TRIP REPORT : Southland

 27 December 2000 – 7 December 2001 :   Southland

This combined trip for Wellington and Otago Botanical Societies was based at Borland Lodge, on the eastern boundary of Fiordland National Park, between Lakes Manapouri and Monowai.   The weather was as diverse as the botany and the botanists, ranging from skiffs of snow on Mt Burns to 30º C in Invercargill.

We regret that we have had to abridge these reports.   They have just appeared in NZ Botanical Society’s Newsletter No.63, March 2001, where you may wish to read the full versions.   We thank Paul Hughes for help with transferring computer files.   Ed.

Days 1 and 10: Pukerau Red Tussock Reserve, “Burwood” Tussock Reserve and Redcliff Wetland Reserve

At first sight the remnant lowland plant community in Pukerau Reserve looked to be mainly red tussock (Chionochloa rubra ssp cuprea) and wire-rush (Empodisma minus).   On closer inspection we found several species of orchids in flower.   Bastow’s revelation that the peat was over 6.5m deep here, the deepest measured in Otago, and his question as to whether the Sphagnum or the Empodisma was the main peat-forming organism in NZ bogs was food for thought for the rest of the trip.   A highlight for me was finding several lichenised Omphalina in fruit.   They are among the few lichens from the class Basidiomycetes, or toadstool fungi.

“Burwoods” Reserve, is just west of Mossburn, by the road to Te Anau.   This montane hillside tussock community also contained a variety of orchids and many clumps of Aciphylla glaucescens, with striking blue-green foliage and tall yellow flower spikes.

At Redcliff Wetland Reserve ponding has been re-introduced as a sanctuary for wildlife.   Arne Cleveland’s Pukerau nursery, has many native plants to admire and covet.

Allison Knight

Day 3: Kepler Mire and Borland Bog

The botanical day began at Manapouri airstrip where Prof Alan Mark described the structure and features of Kepler Mire, part of the South West World Heritage Area.   This gently sloping mire is raised 6m and is surrounded by a natural drainage channel (or lagg).   The whole ecosystem is protected, in contrast to Borland Mire.

The lagg, which has relatively fertile soils, had a cover of pasture grasses and sedges, several “hedges” of introduced broom, and a scattering of Coprosmas (C. propinqua, C. “tayloriae”, C. intertexta.   One plant of the unusual native grass, Deschampsia caespitosa, attracted our interest.

On the mire, wire rush (Empodisma minus), manuka (Leptospermum scoparium), and Dracophyllum oliveri dominated.   Other plants included Androstoma empetrifolia, with its pretty red fruit, Pentachondra pumila, and two sundews, Drosera binata and D. spathulata.   The common, swamp sun orchid, Thelymitra cyanea was in flower everywhere, despite the heavily overcast conditions.

On the way out some botanised a small manuka-covered moraine that stood above the level of the mire, and almost doubled their number of species.   Of interest here were two ferns not seen before on the trip – Adder’s Tongue, Ophioglossum coriaceum and Blechnum vulcanicum.

After stopping at the Mararoa control structure, where Alan Mark explained the recent history of the area in relation to the Manapouri hydro-scheme, we went to Borland mire.   Here Bastow Wilson explained the different structure of this mire.   It had many of the same plants as the Kepler – one notable addition was the beautiful blue bladderwort, Utricularia novae-zelandiae.

The last area of particular interest was the edge of the mire, where bush was re-establishing among the bog pine (Halocarpus bidwillii).   Some of the colonisers were mountain threefinger (Pseudopanax colensoi), lancewood (P. crassifolius) and elder (Sambucus nigra).   On the ground were several flowering herbs including the little blue lily Herpolirion novae-zelandiae, and the white-flowered Oreostylidium subulatum.

Gael Donaghy

Day 4: Manapouri, Hope Arm and Back Valley

The organising committee had arranged a wonderful New Year’s Day – various combinations of boating across and walking beside beautiful Lake Manapouri.   From Manapouri some went by launch to Hope Arm to walk back, while others crossed the Waiau by ferry.   Some walked to Hope Arm and boated back; some walked the long loop: Manapouri – Back Valley – Hope Arm – Manapouri; and some did various walk-in-and-back options.

