ROCK PLANT COLLECTING.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 31 January 1927, Page 7

ROCK PLANT COLLECTING.

ARTHUR’S PASS AND OTHER PLACES. HAW EE A MOTOR LSTS ’ 1-N TL REST ING TRIP.

(Contributed.)

Anyone interested in the Alpine flora of New Zealand will find a much wider range of plants in the South than in the North Island. It was with the idea of collecting whatever was new to us that we left Picton for the West Coast; via Christchurch, early in January, and camped on the beach near Woodside Creek to explore its gorge in quest of Wahlenbergia Alatthewsii. The morning was very hot as we scrambled over boulders" and forded small creeks, till the stream narrowed into a steep shingleslide on one hand and an almost perpendicular rocky face on the other. Here we saw the Wahlenbergia with its grassy foliage and beautiful long stemmed blue stars. It was sunning itself on a rocky shelf quite out of leach from every angle, so we had a wearisome climb over limestone blocks interspersed with scrub till we came to the brow of the ridge overlooking the stream. It proved a fearsome place, but as we saw various enticing plants, we also saw that we could descend a little in certain parts. After sliding down a few feet, holding; on well to friendly flax bushes en route, we came on several good clumps of Wahlenbergia Matthewsii, accompanied by Celmesia Spectabilis in quantity, and a few Ranunculus lnsignis, along with Linum Monogynum. All the plants were exceedingly difiicult to dislodge from their rocky crevices, and it often meant hammering the rock to pieces along the cracks before even the smallest plant could bo obtained. One of the finest sights was Olearia lnsignis, fringing the entire edge of this rocky pass. It is a long growing shrub with leaves 4in to Gin long, very leathery, and white tomentose beneath. It has enormous white daisy like flowers, and the buds are covered with woolly white scales. We did not stop for anything further on this coast, .preferring to put in the greater part of our time on the higher levels.

On leaving Springfield, before ascending Porter’s Pass, we passed large masses of Sedum Acre. Oil the dry stony soil its brilliant flowers gave a touch of brightness to the rather drab countryside. Further on, with their feet in moist ground, was the Bulbinella or Chrysobactron, with its hya-cinth-like leaves and showy o v ange flowers. We did not look for further plants just then, but where we stopped for lunch, before reaching Castle Hill, the tussocky hillside was blue with a little Wahlenbergia, and we found several plants of .Celmesia Longifolia. As we were not looking for shrubs or trees, these notes will be confine! more or less to the herbs and semiwoody ]>lants.

ON ARTHUR’S PASS. After leaving the Waimakariri river, one sees but little growing by the readside but Helichvysum Bellidiodes and Wahlenbergia albo Marginata ill Arthur’s Pass is reached, and then the true Alpine flora begins. All those who have been through to the coast will remember the peatks that tower up on either side of the road. Sometimes the lower slopes are scrub-covered, but even here the great clumps of Celmesia Coriaeea stood out in startling relief against the darker verdure. We are rot well versed in the many crosses of Celmesia Coriaeea and its friends, but we saw great rosettes 2ft high of these beautiful silver leaved daisies, interspersed with Celmesia ‘Spectabilis and Celmesia Avmsr.rongii, whose daggerlike leaves and orange mid-rib were in striking contrast to the frosty splendour of Coriaeea. All these plants grow in soil full of stones and broken rock, and practically everywhere they are accompanied by the peerless Ranunculus Lyallii. which people persist in calling “the Mt. Cook Lily,’’ though it floes not resemble a lily in the smallest degree, being much more like an exceedingly glorified Japanese anemone. No words can describe the beauty of tlie Ranunculus at its best. It sometimes grows 3ft high, the pure white blossoms standing far above its peltate leaves. These leaves can hold, half a pint of water in their cups, and they have no scruples about emptying the lot into your boots as you puss. Ranunculus Lyalli grows in all kinds of places and aspects. Sometimes by the roadside, sometimes in a swamp. Often it pears out from a cleft in a rock, and when we had climbed practically 5000 ft it was growing in acres up under the rocky crests of the highest peaks. 'LI is a noble flower, but unfortunately does not succeed very well in the lower levels. On certain faces grows Senecio Seorzoneriodes. It is a beautiful broad grassy-leaved herb, with pure white, cream or yellow flowers. and mostly likes a wet, swampy position facing the south-west. One plant on a rock almost washed by the stream appeared like a snowdrift in the distance. * A SHADE-LOVING PLANT. Round about our camp grew quantities of Ourisea Cordata —not as line a plant as Ourisea Macrophylla on Mr. Egmont, with broader and more heartshaped leaves. The most delightful Ourisea of all we found at about 4000 tit —a tiny shade-loving thing, with leaves like pale green plush—Ourisea Sessiliflora. Geum parviflorum also grew at the camp. It is a disappointing plant, with fine tufts of green leaves and insignificant flowers. Much more entrancing is Geum Uniflora, which lives in the far-off tops of the ranges. From a flat Geum-leaved rosette. it sends up one beautiful white flower and seems to prefer the shady side of the hill. Celmesias there are in plenty, from Coriaeea to the needle like leaved Celmesia Laricifolia. One beautiful patch of this was found growing in a depression of u. huge rock. Celmesia Bellidioides grows on the wet rocks along Pegleg Creek, and forms a glossy-green mat covered with flowers. Celmesia Sessiliflora we found on high slopes facing north, its stemless flowers covering its wide cushions. A most charming plant that grows in quantity with the Celmesia is Kaoulia Grandiflora. It much resembles Celmesia Argentea, and has tiny silver rosettes no larger than a small thimble, and on each one 3its stemless a white daisy as big as a three-penny piece. Celmesia Intermedia, Hectori and Pctiolata—this last liking wet ground —were sonie of the others we gathered. THE EJ DEL WEISS. The Eidelweiss is abundant in various places, and will grow in any position apparently. Its silvery leaves and flannel-like flowers are very attractive. When in Nelson another variety was seer, from Mt. St'arveall; this is quite distinct from the Eide.lv/eiss grQV/ing about Arthur’s Pass. One rare iannel

flower that we found was llaastia Sin - -claim. This grows on the. highest shingle-slides and looks as if it. was cut. out of silver grey felt, and has a queer rayless flower. These are some of the best of the things we found, but no words can paint the beauty of the mountain slopes with its .carpet of Wahlenbergias, the little Veronicas, with here aud there a clump of tiny snowy Gentians, the dainty pink and white orchids, and all the wee folk that go to make up the flora of our mountain sides and meadows, not forgetting that peerless queen of all—-Ranunculus Lyallii.