Report from southern Argentina.

[Hoy]

During the next weeks I will show some pictures from my trip to southern Argentina (and a short visit in Chile). The pictures will not be in chronological order but show some nice views and plants sorted by theme rather than time.

Other fellow travelers and others may contribute as they like, of course!

[GordonT]

I am definitely looking forward to your Travelogue, Trond! Southern South America is on my travel wish list.

[Hoy]

Hope you are not disappointed, GordonT!

Nothofagus forest, Estancia Stag River, Santa Cruz.


The treeline is at about 1000m asl.


Stag River.


The forest is dense. Not much else grows here.


Stag River.


Open patches in the forest are often covered by Gaultheria and other shrubs - and many flowering plants.


On a dry moraine - the forest is more open and the trees are much smaller.

[Hoy]

The commonest plant along the river was Gunnera magellanica.


Nothofagus trees are often infected by mistletoes and fungi.


Misodendrum oblongifolium(?) - seven different species occur here.


Patagonian mistletoe - Misodendrum punctulatum


Darwin's fungus - Cyttaria darwinii

[Ian Y]

Looking forward to seeing more images from your South American adventures  on the forum Trond, thanks for sharing them here.
Love those gnarled old Nothofagus trees.

[johnw]

Trond - Fantastic to see shots of Estancia Stag River. This is where Ruth Tweedy summered and luckily (at the time) it held the record as the coldest place in that area.  For a long time there was a Pernettya mucronata 'Ruth Tweedy' which presumably was a selection she made from hardy seed.  I am very surprised to see such stout Nothofagus antarctica in that picture.  Is this habit unique to the area?  Does N. pumilio grow nearby?

A friend told me that she once went to Bariloche and it ocassionally had very cold winters.

john

-4c and a dusting of snow.

[Robert]

Trond,

Thank you so much for sharing the photographs. The first photograph reminds me of Alaska!

Looks cold!

[Hoy]

Thanks, Ian!


John,

I will show pictures from the Bariloche region later. It is correct that the winters can be cold and snowy both at Bariloche and at Stag River.

Regarding N. pumilio it is often found together with N. antarctica and it certainly grows at Stag River also.


Nothofagus pumilio:




Robert,

It will take a while posting all the pictures!

[Hoy]

More Stag River:

The gate:




A gaucho:




The buildings:

[Hoy]

"Weeds" in the pastures:



Leucheria hahnii


Oxalis laciniata





Calceolaria uniflora

[Tim Ingram]

Is it so different to your place in Norway Trond  . What a beautiful leaf the Nothofagus has. I should think Calceolaria uniflora might grow well in parts of Scandinavia - here it always seems to attract aphids and is tricky to keep, but how marvellous to see it growing like that in the wild.

[Hoy]

Tim, you are right! It is so very different and that's one of the main factors I consider when I select a destination.

I have once grown C. uniflora and it did well for several years before it disappeared. I will certainly try again!

[Hoy]

Lago Argentino, the biggest freshwater lake in Argentina. The western parts are fjord-like with glaciers calving in them. The eastern part fills an U-valley and are partly dammed by moraine deposits. The water looks gray due to the huge amount of glacial runoff.

View from Cerro Huiliche (Balcón del Calafate):




At the shores - Senecio patagonicus






Adesmia boronoides


Oreopolus glacialis

[ian mcdonald]

Hello Trond, great photos. Is it cold there?

[Hoy]

Ian, it is not very cold except for the strong wind. In fact, the temperature during the year is very similar to where I live but it is much drier than at home.