Tajikistan & Uzbekistan

[Oron Peri]

Thanks all of you,

It is breathtaking to see so many of them in the wild, Oron.  They are such a challenge in our damp Scottish climate.

Hi Richard, well if it is of any comfort, we do not manage to grow them as well, just too hot and dry here...

[Oron Peri]

Next two Junos we have found are I. warelyensis and I. magnifica.
Both share the same habitat, growing not far from each other.

[Oron Peri]

Iris magnifica

[Janis Ruksans]

Phantastic trip Oron. Envy you. I supposed that Eremurus albertii is lost under Vahsh waterpower station, because in my young years it was known only from there. Nice to see it living somewhere else.

[Oakwood]

Well done, Oron!!!! excellent trip!! I'm especially surprised Juno rosenbachiana polymorphism!!

[Oron Peri]

Thanks Dima and Janis,
In fact we have found E. albertii only in two locations with less then 10 specimen in each one,
maybe in  Afghanistan it is more common..?

Last of the Junos is I. tubergeniana.
Usually i do not like yellow flowers [well, accept Sternbergia, Narcissus and Crocus off course ha and Gagea and Ranunculus...]
but  i find this species to be the nicest of all as it has a compact habit with this lemony green color.
We have found it growing in this particular habitat; bare slops of reddish  soil.

[Oron Peri]

We were very lucky to find the first flowers of Iris stolonifera that usually bloom only in few weeks time.
I was surprised to see how small flowers are in comparison to those i know from cultivation.

[Oron Peri]

Some beautiful Anemone species are growing in these two countries.
Here are Anemone bucharica with its two color forms, Anemone tschernajewii and a natural hybrid between the two species.

[Miriam]

Fantastic Iris collection 
Is it your first visit in these countries?

[monocotman]

Oron,
a real treat to see photos of these junos growing in the wild,
Thanks,
David

[Oron Peri]

Miriam, yes it is my first visit to these countries.
David, thank you.

[Oron Peri]

Gymnospermium albertii is quite a variable species,
It appears just days after snow melts mostly with these incredible colors that fade later on.

[Oron Peri]

We have found four species of Fritillaria:

F. sewrzowii at lower elevation in light forested area,
F. bucharica is very common and widespread,
F. stenanthera, mainly at high elevations in exposed areas.

Fritillaria eduardii is becoming rare due to massive picking of the flowers to sell,
it can be still  found in more isolated locations or on cliffs where people can not reach them.

[Oron Peri]

And near the melting snow some familiar species,
    C. alatavicus- blueish
    Crocus alatavicus
    Colchicum luteum
    Colchicum kesselringii - Uzb..
    Colchicum luteum & Crocus alatavicus

[Oron Peri]

and nice forms of Crocus korolkowii