My group walked to Hope Arm via the Lake track.   We enjoyed pleasant walking conditions by the river and the lake, and over an extensive boardwalk system.   We walked through beech forest, mixed with a great variety of other vegetation.   The appearance of the beech forest varied.   Sometimes the floor was thick with Blechnum ferns; sometimes it was a vast humpy field of mounding moss; sometimes there was a thick cover of beech saplings and sometimes the floor had a rich variety of other shrub and tree species.

The 3-wire bridge and the rotten-logbridge were a challenge, but we reached the Hope Arm Hut to catch the boat at 4pm.   The wind had risen, so instead of embarking at the usual place, we had to sidle round the lake shore to a more sheltered cove, where the boat could beach safely.   The white-capped lake gave us a very bumpy ride back to Manapouri, between steep-sided hills dropping straight into the water, around islands splashed with red rata, and then slowly up the broad dark water of the Waiau River.

For me, the highlights of the day were more touristical than botanical, but others listed these botanical highlights: Val: Lots more orchid species than expected. Moira: The tall Plagianthus, kowhai and kaikomako in the grove. Ros: The large areas of ‘mounding mosses’ under the beech trees. Several: The 3-wire bridge! Chris H: Aristotelia fruticosa (shrubby or mountain wineberry); Melicytus flexuosus (leafless porcupine plant) – a strange plant, with variable leaves; the variety of bush in the various understories; a 20m+ Plagianthus regius; 18m Cordyline australis; Alepis flavida (yellow mistletoe) in mountain beech, on the way down to the jetty. Allison: Finding the newly named Coprosma pedicillata (= C. “violacea”), just as Neill Simpson predicted we should.

Jill Goodwin

Day 5: McKercher Stream

After a brief introduction to the area from our guides for the day, Brian Rance and Geoff Rogers we walked across pasture in drizzle towards distant shrubland in the Takitimu foothills.   In the first part of the sparse shrubland area stock were still grazed.   It was dominated by Coprosma propinqua and as a result we were treated to rich turf communities containing many introduced species, but also a wide selection of native herbs including Mazus radicans (in flower), Nertera setulosa, Hydrocotyle species and Centella uniflora.   The denser remnants contained orchids such as Pterostylis areolata, still in flower and as we approached the rear of the grazed area we saw the first of the special plants.   These included Coprosma virescens, Plagianthus regius and Olearia fragrantissima.   Several stops were made to explain the history of the area and theories on the history of the vegetation.

At the main valley stand we were suddenly in dense shrubland dominated by Olearia fragrantissima, kowhai, broadleaf and Coprosma virescens with emergents of Plagianthus regius, matai and huge lemonwood (stems nearly 2 m in diameter).   Near the lunch spot there was evidence of past logging of small totara.   It seems that the area was once rich podocarp forest, lacking in beech which had been disturbed 150 or so years ago (giving rise to the small totara and then 13 logged perhaps 50–80 years ago).

From here the party divided, some returning to the vehicles and the remainder climbing to about 750m to see Hebe annulata in the formerly-grazed shrublands.   Enroute a wide variety of alpine herbs were noted, the most ubiquitous being the strong smelling Gingidia decipiens and the spiny Aciphylla aurea.   Others of interest include Schizeilema nitens, the bronze Celmisia traversii and Anisotome haastii.   At the saddle the party split again – some returned by an easier route – most climbing a long ridge route home.   New plants recorded here included Hebe hectori, Kelleria dieffenbachii, Pimelea pseudolyallii, Myrsine nummularia and hybrids of Coriaria sarmentosa and C. angustissima.

