Crocus trip to Chios and Lesvos.February 2018

[Janis Ruksans]

I last night returned from trip to Chios and Lesvos. On Chios I still had health problems - not recovered from flu got on way back from Karpathos, but I walked on mountain slopes regardless of frequent rests and enormous sweating. The first day we went to Mount Pelinea which is locality, where according materials for Atlas of Aegean Flora (A. Strid) was once observed "Crocus biflorus". With me were two friends (nature photographers, not bulb specialists). We two hours criss-crossed slopes searching for some crocus different from C. olivieri abundantly blooming just near Zoodochos Pigi (small chapel at end of dirty road, at left side of picture) and less frequent higher by slopes (picture of slopes attached, on very top as small blue point is bright blue Agia Triada building). We found nothing like C. biflorus. Given data was "Between the chapel of Zoodochos Pigi and the summit. Rocky limestone slopes." Slopes really are very rocky limestone, actually at such places I earlier saw only C. olivieri, no one from biflorus group. There abundantly bloomed Galanthus graecus

If Crocus olivieri is in full bloom - or just at start something higher - that means that C. biflorus could be over, but then would be some leaves spottable. I checked all spots with some vegetation, empty rocky spots, but there was nothing crocus like (exception was C. olivieri, but its leaves are much wider, so both could be easy separable). I'm quite good spotter of crocuses by leaves only, but we found nothing although walked up to where really very steep ascend started, not passable at my present health status and at my age. No one of us saw any similar to searched crocus. Is it possible that we were there too early? But this year snow level on Islands was not below 1600 m. So biflorus crocuses must be out of ground much earlier. May be next year I must repeat search at later dates?

[Janis Ruksans]

Late afternoon we returned to Chios by the road back visiting locality where in April, 2011 in abundance bloomed Cyclamen persicum. Now there were only few flowers. The forest further by road was destroyed several years ago by huge forest fire, but we still found some Crocus olivieri in bloom, few last flowers of C. fleischeri and leaves of C. pallasii s.l. as well of C. pulchellus.

Next day we went to another locality where Crocus “biflorus” was spotted. Weather dramatically changed, were very cloudy and some raindrops accompanied us during first half of day. I checked 3 highest points along our road. The first spot was under large pine trees - most likely C. pulchellus. Then next stop was near highest top in this region. There I found Crocus with annulate tunics inside Sarcopoterium spinosum, and later along dirty roadside on open spots, but most likely washed down from higher spots - both again strongly resembled only C. pulchellus. Of course - I will see that when collected corms will start blooming, but I'm quite sure about my identification.

[Janis Ruksans]

Some more pictures

[Janis Ruksans]

Some 20 years ago Greek amateur botanist G. Sfikas published Newsletter (fragment attached here). There he noted that another amateur (P. Saliaris) found 3 new for Chios crocus species. The "biflorus" crocus pictured there really is biflorus but it looks different from crocuses growing in neighbourhood Islands and Turkey. Seeing only the picture of it I would name it as type biflorus from Italy. Only C. rhodensis resembles it, but rhodensis has black in anthers. Re-reading this newspaper I became doubtful about the origin of picture. About all three species were wrote that they are seen for the first time on Chios. Personally I found C. pulchellus on Chios at more than 10 localities in various ecological conditions (below Zoodochos Pigi, too), the same about C. pallasii s.l. (I think it deserves own name). Both really are very widespread on Chios.

May be P. Saliaris found only plants without flowers and looking on corms named them as "biflorus"? May be G. Sfikas used some other picture of biflorus to illustrate this short note? Amateurs sometimes are doing such minor "falsifications" not understanding their importance. There are plenty of crocuses with annulate tunics between Halandra and Nea Potamia from where was reported “C. biflorus”, but they all looks to me as pulchellus. In April 2011 I especially searched for annulate crocuses and for pallasii types. There were various ecology, diferrent morphology (width of leaves) on crocuses with annulate tunics found on this trip, but they all later turned only pulchellus.

Of course, only coming season or two will show what I found between Halandra and Nea Potamia, but I'm for 99% sure that they are only C. pulchellus. So now I'm in great doubt about presence of "biflorus" crocus on Chios.

Later started so heavy rain and thunderstorm that driving into mountains became dangerous and we returned to our hotel much earlier than was supposed in morning.

