Subalpine context

The fabulous pincushion plant posted a day ago lacked a subsalpine context, so here it is.  The community is sort of a waist high shrub land of grassy tussocks and low growing shrubs.  The area is quite wet especially in places and very low-growing mats of mossy and mossy-like plants growing in between taller plants and rocky outcrops, and in rocky places with very shallow soil.  Grassy and mossy looking plants for the most part are neither grass nor moss. The plant diversity here is actually pretty high.  It's really quite a lovely place, garden-like in a way, although those people intent on hiking distances or altitudes, or hiking with speed (joggers) fail to see anything while communing with nature in their own self-absorbed way. Us naturalists are looked upon as "in the way", just one more obstacle to be avoided. The pincushion plant posted on Friday was growing almost at TPP's feet as he viewed this scene from a boardwalk path.