Graeme Jane

Day 6: Clifden Limestone

On a lovely Southland day we botanised two limestone areas near historic Clifden Bridge.   Beyond the golf course the fun started!   Led by two intrepid pathfinders, we bashed round the base of the limestone bluff seeking a way up.   Ferns at the base of bluff included Blechnum chambersii, maidenhair (Adiantum cunninghamii), hen & chicken (Asplenium bulbiferum).   The botany was interesting without being too exciting, but near a more open, seasonally wet area, species numbers and variability increased, with several orchids and a small Raukaua simplex seen.

One group walked along the fence to get on to the escarpment.   This was mostly beech with an interesting understory of sedges and ferns, Blechnum discolor being particularly common.   We descended outside the fence where we saw the mistletoe Tupeia antarctica on ribbonwood (Plagianthus regius) and Ileostylus micranthus on mingimingi (Coprosma propinqua), perhaps protected from possums by the isolated position of the trees.   We saw a very large Myrsine divaricata, a fine Coprosma rubra, and some Olearia fragrantissima.

After lunch we climbed to the private bush above the river.   The feature here was the presence of Olearia hectori and O. fragrantissima – seeing them together reinforced the difference between them, O. fragrantissima’s zigzag branches being the main determinant.   We saw Tupeia antarctica on one of the O. fragrantissima trees.   A large Aciphylla subflabellata in flower was noteworthy, as was a plant of the rare sedge, Uncinia strictissima.   We were concerned to see an exotic Sedum sp., growing on limestone ledges, and took a specimen for identification.

Some of the group went down to the beech forest beside the river where several Gastrodia cunninghamii plants were in full flower, their perfume permeating the air.   Some people could not detect the perfume, others thought it delightful, and others found it cloying and unpleasant.   On the river edge we admired a lovely southern rata tree (Metrosideros umbellata) in full flower.

Pat Enright

Day 7: Dean Forest and Giant Totara

A much smaller group visited Dean Forest/ Dean Burn and Motu Bush, because a brilliant blue sky that morning, something we had not seen all week, drew a break-away group up to the alpine pastures of Mt Eldrig.

At Clifden, we took the road toward Lake Hauroko, then went north towards Lake Monowai, along the route of the old coach road to the lake.   Today the road ends at the giant totara reserve.

Dean Bush luxuriantly covers the surrounding, low-lying hills.   The area of interest for us was the bush margin and the wetland in it.   At the bush margin, most noticeable were several large specimens of weeping matipo, Myrsine divaricata.   This for me was the plant of the week and I have not before seen such large mature trees.   Interesting Coprosmas included C. ’tayloriae’ C. walli, C. obconica and some stunning C. rubra.   I now view these divaricating shrubs somewhat differently since I heard a visiting Botanical Society of Otago speaker expound (and demonstrate – his mimicry of a browsing moa was impressive) his theory that the divaricating habit of these species is a survival mechanism against ravaging ratites!   Of the grasses, Hierochloe redolens was most memorable, with its sunlit, golden glumes.

Brian Rance kindly sent the following summary of the wetlands:

“The Carex sedgeland was generally dominated by Carex sinclairii, with some C. geminata, C. secta, C. maorica, C. tenuiculmis (status – vulnerable), spike rush (Eleocharis acuta), Coprosma sp. aff. intertexta and occasional herbs including Epilobium pallidiflorum, Bulbinella angustifolia, Potentilla anserinoides, Celmisia graminifolia and others.   The grass Deschampsia caespitosa (status – vulnerable) has also been recorded though we didn’t see it there!   Other parts of the wetland were dominated by red tussock or flax. ”

The day ended with the giant totaras, Podocarpus hallii .   They were truly awesome, the largest ones I have seen.   It took seven of us linking hands to surround one.   There are just three (I think) left of these forests giants.   How and why they were left makes for interesting speculation.   The area was boardwalked which protected the tracks.   It is a pity that the giant totaras weren’t so favoured.   It was sad to see where the outer layers of bark had been stripped off their lower trunks.   Memorable too was the blood red trunk of a nearby matai, Prumnopitys taxifolia.   Audrey Eagle took a stunning slide of this, which she showed at the March BSO meeting, along with other visual treats from the summer trip.

