Wild daffs in Portugal and Spain, February 2008

[Gerdk]

Dave,

What a colourful and informative report! Please continue.

Gerd

[DaveM]

With pleasure, Gerd.

The pressures of commercialisation are none more so apparent along the Meditterranean coast of King Rafa's country, to which we moved after our week in Portugal. Even if we try to forget(??) the horrendous sprawl that is the Costa del Sol, rapid development, presumably for tourism, has moved to the Ronda area with many new housing estates being built now. Ronda sits atop a large sandstone/conglomerate cliff (pic 1), with a wonderful vista of the surrounding limestone mountains. The increased population that these houses will bring, particularly in summer, will put even more pressure on the meagre water supply in the region. Attempts to secure water supply have not always been successful, as testified by the empty reservoir above the town of Montejaque. In pic 2 you can see one of 2 dams constructed to form a reservoir, but the area has never filled (but the detailed walkers map of the area shows this as a body of water!!!). Somebody forgot to tell them that putting a reservoir in a limestone area is not a clever idea. Maybe they needed the advice of Dr Rock!!!

The rugged limestone scenery of this area provides for splendid mountain views, with small towns such as Montejaque (pic 3) and Grazalema nestling in between the cliffs; and there is an amazing spring flora in this area. The last of this set of pics shows the rare Abies pinsapo, confined to the high parts of the Sierra de las Nieves. More daffs to follow.....

[DaveM]

Back to the narcissus.
Among the many gems of this area is Narcissus cordubensis. This stately jonquil is one of my all time favourites, particularly with its delicious sweet scent......

[annew]

Fabulous, Dave! Why would anyone want to lie on a beach all day when they could see sights like these? Mind you, it's probably just as well everyone isn't trampling all over these treasures.

[DaveM]

Why indeed, Anne!

The Sierra del las Nieves is the home to Narcissus hispanicus......

[DaveM]

The next set are a bit of a puzzle - to me at least. This delightful little narcissus was seen in a number of localities in the Montejaque and Grazalema areas, growing only on north-facing, cliffs of limestone - very few plants grow in readily accessible places (even to mountain goats) so most are telephoto shots.

Said to be N cuatrecasasii, to me it doesn't look much like the clone I have grown for many years. My plant is altogether smaller with the leaves shorter than the stems at flowering and curving out and up from where it emerges from the ground. Yet, using the keys in John Blanchard's book the only thing it can be is N cuatrecasasii.

I'd be interested to read your thoughts.......

[mark smyth]

Thanks Dave.

Maybe Brian Duncan will come in from the side lines are show us photos from his recent trip to Portugal

[Gerdk]

Dave,
According my information the small daffodil above the town of Grazalema is
Narcissus cuatrecasasii.

Gerd

[DaveM]

Thanks, Gerd, that is certainly what I had heard, but........... It's habitat is certainly very distinct.

The next set of pix are of plants that really let you know they are around - the scent is heady in the open air, but in a confined space I find it overpowering. But....... I really can't get to grips with the differences between them: NN papyraceous, panizzianus and polyanthus. I don't think we saw any convincing N polyanthus, but we did see what key out to be both the others. The trouble is that, though a single population may be dominantly one or the other, one can always find small numbers that readily fit the other - if you see what I'm trying to get at. So, in my albeit limited experience, I'm not sure that these really are distinct species, perhaps just varieties. But then, I'm a lumper!!! Anyway, enjoy what I think is N papyraceus first:

[Luc Gilgemyn]

 
What a stunning ride you gave us Dave !
Unique pictures of all these wonders of na(rcissi)ture - thanks ever so much for sharing these !
 

[DaveM]

And here's Nacissus panizzianus

[carolesmith]

Photos are wonderful and the triandrus cernuus just gorgeous.  A visit to Portugal is definitely a must.  

[DaveM]

Widespread in the area is another diminutive jonquil - the one with the horrible name: Narcissus assoanus (Oh, do be careful ......).

Anyway, this grows on low rocky banks.

[hadacekf]

Dave,
Thank you for the colourful and informative report!

[DaveM]

Interestingly, at several localities south of Benaojan, we saw NN panizzianus and assoanus growing in close proximity. Result, a few hybrids, shown here. The first pic shows one in which assoanus characters dominate - bit of a miserable thing I must say.

But the others are definitely more interesting ...... and a lovely scent too.