NZ Field Trips 2009

[t00lie]

Ah David --the difference a week makes --i ventured up to Mt Tennyson this morning to be greeted by heavy snow drifts on the track which meant i had to park my bike and leg it the last 150 metres to the crest of the ridge where even deeper snow lay.So very little botanising --i'll have to rely on your postings.

Cheers dave. 

[David Lyttle]

Continuing,

Aoraria senex female; This moth has a winged male that can fly very well. The female which you can see here emerges, mates and crawls along the ground laying eggs as this one was doing when I found her.

The world renowned (in Aberdeen) Nevis Hilton. The stove has been removed (which saves the bunks being broken up and burnt and also decreases the likelihood of the place being burnt down).

Dave,

You seem to attract the snow!  You would have got a nice view into the heart of the Garvies. Spent today botanising on the cliffs at Cape Saunders on the Peninsula. The day here was overcast but calm which is a change from the weather we have been having for the past week (the same that delivered the snow you encountered).

[Lesley Cox]

Aoraria senex female; This moth has a winged male that can fly very well. The female which you can see here emerges, mates and crawls along the ground laying eggs as this one was doing when I found her.

What a life, for another poor, b....dy woman! some confined to the kitchen, others to bedroom and maternity ward, while HE goes gallivanting.

[Cephalotus]

David, that Gentiana amabilis is outstanding! Something incredible. What I have to do to get some seeds of that one? It really should be cultivated in Europe. It looks amazing!

Kind regards,
Chris

[kiwi]

This weekend I ventured up too Avalanche Peak in the Arthur's Pass. Unfortunately I was with two multi sport mountain runners who seemed to skip the near vertical climb and today I am in agony. Managed to snap off a few photos though, need help with some of the identities.
1. First of many beautiful waterfalls.
2. Dracophyllum traversii.
3. and 4. Haastia recurva ?
5. Mt Rolleston and the Crow glacier.
6. Hebe sp.
7. Faces covered in Ranunculus lyallii.
8. Dracophyllum traversii.
9. The Punch Bowl.
10. Celmisia semicordata ?

[cohan]

I was with two multi sport mountain runners 

wow! sounds very intense!
glad you survived to send the photos!

[David Lyttle]

Hi Doug,

Some nice plants there- I have climbed Mt Avalanche only in winter so all I have seen above treeline there is snow.

The Haastia is Haastia sinclairii.

The Hebe is most likely Hebe lycopodioides. The stems should be distinctly square in cross section. The scale leaves have a projecting pointed tip.

the Celmisia is Celmisia semicordata.

[ranunculus]

No pool at the Nevis Hilton then?     Presumably they do room service?

[kiwi]

Thank you very much David for the corrections, I still haven't managed to get a copy of NZ Alpine plants (Mark and Adams If any one out there has a 1980s copy for sale?)
To get up there in winter must have been a feat, I will be revisiting next summer for the flowering of the Ranunculus lyallii, it must be an incredible sight with the whole herbfield covered in it.
Haastia sinclairii, what a stunning plant, has anyone had luck with it in cultivation?

[David Lyttle]

No pool at the Nevis Hilton then?     Presumably they do room service?

The roof keeps out the rain. What more do you want?

Tonights posting is from Mt Bee. Mt Bee is on the other side of the valley. The accomodation there can be described as resort standard - One hut with log burner and sink, two bunkrooms, a woodshed and a detached moulded fibreglass facility.

This is the most accessible site to see Celmisia philocremna. It grows on several rock outcrops at the end of a 4WD road that is now in fairly poor state of repair so much so that I was not prepared to drive it. For Dave Toole and his motorbike this is not a problem but then if you walk you see more plants.

1 A rock outcrop with Celmisia philocremna and Raoulia buchananii growing on it.
2 View across valley from Celmisia philocremna site.
3 Celmisia philocremna
4 Celmisia philocremna flowers; the main flowering was past and this was the best picture I was able to get.
5 Celmisia philocremna plant on rock crag ( the specific epithet philocremna = crag-loving)
6 More Celmisia philocremna plants growing happily on a vertical rock face. The site was very cold and windy on the day. The plant apparently like a vigorous air ciculation around it.
7 Raoulia buchananii growing on rock
8 A rather nice Leucogenes grandiceps
9 Leucogenes grandiceps flowers. I take too many picture of this plant but I keep finding specimens that all look stunning.
10 Celmisia semicordata var stricta. The predominant form here is grey/white unlike var aurigans which predominats on the Garvie Mountains across the valley to the east

[ranunculus]

Superb C. semicordata, David - and how wonderful to see such a rarity as C. philocremna in the wild.  I can't imagine what contortions you had to go through to get image number five - were you roped on?  Magnificent post, many thanks!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Awesome Dave !!!! 
Thanks a million for sharing !

[hadacekf]

Magnificent mountains and fabulous flowers. Many thanks!

[Armin]

David,
I'm enjoying everything. Fascinating.
Thank you.

[Paddy Tobin]

Dave, as ever, fabulous reports and photographs. Enjoying them greatly.

Paddy