Remarkables, Otago, New Zealand

[David Lyttle]

You made great use of your trip, David!  Superb photos of these  plants - for which many thanks.
 I think I am probably not alone in worrying  that ski-fields tend to have an almost completely detrimental affect on a landscape so it is heartening to see  the richness of  diversity  you show.

Hi Maggi,

The head of the Rastus Burn where the skifield is is pretty much an industrial site. Massive swathes have been leveled as I presume skiers don't like skiing over rocks and tussocks especially as winter snow cover is decreasing due to climate change. The skifield operators have been required to translocate the tussocks they have dug up (apparently successfully) but they have caused a huge amount of disturbance  to the cushion field vegetation in the process. However the upper basin of Wye Creek where the next series of photos were taken is untouched.

Hi Thomas

Thanks for your kind comments. More photos to come.

[David Lyttle]

I crossed the saddle into the upper basin of Wye Creek. It was fairly easy going down a  gut filled with boulders. There was still a few patches of snow around.


Looking back to the saddle between the Rastus Burn and Wye Creek from the head of Wye Creek. The site is more or less at the upper limit of vegetation and is covered in snow until late in the season. Next view is of Double Cone, the highest point in the Remakables.



Double Cone. There is still some snow on the high ridges. The next three photos show the view down Wye Creek with the numerous small lakes and tarns there.







The last photo shows the main ridge of the Hector Mountains which are the southern extension of the Remarkables and run down beside Lake Wakatipu to Kingston at it southern most point. During the last ice age the drainage was in this direction rather than from the Kawarau River drainin out of Frankton arm where is is today.

[David Lyttle]

There were numerous plants of Celmisia haastii still in flower. Celmisia haastii is a snowbank species and does not emerge and flower until the snow melts so it was a bonus to see it in early February.











It is a stunningly attractive plant.

[David Lyttle]

From daisies I moved on to buttercups. There were several species present at the site



First Ranunculus pachyrrhizus which had finished flowering. This is another snowbank species and is endemic to the higher ranges in Central Otago.





Next Ranunculus royi which is a widespread alpine grassland buttercup in Otago.





Last Ranunculus maculatus. When I first encountered this tiny buttercup there were no images or illustrations available to compare my observations with. However it is widespread and quite common but generally inconspicuous unless it is in flower. It is found in alpine bogs and snow melt seeps.

[Gabriela]

Remarkable mountain scenery and plants from a most beautiful region, thanks for showing David. I particularly like the NZ cushion species; indeed these type of plants seem to enjoy the company, no matter of the continent.

[David Lyttle]

Back to daises



A cushion of Abrotanella inconspicua in flower.



The tiny button daisy Leptinella goyenii. This species is widespread in Otago on high exposed alpine sites.





Leptinella pectinata subsp willcoxii. This is perhaps the most attractive of the three subspecies of Leptinella pectinata.



and a tiny alpine plantain, Plantago lanigera shown here in flower.

[David Lyttle]

As was the case on the other side of the saddle in the Rastus Burn Ourisia glandulosa was everywhere.







Usually it is difficult to get good photos of this species because of the wind but the day was calm.
And back to cushions;





Raoulia hectorii var hectorii. It seems to have made an abortive attempt at flowering but they were most likely destroyed by a late snowfall. However there are still plenty of buds ready to open.

[David Lyttle]

On the exposed sites that do not get as much snow cover I found Aciphylla simplex.



It was not in flower and is often found growing on rocky outcrops.



Chionohebe thomsonii (now known as Veronica thomsonii) but I still think Chionohebe is a perfectly good name for this group of plants. Chionohebe thomsonii  characteristically grows on ridge crests and other exposed sites.

and for all you lovers of forget-me-nots;







the cushion species Myosotis pulvinaris which unfortunately has finished flowering. Still the cushions are attractive in their own right.

[David Lyttle]

Finally a few odds and ends;



Euphrasia revoluta a tiny eyebright seen here in full flower.



Luzula colensoi, a tiny woodrush. I did not see this until I reviewed my photos on screen.



Phyllachne rubra seen here in flower.



Schizeilema exiguum. Another plant you need to get down on hands and knees to see The taxonomists are proposing to transfer it to Azorella along with Stilbocarpa so we shall see what eventuates there.



Kelleria childii which I photographed in the Rastus Burn earlier but it is such a nice plant I photographed it again when I found this one.

[Leucogenes]

David, the beauty of your images takes my breath away. Are the photos all by a day?

As it seems we have the same taste. Haastia sinclairii is also one of my favorites. I had seeds, but unfortunately no success. Haastia pulvinaris germinated a little. However, it is very difficult to keep such rarities alive. My little H. pulvinaris looks more like dead than alive.

Raoulia grandi is one of the four most beautiful Raoulia species. My friends of the Arctic Alpine Garden even had them in stock. But she too died. In your place, I would try to continue ... You have the possibility to get fresh seeds.

And Aciphylla simplex is for me the most beautiful Aciphylla species. I sowed some seeds this winter. However, I do not know how old they are. A few years ago I also had a small copy of Kelleria laxa ... also dead.

I hope very much you can make many such beautiful walks and delight us with these great photos.

Best regards Thomas

[David Lyttle]

Yes Thomas -  all the pictures were taken on the same day.  The last ones I took were of the Dolichoglottis lyallii in the stream near the ski field carpark. By the end I was getting tired and losing my concentration. I find it is difficult to know when to stop as often in the evening the light gets better especially on bright sunny days. When the camera card is full or the light fails I go home so I am often the last to leave the mountain.  I have added a couple of pictures of Scleranthus uniflorus taken late in the afternoon. It is not a high alpine plant but is common on dryer sites in Chionochloa tussock grassland.

[Jupiter]

Thanks for sharing these David, a fabulous series of photos of beautiful plants. Makes me want to visit NZ and see it for myself.