colour protrudes. Every one is a gem.
The soldanella referred to above is a tiny violet-blue tassle-headed snowbell (Soldanella alpina) that often appears to burn its way through melting patches of snow. Drifts of crocus appear at the same time, the white or purple Crocus albiflorus and C. vernus, the rose-red primula (Primula hirsuta), and the spring anemone (Pulsatilla vernalis) that also flowers as the snow melts.
The earliest of the gentians, the brilliant blue spring gentian (Gentiana verna) appears from March until August, and is followed at various altitudes and in different habitats by the extravagant trumpet gentians (G. clusii and G. kochiana), the blue-lilac field gentian (Gentianella campestris), the tall blue, multi-flowered willow gentian (G. asclepiadea) that appears in both wooded areas and damp meadows, and the tallest of them all, the great yellow gentian (G. lutea) that grows to more than 1m in height and flowers between June and August.
Growing among stony meadows and rock debris, the large flowered leopardsbane (Doronicum grandiflorum) is a 6–50cm tall member of the daisy family with custard yellow head, very similar in appearance to Arnica montana which appears in meadows and open woods.
Along the edge of woodland straggles of powder-blue alpine clematis (Clematis alpina) twist tendril-like around tree trunks and low branches, the flowers at their best in late June or July. But it is the alpenrose, or dwarf rhododendron (Rhododendron ferrugineum), that makes its presence known both nearby and from a distance, with its mass of pink-to-scarlet flowers spreading across the hillsides (preferring acid soils, but equally at home among limestone), from open woods to the edge of screes.
No alpine flower is more fragrant than the daphne, whose delicate perfume is often detected before the actual plant is seen. The bright pink, low-growing Daphne cneorum and taller, woody-stemmed D. mezereum are both lime-loving plants, while the straggly D. striata is also found among crystalline rocks.
If one mountain flower could be said to represent the Alps it would have to be the edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum), its woolly grey-white bracts creating a distinctive star-shaped head on a slender stem. Growing in clusters, and favouring limestone and schist, it can be found in rocky places up to 3400m, but is equally at home on meadows as low as 1700m.
Much more showy than the edelweiss, the moss campion (Silene acaulis) forms a dense cushion of minute leaves out of which a mass of pink to bright red flowers appear. The white Swiss rock jasmine (Androsace helvetica) also produces a tight cushion which may grow to 15cm across. It grows on limestone, on rocky ridges and screes up to 3500m and comes into flower between May and August, while A. alpina, the alpine rock jasmine has a mat of white flowers blending to a bluey-pink flush. This is found among granite rocks and screes and has been discovered at a little over 4000m.
Thriving among dry moraines, damp streamsides, screes and rocky places, the lovely white glacier crowfoot (Ranunculus glacialis) holds the record for Europe’s highest growing plant, while the azure blue King of the Alps (Eritrichium nanum) survives up to 3600m on acid rocks. This beautiful little plant forms a low, dense cushion of flower heads reminiscent of the dwarf forget-me-not, and is treasured by all who find it.
ILLUSTRATED GUIDES TO ALPINE FLORA
Two long-established and richly illustrated guides to mountain flowers that would aid identification are:
Mountain Flowers in Colour by Anthony Huxley, with illustrations by Daphne Barry and Mary Grierson (Blandford Press, 1967)
The Alpine Flowers of Britain and Europe by Christopher Grey-Wilson with colour illustrations by Marjorie Blamey (Collins, 1979)
Sporting large knobbly horns, a male ibex crops the short grass of an alp
The ubiquitous marmot, at home in almost every alpine valley
A small herd of chamois caught grazing at Busenalp (Photo: Linda Reynolds)
Alpine fauna
Of all alpine mammals the most endearing is the ubiquitous marmot that is seen in practically every district of the Alps, often enjoying the warm sunshine. A sociable furry rodent, the marmot lives in colonies among a range of habitats below the permanent snowline, with burrows excavated in pastures, among rock debris and even alongside busy trails. Growing to the size of a large hare, and weighing as much as 10kg, the marmot spends five or six months of the year in winter hibernation, emerging lean and scruffy in springtime, but soon growing healthy on the summer grasses. The famous shrill whistling sound, given as a warning of danger, is emitted from the back of its throat by an alert adult sitting up on its haunches. Prey to fox and eagle, by September the marmot has accumulated large reserves of fat and begins to prepare its ‘nest’ for the coming winter with a bed of dried grasses; then comes October and it settles into deep hibernation once more.
Chamois are members of the antelope family, characteristically shy of human contact and symbolic of the alpine regions. With short sickle-shaped horns, a white lower jaw and a dark reddish-brown coat in summer bearing a black stripe along the spine, the chamois is fleet-footed and agile. An incomparable sense of smell and acute hearing make them difficult to approach, but when surprised they make a sharp wheezing snort of a warning. During the winter the chamois spends most of the time in forests; the weakest members of a herd often perish, while others are killed by avalanche. As the snows recede, they return to higher altitudes; in May and June moulting takes place, with tufts of hair snagging on rocks and high shrubs, and during the summer months they prefer cool north-facing slopes and snowfields to warm sunny areas.
Much stockier than the chamois, the ibex has adapted perfectly to its hostile environment and can scale the steepest of cliffs with apparent ease. The adult male sports large, knobbly, scimitar-shaped horns and a short stub of beard, while the female could almost be mistaken for a goat with its smaller, less impressive horns and a grey or coffee-coloured coat. Males spend most of the year well away from the females, which inhabit lower regions, and they only come together for the brief mating season.
By contrast the shiny black alpine salamander is a curious newt-like amphibious creature that has adapted to the alpine environment by searching out the most humid areas and remaining concealed during dry weather, but emerging – often in large numbers – during or immediately after heavy showers of rain. It is more often seen in the Oberland than in the drier ranges of the Pennine or Lepontine Alps.
The dainty roe deer inhabits mostly low wooded areas and has a surprisingly raucous bark out of all proportion to its graceful appearance. The red deer stag, on the other hand, has a bellow to match its stately size, and during the autumn rut the forests and open glades echo to the sound. Both red and roe deer have highly developed senses of hearing, sight and smell, and spend most of the daylight hours hidden among the trees, emerging at daybreak and in the evening to graze meadows.
Red squirrels can often be seen scampering among larch, fir and pinewoods, their almost black coat and tufted ears being recognisable features. Conifer woods are also home to the nutcracker whose alarm cry of ‘kre kre kre’ makes it a rival to the jay as the policeman of the woods. It has a large head, strong beak, tawny speckled breast and a distinctive swooping flight, and is noted for breaking open pine cones in order to free the fatty seeds which it hides to feed on in winter.
The alpine chough is one of the commonest birds likely to be met in the Swiss Alps. The unmistakable yellow beak and coral-red feet mark it out from other members of the crow
