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Pinguicula longifolia subsp.caussensis in-situ


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Hello Everyone,

 

Last week-end I had the opportunity to go for a small treck in the “cirque de Navacelles” in the Department of the Gard (Southern France). It is located towards the southern edge of the Massif Central mountain range. This area is a section of the typical dissected plateau named “Causses”. In this part, the Vis River eroded a deep channel through the base of the valley, creating an incised meander which eventually eroded through creating a cut-off at the neck of the loop.

 

The place is quite dry and the landscape around looks like that:

 

ic1rI0U.jpg

 

We started the trek from the small village in the “cirque” and we walked along the shore or the Vis River until we reached an old watermill. At this place, the groundwater system comes up spontaneously in a spring and creates a really humid environment between deep gorges:

 

excm0Vl.jpg

 

There was still quite a lot of water in the Vis River bed but it was possible to walk a bit along the shore to search for some Pinguicula growing in the gorges:

 

c8wziMr.jpg

 

After only 5 minutes walking I found the first population of Pinguicula longifolia subsp.caussensis which are endemic from “causses” ecosystems:

 

8v1OjIW.jpg

 

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As they were growing in a shady place they just started to form their flower scapes:

 

iZ4ft59.jpg

 

Other part of the population was growing on the opposite side of the gorges in a quite sunny place and I had to cross the river to reach the place. If you focus on the following picture you can see some Pinguicula flowers among the grass and a crazy young man freezing because of the really cold water:

 

5OX2Ztt.jpg

 

Some details of the plants already flowering:

 

Mr5r05f.jpg

 

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...and catching preys:

 

M5R7GNL.jpg

 

Some of them were growing on a rock almost in the middle of the river. It was the most beautiful group I saw there:

 

ok2h4SW.jpg

 

EM4ayQU.jpg

 

I hope you enjoyed this short field trip report.

 

Best regards,

Damien

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