28 July 2007

Sharp Bush Track

page 2

For a space the bush closes over somewhat

Pungas begin to dominate in the under-storey

The surface is now clay bare of most leaf litter and somewhat slippery as we approach a stream

There's a boardwalk, barely a bridge.

and on the other side, the beginning of a nice collection of mature kauri, some quite large.

A punga carries a host of passengers

and a collection of moss and small ferns forms a clump on the side of a tree.

The crevices around the base of the kauri are natural nurseries.

About here the track begins to rise a little more sharply, but nothing serious.

A juvenile mingimingi with its relatively huige leaves is down at knee height beside the track.

It's always worth stopping for a moment to take in the bark and lichen patterns on a big kauri trunk

We head on up the hill

through the grove of kauri

and through another patch of punga

and the track lbegins to level out again

The surface is now a comforable gravel bordered by Blechnum fraseri.

Kiokio, palm leaf fern, is not as common as it is in many places elsewhere. Perhaps a little dry.