My Bit of Heaven - by Kristl Walek

[Kristl Walek]

On the cliff where we lay watching the whale, happened to be two clumps of Saxifraga oppositifolia still in flower, which was mostly gone elsewhere. This made sense, considering this very exposed, northerly spot.

Some of those already-flowered mats, which were everywhere, were huge, full of (unripe) seed.

This was the same for Saxifraga caespitosa, which was finished elsewhere on the Cape.

Saxifraga azoides was only found in low, wet areas, and had not yet flowered. I did not manage to see S. paniculata or tricuspidata.

[Kristl Walek]

Although I had hoped to see Dryas drummondii again (my favorite species), only D. integrifolia was found here, mostly finished blooming, or at the seed stage, although some flowering clumps were still to be found. In fact, I would venture to say that the Dryas was the most prevalent species on the Cape.

Denyse captured the beautiful clump I show.

Silene acaulis was common as well; mostly still in bloom. I saw a huge variety of colours (white to deep pink) and variation in the size of the flowers. Some of the clumps were humungous.

[Kristl Walek]

I had never seen the beautiful little Galearis rotundifolia before and was quite thrilled to see small colonies of it here growing among low shrubs and trees.

And while photographing the Galearis I just happened to run into a plant I had been searching for since my arrival--Loiseleuria procumbens (now apparently Kalmia procumbens). The non-flowering mats were very hard to see amidst empetrums and other low shrubs. Sad to not have seen the flowers, I was nevertheless blessed a few days later to see mats of it hanging off cliffs near the ocean, still in flower. These pictures were difficult to take as the plants were very high above me. Some of them were literally hanging from woody stems on the eroding cliffs.

Anemone parviflora I had not met before either. It grew in the low, wetter areas and is a beautiful plant.

[Kristl Walek]

Of course one cannot come north and neglect the willows. I was not able to see the rare Salix jejeuna but was happy to find the very fine Salix reticulata everywhere.

The also-prostrate S. uva ursi with its beautiful red female catkins stays under 15cm.

Salix glauca male catkins and in fruit.

S. vestida also remains small.

Everywhere on the Cape and elsewhere were old, bonsai forms of willows.

It is rare to see ornamental gardens in northern Newfoundland. However, a native handicraft store we visited had a small garden in front that had been planted with Salix arctophylla and candida--which looked wonderful. Amidst them were huge, healthy clumps of Rhodiola rosea.

The rhodiola was everywhere on the Cape as well, but except in lower, moister spots, grew as tiny, single-stemmed plants.

[Maren]

Kristl,

this is magical. I was particularly struck that you found an orchid, Galearis rotundifolia, on the Burnt Cape.

Please tell me, what is the rock? is it granite or basalt?

[Kristl Walek]

And now on to the rare, endangered and endemic plants of Burnt Cape.

Potentilla usticapensis (species name means "Burnt Cape") is a plant that only exists here. Most plants we saw were mostly past bloom, or with only a few scraggly flowers, but it seems to be a pretty thing with felted, grey foliage and light yellow blooms.

Braya fernaldii is endemic to northwest Newfoundland. Its populations are being monitored regularly. Another tiny but, in my humble opinion, a rather homely plant. It is found on the Cape as well as in a few other sites in the north. One day we met up with a couple other botanists who were surveying the plants of another area. Braya among them. You will have a perspective of the size of the plant if you follow the pointing finger.

An ugly (but rare here, non-endemic duckling) is Lesquerella arctica.

Bartsia alpina is a pretty thing--again, rare here, which was growing in the same area as the Galearis rotundifolia.

The Frog Orchid, Dactylorhiza viridis, is also rare here. The picture is of a plant just past emergence.

[Kristl Walek]

Burnt Cape is limestone, Maren.

[Kristl Walek]

Another, rare here, plant I was very eager to see was Crepis nana.
When Susan first relocated the population was a bitterly cold, cold day  (+3C) with rain; a lethal combination--but we were so eager we headed out anyway. Even the Crepis was cold, although the manner in which it catches water in its interior was lovely.

Susan & Bill were brave enough to lie down for the photography---but eventually we gave up the fight & decided to return the next day (which was a beautiful, sunny +19C) and found the plants happy and open.

Postscript: Susan has just informed me of recent nomenclature changes to Crepis nana. Crepis has now been separated into Crepis and Askellia---and our gem has become Askellia nana

[Kristl Walek]

some miscellaneous dwellers of the Cape

Antennaria alpina
Arnica angustifolia
Cerastium alpinum drift
Epilobium angustifolium
Draba incana
Viola labradorica
Viburnum edule
Amelanchier bartramiana
Polystichum longipes
Asplenium trichomanes racemosum (viridis)

[Kristl Walek]

We know how accomodating yellow lady slippers are; easy to move, easy to adapt to most growing conditions.
But I was surprised myself to see what they could endure in northern Newfoundland.

I wanted to show you where Cypripedium parviflorum grows on Burnt Cape. This is normally in sheltered spots or slopes among shrubs or; right out on the exposed limestone but always within a green area of low creeping/prostrate (usually) woody species.

The dwarfed stature of the plants found here has actually been studied now---once the plants come out of their harsh environment; they reach normal heights.

[Kristl Walek]

I have not forgotten the Primula...

Had there not been a botanist with me to confirm, I would indeed have been very confused about why both Primula laurentiana and mistassinica were blooming at the same time; but indeed this was true.

The all white colony of Primula mistassinica was lovely to see.

I was very excited to also find P. egaliksensis--although these were not on Burnt Cape.

[cohan]

What a fantastic area! Much as I love forests, I am thrilled to be in places with intact flora but no trees to block the air and light! (I am glad of my surrounding forest during winter winds, though.... )
Bartsia and Crepis are among my favourites, but every plant there is a gem... Fantastic that you had the best possible guide to Burnt Cape!

[Gerdk]

Kristl,
Thank you for taking us with you once again to these wonderful places!
It's great to enjoy plants and landscape in an obviously cold part of the world
from a much warmer place.

Gerd

[Kristl Walek]

I have wanted to see the minute Primula egaliksensis in the wild for a couple of decades and, it is often like this when botanizing that one runs into such a desired species quite serendipitously. One day we were botanizing near the seashore on the north-western coast and there it was in wet tidal pools on the beach.

Nearby were a few beautiful tiny specimens of Primula mistassinica.

[Kristl Walek]

Although our main area of interest was Burnt Cape, there are a number of ecological preserves and protected plant places in northern Newfoundland. Over our two weeks there, we visited most of them. This is a great botanizing trip for any serious plant person, due to ease of access and close proximity of one site to the other.

Watts Point Ecological Preserve was the "baby" of Susan's husband, Bill, an ecologist, who worked on this project. These are calcareous barrens running along the north-western coast. These flat, coastal areas are good examples of the layers of vegetation from shoreline to coastal plain.

When first driving into the preserve, we were witness to a dramatic sight.  In the distance hundreds of seagulls suddenly took flight. We assumed at first it was our approaching vehicle, but then realized we had entered the kill zone of an eagle. If you look closely at the last bird picture, you can actually seed a gull in the talon of the eagle.