Flowers in the Fischau Mountains 15.5.2013

Today it is wonderful, not too hot, sunny weather. I have the morning off and take the mountain bike to have a look at the flowers of the Fischau Mountains.

Mit first stop is the light pine forest above Bad Fischau/Brunn, where I take pictures on several places of the Sword leaved Helleborine  (Cephalanthera longifolia). Inside the light forest, there are hundreds of exemplars of this wonderful orchid.

So there is a large selection on offer ...

Further on through the forest to a large grassland near the road crossing the mountain range, called "Über den Kürassier" - a connection between Bad Fischau and Dreistetten.

Here near the bushes Grass lilies (Ornithogalum umbellatum).

And in a somewhat feral part of the grassland a kind of spurge I would call Marsh Spurge (Euphorbia palustris), but I am not sure. Feel free to drop me a line with a better suggestion.

Another grassland nearby besides the road to the (for long time closed) Finkenhaus (the road leads along the opposite side)

Here, I find some Rose-Flowered Salsify (Scorzonera purpurea)...

 ... and in one place lots of Green-winged Orchids (Orchis morio)

Although there are not as many exemplars as on the Gahnswiese, there still are many variants  - as if nature makes use of a large "gene pool" to create new variants.

Unbelieveable, but in this exact place, a hunter has constructed a feeding place for the deer, which has been refilled recently - despite the amply sprouting grass. The traces of his tyres can still be seen - at the place of the orchids´ growing. I am often surprised about hunters´ very little knowledge about plants and how small their respect is.

A third grassland, inmidst the forest, as I am heading back to Winzendorf

This grassland is manured and used as pasture ...

 ... By chance I found the very small patch of residual three Green-winged Orchids (Orchis morio). In a few years, they also will have disappeared, killed by the action of the farmers. "Economical rerasons" they would say, but with a little bit of support by the local (or national) authorities (farmers are supported in so many ways nowadays ...) this could be overcome. No manure, no pasture, and mowing only once in late summer. This would preserve the orchids living.

Grey Dandelion (Leontodon incanus) in the light pine forest on my way back.

Vincetoxicum hirundinaria (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria), this year especially beautiful due to the lots of recent rain.

A tiny single flower of the vincetoxicum

Bastard Balm (Melittis melissophyllum)

Back out of the forest, with a view over Winzendorf ...

 ... to Sonnwendstein.

Behind the bushes in the foreground is the grassland with the tiny iris.

View to the Wechsel region, with the highway A2 near Seebenstein. There drive to Oberwart twice a week.

Panoramic view over the southern Vienna´s plain.  Click here or into the picture for a larger version.

Hundreds of "Big milkwort" (Polygala major) on the grassland above the "lily meadow"

Down on the "lily meadow" dog roses are out (I can´t discern the more than 20 local dog rose species!) ...

 ... Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) ...

 ... and Bloody Cranesbill (Geranium sanguineum).

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