Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
General Subjects => Travel / Places to Visit => Topic started by: papapoly on May 02, 2012, 07:57:11 PM
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Hellow,
This is the first time I am posting something so, I hope I am doing it right. I live in Central Greece and I take several trips into neighbouring mnts. I just got a small digital camera and I decided to share what I see and capture with my camera. I started out in the morning on May 1st. I did not get pictures below the 1000 m line and I am attaching (a few at a time, If I can) pictures as I am ascnding. At around 1000 m grew this Onosma sp (#1401) and by he road side this unidentified yellow species (# 1397). At 1400 m grew this Doronicum sp #1388, also by the roadside) while Muscari (#1386) mixed with a yellow sp resembling an allysum (#1378) grew in rocky terrain. This yellow sp grew everywhere up to about 1600 m (see also # 1243 at 1500 m).
Oops, I just found out that each file (JPEG) is about 3 MB so, I cannot Post.
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Hello papapoly, welcome to the forum, I hope you soon figure out how to resize and post your photos, we would very much like to see them.
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Hello Papapoly, welcome to the forum. I will send you a pdf that may be helpful about resizing pictures for the forum.
a size of under 500kb and slightly less than 800 pixels wide by 600 pixels high for landscape formay is best.
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Use this online file resizing site http://www.efpage.de/eTinypic.html (http://www.efpage.de/eTinypic.html)
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Thank you all. I just downloaded Tinypic, tried it on one picture and got from 3.3 MB to 167 KB. What a difference! The quality is OK for its size. I am sorry for this but, I will continue on the weekend when I have more free time. I will write about my trip and supplement it with at least 35-40 pictures.
Again,
Thank you for helping me out
George Papapolymerou
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I just thought though, I shoud at least send this one picture (1800 m)
George
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Lovely George, we will look forward to seeing more when you have time
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Nice you share pictures of your flora with us, Papapoly :D Welcome !
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George welcome,I look forward to your pictures.It is a wonderful mountain with lovely flowers which I have been on many times.
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I have been many times to mount Ossa (1978 m). I drive up to the refuge of the Greek Climbing Club at 1602 m and then I follow various paths up to the top and back to the refuge again. The lower slopes are botanically also very interesting but they cannot be studied in one day. There is also a path which begins at about 850 m which leads up to the refuge in about 2-21/2 hours.
I started in the morning of May 1st and begun botanizing along the road from about 1000 m up to 1600 m stopping at 3-4 points along the way.
At around 1000 m grew this Onosma sp (#1401) and by the road side this unidentified yellow species (# 1397, Tussilago sp?). At 1400 m grew this Doronicum sp #1388. It grows all the way up to the top in N facing cliffs and at high elevations the leaves were just beginning to form. It appears to be versatile since it grows under trees and inside bushes. Several associations were noted but my pictures turned out to be of poor quality when I was shooting from a distance and under direct sunlight. Images # 1378 and #1386) show a yellow species resembling an Allysum (also growing much higher) and Muscari sp.
Other plants seen at this elevation were Ornihogalum sp (image # 1375) and the ever present, growing everywhere, like a weed, in rocks and in meadows through astragalus angustifolius bushes, a Viola sp, most likely Viola greaca (#1379). This Viola sp, along with Crocus veluchensis, a spring flowering Colchicum sp and Corydalis sp (to be covered in a following Posting) were by far the dominating species forming extensive association above 1600 m. Also, at this elevation (about 1400 m) other plants flowering were the unidentified species # 1390 and two Euphorbia species #1391 and#1394. I certainly would appreciate it if anyone can identify the genus and if possible the species name of any plant image.
More tommorow ....
George Papapolymerou
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A warm welcome to the Forum George. It's great to have stories and pictures from Greece, from someone who actually lives there, and isn't just on holiday for a few days.
You've obviously taken to posting pictures like a duck to water, now you know how. The Viola is my favourite there, a really lovely species. Thanks for sharing your walk. :)
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Thank you for sharing pictures of the wonderfull Greek Flora, Papapoly!
Just one question:
Are you sure picture nr. 1401 is an Onosma? It may possibly be Symphytum tuberosum??
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Welcome George. Some nice images, plenty of sunshine too! Looking forward to the next instalment.
PS I have some seedlings from seed you sent to the Crocus Group. Thanks!
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Yes, Mr Luit van Delft, I was fooled by the flower shape (image #1401). But the leaves certainly tell a different story. I have seen Onosma sp and certainly they have different leaves. In June I may be having pictures of one growing near my house at 400 m o a sharp slope by the roadside leading to the foothills on Mount Olympus. The plant in image #1401 grows through thick dried ferns (15 cm thick) and the new ones will be growing in early June. So it gets heavy shading during the summer months. In this very same location in early June the stems of Lilium chalcedonicum appear. It flowers in July. That's how it survives at these relatively low altitudes.
