Negev Desert - Israel

[cohan]

are you sure? this photo could be from calgary!

What?  A sly reference to "the blue-eyed sheiks" of the 1980's?

hah! very good, much more sly than i was attempting to be

[Otto Fauser]

One question: I always am told that the camels you show are dromedaries?

That's right;
The dromedary or Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius) = one hump
The Bactrian Camel (Camelus bactrianus) = two humps

Gail ,
  am I sitting on a Camelus dromedarius or on a C. bactrianus - nearly 50 years ago ?
      
         Otto.

Fantastic photo Otto, where was it taken? [looks like Jaffa]

                 

Oron , the photo was taken in Egypt in 1962 - pity not near Jaffa , I would dearly love to see my birthplace- Jerusalem , once more in my lifetime , but doubt if I will .

         Otto.

[Oron Peri]

Otto,
I really hope you would decide to visit Jerusalem again, we have two things in common, both born in this city [my family has been there since 1704], and both fascinated about bulbous plant, so we can make a great tour together.

[Oron Peri]

Few more photos,

Anchusa azurea
Echium angustifolium
Alkanna strigosa
Echiochilon fruticosum

[Lesley Cox]

Goodness Otto, I had no idea you were born in Jerusalem. I thought you were only German.

I'll be phoning you at lunchtime today to say...you know what. About 12.30 your time.

[Lesley Cox]

The red Echium is very nice and I really like that rather untidy Echiochilon.

[Oron Peri]

Yesterday I went to the Northern part of the Negev desert in order to see Drimia undulata [Syn. Urginea undulata] in flower.

This summer is the hottest summer ever recorded in the east Mediterranean, still some plants are in bloom despite these conditions.
 

[Oron Peri]

Drimia undulata is the first bulbous plant to bloom in the E. Mediterranean starting as early as the beginning of August when temperatures can be  easily above 40c.

It is really difficult to notice it in the wild as its colors and measures blend perfectly with its surroundings.

The leaves will appear only after the first rain that will arrive 2-5 months from now.
Some years it doesn't rain at all or not sufficient and so bulbs and seeds remain dormant for another year.

After walking two and a half hours under the boiling sun i finally found a few plants.

[TheOnionMan]

Drimmia undulata is the first bulbous plant to bloom in the E. Mediterranean starting as early as the beginning of August when temperatures can be  easily above 40c.

It is really difficult to notice it in the wild as its colors and measures blend perfectly with its surroundings.

The leaves will appear only after the first rain that will arrive 2-5 months from now.
Some years it doesn't rain at all or not sufficient and so bulbs and seeds remain dormant for another year.

After walking two and a half hours under the boiling sun i finally found a few plants.

Cool plant Oron (Drimmia undulata), or should I say it's a hot plant?  I'm sure I can speak for everyone viewing this, your efforts; 2-1/2 hours of searching in the hot summer desert to find this chameleon plant, is truly appreciated.  Interesting wasp in that 1st Drimmia photo too.  I'm surprised that you can find a number of plants still in flower, I think Aellenia hierochuntica is another cool (hot) looking plant.  I wonder if anyone can grow Drimmia undulata [syn. Urginea undulata] given the extreme conditions in which it grows.

[BULBISSIME]

Quite easy to grow for me but with other mediterranean bulbs, not with such hot summer !
It grow's also in Corsica, Morroco,.... and is flowering now in France

[Oron Peri]

Thanks Mark

As Fred added, its distribution includes North Africa, Corsica and S. Spain.

It can be grown under colder conditions in well drained soil and planted with its nose above or at the soil level.
At the Jerusalem Botanic Garden it even receive snow in winter.

Personally i think it is better be grown for its lovely leaves that last all winter.

[ArnoldT]

Oron:

The middle picture of Drimia undulata has a insect in it.  What is it?
 

[Oron Peri]

Oron:

The middle picture of Drimia undulata has a insect in it.  What is it?
 

Arnold
It is a bee, but I'm afraid i don't know which species. [Might be a Eucera]
From the about twenty thousand species of bees existing, you can find in Israel around a thousend.
Many of these have been described but do not have a scientific name yet.

[ArnoldT]

Oron:

Could be close.

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/30423681.jpg

[Lesley Cox]

Personally i think it is better be grown for its lovely leaves that last all winter.

What BRILLIANT!!! leaves.