Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Yann on March 10, 2016, 11:10:00 PM
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if anyone here will travel in early april to Crete, please PM me.
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I'm back from a short trip in the Kedros mountains, in Crete. It was very warm and many plants already suffer from drought.
As each year i try to stay around a base camp and don't drive too much, i'd prefer climbing on the mountains.
Many members will recognize the areas, it was very quiet i only met few english folks. will post more during the week
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Serapias orientalis with a deep color
Serapias-bergonii
Orchis sitiaca
Ophrys phryganae
Orchis boryi
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Hello Yann,
thank you for showing.
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It sounds like a great botanizing trip Yann, I look fw to see more pictures. An orchids lover paradise!
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Yan, you have a real passion for wild orchids?
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Yes Fred,i travel a lot for this passion.
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very nice pictures Yann, thank you for posting them.
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At 1400m the flora is different
Linaria pelisseriana
Iris unguicularis
Scrophularia lucida
Cistus creticus
Silene cretica
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a few more around 1000m
Pulicaria dysenterica Pallenis spinosa
Scutellaria sieberi
Euphorbia acanthotamnos
Verbascum arcturus
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Good trip Yann.
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Yann, nice to see these pics from your trip!
Thank you for sharing them.
Poul
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back to the hills, altitude 700-850m
Asphodeline lutea
Lupinus pilosus
Oenanthe pimpineloides
A sea of Allium commutatum
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the Kissou Kampos plateau is very interesting for the diversity of plants
Fumana arabica
Trifolium hybridum ssp elegans
Muscari comosum
Tulipa doerfleri,
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a few orchids ? ;D
Ophrys iricolor
Ophrys phryganae
Ophrys cretica ssp ariadnae and hybrids with spruneri
Orchis italica
Orchis quadripunctata
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It was a good year for orchids
Orchis collina
Ophrys fusca ssp cretica
Ophrys fusca ssp creberrima
Orchis sitiaca
Ophrys episcopalis
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You did well a great selection of flowers. it is a wonderful area
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Yes Tony, Spili was a bit too "burnt", i found better areas around Gerakari and upper Kato Saktouria.
The well known site of Vatos above the white house surrounded with pines is now closed, an old woman pursued friends :-\
Ophrys heldreichii
Ophrys cretica
Ophrys tenthredinifera
Ophrys holoserica
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more orchids
Orchis pauciflora
Orchis fragrans
Barlia robertiana and my little princess with her sharp eyes detecting small plants
Anacamptis pyramidalis
Orchis lactea
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Ophrys gortynia
Ophrys helenae X Ophrys spruneri or Ophrys herae with the clear border ???
Ophrys spruneri x Ophrys mammosa
Ophrys bombyliflora
Ophrys creberrima (need to check the label's length, can also be phaidra)
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Ophrys phaidra
Ophrys omegaifera
Orchis lactea
Aceras anthropophorum
Serapias bergonii
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A very rich floristic area Yann, thanks for showing. Your beautiful little helper may grow up to become an orchid expert :)
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Anacamptis papillonacea ssp alibertis
The biotopes where you can find many species
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There's not only orchids in life ;)
Ornithogalum exscapum var. collinum
Parentucellia viscosa
Anemone hortensis subsp. heldreichii
Gagea cretica
Cynoglossum creticum
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Cyclamen creticum
Silene cretica
Fritillaria messanensis
Phlomis fruticosa
Orobanche crenata
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Arisarum vulgare, a bit shy :D
Ebenus cretica found near Agia Triada
Parentucellia latifolia
Anthemis tomentosa
Campanula tubulosa
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Steve (C2) visited Spili today, i hope he'll add some photos to this thread.
If some of you plane to visit the island, i've created a map with +/- 100 spots to visit.
Link can be given by PM.
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south coast is a good place for bulbs
Muscari spreitzenhoferi
Dracunculus vulgaris
Arum concinnum
Allium commutatum
Muscari comosum
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Coronilla varia
Eruca vesicaria
Helichrysum heldreichii growing in pure sand
Medicago marina
Malcomia flexuosa
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What a wonderful journey - and a what a richness of spring flowers!
Thank you for sharing these impressions!
Gerd
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Yann,
marvelous images. 8) Thanks for showing.
The bug on Fritillaria messanensis looks like a lily beetle, right?
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As Yann says I have been up to Spili this week. Orchid heaven! Not as many as when Yann visited, 30 degrees plus much of the week so a lot of dry, blackened plants, and bowing a hoolie the last two days, but still enough to make me happy. Will share some photos when I get home.
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Sounds fun Steve. You'll need your thermals when you get back, I'm afraid.
