Alpine Meadows
This is an ancient landscape. Granite can be found over the mountain plateau, but by far the most predominant rock formation is dolerite from the Jurassic era (180 million years ago).
Tasmania has the largest exposure of dolerite in the world and it forms the characteristic features seen on many of its mountains ("The Organ Pipes" on Mount Wellington in Hobart for instance, and yesterday I showed you "Old Bill's Monument" here on Ben Lomond). These rocks are in fact the magma from huge volcanic activity that spread across the "island". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_Tasmania
Ben Lomond/turapina was also the only mountain in Tasmania to be crusted with a glacier, but more of that in coming days. But all of these extreme events led to the development of highly adaptable alpine plants, which are showing beautiful shades of green. orange, red and yellow. The colours actually remind me of some Persian carpets. In spring, when the wildflowers bloom, this is truly a magical place.
"Ben Lomond National Park protects a representative cross-section of Tasmania's north-east alpine plant communities. Although much of the plateau is stony with areas of low and often stunted forms of vegetation, the remainder of the mountain contains a wide variety of habitats ranging from alpine moorland to dense forest. A total of 222 plant species have been recorded on the Ben Lomond plateau, represented by 152 dicotyledons, 62 monocotyledons, 1 gymnosperm and 7 fern and fern ally families. The five most common families (Asteraceae, Poaceae, Epacridaceae, Cyperaceae and Proteaceae) account for about half the total number of species recorded. Most families, however, are only represented by one or two species. Some introduced plants have naturalised on the plateau from introduced grasses, clovers and straw used to stabilise soil and revegetate areas affected by slope grooming, road works and other site disturbances. The most common native species recorded on the plateau are the herbs Poa gunnii (tussock grass) and Gentianella diemensis, the shrubs, Richea scoparia, Orites acicularis and Pentachondra pumila, Baeckea gunniana and Epacris serpyllifolia. Cushion plants are abundant throughout the plateau. One species, the rock cushion plant Chionohebe ciliolata, is known only from a small localised area within the Park. Other rare and threatened species include the rare endemic Oreomyrrhis sessiliflora, and the endangered Colobanthus curtisiae." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Lomond_(Tasmania)
Alpine Meadows
This is an ancient landscape. Granite can be found over the mountain plateau, but by far the most predominant rock formation is dolerite from the Jurassic era (180 million years ago).
Tasmania has the largest exposure of dolerite in the world and it forms the characteristic features seen on many of its mountains ("The Organ Pipes" on Mount Wellington in Hobart for instance, and yesterday I showed you "Old Bill's Monument" here on Ben Lomond). These rocks are in fact the magma from huge volcanic activity that spread across the "island". en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geology_of_Tasmania
Ben Lomond/turapina was also the only mountain in Tasmania to be crusted with a glacier, but more of that in coming days. But all of these extreme events led to the development of highly adaptable alpine plants, which are showing beautiful shades of green. orange, red and yellow. The colours actually remind me of some Persian carpets. In spring, when the wildflowers bloom, this is truly a magical place.
"Ben Lomond National Park protects a representative cross-section of Tasmania's north-east alpine plant communities. Although much of the plateau is stony with areas of low and often stunted forms of vegetation, the remainder of the mountain contains a wide variety of habitats ranging from alpine moorland to dense forest. A total of 222 plant species have been recorded on the Ben Lomond plateau, represented by 152 dicotyledons, 62 monocotyledons, 1 gymnosperm and 7 fern and fern ally families. The five most common families (Asteraceae, Poaceae, Epacridaceae, Cyperaceae and Proteaceae) account for about half the total number of species recorded. Most families, however, are only represented by one or two species. Some introduced plants have naturalised on the plateau from introduced grasses, clovers and straw used to stabilise soil and revegetate areas affected by slope grooming, road works and other site disturbances. The most common native species recorded on the plateau are the herbs Poa gunnii (tussock grass) and Gentianella diemensis, the shrubs, Richea scoparia, Orites acicularis and Pentachondra pumila, Baeckea gunniana and Epacris serpyllifolia. Cushion plants are abundant throughout the plateau. One species, the rock cushion plant Chionohebe ciliolata, is known only from a small localised area within the Park. Other rare and threatened species include the rare endemic Oreomyrrhis sessiliflora, and the endangered Colobanthus curtisiae." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Lomond_(Tasmania)