Syrian onco trip 2011

[BULBISSIME]

I agree with you, not easy to make differences between plants, except by geographical areas.
Need to study them deeper.

[Lesley Cox]

If the area is very windy and subject to erosion, perhaps it is the roots of the iris that prevent greater erosion than seems to be present anyway. A useful "weed."

[BULBISSIME]

Lesley, they are really not enough to prevent anything 
The soil is compact and not sandy with many small stones that prevent erosion.

[xthomasx]

Finally, some photos of our Iris kirkwoodii trip on April 13. I limit myself to ssp. calcarea because ssp. kirkwoodii var. kirkwoodii (the type) was a bit over peak flower, and the light conditions weren't so great in that afternoon.

A beautiful place in a village but with cattle and sheep wandering about. Friendly folks even when we scaled the wall of their fields and took a stroll...

[xthomasx]

This is Iris kirkwoodii ssp. kirkwoodii var. macropetala near Al Bara and Serjila towns (April 14). Unlike var. kirkwoodii, they were quite different from ssp. calcarea. The population was mostly still in buds but we found a nice number of clumps in flower.

We were hosted by some friends whom I had met in earlier visits. Interesting discussions about the current situation and the wider outlook.

Serjila is one of the most famous 'Dead Cities' that are scattered around Aleppo, originating from the 5th or so centuries. I saw irises right in the museum area before, but this time we weren't moving around too much. There were, however, some of the best clumps of this series right outside Serjila.

[xthomasx]

Finally some Iris yebrudii ssp. edgecombii photos taken in our hostel in Damascus.

[xthomasx]

This is my last photo from the trip (April 15): Fred shooting Iris damascena, ten (vertical) meters away from the first homes of a low-income neighborhood...

[arillady]

Thank you so much Thomas for these photos - also especially good to see the habitats of the plants and people.

[Hans A.]

Fantastic pictures Thomas!
Thank you so much for sharing them! Specially the habitat pictures are of great interest! Great landscape...

[PeterT]

Very wonderfull Pictures - Thankyou

[Miriam]

Just Marvelous 
Have you seen other interesting and endemic geophytes there?

[Lesley Cox]

An incredible journey. Thanks so much to you both for amazing plants and pictures. I never imagined oncos growing in such profusion, clumps with dozens of blooms. You will treasure these sights all your lives.

[BULBISSIME]

some more pictures from Iris kirkwoodii  kirkwoodiae  and var...
plus the team as a bonus 


 Edit : to change  kirkwoodii to   Iris kirkwoodiae Chaudhary

[Maggi Young]

Oh! The team is only in the last photo? Not the cows and sheep, then? 

[tonyg]

Brilliant report, great photos and made me smile   Thanks Guys!