Flora of the Applecross peninsula mountain range, The Scottish Highlands
Introduction
During an exploration of Northwest Scotland, me and my brother found ourselves visiting The Bealach (Bealach na Ba) of Wester Ross in the Scottish Highlands. Along winding roads through mountainous terrain and magnificent mountain views we found ourselves at the Bealach na Ba Viewpoint. This area had a carpark so we decided to park there and explore the nearby area to see what plants we could find. I was very keen to know what lived here as I've never had the opportunity to see alpine flora in the wild before. What I discovered was an interesting and diverse habitat, with equally diverse and interesting plant communities. The area consisted of moorland, littered with rocky terrain, bogs and ponds.
Dry Alpine Flora
The habitat consisted of acidic soil and rocky outcrops. There were many species of typical moorland plants such as: Common Heather (Calluna vulgaris), Cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea) Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) and Crowberry (Empetrum nigrum). These species are quite typical on moorlands, however I felt they were still worthy of mentioning. I also found many other alpine plants within the habitat, many of which were located on the rockier areas where the ground possessed better drainage. Notable species include Dwarf Willow (Salix herbacea), Alpine Lady's-Mantle (Alchemilla alpina), Mountain Everlasting (Antennaria dioica) and Alpine Azalea (Kalmia procumbens). These species were common here, however became less common on the boggier areas. There were also other species in the dryer areas such as Woolly Fringe-Moss (Racomitrium lanuginosum), Urn Hair Moss (Pogonatum urnigerum) and the occasional Hard Fern (Struthiopteris spicant).
Bog Flora
Within the area there were also areas of bog, many of which were located around alpine pools. These areas were primarily dominated by grasses and bryophytes, with many colours and species of Sphagnum Moss being present. I saw various shades of green, orange and red. These sphagnum moss species formed extensive matts, which store water and ensure boggy conditions within the habitat. Between these patches of sphagnum moss I also found other species of bryophyte present such as Bog Haircap Moss (Polytrichum strictum), Stairstep Moss (Hylocomium splendens) and the unusual looking Purple Spoonwort (Pleurozia purpurea). The habitat also consisted of a lot of Deergrass (Trichophorum cespitosum), Common Heather (Calluna vulgaris), the occasional Bog Asphodel (Narthecium ossifragum) and Common Butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris). The rarest organisms I found in the bog were Alpine Clubmoss (Diphasiastrum alpinum), Heath Spotted Orchid (Dactylorhiza maculata) and Fir Clubmoss (Huperzia selago).
Lichens and Fungi
Although these are not plants I'd still like to list them as I felt they were significant. I didn't see many lichens or fungi in this habitat, although I was mainly focusing on the plants. I did manage to find an interesting looking lichen that was nestled in some moss, which I believe to be Thorn Lichen (Cladonia uncialis). I also found what I believe to be Lichen Agaric (Lichenomphalia ericetorum), which was sprouting out from some sphagnum moss. My brother also found what he believes to be Bog Bell (Galerina paludosa).
Conclusion
The area near to the Bealach na Ba Viewpoint within the Applecross peninsula mountain range is clearly a very biodiverse habitat, which hosts both dry alpine and boggy conditions ensuring a diverse array of species can live there. Although I encountered many species, I can't help but feel there are far more species there than I had encountered in my exploration of the habitat. It was a fascinating and enjoyable experience to see so many plants that I have never seen before. I especially enjoyed exploring the sphagnum bog and feel I learnt a great deal from my time there. I don't know if I'll ever return to this place, but if I do I'll be sure to take far more photographs!
