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Cliff Hanging
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
CLIFF HANGING
This cliff is above the one of the beaches here in the East Coast Bays on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. At high tide we are able to walk along pathways over the cliff to the neighbouring beaches. This is where I find many of the native plants that grow profusely in the area.
The elegant grass with the waving seed-heads of creamy-silver is one of the most recognisable of NZ’s plants. TOETOE is New Zealand's largest native grass, growing in clumps up to 3m in height. It is often called 'cutty grass' by children, because of the many fine, sharp teeth along the edges of the leaves, which are 3-5 cm wide. The flowers are white, feathery arching plumes that grow up to 6m high. The reason these are still in flower is because the cliff is quite inaccessible for children to climb out and cut down.
There are 4 species of toetoe, which, between them cover all of New Zealand. And I surmise that the one I have here is C. splendens, as it grows north of Auckland and on the top of the cliffs along the walkways to the next beaches.
Also on the cliff here is our NZ FLAX. Flax is a common plant of the coast. The toughness of this plant is evidenced by the variety of its habitats, from beaches, river mouths, coastal cliffs with salt sea spray, to alpine lakes. It has long strap-like leaves that can grow up to 3m tall and flowering panicles that can be considerably taller. The leaves range in colour from green to bronze. The orange-red flowers are pollinated by birds - both native and introduced nectar feeders. The attractive seedpods that develop are held erect.
All flax are extremely tough and useful in adverse situations, including seashore plantings, wet or dry soils and hot windy situations. They seem indifferent to clay or sandy soils and grow well on the islands of the Hauraki Gulf.
There are two species of Phormium in New Zealand. This is PHORMIUM TENAX - NEW ZEALAND FLAX OR HARAKEKE - is a common plant of the coast and roadside.
In the background on the left just behind the Toetoe you can just see a Pohutukawa tree growing. That tree loves hanging out on cliffs. I have posted many Pohutukawa trees in the past on TN, you are welcome to go and look at them.
Info from:
www.treesforsurvival.org.nz/toetoe.htm
www.waihekeweek.co.nz/news/greenfingers_files/Page415.htm |
coasties, dew77, sAner, red45 has marked this note useful
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Hallo Janice!
Great landscape making me dreaming on long, calm walk. Maybe should I go away from my work today????
Nice selection of plants in this shot Janice. Excellent POV showing a nice sky with wispy clouds. Good work. TFS
- dew77
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4774 W: 294 N: 4020]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif)
(13209) - [2005-04-06 5:47]
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Very good shot with excellent POV Janice!
Your notes are complete...Very well done and thanks for sharing these beauties from NZ
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- sAner
(4744)
- [2005-04-06 6:34]
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Nice colourful photo. The blue, the white, the different shades of green and the yellow really make a pretty picture. Well composed also. TFS!
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- japie
(5187)
- [2005-04-06 9:27]
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This is a beautiful composition and the exposure is vey good. I like this one
Very well done and thanks for posting.
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- red45
(30243)
- [2005-04-06 16:22]
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Blue and green. And fragile grass. POV is suberb same as different shapes of plants on sky BG. I could climb this hill at least half of it. OK, maybe one fourth of it ;-)))
