Early this past December we spent a week travelling across Patagonia with five botanist, plant enthusiasts and flower photographer guests from South Africa.
We discovered the amazing botanical diversity of southern Patagonia, exploring many different habitats amidst awesome backgrounds and pristine ecosystems. We found endemic and range-restricted species in the genera Adesmia, Alstroemeria, Gavilea, Nassauvia, Primula and Senecio, among others.
We explored places south from Punta Arenas and along the shores of the Straits of Magellan, visiting Laguna Parrillar National Reserve, and recording several species that live in damp, moist environments, peat bogs and the Magellanic Deciduous Forest of Lenga, Nothofagus pumilio, the predominant southern beech species in this community.
We also looked for a number of plants that are endemic to this area and neighbouring Argentina and the Falkland Islands around the vast, golden, windswept Patagonian steppe in Buque Quemado and Primera Angostura in San Gregorio and in Pali Aike National Park.
We went to different areas in Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument, Torres del Paine National Park and Sierra Baguales, looking for species typical of the Patagonian steppes such as the beautiful Alstroemeria patagonica and Oxalis enneaphylla, both very range-restricted and found in this important Biosphere Reserve.
In the Mesophytic pre-Andean Scrub we found several species of bushes like the colourful Embothrium coccineum or the fragrant Escallonia rubra, plus a variety of the most beautiful orchids of the region, like Chloraea magellanica, Codonorchis lessonii, Gavilea littoralis and the rare Gavilea kingii.
Besides from being marvelled by the flora, we had many chances to enjoy the beauty of the landscape, birds, insects and mammals in the summer of this South American region.
Leave a Reply
Your email is safe with us.