[Janis Ruksans]

Following day we went to Lesvos. Arrived very late in evening. Loriet Hotel, booked by me in advance, is located only 4 km from Airport. Although it is situated on street side, the apartments are deeper inside and no problems with traffic noise were. It was the first day when I felt myself more or less comfortable to walk in mountains. Still nausea and some cough, but at least headache disappear and I felt more comfortable.

Next day greeted us with cloudy sky, but greatest problem was finding of road through Mytilene (capital of Lesvos) in direction to Mt. Olibos (Olympos). We missed correct turn due no road signs, but finally after some very steep streets in mysterious way reached main road to NW, but again missed correct turn off and only when we were very far from desired localities, found our mistake. Actually we lost around 2 hours of unnecessary driving. When we approached our target mountain, started raining which slowly became heavier and heavier. I even started to think that no crocus will be found at all and this is not mine Crocus-spring. Nothing on Karpathos Island, then nothing on Chios (relating to searched crocuses), and now rain on Lesvos.

First stops were to picture Cyclamen hederifolium leaves. The asphalt changed to ground road, narrow but still quite good. We had mini-jeep - Suzuki Jimny, but I think that even ordinary car could be usable on those roads. My target here was Crocus nubigena - to see its variability in the wild. All plants grown by me were originally collected by other explorers and I got my samples mostly from Gothenburg BG and some German travellers. Now I found C. nubigena at 3 localities. In two of them it was already out of flowers but I found it by leaves under shrubs and in grass, a pair of last flowers heavily damaged by rain, confirmed that it really is C. nubigena, not C. pulchellus.

[Janis Ruksans]

At third locality I stopped to picture some snowdrops (Galanthus graecus) seen from roadside but then was so heavy rain, that we sit in car waiting something lighter moment, but when rain showers didn't stop, I jumped out and belong Galanthus spotted some Crocus leaves. A little further there was small meadow covered with Crocus nubigena in full bloom. Alas - all flowers were tightly closed. I collected some for herbarium, but at end I was as wet as after swimming in full dress. Even underwear was completely wet. Around was heavy fog and we didn’t saw further than few meters.

[Janis Ruksans]

Next morning again was rainy but at noon sky cleared and we went back to third crocus locality, hoping for some pictures. Few were maid (flowers were still closed and only few half opened) and I collected bunch of flowers for fixation on sticky tape. Now there were no fog and we noted, that we stopped in Prohibited Zone, no photo, no video allowed, territory guarded by Military watch-dogs. On roadside were non-stop road signs, which we didn’t see yesterday in deep fog. So we quickly escaped this territory. Fortunately no one stopped us, although I hear barking of dogs. Of course - when I maid photos, I was hidden inside shrubs and pictured only flowers. In afternoon again started heavy raining and endless lightening, but we successfully drove out of mountains and used the afternoon to arrange herbariums, for writing of notes etc. Fortunately next morning our flight was not cancelled due very strong wind and we successfully reached Athens and further flights to home.

[Janis Ruksans]

My trip started at minus 23 C, at Athens I arrived to +15. Back in home again was minus 15. Checking thermometers in greenhouse I found that inside during my trip temperature dropped up to minus 15, but under cover it was minimum of minus 0.5 C. Crocuses below cover are blooming, but all this weekend still minus 15 in nights is offered, so I can’t open them. May be after 5-6 days…

[Tony Willis]

Janis

it sounds as if you had a difficult trip this spring with the weather and I am sorry you were also not well.

Even so you seem to have seen some very nice plants and achieved partial success. It is the problems of plant hunting,the season and the weather. We leave for northern Greece on Monday and hope for better weather.

[Janis Ruksans]

Janis

it sounds as if you had a difficult trip this spring with the weather and I am sorry you were also not well.

Even so you seem to have seen some very nice plants and achieved partial success. It is the problems of plant hunting,the season and the weather. We leave for northern Greece on Monday and hope for better weather.

The greatest problem is to be in correct place and in corrrect time... + weather, too.

[Maggi Young]

Never ceases to amaze me what Janis is prepared to subject himself to in order to make these trips.  Janis, you must  protect your health!!

[Yann]

Next week seems to be sunny in Greece, 20-22°c for Attica and 16°c for northern sea areas.
Plants hunting is a lottery!

[Matt T]

Sorry to hear that you had such a difficult trip, Janis. Plant hunting trips are not always easy. You show some nice plants nonetheless. Hope you shake off that illness and are well again soon.