Next, I am showing again the aforementioned yellow species resembling an Allysum (#1240 at 1500-1550 m by the roadside). Is it really an Allysum sp? It occurs in large numbers even between rocks. I am using a finer resolution and hopefully by blowing up the image someone may be able to recognize the genus or even the species. This white species (#1382 & #1383) grew in the shade of bushes as well as in more open terrain between bushes at 1500m. It is about 40 cm tall. Also, figure # 1392 shows an association of three flowering plants (1500 m, by the roadside). The third (center and bottom center of picture) appears to be a Salvia sp. Finally, from the refuge I took a picture of Mount Olympus to the N-NW (#1255). As I walked higher up the flowers became more profound. Image #1263 shows the predominance of the Viola sp in rocky terrain growing (and therefore protected during the summer months) right through Astragalus angustifolius bushes which by far predominate in this type of terrain. They (Astragalus angustifolius) begin flowering according to elevation from late May but, this season they may be flowering a bit later due to a heavy winter with unusually high snowfalls. The Viola sp occurs in many shades of lilac (light to deep lilac) and also several white forms occur and in some spots I saw some yellow forms. Also evident are the leaves of Colchicum sp, just past flowering at this altitude. Three Ornithogalum sp growing at different altitudes seem to be different species (#1404 at 1000m in the shade of bushes and ferns which will be rising in late May, #1375 at 1400 m which, I am showing again, growing in fertile soil out in the open and # 1357 at 1700 m flowering under or near A. angustifolius bushes). Primula veris (#1260 at 1700 m) occurred in large numbers either out in the open or under trees and tall bushes. It is very difficult to get a good contrast with certain yellow and white flowers (especially Ranunculus sp and Ornithogalum sp) since they strongly reflect sunlight unless one uses an umbrella to diffuse the direct sunlight. I think that one can bypass this difficulty by taking pictures either very early in the morning or very late in the afternoon when sunlight reflection is at a minimum. Later on I will show you (in my opinion) the improvement in the contrast and clarity I obtained by shadowing plants with my own body.
George Papapolymerou
PS I am having a problem sending the images. So I am trying to send them in two installments
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Here is my 2nd installment
George Papapolymerou
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Above 1600 m Crocus veluchensis, occurs, together with Scilla bifolia. They favor fertile soil in meadows and river banks in N, NE and NW facing slopes (images #1324 and #1351 at 1800 m, #1353 at 1700 m, 4th image at 1800 m, #1350 and #1364 at 1700m). Image #1368 is an unidentified Crocus sp. However I don't think that it is Crocus chrysanthus because Cr chrysanthus is quite larger than the sp shown in the picture (1650 m). At lower elevations (1300-1500 m) I have seen many years ago erly in March, Crocus chysanthus growing in masses side by side with Crocus veluchensis but apparently they do not hybridize. I have lots of pictures but I no digital form. Unfortunately, I have thrown the negatives away. Crocus cvijicii is also reported (Brian's monograph of 1981) to grow here in a pale yellow form. Another yellow Crocus grows in large numbers at the ridge (through thick tufts of grass) at 1850 m but it already had withered away.
George Papapolymerou
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Next, I will show you a nice Colchicum species.
Corydalis sp (bulbosa?) and Colchicum sp also occur in great numbers. This Colchicum sp occurs both in North and South-Southeast facing slopes and in some pots it occurs in large numbers. It occurs in great numbers all the way to the top. Images #1339 and #1340 show this species at 1700m. I just went around the flower and shaded it with m body. Isn’t the 2nd picture of higher quality? Another image of this sp is the 3rd one also around 700 m. Near the top I saw several times, apparently the same species, having narrower petals (image #1299 at 1975 m just 2-3 m from the top looking South but, shaded by large boulders. Image # 1296 shows the view from the top of the mountain. Mount Olympus’s view is breathtaking. I am planning to go here in early June. An association of three species is shown in the last two images (same picture but from a different angle, one shaded and the other in direct sunlight) taken at 1750 m. Judging from the light hairiness along the leaves seen when these images are magnified, I always saw two leaves only, could this species be Colchicum hungaricum? Another Colchicum sp, this one flowering in the Fall, also grows here, I have seen flower it in lower altitudes, up to 1650m, the spring flowering species preferring the higher altitudes.
More on Corydalis sp, Gagea sp and Saxifraga sp tommorow
George Papapolymerou
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I'm really enjoying reading ( and viewing ) your account George. :) Very much looking forward to tomorrows installment. 8)
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George thank you so much for sharing your trip it is so nice to see the plants in nature
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Hellow everyone,
Thank you for your nice comments. Next I am showing you some more species.
Corydalis sp grows under rocks and trees and through Astr. angustifolius bushes. (Images #1372 and #1360 at 1700 m). Can someone help me out? Is this Corydalis bulbosa or is it a different species? I find it everywhere I the surrounding mnts and it would be nice to know what species it is. I would appreciate it. I would also appreciate any species and/or genus identification. A yellow buttercup (Ranunculus sp?) occurred everywhere (image #1309), in some places in large numbers. A yellow sp (images #1276 at 1800 m and #1305 at 1950 m) occurred both in rock fissures and through tufts of grass. I don’t know in what genus it belongs to.
