The mountain forest is
either an altitude beech forest or a beech/fir forest. In the drier areas
it is replaced by Scots Pine. The threatened ancient and beautiful
altitude beech forests are interspersed with mountain ash, hornbeam and
red and black elder. The forest is limited to the steeper slopes with an
artificial upper limit. Towards the summits when the
slope eases the trees have given way to altitude pastures. When the poorer, less
convenient summer pastures were abandoned the beech reappeared in copses.
It was accompanied by hornbeam
and willow. These are on the sides of Peyre Arse, around
Super Lioran, Col de Legal and Prat de Bouc. It can return up to an altitude of
1700m, but above that level the four month growing period is not available. The
beech tree has adapted to all types of well drained soils and needs atmospheric
moisture that is found in the high Cantal valleys.
The most notable plant of the beech forest
floor is the hyacinth lily with graceful pale blue bell flowers. It can cover
vast areas and demonstrates the Atlantic influence as it is found principally on
the west facing slopes of the western ridges.
The fallen leaves from the
previous autumn cover the ground slowly decomposing. This provides excellent
humus for plants. However, in general, plants that profit from this must adapt
to the absence of light on the forest floor. Several strategies are used to
compensate for lack of light.
Some plants appear early before the beech
leaves have fully developed, for example the snowdrop, sweet woodruff and cardamine heptaphylla. Other
species appearing later colonise the edges and clearings. These are the great
masterwort, Austrian leopard’s bane and white buttercup. Some trees and
shrubs use the same strategy such as the mountain ash, hornbeam, Norway maple and
elder. Other plants favour the shade but are not necessarily confined to the
beech forest.
These are herb Paris, wood sorrel and prenanthe. The most patient
vegetation of the shade must wait for a possible clearing from the trees falling
or by deforestation, for example the martagon lily and yellow nettle. Good examples of this type of
forest are the two ‘bois’ at the foot of Puy Mary. The mixed beech/fir forest occupies the damp
north facing slopes. This forest floor mixes beech forest flora with fir forest flora
of wood sorrel, touch-me-not balsam and nightshade. The vast beech/fir forests
are established in the valleys of Falgoux, Lioran and Recusset.
The mountain moors and fields are typical of
glacial valleys. The forest disappeared, driven back to a lower limit by
altitude pastures. The mountain moor lands are on the steep slopes and ridges,
and heather, hairy broom and cinquefoil grow there. Bilberry also grows there in
the cool damp areas. Generally the vegetation is abundant and
varied. Purgative broom grows on the southern slopes, wood crane’s bill,
arnica and Alpine clover grow on the upper limit. The south of St Jacques
des Blats offers a good example of this moor land.
The
mountain fields correspond to the summer pastures on the Massif ridges, the
high plateaux pastures and hay meadows in the depths of the high valleys.
The plateaux are Salersois, Haute Planèzes and Plateau
de Limon. The high valleys are Dienne, Lavigerie and Ségur-les-villes. Here the
flora is aquilegia, yarrow and sometimes the martagon lily and small red field
gentian.
The great yellow gentian, whose roots are
used to make the aperitifs Salers and Avèze, is also found here. The leaves
of this plant are similar to the white false hellebore which is toxic.
However the leaves of the gentian are opposite, and those of the hellebore
are alternate.
In places there is the
yellow anemone, which has been picked to such an extent that it has been
almost completely wiped out around Puy Mary. The rare pasqueflower around Plomb du Cantal
has the good fortune to flower in June before the tourist season.
Walking in
the Cantal for information on walking and walks in France
and the Cantal, accommodation, food and wine.