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I think 11.30 on Sunday night in Manchester is going to feel a bit bracing
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very nice Yann. Love all but the Fritillaria is very nice!!
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Really enjoyed your photos, Yann. Thank you for sharing.
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More this week end, a bit busy with a next trip's preparation ;)
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an ocean of orchids
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The variety is endless, isn't it?
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For sure the combination of patterns and colors is unlimited, for the botanist's happiness ;)
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Excellent plant portraits and diverse array of flora. I believe the Allium shown in a couple photos is actually Allium nigrum (it comes in pink forms), not Allium commutatum.
http://www.cretanflora.com/allium_nigrum.html (http://www.cretanflora.com/allium_nigrum.html)
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Yes Mark! shame on me :P
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As Yann mentioned I followed him up onto the Spili Bumps last week. Truly is a botanical paradise. Just a few of my favourites, mostly orchids.
The butterfly orchid, Anacamptis papillionaceae is one I have grown for years, so it was nice to see it wild.
Why do pyramids always look better on a Mediterranean hillside than at home?
A couple of Ophrys which were new to me, candica and episcopalis.
A man orchid, with a unique way of avoiding being grazed. Though how it photosynthesises beneath its protector I am not sure.
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Orchis italica. The main flush was over but I will never get tired of seeing these.
Ophrys cretica, stunning.
Ophrys fusca. The lumper in me will go no further, which is just as well as it gets difficult.
Orchis pauciflora. Love the yellow.
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And some non orchids which made an impression on me.
Petromarula pinnata. The rock lettuce, how it clings to the rock face I will never know.
The yellow horned poppy, Glaucium flavum, possibly my favourite find of the week. Love poppies but this was spectacular.
We found the last of the Tulipa doerfleri, but the field must have been impressive when they were all open.
And something I have not yet identified, but nice flower! Forgive my ignorance. Help.
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And something I have not yet identified, but nice flower! Forgive my ignorance. Help.
Hi Steve,
Is it some sort of Salsify?
What a lot of amazing orchids BTW!
cheers
fermi
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Thanks Yann and Steve; great to see Crete in springtime and all these fine plants 8)
I agree with Fermi about your last one Steve. Consider Tragopogon sinuatus.
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Many thanks for the id. Seems to be a very variable flower. I did not see any others which were open and the thorns on the bush which it was growing through, though very effective at deterring the goats, were downright lethal to hands, legs, and backsides when I lost my balance in the high winds.
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Thank you Steve for showing more pictures from this beautiful, flora rich region; one more push for me to seriously think about visiting!
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Steve you'd better catched Petromarula that i did. In some areas they cut down the spikes before it set seeds. May be considering the plant as a weed ???
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All over the walls of Rhythmnon Castle and some of the steeper hillsides. At first I kept mistaking it for orchid spikes, at least from a distance, but I thought it was an attractive plant. Would have loved to see what its root system looked like.
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Found these near Spili:
Ophrys episcopalis
Ophrys holoserica?
Ophrys cretica
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And:
Ophrys lutea
Ophrys heldreichii
Ophrys iricolor
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A better Ophrys heldreichii ;)
Ophrys fusca
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Jools when did you went there? i think it's a holoserica now known as fuciflora
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hello Yann, I was there from april 15 until 22. It was growing on the first "Spili bumb".
And is it possible to send me the link of the Crete map you showed before by PM
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I've just seen many of those plants in the Peloponnese, though Crete seems to have an exceptional richness. I'll post a few pictures.
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In western Crete last week:
Alliaceae Allium subhirsutum
Amaryllidaceae Pancratium maritimum
Araceae Arum concinnatum
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Asphodelaceae
Aloe spp. (non-native :) ) at Chrisoskalitissis Monastery
Asphodeline lutea, with Asphodelus ramosus in background
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Boraginaceae
Anchusa italica .. and in a sea of poppies (Papaver rhoeas)
Echium italicum ssp. bierbersteinii
Echium plantagineum, with Glebionis segetum
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Campanulaceae
Petromarula pinnata a common endemic, even colonising the walls of the old arsenal building in Chania.
Caryophyllaceae
Silene colorata ... and in a dune community with Matthiola tricuspidata and Juniperus macrocarpa
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Cistaceae
Cistus salviifolius (left) & C. creticus (right)
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Compositae
Centaurea pumilio is confined to the far west of Crete
Galactites tormentosus
Tragopogon porrifolius hosting iridescent blister beetles, maybe Spanish Fly Lytta vesicatoria
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Convolvulaceae
Convolvulus oleifolius
Cruciferae
Arabis verna
Malcolmia flexuosa
Matthiola tricuspidata
Cretan soldier beetles (Spilostethus saxatilis) I think. Abundant & striking.
