Cool fact…

Active volcanism at the McDonald Islands over the last decade has had a dramatic influence on the environment, resulting in the coalescing of the previously separate McDonald Island and Flat Island, and affecting local wildlife colonies, vegetation and ecosystems to an as yet unknown extent.

Plant

Images of the hardy vegetation that braves the harsh conditions to live at Heard Island and McDonald Islands…

Acaena magellanica

Azorella selago and pringlea antiscorbutica

Buttercup (Ranunculus crassipes)

Buzzy burr (Acaena magellanica)

Buzzy burr (Acaena magellanica)

Callitriche antarctica

Closed cushion carpet vegetation

Clumps of the grass Deschampsia antarctica

Clumps of the grass Poa kerguelensis

Colobanthus kerguelensis

Cushion plants (Azorella selago)

Fungus (Scutellinia sp.), a non-vascular plant

Kerguelen Cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica)

Kerguelen Cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica)

Kerguelen Cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica) flowers

Kerguelen Cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica) maturing fruits

Kerguelen Cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica) monostand

Kerguelen Cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica) slope

Kerguelen Cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica) with maturing fruits

Leaves of the cushion plant Azorella selago

Lichen

Lichen (Xanthoria sp.), a non-vascular plant

Montia fontana

Moss, a non-vascular plant

Moss (Brachythecium sp.)

Mossy feldmark vegetation

Open cushion carpet vegetation

Poa annua

Poa kerguelensis

The newly found daisy, Leptinella plumosa

Tussock Grass (Poa cookii)

Tussock Grass (Poa cookii)

Wet mixed herbfield vegetation

Wet mixed herbfield vegetation

This page was last updated on 28 February 2005.