Natural History Photographs


With just four days left, we had to make up our mind where to go to. While we already visited various locations close to the borders of Switzerland and France, the southern valleys were still unexplored. So this would be the focus for the remaining days of our stay, starting with the Cogne valley. We drove up all the way to Lillaz, from which various tracks lead into the mountains. The village lies at an altitude of ca 1650 m - still well within the forest zone and not truly alpine. Yet against the odds I found edelweiss, the iconic flower of the alpine realm.


Leontopodium nivale
Authority:(Ten.) A.Huet ex Hand.-Mazz.
Synonyms:Leontopodium alpinum Cassini, 1822
Nederlands:edelweiss
English:alpine edelweiss
Deutsch:edelweiss
Français:belle étoile, edelweiss, gnaphale pied-de-lion, étoile d'argent, patte de lion,
reine des glaciers, étoile d'argent, étoile des glaciers
Italiano:stella alpina
Español:estrella de nieve, flor de nieve, garra de léon, leontopodio, mano de léon
Polyommatus
damon
Authority:([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
English:Damon Blue
Deutsch:Großer Esparsetten-Bläuling
Français:Sablé du sainfoin
Español:rayada azul
Polyommatus damon feeding at Sempervivum tectorum
Authority:([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775)
English:Damon Blue
Deutsch:Großer Esparsetten-Bläuling
Français:Sablé du sainfoin
Español:rayada azul
Sedum dasyphyllum
Authority:Linnaeus, 1753
Nederlands:Dik vetkruid
English:Thick-leaved Stonecrop
Deutsch:Dickblättriger Mauerpfeffer
Français:Orpin à feuilles épaisses
Italiano:borracina cinerea, erba della Madonna
Español:uguetas, uña de gato
Larix decidua
Authority:Miller, 1768
Nederlands:Europese llarix, Europese lork
English:common larch, European larch, white larch
Deutsch:europäische Lärche, europäischer Lärchenbaum
Norsk:europalerk, lerk
Svenska:europeisk lärk
Français:mélèze commun, mélèze d'Europe, pin de Briançon
Italiano:larice comune, larice europeo
Español:alerce blanco, alerce común, alerce de Europa, alerce europeo, lárice
Campanula glomerata
Authority:Linnaeus, 1753
Nederlands:Kluwenklokje
English:Clustered Bellflower
Deutsch:Knäuelblütige Glockenblume
Norsk:Toppklokke
Svenska:Toppklocka
Français:Campanule agglomérée
Italiano:campanula agglomerata
Español:campanilla
Cirsium acaule
Authority:(L.) Scopoli, 1769
Synonyms:Carduus acaulis Linnaeus, 1753
Nederlands:Aarddistel
English:Dwarf Thistle
Deutsch:Stängellose Kratzdistel
Norsk:Dvergtistel
Svenska:Jordtistel
Français:Cirse sans tige
Italiano:cardo nano, cardo nano rosso
Español:cardo, cardo de borreguil, cardo negro
Parnassius apollo
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:Apollovlinder
English:Apollo
Deutsch:Roter Apollo
Norsk:Apollosommerfugl
Svenska:Apollofjäril
Français:Apollon
Español:apolo
Colchicum alpinum
Authority:DC. 1805
Deutsch:Alpen-Zeitlose
Français:Colchique des Alpes
Italiano:colchico alpino
Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca
Deutsch:Rosa Nabelschild
Svenska:röd navelkantlav
Carlina acaulis
Authority:Linnaeus, 1753
Deutsch:Gewöhnliche Silberdistel
Français:Carline acaule
Italiano:cardo di San Pellegrino
Potentilla erecta
Authority:(L.) Raeusch. 1797
Synonyms:Tormentilla erecta Linnaeus, 1753
Nederlands:Tormentil
English:Tormentil
Deutsch:Blutwurz
Norsk:Blodrot
Svenska:Blodrot
Français:Potentille dressée
Italiano:cinquefoglie tormentilla, tormentilla
Español:consuelda roja, siete enrama, tormentilla
Parnassia palustris
Authority:Linnaeus, 1753
Nederlands:Parnassia
English:Grass-of-Parnassus
Deutsch:Sumpf-Herzblatt
Norsk:Jåblom
Svenska:Slåtterblomma
Français:Parnassie des marais
Italiano:cespuglio di Parnasso, fiore del Parnasso, parnassia
Español:grama del Parnaso, hepática blanca, hierba del Parnaso

Artemisia absinthium
Authority:Linnaeus, 1753
Nederlands:absintalsem
English:wormwood
Deutsch:echter Wermut
Norsk:malurt
Svenska:äkta malört
Français:armoise absinthe
Italiano:assenzio maggiore, assenzio romano, assenzio vero
Español:ajenjo, asensio, donzell
Vincetoxicum
hirundinaria
Authority:Medikus, 1790
Synonyms:Asclepias vincetoxicum Linnaeus, 1753
Nederlands:witte engbloem
English:swallow-wort
Deutsch:Schwalbenwurz
Svenska:tulkört
Français:contre-poison, dompte-venin officinal
Italiano:asclepiade, erba seta, vincetossico comune, vincitossico
Español:hirundinaria, matatósigo negro, pimiento silvestre, vencetósigo

Sedum album
Authority:Linnaeus, 1753
Nederlands:Wit vetkruid
English:White Stonecrop
Deutsch:Weisser Mauerpfeffer
Norsk:Kvitbergknapp
Svenska:Vit Fettknop
Français:Orpin blanc
Italiano:borracina bianca, erba da calli, erba granellosa, erba pignola,
pinocchiella
Español:arroz, crespinell blanc, gallina con pollos, pampajarito grana, platanicos,
siempreviva menor bianca, siempreviva menor blanca, uña de gato, uva de gato,
uva de perro, vermicularia
Romjularia lurida
English:Lurid lichen
Deutsch:Braunschuppe
Svenska:brunfjällig skivlav
Lytta vesicatoria
Nederlands:Spaanse vlieg
English:Spanish fly
Deutsch:Spanische Fliege
Français:cantharide officinale
Italiano:cantaride
Español:cantárida, mosca de España, mosca española
Erebia montana
Authority:(Prunner, 1798)
English:Marbled Ringlet
Lasiommata maera
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Nederlands:rotsvlinder
English:Large Wall Brown
Deutsch:Braunauge
Norsk:Klipperingvinge
Svenska:Vitgräsfjäril
Français:Némusien
Español:pedregosa
Lycaena virgaureae
Authority:(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms:Heodes virgaureae
Nederlands:morgenrood
English:Scarce Copper
Deutsch:Dukatenfalter
Français:Cuivré de la verge-d'or
Español:manto de oro
Aricia nicias
Authority:(Meigen, 1829)
English:Silvery argus
Deutsch:Nicias-Bläuling
Norsk:Kileblåvinge
Svenska:Turkos blåvinge
Français:Azuré des géraniums
Español:morena alpina

Ecoglite with garnets

Amphibolite

Metamorphic rock