Kaprun in Austria

[David Shaw]

It was the middle of June when we went to Kaprun so I suppose that I had better post some pictures. Kaprun is probably best known as a ski resort and is about three hours south of Saltzburgh in the Hohe Taurn. The village is dominated by the Kitzsteinhorn and surrounded by other mountains. We were last here in the early 1990's and remember it for its good uplift facilities and walking paths.
The pistes were clear of snow and now covered in a mass of flowers. I am assuming that these primula and gentians have colonised the slopes by themselves as I can't imagine the amount of seed that would have to have been sown. The pictures show a magnificent clump of Gentian clusii both on the way up the hill and the same clump on the way back down. The reason for the difference in appearance is given in the final picture.
I welcome anyone, particularly Hans & Karl, correcting my id of the plants
Kitzsteinhorn
Ski slope
Primula halleri
Gentian verna
Paris quadrifolia
Paris quadrifolia
Gentiana clusii
Gentiana clusii
Gentiana clusii
Well fed cows

[David Shaw]

Anyone visiting this are just has to go to the Mooserboden lakes. This is a hydro electricity dam just about visible in the top centre of the first picture.
Dams
Mooserboden lake
Anemone narcissiflora
Anemone narcissiflora
Doronicum clusii
Cirsium spinosissimum
Pulsatilla alpina
Pulsatilla alpina
Saxifraga oppositifolia alba
Soldanella alpina

[David Shaw]

Still at Mooserboden
The lousewort took some puzzling over as we had never seen such a strongly coloured one before that we did not even recognise the genus! Gentiana punctata was a beauty. It was the only one we saw and located so that the photographer was clinging to a blade of grass with his left hand, his feet on vertical soft mud and the camera waving around in his right hand . Anyone know if this is available commercially, I would love to try it in the garden.
Cerastium uniflorum
Cerastium uniflorum
Crocus vernus albiflorus
Gentiana punctata
Gentiana punctata
Gentiana verna
Pedicularis recutita
Pedicularis recutita
Gentiana clusii

[Ragged Robin]

The scenery around Kitzsteinhorn s spectacular David - what a wonderful place to find the gems you photographed. The shots are perfect seeing the plant in situ and then in close up and I really like the Gentiana punctata; so unusual and imposing and well worth the tenuous hold to take a shot for us all to admire 

All of the plants (that were missed by the cows) are interesting and varied but for me Pedicularis recutita is particularly fascinating as I love the flower head, colour and leaf 

Thanks so much for showing your trip there in June

[tonyg]

Lovely pictures David, I do mean to go to the Austrian alps but Switzerland keeps getting in the way!
The Saxifraga oppositifolia alba is not oppositifolia, I first thought of Saxifraga androsacea and then mused over Androsace pubescens but your plant does not look hairy so I remain unsure.  Hopefully one of the locals will take a look and give us an answer.
My first Gentiana punctata demanded a picture ... think I had to cross a stream to get close enough.  Next day I saw loads of them!
Good ID with Pedicularis recutita, I saw it in the Engadine, Eastern Switzerland.  Robin, there are outlying populations in your area too but perhaps you already knew this

[David Shaw]

The day we went up to the snow line was not the best in terms of the weather. All plants shown here were growing in the outcrops shown in pic1 and in ground such as in pic2.
Location
soil conditions
Primula minima
Primula minima
Primula minima and Primula glutinosa
This is probably the same as the Saxifraga oppositifolia alba that Tony has already queried
same, any suggestions please?
Saxifraga oppositifolia
classic Soldanella pusilla in the snow
Soldanella pusilla

[David Shaw]

The advantage of uplift facilities is that you can ride up the mountain and walk down . Here we walked down from the snow line to the valley. I am finishing with three orchids that I don't know the id of, anyone help?
gondola
Valley view, Kaprun is just at the bottom of the hill
Rhododendron ferrugineum
Rhododendron ferrugineum
Veratrum album
Phyteuma spicatum
Orchid 1
Orchid 2
Orchid 3
That's all folks, thanks for looking at our picture.

[Ragged Robin]

Good ID with Pedicularis recutita, I saw it in the Engadine, Eastern Switzerland.  Robin, there are outlying populations in your area too  but perhaps you already knew this

No, never seen them here Tony but would like to find out where.....do give me a clue 

[Maggi Young]

Don't forget to click on the thumbnail pictures to enlarge them, Folks!


 That Pedicularis is gorgeous!! And the Rhododendron ferrugineum, of course   
..... but how about the huge number of bugs on the white Phyteuma spicatum..... yuck!

[Pauli]

Hello,

I think Tony is right, when he suggests the white little plant is Saxifraga androsacea. It is common in the Hohen Tauern.
The saxifraga from posting 5 is rudolphiana; now an independent species close to oppositifolia!

[David Shaw]

Herbert and Tony
I am grateful to you both for your help with the id of the two saxifrages. I was not aware of S. rudolphiana so that is very interesting.
Grateful as I am I not sure about the white Saxifrage. I ahve looked at S. androsacea on the web and in Malcolm McGregors book and I think the leaves are very different. The help (confuse) matters I enclose a second picture of the Mooserboden sax (posting 2), not as good a picture but showing the leaves slightly more clearly and then a a new picture from the snowline on Kitzsteinhorn showing both the pink and the white plants growing together - I think that both white saxes are the same species.

[David Shaw]

Maggie, don't worry, this was not a showbench plant
If you want bugs or insects how about this swarm of bees. They were swarming round a tree alongside a gate that we had to pass through. Round or through - we made our way cross country and managed to squeeze between the swarm and the fence to escape unharmed!
I have been told that before swarming bees pack themselves with pollen and are unable to sting - this is a scientific 'fact' that I was not prepared to put to the test.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks David !
Great scenery - beautiful plants - excellent photographs !!
Marvelous show !

I guess the liquid reward at the Salzburgerhütte was quite appreciated... 

[fermi de Sousa]

Wasn't it nice of Carol to be there with a "pint" for you after that climb?

If you want bugs or insects how about this swarm of bees. They were swarming round a tree alongside a gate that we had to pass through. Round or through - we made our way cross country and managed to squeeze between the swarm and the fence to escape unharmed!
I have been told that before swarming bees pack themselves with pollen and are unable to sting - this is a scientific 'fact' that I was not prepared to put to the test.

David,
my dad was an amateur apiarist and would often "harvest" bee swarms; when they first abandon the old hive the bees gorge themselves on honey for the journey and aren't able to curl around enough to sting. However after awhile when they've used up reserves they should be able to defend the hive quite adequately! We came through childhood with hardly any stings despite having over a dozen hives in our backyard - and the best honey!
Thanks for the pics of your trip. Despite the bugs that Phyteuma is lovely.
cheers
fermi

[Armin]

David,
I like to second Luc.
Thanks for showing us Kaprun in summer!