July Flowering in the Alps

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July in the Alps brings clear warm days and an abundance of wild life.
Views of the surrounding country side from the orientation plaque at 2702 metres.

The Marmots bring out their young to play, but are very wary, keeping sentries on the look out for Eagles, Ravens, Lammergeiers and other predictors.

It knows we are here,

So it’s time to move on to look at the flora.

Masses of Vanilla Orchid (Nigritella nigra) and Dactylorhiza

Lilium martagon, growing in the shade of Larches.

So many different species all trying to set seed before the end of the summer, vying for attention

Various species of Gentian, lutea- the giant yellow, not in flower on this side of the valley, punctata- smaller, just coming into flower, and of course the blues acaulis, nivalis, verna.

There are so many different species of similar looking Primula and Gentian that it is difficult to tell apart, even with the help of my Fleurs des montages identification book, but Trolius is easier to recognise from our gardens.
Growing in the damp margins of streams, like the one below.

Another easily recognised is the classic Alpine flower, the Edelweiss (neither clean nor white, as the song goes!)

Here is just a selection of other plants in flower, some you might recognise.
I have listed as best I can from left to right, top to bottom
1. Viola calcarata. 2.Pimpinella major?
3. Centaurea alpestris 4.Sempervivum arachnoideum 5.Aster alpinus 6.Sempervivum 7. Geranium pratense ssp. 8. ? growing through a Myrtille bush with a tiny Polygonatum viviparum.

And some you probably won’t. Downward, then from left to right.
1.Linum alpinum 2.Pedicularis sp. with Potentilla
3. Campanula sp. 4. Bartsia alpina, a semi parasitic plant that looks somewhat like a salvia. 5. Silene vlugaris
6. Lotus alpinus 7.Campanula sp. 8.Rhinanthus aristatus, another semi parasitic plant in alpine meadows.

I thought these little plants deserved to be admired by themselves, growing at over 2500 m in uninviting rocky ground.

Callianthemum coriandrifolium?
Pulsatilla alpina
Saxifraga sp.

Linaria alpina.

Papaver occidentale? (4 petals) one of my favourites along with Sodanella and Pinguicula, all of which are strongly protected.

Back at sea level now, so South of England flora to follow.

• 24 Jul, 2017
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