Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum

General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: Gabriela on August 13, 2017, 08:08:01 PM

Title: Romania 2017
Post by: Gabriela on August 13, 2017, 08:08:01 PM
A few highlights from our trip to Romania, mid-July to early August. I thought a general map would be good to give a general idea of the area covered: this time to the East towards Dobrogea Plateau and then back to the Carpaths around Brasov  (which is my  birth town).
To the West I marked other 2 interesting regions which were candidates for botanizing but had to be left for the next time (in case someone else wants to see what they are about ;) (Iron Gates National Park and Retezat Mts.)
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Few details because it is a particular region - the Plateau is surrounded to the north and west by the Danube and to the east by the Danube Delta and the Black Sea. Average altitude is around 200–300 m with the highest point being Ţuţuiatu/Greci Peak in the Măcin Mountains (467 m).
Given its position the climate is slightly warmer and more arid than in the rest of Romania, winters are cold but with less snow  and  so the flora is very specific: a combination of endemics and various species at their geographical limits: northern limit of Mediterranean and Black Sea, western for some Eurasian species and southern limit of Central Europeans and Caucasian ones.

The best time to visit is May-June, when various bulbous species are in flower and the temperatures are reasonable. Infrastructure is good, lodging decent (many are not advertised on the net). I only recommend visiting with a group/guide or being able to ask questions in the native language.

Being very late in the season not many species  were in flower but enough to give a general idea of the region. Besides flora and fauna the region is known for its many archaeological sites like seen below - Enisala Fortress and its most interesting rocky surroundings to explore :)
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Xeranthemum annum in flower at great expanse everywhere:
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Also Dianthus nardiformis was at its best form:
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Great surprise and was very happy to see Paronychia cephalotes in the wild for the first time!
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Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: Gabriela on August 13, 2017, 08:26:30 PM
The whole trip would have been worth just for finding, including a few last flowers, the rare Centaurea jankae. It was considered endemic to Romania (2 populations only) until it was also found in Bulgaria.

Centaurea jankae - Capul Dolosman, Dobrogea
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From the same place: Gypsophila pallasi
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Echinops ruthenicus in various blue shades, also present E. sphaerocephalus (not shown)
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Ephedra distachya
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Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: Maggi Young on August 13, 2017, 08:42:28 PM
Marvelous, Gabriela!
Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: Gabriela on August 13, 2017, 08:43:50 PM
More - a beautiful form of Allium guttatum
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Quite a few Alliums out there, A. flavum also in flower, A. rotundum, inaequalis and others gone to seeds
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Another rarity of the region: Hedysarum grandiflorum with few last flowers (seeds as well ;)
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Sideritis comosa
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And another rare view, at least for me, Cotinus coggygria growing wild
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Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: Gabriela on August 13, 2017, 09:07:12 PM
Thank you Maggi!
I will finish the first part of the report with few pictures from Macin Mountains. It would be a lot to say about them, I google for those interested to read:
https://www.google.ca/search?q=Macin+Mountains&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=iq-QWdKmLcrn0gKKo524CA (https://www.google.ca/search?q=Macin+Mountains&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&gws_rd=cr&ei=iq-QWdKmLcrn0gKKo524CA)

One day and a half was just enough for a little taste of these old mountains, home to many other endemics and rare species from Romania (Iris sintenisii, Paeonia peregrina, Gymnospermium odessanum...)
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A detail of the endemic Campanula romanica
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Silene compacta
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The endangered and well protected Dobrogean tortuga, Testudo graeca came out into the path to say hello :)
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Next time back to the mountains...
Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: Hoy on August 13, 2017, 09:13:27 PM
Gabriela.

Looks very interesting albeit a bit dry at this time of the year! Spring must be wonderful :) Looking forward to the next chapter!
Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: David Nicholson on August 14, 2017, 09:16:57 AM
Interesting pictures Gabriela, thanks for posting.
Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: ashley on August 14, 2017, 10:54:49 AM
Gabriela, great to see your report from an area new to many of us; thank you.  I look forward to more :)
Fine plants, including that handsome centaurea.
Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: Yann on August 14, 2017, 11:46:42 AM
another fly to book  :-[
Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: Gabriela on August 15, 2017, 12:20:07 AM
Gabriela.
Looks very interesting albeit a bit dry at this time of the year! Spring must be wonderful :) Looking forward to the next chapter!

Yes, it's always dry in late summer, that's why I recommended a May-June trip. There is plenty to botanize but so very hot weather.
Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: Gabriela on August 15, 2017, 12:25:19 AM
Thanks Ashley and David - I'm trying to make my contribution here; I also enjoy the travel logs and plant pictures posted by all others on the forum  :)

Yann - you must have a very loooo...ng booking list  :-X ;D
Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: gerrit on August 15, 2017, 02:38:12 PM
Surprisingly many genera, also featuring in dry Eastern Spain, but different species, like the mostly overlooked Paronychia, the yellow Hedysarum and this stunning Centaurea. Nice pictures from a country i have visited in the past, with its beautiful cities as Brasov indeed, Sibiu, Sigishoara and the famous monasteries.
Title: Re: Romania 2017
Post by: Gabriela on August 15, 2017, 08:48:15 PM
Thanks Gerrit, it is indeed surprising to meet species of Mediterranean origin, or others from Crimea and the Caucasus - that's the botanical attraction of Dobrogea region.
Glad that you enjoyed the Transylvanian cities and the monasteries (Moldavian I suppose). They all have become now even more attractive for tourists from all over the world.
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