Summer Flowers of the High Alps

By Somerville Hastings

The main purpose of this book was to instruct and educate visitors to the Swiss Alps on the variety and abundance of the wild summer flowers to be found there. The author photographed them in colour in situ, so that they could be seen as they really are.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sharp Ink
• Release date: Jun 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9788028204006

Book preview

Somerville Hastings

Summer Flowers of the High Alps

Sharp Ink Publishing

2022

Contact: [e-mail]

ISBN 978-80-282-0400-6

Table of Contents

Preface

Illustrations

Introduction

The Narcissus-Flowered Anemone (ANEMONE NARCISSIFLORA)

The Globe Flower (TROLLIUS EUROPÆUS)

The Common Monk’s-Hood (ACONITUM NAPELLUS)

The Yellow Wolf’s-Bane (ACONITUM LYCOCTONUM)

The Two-Flowered Violet (VIOLA BIFLORA)

The Long-Spurred Pansy (VIOLA CALCARATA)

The Box-Leaved Milkwort (POLYGALA CHAMÆBUXUS)

The Creeping Gypsophila (GYPSOPHILA REPENS)

The Moss Campion or Cushion Pink (SILENE ACAULIS)

The Wood Geranium (GERANIUM SYLVATICUM)

The Alpine Clover (TRIFOLIUM ALPINUM)

The Brown Clover (TRIFOLIUM BADIUM)

The Cold Mountain-Lentil (PHACA FRIGIDA)

The Dull-Flowered Sweet Clover or Alpine Sainfoin (HEDYSARUM OBSCURUM)

The White Dryas (DRYAS OCTOPETALA)

The Alpine Rose (ROSA ALPINA)

Fleischer’s Willow-Herb (EPILOBIUM FLEISCHERI)

The Mountain House-Leek (SEMPERVIVUM MONTANUM)

Sempervivum Funckii

The Evergreen Saxifrage (SAXIFRAGA AIZOIDES)

The Large Astrantia (ASTRANTIA MAJOR)

The Alpine Starwort or Alpine Aster (ASTER ALPINUS)

The Cat’s-Foot, Mountain Everlasting or Mountain Cudweed (ANTENNARIA DIOICA)

The Arnica (ARNICA MONTANA)

The Spiny Fuller’s Thistle (CIRCIUM SPINOSISSIMUM)

The Round-Headed Rampion (PHYTEUMA ORBICULARE)

The Bearded Bell-flower or Campanula (CAMPANULA BARBATA)

The Dwarf Hair-Bell or Bell-Flower (CAMPANULA PUSILLA)

The Hairy-Leaved Alpenrose (RHODODENDRON HIRSUTUM)

The Lesser Winter-Green (PYROLA MINOR)

The Stemless Gentian (GENTIANA ACAULIS)

The Short-Leaved Gentian (GENTIANA BRACHYPHYLLA)

The Alpine Toad-Flax (LINARIA ALPINA)

The Alpine Balsam (ERINUS ALPINUS)

The Leafy Lousewort (PEDICULARIS FOLIOSA)

The Yellow Auricula (PRIMULA AURICULA)

The Marsh Orchis (ORCHIS LATIFOLIA)

The Lady’s Slipper (CYPRIPEDIUM CALCEOLUS)

The White Veratrum (VERATRUM ALBUM)

Index

Preface

Table of Contents

The coloured plates of Alpine plants, which are the special feature of this book, are all reproduced from colour photographs taken directly from nature. The plants were all photographed exactly as they were found, with two exceptions, in the immediate neighbourhood of Rosenlaui in the Bernese Oberland during the month of July 1909; so that the pictures are true portraits of the flowers at home.

The Lumière process of colour photography which was used, depends on the action of light on a photographic plate after its passage through various coloured starch grains. The process is entirely beyond the control of the operator, and the exact colours are automatically reproduced. These photographs have in turn been carefully reproduced for this work by the three colour process.

The flowers here photographed were selected as good examples of common and typical species; and, of course, they represent but a very small portion of the rich flora of Switzerland. The present volume is intended as a short introduction to the subject, for the fuller study of which the following works are recommended:—

A. Gremli, The Flora of Switzerland. Translated by Paitson.

A. W. Bennett, The Flora of the Alps.

G. Hoffmann, Alpine Flora. Translated by E. S. Barton.

L. and C. Schröter, Coloured Vade-mecum to the Alpine Flora.

C. Schröter, Das Pflanzenleben der Alpen.

F. E. Hulme, Familiar Swiss Flowers.

Hints and Notes for Travellers in the Alps, being the General Introduction to Ball’s Alpine Guide.

They have all been freely referred to in the preparation of the accompanying notes.

Wherever possible the common name of each plant in English, French, and German has been given on the corresponding plate. It is hoped that this may be of use to the reader.

In conclusion I would like to thank the publishers for the great trouble they have taken in the preparation of the plates, and Mr Howard Farmer, of the Polytechnic School of Photography, for much valuable advice.

Somerville Hastings.

New Cavendish Street, W.

April 1910.

Illustrations

Table of Contents

Introduction

Table of Contents

No one can visit Switzerland for the first time without being struck with the singular beauty of its wild flowers. In the early summer the whole country from the lowland meadows right up to the snowline is ablaze with beauty. Probably in no other part of the world are the forms of the flowers more pleasing and their colours more brilliant. Hence it is that almost everyone who visits the Alps, however little interest he may take in the wild flowers of his own home, desires to know something of the wonderful new forms that everywhere meet his gaze. Here the charm of novelty also comes in, for at least half the flowers met with in the Alps are absent from the plains, and many of the species that occur in both situations have, as we shall see later, acquired such different characters at high altitudes as to be with difficulty at first sight recognised. Those who would see Switzerland in all its beauty, and as far as its floral treasures are concerned, at its best, must visit it in early June before the hay is cut. Otherwise they will miss the glory of the unmown meadows, and although many of the spring flowers, like the Crocuses and Primulas (Plate 35), may still be found in small quantities at high altitudes even in July, the striking effect of the large masses