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Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbia dendroides
Iridaceae
Gladiolus italicus
Iris tuberosa (syn. Hermodactylus tuberosus)
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Iridaceae continued
Iris tuberosa
Moraea sisyrinchium (rather than M. mediterranea I think ???)
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Seems that you had a great trip Ashley - thanks for showing, great pictures :) some species new for me of course.
Nothing better than seeing plants in their wild habitat!
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Tremendous stuff, Ashley!
I love that little arabis and the convolvulus - look perfect for a trough or crevice garden
cheers
fermi
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Nicely sorted by family, looks like you had a nice trip. I'm still sorting photos.
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Ashley,
Thank you for sharing your photos!
Gerd
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Thanks for sharing the trip Ashley.
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to complete this post, here're Tulipa cretica found among serpentine
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This spring i've spent more time around Omalos. The cold and snow winter doesn't affect at all the blooming. The amount of water was in excess this year. Tulipa bakeri and saxatilis were at their peak when i visited the plateau.
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Ranunculus ficaria subsp chrysocephalus
Daphne sericea
Crocus sieberi
Anemone coronaria
Tulipa bakeri
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... Nothing better than seeing plants in their wild habitat!
I agree completely Gabriela, although it might sometimes test the patience of less botanically-oriented travelling companions ;D
... I love that little arabis and the convolvulus - look perfect for a trough or crevice garden
They would indeed Fermi. The little arabis is one I really like too, and the centaurea might be another great plant for a sandy trough.
Thanks all for your kind comments.
One last Iridaceae, unfortunately a bad photo: Romulea bulbocodium
Labiatae
Lavandula stoechas
Phlomis fruticosa
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Great plants Yann 8). I think we may have crossed tracks on Omalos but I missed the crocus (and probably much else). However between us we should give a more complete inventory :D
Leguminosae
Genista acanthoclada
Lupinus pilosus
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Another yellow Leguminosae by the sea: Medicago marina
Liliaceae
Gagea ambylopetala ???
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Liliaceae continued
Tulipa saxatilis ssp. bakeri in spectacular profusion at Omalos
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Orchidaceae
Ophrys phaidra ???
I found surprisingly few other orchids, apart from Orchis italica and Serapias bergonii, but expect that Yann will have had more success.
Primulaceae
Primula vulgaris
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Ranunculaceae
Anemone coronaria
Often with Tulipa saxatilis and also in wonderful profusion.
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Anemone coronaria
The scarlet form seemed less widespread at Omalos, generally taller than the blue/pink forms shown above and with nodding rather than upright flowers.
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Ranunculaceae continued
Anemone heldreichii
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Ranunculus asiaticus
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Rosaceae Sarcopoterium spinosum (left)
Rutaceae Ruta chalepensis
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Thymelaeaceae
Daphne serica
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Umbelliferae
Ferula communis
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Ashley i'll let you insert my photos among your well organised post, have to sort the photos this week-end.
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Ophrys spruneri
Ophrys cretica (included subsp ariadnae)
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another Ophrys spruneri amazing
Anacamptis collina
Serapia lingua
Serapias parviflora hypochrome
Ophrys iricolor
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above Melambes i found this nice Orchis papilionacea certainly subsp...
Ophrys omegaifera
Ophrys episcopalis
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A beautiful series Yann :o 8)
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more to come ;D
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another Ophrys spruneri amazing
Hi Yann, spruneri amazing indeed. One of the best isn't it?
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Serapias parviflora hypochrome
Well, wel, an hypochromic species. I have never seen it on a Serapias. Beautiful.
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yes spruneri has many variant forms. serapias hypochrome can often be found at lower altitude, i never seen above 400m.
Can't explain why.
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Crete also host nice bulbous plants, here's Ornithogalum exscapum var collinum
pancratium maritimum are germinating in the upper dunes
Cyclamen creticum are at their peak blossom early april
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Triopetra cliffs are rich of bulbs
Gynandriris sisyrinchium and Gynandriris monophylla
The driest areas are home of nice Lotus tetragonolobus and Ranunculus asiaticus (should rename photo)
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the delicate Allium subhirsutum
Lotus cytisoides among rocks stratum
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Ebenus cretica
Rumex bucephalophorus
Sedum eriocarpum, Akrotiri peninsula
Ranunculus muricatus
Ranunculus gracilis
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Iris unguicularis cretensis
Convolvulus elegantissimus
Aethionema saxatile subsp creticum