Monday 20 July 2015

Črna prst - Julian Alps

Črna prst (1844 m) is a mountain in Spodnje Bohinjske gore, a mountain chain south of Bohinj in the Julian Alps of Slovenia. The name in Slovenian means "black soil" and the meaning becomes clear by looking at the photo above - the higher part of the mountain consists of very dark rock formations. Črna prst is a summer botanical paradise and a well known historical location of botanical rarities. Several species of European importance (Natura 2000) are found here.
Yesterday I walked on it with the intent of seeing some interesting plants, but with no precise target species. Apart from the plants showed below, interesting was the encounter with a small Adder Vipera berus (see pics). On the bird front there were the usual mountain species like Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus, Water Pipit Anthus spinoletta, Raven Corvus corax ect. But honestly, I didn't pay much attention to the birds. As far as I know there should be Ptarmigan Lagopus muta up there and the habitat looks good for Rock Thrush Monticola saxatilis as well.
Geranium argenteum - a rare species in Slovenia, found on Črna prst, Breginjski Stol and the wider area of mount Krn. The name is referred to the silvery colour of the leaves.
Gentiana pannonica - widespread species in the Slovenian Alps. Found and named by I.A. Scopoli in 1772 on Porezen (a mountain top not very far from Črna prst).
Potentilla clusiana - typical of sub-alpine and alpine rocky habitats (above 1700 metres).
Cushions of P. clusiana with mt. Triglav (Slovenia's highest top) in the distance.
Campanula zoysii - quite common in rocky crevices in the higher part of the mountain.
C. zoysii and Triglav in the distance.
Leontopodium alpinum
Pedicularis elongata subsp. julica - collected, named and described on this mountain by E. Mayer.
Scorzonera rosea - looks pale pink in reality.
Heracleum austriacum subsp. siifolium
Saxifraga hostii
Astrantia bavarica
Astrantia carniolica
Saxifraga squarrosa
Lonicera caerulea
Epipactis helleborine
Adder Viper berus - it was almost invisible on the dark soil of Črna prst.
Views of the sub-alpine habitat around the top of Črna prst. In the last pic a view north to the Triglav massif and the lake of Bohinj in the valley.