Robyn Bridges

Day 7: Eldrig Tops

Fourteen renegade members forsook the flatlanders botanising option and headed for the tops around Eldrig Peak this sparkling day.   We reached the Eldrig Tops track from the pylon road after leaving the main road in the South Branch of Borland Burn.   We began climbing from the carpark at 560m through a diverse shrubland; the aftermath of clearings under the pylon line.   Here Gael showed us the differences between two blue sun orchids, Thelymitra pulchella and T. cyanea, which are outwardly rather similar.

After critical appraisal, Raukaua (=Pseudopanax) edgerleyi quickly became R. simplex in all its guises.   Similarly, Olearia lacunosa transmogrified into a very faintly-toothed Pseudopanax crassifolius (lancewood) that at higher altitudes revealed itself to be unequivocally P. linearis!   Learned botanisers, beware.   The leached, gley soil over coarse, crystalline granite rock meant that some species took on unfamiliar growth forms.

On reaching the first saddle the bush had a quasi- ‘gremlin forest’ look, a further reflection of the thin layer of peat over basement rock and a perched water table.   The 8m high canopy of Dracophyllum longifolium, interspersed with Halocarpus biformis (pink pine) and mountain beech, was pierced by emergent wannabe ‘cedars’: giant Leptospermum scoparium (manuka) emulating round-topped kaikawaka.   Throughout this zone the flowering mistletoe Alepis flavida was abundant on mountain beech at all storey levels.

From the forest we broke out among granite tors nestled in their gritty sandpits.   Here the common ‘smalls’ were struggling – Pentachondra pumila, (a dwarf heath), Dracophyllum pronum, Oreobolus sp.(alpine sedge), Styphelia empetrifolia et al.   Views from the tors out across the saddle revealed a 3–4 metre canopy mosaic of open tree and shrubland dominated by pink pine and mountain beech.   Of the tussocks, Chionochloa rubra held sway here.

The bogs in the saddle were crowded with the cushion mat, Donatia novae-zealandiae, the mat sedges, Oreobolus stricta and O. pectinatus, the beautiful narrow-petalled sundew, Drosera stenopetala and the wee pygmy pine, Lepidothamnus laxifolius.   A streamside garden displayed bouquets of Celmisia coriacea and C. petrei nestled in a pretty setting and flanked by the red mid-ribbed Astelia nervosa, the robust pineapple scrub Dracophyllum menziesii, bright green Hebe odora bushes and the yellow-flowered alpine daisy Dolichoglottis lyallii, all underpinned by a carpet of tangle fern, Gleichenia dicarpa.   Here and there the bog twinkled with the white flowers of Oreostylidium subulatum.

Beyond the treeline the curly-topped Chionochloa teretifolia dominated.   Caladenia lyallii, (ahh that beautiful gland) was everywhere in flower.   (Ian St George notes that NZ’s first collection of C. lyallii was from Otago, by Dr David Lyall, surgeon on the Acheron.   Well ordered ‘mini pineapple plantations’ of Celmisia lyallii spiked the tussock land but many showed evidence of a ‘harecut’!

At about 1200m the granite tors outcropped again; huge jumbled dice sculptured into fantastic shapes, many with basins of fresh water notched into their flanks.   Craig 14 Potton, eat your heart out.   And now a whole new suite of plants appeared: Geum uniflorum with its large buttercup-like white flowers, Ourisia sessilifolia, sprawling Celmisia walkeri, brown furry-edge-leaved C. traversii, the semi-woody branched and trailing C. ramulosa, whipcord Hebe hectori and mossy cushions of Chionohebe thomsonii and C. ciliata.   The surrounding granite sand desert was studded with jewels of white-flowering Hectorella caespitosa and contrasting red-tinted Luzula rufa.

Some of the party then headed for the grand views from the higher Eldrig Peak main ridge, while others drifted away down to the large tarn tucked under Eldrig’s eastern slopes.   Highlights here were Aciphylla pinnatifida with its bright orange bracts and yellow leaves poking out from snow groomed tussocks and seeps.   Evident, too, were the succulent-like leaved Euphrasia integrifolia, the clumpy Aciphylla crosby-smithii and a stunning A. congesta cascading over a bank and topped with crowded flower heads.   Other gems included Gentiana montana displaying pink-striped white petals, Celmisia sp. flowering in profusion and Ranunculus lyallii popping its white flower heads out of the tussock on all sides.

