Report from southern Argentina.

[Hoy]

Junellia tridactylites


Junellia toninii


Mulinum spinosum


Junellia toninii


Junellia sp

[Hoy]

Oreopulus glacialis


Mulguraea ligustrina


Nardophyllum bryoides


Senecio patagonicus


Viola sp

[Mark Griffiths]

Hoy, do you know what this latest batch are? I was wondering what the Oxalis were, especially the first one. Also I assume the unnamed Calceolaria was tenella? 

[ashley]

I can't remember variation in fragrance but my nose is not that fine tuned.

Thanks Trond; same here.  I only asked because I often forget to check unfamiliar plants for scent.  Nor have I ever come across information about scent variation (intensity but also balance of chemicals) within rather than between species.

[Hoy]

Hoy, do you know what this latest batch are? I was wondering what the Oxalis were, especially the first one. Also I assume the unnamed Calceolaria was tenella?

Mark, I have put names to the pictures now. Took a bit of time. I prefer to get the pictures in place before I name them.

[Mark Griffiths]

ah ok Hoy, many thanks!

[Hoy]

Not a plant but more colors than many:



Where birds rest. . . Sierra de los Baguales, Chile

[Gabriela]

Great report Trond! Stunning scenery, beautiful plants, lichens, wildlife - the whole picture! You must be very happy about this trip
Looking fwd to see more.

[hamparstum]

Trond,
     hopefully one day I'll be able to grow some of these in my rock garden/ wild steppe garden. Climate wise I shouldn't have any difficulties however getting the plants is totally a different matter! Many grow no more than five minutes away from home. I could try with cuttings for Junellia but Anarthrophyllums will have to be from seed. Some of Marcela  Ferreyra's students at the university are trying to bring Anarthrophyllum and Junellia into cultivation. I'm very happy with your report since it draws attention to the incredible specialized flora of this part of the world.
      One of your pics that show Junellia also shows a few yellow flowered fabaceae (?) an Adesmia perhaps?

(Attachment Link)
Junellia azorelloides or patagonica

[Hoy]

Hi Arturo,

Yes you should be able to grow almost every plant I have shown!


A lot of the species grow rather close to Bariloche but others are far away. Argentina is a BIG country! I am sure a nursery could do well propagating and selling native plants. I buy plants even from Japan. Also seeds would be welcome.

Yes it is an Adesmia but I am not sure which one. Martin Sheader: A. villosa It is also an Ephedra (frustillata? confirmed by Sheade) there.

[Robert]

Trond,

Cytisus scoparius is a major invasive species in California.

I do not quite understand. Eschscholzia californica is an invasive weed in Patagonia?

I keep seeing scenes of high snow capped peaks in some of the photographs. Did you ever visit the higher elevations?

[hamparstum]

Robert, E.californica has taken over only very heavily altered landscape: ie road embankments, not more than 1000 mts from where I live. However it isn't that easy to self sow anywhere. It only thrives when the upper topsoil has been removed. Whether it is invasive is a different question and even if it is invasive which I doubt it is. Every now and then something alien shows around in those types of altered situations. However what is quite a nuissance is Cytisus scoparius because it appears uninvited in my farm and the range is expanding. The same goes for some garden escapees of Lupinus. Lupinus arboreus which is now in bloom again is restricted in very altered soil situations , it can grow a few meters way from a patch of E.californica.
     The restriction of the above is given by the amazing wet/dry cline and alien species appear only in a fairly restricted band west-east wise. The western end of Nahuel Huapi may reach an annual precipitation of more than 4000 mm while the eastern end won't surpass 600 mm. My place is about 800 mm average. E.californica only appears on the eastern side of the town of Bariloche which has about 1000 mm. Cytisus scoparius yes appears everywhere!

[Hoy]

Great report Trond! Stunning scenery, beautiful plants, lichens, wildlife - the whole picture! You must be very happy about this trip
Looking fwd to see more.

Thank you, Gabriela. So far I have been happy with all my trips and this one is no exception

[Hoy]

Robert,

Arturo has answered your question but I can add that we did see a lot of Eschscholtzia along the Chimehuin river (if I remember correctly). It covered vast areas both close to the river and also higher up in the hills.




We didn't climb the highest peaks but were above the tree line at about 2000m. It was still a lot of snow.



At the foot of Copahue volcano.

[Martin Sheader]

Hi Trond & Arturo,
The adesmia in the junellia image is Adesmia villosa and the ephedra E. frustillata. Great set of images Trond.