Some Madeira Island flora

[Hans J]

Michael - I will do my best 

[Cephalotus]

Michael,
you have really a bit of paradise there. I wish I could see that one day. It is extraordinary place!

[Michael]

Hello!

Here is an update of this topic, with some more pictures that were taken this week, during another fieldwork with my collegues. This time we were making a count of the density of small and big trees to understand the overall status of that part of the forest and to see if the forest is regenerating well or not

Since we are on December there are almost no flowers  but the lack of flowers makes the place look terrific and perfect to do some sort of "Jurassic park" movie hehe

They say that most Europe was like this, covered with misty and evergreen laurel forest, lots of ferns and mosses, before the last glatiation killed the entire ecossystem... You can imagine for sure the terrible effect that a sudden frost could have in a place like this:








One of the good things is that we found a lot of Lobaria pulmonaria lichen growing all over the place. It is highly sensitive to pollution, so we can be sure that the places where it grows have a very clean atmosphere



I particularly liked this wall, that was dripping water. Its a very special place, where grows a small fern with transparent leaves (i forgot to take pictures of it, sorry )











A weird blue fungus that i had never seen before. Any guesses of what it might be?



A small nice river full of rocks. I am wondering the amount of water that ran here in the past, to put these huge boulders on their current place 
(the second picture reminds me of the one that Cephalotus took on the tatra mountains )






We also did a fire to cook the lunch



Even though the landscape itself is empty of flowers i find it has its own beauty. But it is a pity that some tourists nowadays are more concerned to take pictures of the flowering Agapanthus, Hydrangea, Watsonia and other introduced plants that are growing along the walks . If they really want to see those plants, its better to visit South Africa instead of Madeira, dont you agree? 

Next time i hope to post here pictures of our "alpine vegetation".

I hope you liked the pictures
Michael

[Ezeiza]

Dear Michael:

Many thanks for the fantastic images. It's like being in that magic place ourselves. It is a paradise.

As for the invasive species, is it possible to carry a sprayer with Roundup during your trips?


Best regards
Alberto
Argentina

[Michael]

Alberto, those "invasive plants" i mentioned are not that terrible, i guess the only truely invasive bulbous species is Crocosmia. Usually, the Agapanthus and Watsonia keep growing in the exact same place they were planting. They do not expand that much beyond the range they were originally planted, and decades can pass, and they just keep growing on the same place, always near walks and houses. But still they are naturalized...

[Ezeiza]

Hi Michael:

                Thanks for your comments. So, they are not naturalized, only growing where someone dumped them. I thought they were reproducing freely as there are so many cases in Australia, California, etc.

Best regards
Alberto

[Joakim B]

Michel nice pics of the flora.
It is partially the fault of Madeira that the tourists take pics of agapanthus, streglizia since they are almost promoted as if they are from Madeira! I know a lot of Portuguese that believe they come from Madeira so Portugal is full of agapanthus in common areas and what is worse they are planted instead of iris that is more natural and with more variation.
I am not sure people believe me when I say that the plants are South African. I got a bit angry when they planted agaphanthus outside and around the old Roman city Coningbriga just outside Coimbra. Using the wrong kind of oranges are OK I would say but not agaphanthus. People sometimes forget that it was the Portuguese that "discovered" the cape and that has influenced the flora of Madeira a lot. Some of the plants have been there for a looong time so long that people forgot that they are tourists and not natives but after some hundred years it is easy to think o them as natives??

Kind regards
Joakim

[KentGardener]

Hi Michael

what fantastic pictures of a fantastic island.   

The BBQ (barbecue) looks delicious  .  I have had something very similar to that from a restaurant when we have visited previously (meat on fresh sticks cooked over coals).  Is the lovely young lady in the pictures your partner? 

A few pictures of mine from Madeira (sorry there are so many but I am having a memory moment).

Ian


Good building design




Ian on an evening walk


a fun little garden


a nun in a gust of wind viewed from our apartment


Don't look down!


A slightly better fence...