Scenically and botanically the day provided a glorious eyeful for all of us.   Comprehensive species lists of vascular plants were compiled by Graeme Jane and Gael Donaghy, with the able help of Southern Botanic Man Geoff Rogers.

Les Moran

Day 8: Otatara

The day, I was told, was a typical Southland day, calm and hot 26–30° C. Our destination was Otatara, Invercargill, with three sites of botanic interest to explore.

Bushy Point Boardwalk was a delight.   Ian and Jenny Gamble have protected their forest with a QEII National Trust Covenant and created a boardwalk through tall forest, manuka shrubland, wetland and estuary rushland.   This area was once grazed, and since this stopped 10 years ago, and 800 possums and 80 wild cats killed, regeneration has been considerable.   The boardwalk was constructed because very high tides enter the area, occasionally almost to the home.

Forest plants seen included Pseudopanax colensoi, P. crassifolius, Elaeocarpus hookerianus (pokaka) Coprosma grandifolia, C. rotundifolia, C. foetidissima, Melicytus lanceolatus, Astelia fragrans, Podocarpus totara, P. hallii and hybrids, Fuchsia excorticata, F. perscandens and Fuchsia hybrids, Aristotelia serrata, Dacrydium cupressinum (rimu) and Prumnopitys taxifolia (matai).   The ground cover was largely Microsorum (= Phymatosorus) pustulatum, Astelia fragrans and numerous seedlings of Parsonsia capsularis, the native jasmine.

Nearer the sea, the scrubland consisted largely of Leptospermum scoparium (manuka) on which was found the tiny dwarf mistletoe, Korthalsella salicornioides.   Also present were Coprosma propinqua with the green mistletoe Ileostylus micranthus, and Plagianthus divaricatus (saltmarsh ribbonwood).

Towards high tide mark were the rare, spiky hair-grass, Deschampsia caespitosa, and the introduced tall oat grass Festuca arundinacea, both in flower.   Leptocarpus similis, the jointed wire rush, was very abundant.   Saltmarsh herbs found included the coastal turf plants, Selliera radicans and Samolus repens, as well as the native celery or shore parsley, Apium prostratum.

Bushy Point illustrates very well the lowland coastal zonation from forest to manuka scrub to salt marsh.   A highlight was a very close encounter with a very curious fernbird.

The next visit was to Brian and Chris Rance’s Southland Threatened Plant Garden nearby.   Brian is a botanist and Chris a horticulturalist and both have a passion for NZ flora.   This garden is their hobby.   It was a rare privilege to see, without the effort of strenuous field work, all these rare and beautiful plants.   They included Clianthus puniceus from East Cape, Pittosporum dallii from Nelson, the native brooms Carmichaelia (= Chordospartium) stevensonii and C. muritai from the top of the South Island, Acaena rorida from the Kaimanawa Ranges and Hebe speciosa from Nelson and Northland.

Threatened plant Garden.   Special Southland plants included Olearia hectori and O. fragrantissima.   Amoung the threatened grasses and sedges were Deschampsia caespitosa, Carex tenuiculmis and Chionochloa spiralis.   Rare and threatened shrubland plants included Pittosporum obcordatum, Melicytus flexuosus, Teucridium parvifolium and Helichrysum dimorphum.   Coastal plants seen were Gunnera hamiltonii, Euphorbia glauca and Lepidium oleraceum (Cook’s scurvy grass).

Other plants seen, some from offshore islands, were Myosotis capitata, Brachyglottis stewartiae, Pratia avencinia, Aciphylla dieffenbachii (soft, not spiky), Geranium traversii, Muehlenbeckia ephedroides, Carmichaelia astonii, Uncinia strictissima (very rare), Brachyglottis compacta and Pimelia crosbysmithii, with flowers smelling like honey.   A highlight was a treat of sausage rolls from Chris and scones again from Jenny Gamble, plus a handful of seeds of Aciphylla dieffenbachii for each of us to try and germinate.

