland with Chionochloa rigida on the dryer sites and Chinochloa rubra cuprea on the wetter sites. There are numerous bogs and wetlands which support a diverse and interesting flora. Most is about 1000 to 1100 m elevation and can be covered with snow in winter but with climate warming in recent years snowfall is not as heavy as in the past.

Abrotanella caespitosa This is a tiny daisy that grows in bogs.
(Attachment Link)

Anisotome imbricata This species is common in bogs in Central Otago mountains. It is different from Anisotome imbricata var imbricata which is also common in Otago.
(Attachment Link)

Celmisia prorepens. Very common in the snow tussock grassland.
(Attachment Link)

Celmisia alpina.  A common species in bogs.
(Attachment Link)

Chaerophyllum aff colensoi. Another bog species. The NZ  Chaerophyllum species need revision.
(Attachment Link)

As always fantastic pictures David.

On the last photo (at Chaerophyllum aff. Colensoi) you can see another plant with an interesting shape and a great silver color. What's this?

[David Lyttle]

Here are a couple of plants that may interest forumists. Both are cushions and both grow in alpine bogs.

Centrolepis ciliata





and Gaimardia setacea







Hopefully the photos are clear enough to show the flower structure of both species

[David Lyttle]

A belated reply to your enquiry Thomas; the white plant in the Chaerophyllum photo is Euchiton traversii.

Here are some more pictures;

Coprosma perpusilla subsp perpusilla growing in cushion bog with Donatia novae-zelandiae


Donatia novae-zelandiae, a common species in the cushion bog


Dracophyllum prostratum, growing over Donatia novae-zelandiae in cushion bog


Gaultheria nubicola a common snowbank species.


Gaultheria nubicola x depressa var novae-zelandiae, growing in damp snowbank area. Acute pointed leaves with small teeth suggest this plant is a hybrid between these two species. G. depressa var novae-zelandiae is a very common species found in a variety of habitats especially snow tussock grassland and herbfield.

[David Lyttle]

Here is the plant my Australian friend who was with me was interested in. Each time he comes over we tend to go on a mission to some out of the way place to hunt for some obscure plant.  This time it was Herpelirion novae-zelandiae. Initially we did not have much luck finding it but at the last place we stopped there it was growing in a bog with red tussock (Chionochloa rubra cuprea)

[David Lyttle]

A final few photos
Phyllachne colensoi cushion, This was common in a snowbank area. It can be confused with Donatia novae-zelandiae but generally prefers drier sites.

Ranunculus enysii, common in Chinonchloa rigida tussock grassland that dominates the drier sites. Not a very good photo I afraid as all the plants I found were tucked under tussocks and I did not make any particular effort to get a clear photo as it is a very common species and I have plenty of pictures of it.


Raoulia grandiflora growing in damp snowbank area with Gaultheria nubicola and Celmisia argentea


The bladderwort, Urticularia dichotoma, growing in bog dominated by Chionochloa rubra cuprea. This was near the Herpelirion and about 200 metres lower than where most of the other shots were taken. It is almost impossible to get the correct exposure to show the colour of this little flower for some reason.

[Leucogenes]

Dear David,

I am as always speechless about these beauties.

Coprosma perpusilla I have also for 2 years in my small collection. It is still very small and has not yet flourished. A fantastic picture.
Dracophyllum prostratum I have been in the stock for several years and last year it blossomed with me for the first time. I've been very happy about it.
From New Zealand Gaultheria I have three other species in the Alpinum. The G. nubicola is very nice. It is particularly noticeable to me that the individual flowers are framed by leaves. Brilliant.

And finally Phyllanchne colensoi and Raoulia grandiflora ... what can be more beautiful? 😊
These are the plants that I dream of.

Best thanks for showing and I look forward to more pictures. With us in the Ore Mountains is finally really winter. We currently have about 20 cm of snow.

Greetings Thomas

[Jupiter]

I was thrilled this morning to discover that not only has my little Leucogenes leontopodium survived the worst of the summer but it's actually growing! New shoots! The x Leucoraoulia loganii is also alive and well.