Our gang


A Madeiran spider for Anthony



Only 8 more days and I shall be on your heavenly island again.  Looking forward to meeting with you and passing on the snowdrop bulbs to see how they fare over there.

Best wishes to all

John 

[Maggi Young]

John, there must be better walking routes on the island than round a ditchside?

I am impressed by the very fancy roof plantings.....

[ranunculus]

Oh, Maggi, Maggi, Maggi ...
Madeira is famous for the magnificent network of levadas - walks that follow natural and man-made water/irrigation courses. Ditches, indeed ....   

[Paul T]

John,

Why exactly are you apologising for posting so many pictures?  We're enjoying them all so I am doubting anyone will be minding!    Great pics. 

[Michael]

Hello all!
Thanks for the nice comments!

It is partially the fault of Madeira that the tourists take pics of agapanthus, streglizia since they are almost promoted as if they are from Madeira!

You are totally right Joakim. I also highly dislike that. They make people think that those are Madeiran native plants, but they are not, far from that!!!!
They shoud pick up an endemic or native one to better represent the island (in the souveniers, for example). But i really hate when they make tourists think that those are from here. That's a lie!!!

I am not sure people believe me when I say that the plants are South African.

The same with me! Its amazing to see people's reaction when i mention that most plants that people are used to see since they remember are not from here... Some wont even believe it, but i wont persuade them to believe me...

I got a bit angry when they planted agaphanthus outside and around the old Roman city Coningbriga just outside Coimbra (...) it was the Portuguese that "discovered" the cape and that has influenced the flora of Madeira a lot. Some of the plants have been there for a looong time so long that people forgot that they are tourists and not natives but after some hundred years it is easy to think o them as natives??

Here Joakim, there are some plants that we will never know if they are native or not, as their supposed intrroduction could be very early. You know, the madeiran flora just started to be well documented late on the 17th century (if i am not in error) but people start to inhabit the island early in the 16th century, so 150 years are more than enough time to an introduced plant to "naturalize" quite well... And also more than enough time to some more species get extinct even before being known... wich i am 100% sure it happened!

But yes, many plants are so well integrated and naturalised, that tourists and other people might actually think they always belong to here!

[Michael]

Hello John

Hi Michael
what fantastic pictures of a fantastic island.   

The BBQ (barbecue) looks delicious    I have had something very similar to that from a restaurant when we have visited previously (meat on fresh sticks cooked over coals). 

I'm glad you liked it! That's a typical tradition here in Madeira (they call it "espetada"). I am used to do it all the time when i go to the forest or countryside! If you want, I can do another one when you get here. And believe me, it gets even more delicious when it is prepared by ourselves, and it gets a lot cheaper, and we have a lot of fun searching for the right sticks and wood to the fire, and also with cooking it I will teach you all the "survival" secrets hehe!

Is the lovely young lady in the pictures your partner? 

Well, speaking seriously, me and Sarah are just good friends for now, ok? Hehe (I actually dont have too much spare time to girlfriends, because my studies have priority, but we never know )

Now you surprise me with some pictures! I never could imagine that roof planting picture was taken in here. Well, shopping centers have roof gardens, but not that kind of building... And, are those AGAPANTHUS in the roof? I am just in shock, i guess we have enough of them growing in the wild, people could be a little bit more original!!!

Also what was that levada you take those pictures? It was on the lowlands, right? You never have been at the Laurel forest? And how about Pico do Areeiro? We must do those, as i want to show you the true madeiran plants!

Only 8 more days and I shall be on your heavenly island again.  Looking forward to meeting with you and passing on the snowdrop bulbs to see how they fare over there.

I am also loooking forward to meet you! I will enter hollidays soon, and then i will have enough spare time to show you some nice places on the island
I also promise to do my best with the snowdrops, i really want to see how they look like in real!

[Casalima]

Wonderful photographs, Michael and John!!

I have done a number of translations about Madeiran plants and it's great to see photos!!

um abraço

[ranunculus]

Just a reminder that there are a number of images taken on the beautiful island of Madeira on the following link:-

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1023.0