Otatara Reserve.   The third site visited was Otatara Scenic Reserve.   Otatara is based on an ancient sand-dune system up to 6000 years old.   The reserve is in an urban setting, and consists of a coastal totara and totara-matai dominated forest, in the middle of which is a wet area largely made up of manuka.   It is managed by the Invercargill City Council and has a good standard track.   Parts of the reserve are heavily infested with weeds, notably Chilean flame creeper, blackberry and sycamore.

Plants noted were Podocarpus totara, P. hallii and hybrids, Dacrydium cupressinum, Prumnopitys taxifolia, Dicksonia fibrosa, Myriophyllum triphyllum, Coprosma lucida, C. foetidissima, Pittosporum tenuifolium, Pseudopanax arboreus, Pseudopanax colensoi and clumps of Astelia fragrantissima.   Everyone remarked on the very large size of the leaves on all the broadleaved forest trees.

Dr Carol West, Conservancy Advisory Scientist, Invercargill, accompanied us for the day and was a great source of information.   We appreciated her being there.   Quote of the day “It’s hard to tell the totaras apart, but we do know that they are totary different”.

Joyce Wilson

Day 9: South Borland Burn Track

The last afternoon excursion of the trip was kindly led by David Moss (Riverton, DoC, who reassured us by saying that he regularly took primary school children down these bluffs and he hadn’t lost anyone yet!

At the top of the track from the Borland Saddle road we found a cluster of Aporostylis orchids flowering in a small, mossy hollow.   Soon we crossed the fault line from the Eldrig gneiss down into the forested limestone bluffs.   This limestone is unusual as it consists of small rounded granite pebbles loosely cemented into the limestone, and is very crumbly.

Growing near the limestone in this area of higher fertility was a stand of totara and also several southern rata (Metrosideros umbellata).   The path descended through mossy mountain beech forest with attendant yellow-flowered mistletoe (Alepis flavida) then down along mossy silver beech river flats with the flowering, large-leaved red mistletoe (Peraxilla colensoi), high above in the ‘possum cafes’.   We noticed the meal remnants below on our path!

Ros did a great beetle impersonation in one of the slippery small streams we had to cross – she was rescued by Sir Tedword.   Since it was the last day the botanising had become a little sporadic, but lichening was avid to the last.   Some of the party also noted mohua (yellow heads) calling in the tree-tops, and a unusually large number of slime-moulds, both yellow and white, were noticed beside the lower track.   Back at the Borland Nature Walk an arrow scratched in the ground alerted us to one last treat, the tall, sweetly scented flower of the unusual orchid, Gastrodia, that has no leaves or chlorophyll, but gains energy through a fungus that is parasitic on tree roots.

Saskia Wood

Day 9: Green Lake Landslide, Fiordland.

Green Lake landslide.   Photo: Barbara Mitcalfe.

This landslide is believed to be the largest of its type on earth.   Because of the lush growth of forests in Fiordland the landslide was disguised and it was not until 1976 that a geologist, Roger McPherson, recognised it as such.   In 1994 it was fully documented by GT Hancox and ND Perrin.

We appreciated the immensity of this 9km long landslide from high on Mt. Burns, 15 in the Hunter Mountains.   The valley floor is covered by a series of rounded and pyramidshaped bush-clad hills of fallen rock, between which were large boggy areas and tussock grassland.   It covers 45 square km, filling the valley to a depth of 800 m with some 27 cubic km of rock debris, comprising semiintact blocks.

The original large lake was filled and new lakes formed, the largest being Green Lake in the south.   In the north is Pyramid Lake.   Island Lake is in the centre of the valley.   Water from the original lake flowed south to Lake Monowai, but this exit was blocked and the flow reversed, and now the catchment flows north into Lake Manapouri.

