Donnelly Flat Loop Track

Mt Holdsworth

page 2

On my way back this last visit I spotted this same growth, but the lush green of the kidney ferns and other plants had mostly crisped and browned.

Underneath this large lily-like plant, the most ancient of New Zealand ferns, Tmesipteris, can be seen. The initial t is silent.

I'm not tired enough yet and there's nothing particularly special to sit and watch that I can see. I'll have a sit later.

Here's couple of different filmy ferns, one somewhat coarser than the other. I'm a long way from distinguishing them yet.

and here's a small native orchid, which is in flower when I visit in February.

We head on along the grand route. When I can't walk the Waitaks any more I should still be able to manage this one.

The edges of the path are luxuriant with Blechnum novae-zelandiae, interesting because until a year or two back it had no generally agreed upon scientific name. (I like it that it was resolved into "the New Zealand Blechnum. It's one of our treasures.)

Here's a lush patch of kidney fern and filmy fern. All a part of the same genus these days following the radical restructuring of fern nomenclature in New Zealand in the past few years.

Young miro are a feature along here.

I think this slender leaved shrub is a variety of maire, but I'm not sure.

and this could be a young pigeonwood.

Here's a putaputaweta.

This I am pretty sure is a maire.

Here we are at the turnoff to the Gentle Annie Track. We take a left here. Notice the huge buttress roots of the beech in behind the sign.

Here's a kamahi, about to burst out in flower. Kamahi honey is very popular as a tourist souvenir.

Crown fern are a huge element of the carpet in these forests. There are great dells of them.

We carry on towards Donnelly Flat.