What’s In The Bush?

Yesterday I showed you the fabulous entry to the Matai Falls Walk in the Catlins, South Otago, New Zealand and a few views of the first part of the path. Here I’ll show you some of the plants I admired – in the same order that I photographed them. This will take us from where I left off yesterday to where the historic rail trail begins.

Just a reminder that it is springtime here in New Zealand, there is lots of fresh new growth. This area is rainforest so there’s plenty of green foliage and ferns, with much to admire in the way of shapes, forms and textures (but few flowers).

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Fuchsias, Ferns and other Foliage

What I’m showing in these photos is what I see on any bush walk here in the south, so typical that many NZers wouldn’t take much notice of them, much less photo them.

This is our native tree fuchsia, the world’s largest fuchsia and distinctive for its peeling orange brown bark. The trunks and branches really stand out in rainforest!

Tree Fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata)

Hound’s Tongue Fern on a Tree Fuchsia. This fern is native to New Zealand and Australia. It climbs and creeps!

Hound’s Tongue Fern (Microsorum pustulatum) – climbing on a Tree Fuchsia

Hound’s Tongue Fern (Microsorum pustulatum)  – creeping on the ground

Astelia (a-stee-lee-a). I’m pretty sure this is a Mountain Astelia or Astelia nervosa

Contrasting foliage

Gnarly base of a Tree Fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata)

Beautiful spring season fern growth

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Further Information and Photos

Tree Fuchsia (Fuchsia excorticata)

Hound’s Tongue Fern (Microsorum pustulatum)

Mountain Astelia (Astelia nervosa)

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Text and Photos by Liz; Exploring Colour (2018)