This catastrophic collapse of a substantial part of a high mountain range occurred when the glaciers were retreating between 12,000 and 13,000 years ago.   Geologists have found that the land broke away along a fault zone because it had been undercut by a glacier and was no longer supported by it.   The final trigger was probably a large earthquake on the Alpine Fault off the coast of Fiordland.

This dramatically changed landscape is truly inspiring.   And one doesn’t have to climb a mountain to see it, as the 12 km road from the Lodge climbs to Borland Saddle from whence a good view of part of the valley can be seen.

Reference
Hancox, GT , Perrin, ND.   (1994) Green Lake Landslide: A very large ancient rock slide in Fiordland, NZ.   7th International IAEG Congress, Balkema, Rotterdam.   pp 1677–89.

For more information e–mail: g.hancox@gns.cri.nz, and for stunning aerial colour photos of the landslide see: http://www.gns.cri.nz/earthact/ land_stab/greenl.html

Audrey Eagle

While climbing Mt Burns on Day 2, and again from Borland Saddle on Day 9, we saw far below us an immense tussock basin, with tarns mirroring the steep, forested slopes above.   A hairpin road led to the start of a short track through silver beech forest, grading at the margin into small–leaved Coprosma species.   Here we looked out over a sea of red tussock with hebes scattered on the drier, rounded hillocks, and all around, the forest inversion line very distinctly drawn.   We spread out, squelching over this unique landform, some bent to the ground botanising and some bent on botanising the biggest tarn while having their first swim of the year.   Ted found a Myosotis in the process.

A very striking Ranunculus with jet black, hairy stems was in flower beneath the tussocks.   I believe it to be R. multiscapus.   Further south and on a slightly higher level were sphagnum tarns with spectacular colours, fringed by silver beech and wet–loving shrubs such as the dainty, sprawling Dracophyllum (prostratum?) and a pale green, “tousled” tussock which I believe is Chionochloa crassiuscula subsp. torta.

A population of flowering Olearia shrubs puzzled us then and later, when, with microscopes, we tried to identify it.   Graeme was certain it was O. bullata, but Pat and I couldn’t see why, since it didn’t have bullate leaves.   Afterwards we had to agree with Graeme because it didn’t key out to be anything else, and bullate leaves are not, after all, a key characteristic.

Barbara Mitcalfe

Participants: Ted Abraham, Palmerston N; Margaret Aitken, Hutt Valley; Tony Aldridge, Christchurch; Beth Andrews, Eketahuna; Sue Bennett, Te Anau; Barbara Beveridge, Wellington; Peter Beveridge, Wellington; Robyn Bridges, Dunedin; Mary Bruce, Dunedin; Barbara Clark, Plimmerton; Gael Donaghy, Tauranga; Audrey Eagle, Dunedin; Pat Enright, Ngaio; David Glenny, Christchurch; Ian Goodwin, Wellington; Jill Goodwin, Wellington; Chris Horne, Wellington; Ros Iles, Wellington; Rick Jackson, Christchurch; Graeme Jane, Tauranga; Allison Knight, Dunedin; John Knight, Dunedin; Robin Knight, USA; Beatrice Lee, Southland; Rory Logan, Dunedin; Alan Mark, Manapouri; Keith Mayhill, Tauranga; Pauline Mayhill, Tauranga; Lyne McFarlane, Invercargill; Julie McLintock, Nelson; Barbara Mitcalfe, Wellington; Les Moran, Nelson; David Moss, Riverton; Moira Parker, Dunedin; Brian Rance, Invercargill; Chris Rance, Invercargill; Mary Robertson, Palmerston N.; Geoff Rogers, Dunedin; Emil Schmieg, Eketahuna; Tui Slade, Invercargill; Rosemarie Smith, Gore; Val Smith, New Plymouth; Nola Walker, Dunedin; Carol West, Invercargill; John Whitehead, Te Anau; Bastow Wilson, Dunedin; Joyce Wilson, Wellington; Saskia Wood, Wellington.

The following report will appear in the next issue: Day 2: Mt Burns and road to South Arm, Manapouri – Beatrice Lee.