Alpine Flower a Day: Scrambling Pohuehue

Alpine Flower a Day: Day 25, Scrambling Pohuehue (Muehlenbeckia complexa)

– so pleased to find this one in flower; tiny clusters of yellow buds, each cluster about the size of your fingernail

– they love creeping everywhere; this one at the top of Mt John, Lake Tekapo

(Note: hopefully, I have the identification right. I initially thought it was the porcupine shrub, but the flowers on the porcupine grow along the stems. If necessary, I'll update once I hear back from the good folks at iNaturalist - and a shout-out to these wonderful botanists on that platform!)

This poem is a rap and I'm keeping it for my collection. It won the CPC open mic comp (my rap name is The OG (of course, standing for Original Gail). It's inspired by another photo I took last year on Taylor's Mistake walk to Godley Heads. I imagined it from the Muelenbeckia's point of view as it watched my husband Mick (bro) approaching. Here's a taste:

The Muehlenbeckia Rap

Yo, I over here, I

the creeper, the twisty thing,

I send my tendrils out, bro,

round and round, and over, bro,

I creep on them rocks, bro,

I love them fences, bro,

I twirl up, through and

round the wire, I wire crazy,

I’m wiry, up and o-ver, bro

yo think I’m blind

but feelin’ is no blind, brother

I know my way,

do you know yours, brother?

...

If you're interested in the inspiration behind this month-long series of 'An Alpine Flower A Day' about NZ alpine flowers and poems, you can find more in my first post: An Alpine Flower A Day Enjoy!