Next, I am intrigued by this Galanthus sp I found at 1800 m, growing out in the open all by itself in direct sunlight. I saw another plant only in leaves, 5 m away facing NE. I had no time to search around in more sheltered spots. Images #1274 and #1275, show this Galanthus sp from two different angles. Is this Galanthus nivalis or is it another species? Can anyone help? I am intrigued because I never saw Galanthus grow in full sun. I always have seen it grow under the heavy shade of trees at much lower elevations in the Pindus mnts. However, I believe, that the latter was Galanthus elwesii, the former being a different species.
George Papapolymerou
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This is my last entry for this trip. I hope that you enjoyed it. I hope I can answer questions and be able with my limited knowledge in botany to discuss things with you and learn from this.
Gagea sp grew everywhere, but not in such large numbers as I have seen it grow in nearby low-elevation mnts. Images #1281 at 1850 m and #1333 at 1700 m with Corydalis sp show a Gagea species. However they seem to be different. I am not sure. Saxifraga sp (I hope I got the correct genus name) was beginning to flower above 1900 m. Images #1291 and #1292 facing NE at 1900 m and #1308 facing N at 1950 m are just beginning to flower the latter still having last year’s flowers.
Last, image #1346 at 1700 m shows, a yellow species of Crocus and Crocus veluchensis growing side by side but not hybridizing. I did not find any hybrids.
Just as I was preparing to take image #1346 I noticed this beautiful spider (#1345). Is it the black widow or is it a spider at all?
George Papapolymerou
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Hello George,
Really enjoyed your photos, they make me want to go straight back to Greece.....
Your Galanthus is probably Galanthus graecus which I photographed growing in full sun on Mt Vermion, not so far away from Mt Ossa.
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Lovely report George. Thank you. 8)
The spider you question is a male Velvet Spider of the genus Erusus. Hard to tell what species from this photograph.
Looking forward to reading about your next trip. ;)
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Thank you Melvyn for identifying Galanthus greacus. In early June I plan to be revisiting the area. I will look around to see if I can find any other plants.
Thank you Ronm for identifying the spider. Although I was really close to it it didn't run to hide.
George
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Many thanks for your pictures and your rapport George ! I enjoyed it very much and realise that I must visit this mountain sometimes !
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Thanks again George. I love the blue and purple combination of crocus and scilla and love the viola most of all.
Do you think you could make your pictures a little smaller so that the whole picture fits on the screen without having to scroll across to see the right hand side of it? That would be great thanks. :)
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Lesley, as an alternative to scrolling, try clicking on the page (outside the picture) and hold down the control (Ctrl) button and at the same time roll the mouse button towards you.... the page will reduce in size.. makes the writing hard to read but you get a full glimpse of the pic.
To make a pic, or text, bigger, hold Ctrl and roll the mouse wheel away from you.
George : 800 x 600 is a good size for forum photos in landscape format.
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Heavens Maggi, you're testing my technical abilities there.
Actually, when I do as suggested, the whole page reduces including the picture, or that part of it which was available in the first place, but the whole pic doesn't come into view. No matter, I'll stick with what I have thanks.
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Maggi, Yes I will be using 800x600 resolution from now and on. Almost all of these photos were at 1024x768.
Lesley, thank you. You certainly seem to like the Viola sp. I had taken more at lower elevations ( about 800-900 m) but unfortunately I had done something wrong with my camera settings and lost them all. Some cushions growing on sharp slopes by the roadside were 60-70 cm across. This species is everywhere. It's difficult to capture its beauty on film, especially when you see hundreds of cushions growing side by side on a rocky terrain mixed with other species. I took some shots but they weren't satisfactory for posting. This Viola grows on the Eastern flanks as well, also very abudantly. The same Viola, apparently, I found it growing on the Eastern slopes of Mount Olympus at 1700 m in early May several years ago. There too it was forming large mats. But Lesley, if you really like Violas you should be visiting mount Falakro in NE Greece, near the Bulgarian border. I have never been there but, by some, it is called the mountain of Violas.
George
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George
yes the violas are good on Falackro and there is an easy road up to the top where there is a ski resort. The same ones occur in abundance on Voros where again there is an easy road up to the ski resort. I would say they are the same species as occur on Oros and Olympus
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Thanks Tony
When I get the chance I will visit these mnts. I hope that the Crocus seedlings will reach maturity and flower. Do you know something about Crocus cvijicii occurence on mnt Ossa? What I think I see there is Crocus chrysanthus.
George
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Tony you and I must have looked at the same Viola sp on Mt Falakro and Mt Voros. Here are a few images from my last visit there. Not sure which species, is it V.gracilis?
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George
I have always been too late on Ossa -early/middle of May and only found a few Crocus veluchensis. I have found C. cvicii on Vermion very high at that time of year and once lower down at the ski resort,just a few, when it was a late spring.
Melvyn yes but I do not know the species,I thought gracilis but not sure,also yellow ones
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George,
thank you for joining the forum and showing such marvelous pictures from your greek wildness.
Enjoyed especial the C. veluchensis meadows, it simply fascinates me :o ;D
I envy you for the biodiversity compared to the agrarian deserts around were I live.