Crete & Pelops

[Matt T]

Site MT09 (cont'd)
Further up the hill and we're climbing to the castle (23). More A.callimischon on the way up and some C.boryi. Once inside the walls we stop to take breath and enjoy the glorious views towards the Taygetos mountains and across the plain of Laconia to Sparti and the Parnonas mountains beyond. Exploring the castle we find a few plants of Campanula versicolor with their scented flowers (24) and a bright patch of Sternbergia (S.sicula again, S.lutea or both I don't know??) revelling in the sunshine amongst the rubble (25).

Site MT10
After a hard days sight seeing we take a short walk around the village of Nea Mystras. On a stretch of the E4 footpath on the outskirts of the village we find an abandoned cultivation terrace with overgrown Citrus trees and fly-tipped waste, but an enormous swathe of C.hederifolium in the fading light (26), which continues away down the slope beneath the dense vegetation.

Site MT11
Further on we find a damp, shady, moss-covered rock face where, surprisingly both C.hederifolium and C.graecum are growing together.

[Matt T]

Another day and more bulbs to find! Today we are heading down to the Mani but decided to squeeze in "a couple of quick sites" en route. This made it a long day, so we should probably have just focussed on the Mani but there are just so many bulbs to see. Whilst we managed to visit a lot of sites throughout the southern Peloponnese, there were at least as many sites again that we didn't have time for and look forward to exploring on future trips.

Off to the "Sheltered Place of the Taygetos".

Site MT12
We find many plants above the cliffs beyond the village of Anogia. So many bulbs catch your eye as you are driving around that it's hard not to stop around every corner or at every parking place. On our way up we see Sternbergia, C.graecum and Campanula versicolor on the cliffs. Finally we stop where we spot a new species for us, a beautifully tessellated flower of Colchicum bivonae right at the verge (27). Exploring the garrigue/phrygana along the roadside we find a lot more C.graecum (28) - even growing through tarmac, David! There are also Crocus, with C.hadriaticus (including 'blues') and C.boryi (29).

[Matt T]

Back down the cliff, along to the next village (Paleopanagia) and up into the Taygetos foothills again towards Krioneri. We're off to find Galanthus!

Site MT13
A long drive on winding and unclear roads into the hills, en route Paddy finally pipes up again, "Galanthus!". Some distance before our intended site we park up by some shepherd huts and explore more abandoned cultivation terraces. Overgrown with brambles etc. we find a gorgeous mixed colony of C.hederifolium (30) and our first plants of Galanthus reginae-olgae, here in a robust, tall growing form (31). Perhaps not typical habitat for Gr-o, but it's a wonderful place to be.

As we are leaving I find an enormous female bush cricket, similar to our native (southern UK) Roesel's bush cricket but perhaps 2" long. My research tells me this is Pholidoptera femorata (32).

Site MT14
Back in the car and another kilometre or so up the road we find a "classic snowdrop site". Plenty of G.reginae-olgae are scattered throughout the Planatus and Fir woodland, a cool, moist site close to a stream, along with more C.hederifolium (33).

[Matt T]

Time well spent with our 'quick' spots, we are back on the road, down the hill, across the country. Patrick has time for a snooze as we head for the Mani.

Site MT15
Stopping some way before Areopoli we find a roadside shrine/memorial. A new Crocus species is our target here, but first we explore a short way up the side road and find C.boryi and Colchicum cupanii (37). We also find Euphorbia dendroides here. Our first Crocus goulimyi are growing in the parking place itself as well as into the surrounding garrigue vegetation (35). Their honey scent is lovely in the sunshine. We also find C.graecum and Arisarum vulgare, but don't linger too long here as it's lunchtime already.

Site MT16
A few more C.goulimyi just north of Areopoli, but not as many or as obvious as we'd expected them to be, so I wonder whether recent construction works have impacted this population or whether we're not in quite the right place?

Site MT17
Heading south we're hoping for another new species. We find our site on the road south from Areopoli to Vathia quite easily. In fact there is a lot of earthworks and construction going on for what appears to be a new road coming through here to bypass the twisting corner. Thankfully, it appears as though this population of Crocus niveus (36) won't be impacted. There has also been a small area of recent burning here, but bulbs are adapted to withstand this and the C.graecum appear as though they have positively benefited from the release of potash (37).

[Matt T]

Site MT18
Creeping southwards again we turn off into Pyrgos Dirou. Our site is under olive trees and we're expecting to find more C.goulimyi but fail to find any here. There are a few C.niveus, many C.graecum and a surprise.

Patrick calls me over to look at some Cyclamen with 'funny' leaves (38 & 39), which were plain green, slightly larger and thicker than any we'd seen. My first feeling, and subsequently keying them out suggested that these are a form of C. hederifolium, either confusum or crassifolium. Can anyone clarify? I don't believe that the flower belongs to these leaves. Exploring at the base of the plant I found a seed capsule with a petiole coiled in both directions from the centre (40), so I suspect that a plant of C.graecum is growing underneath and sending up flowers but not yet its own leaves.

[Matt T]

Site MT19
Pottering on we spy many Sternbergia and C.graecum amongst the olives from the road between Charouda and Nikandrio/Marmatsouka and some C.niveus on the verge.

Site 20
At Charouda, close to the Byzantine church, we find an incredible sight - swathes of Sternbergia (sp.?) and C.graecum amongst the groves (41 & 42). The sun shines brightly and the plants look at their best. Well worth a small detour off the main road to see them.

We continue onwards, passing by the familiar sight of the tower houses at Vathia, looking just as good as they do in all the pictures we've seen of them (43).

[Matt T]

Site MT21
Finally the road runs out and we find ourselves at Kokkinogia and set off along the footpath towards the lighthouse at Cape Tenaro. Due to our snowdrop stops time is getting on, the sun is dropping and the light is failing. A strong breeze is also blowing across the exposed headland, which makes flower photography difficult. C.graecum is growing in extensive and floriferous swathes surprisingly close to the sea (44). We soon find the plant for which this site is best known, a sea of Narcissus serotinus 'nodding' in the breeze (45). On hands and knees, the scent from these tiny flowers is exquisite. We also find the ubiquitous Scilla autumnalis, but this time in it's subspecies latifolia - a very handsome plant. Continuing along the path we find many tiny stems with more Narcissus buds promising an even better show in a few days. We also find many diminutive Colchicum. I need to check back through my photos to determine the ID of them all, but am reasonably confident that we found C.parlatoris (46). Finally, we reach the lighthouse and as the sun nears the horizon the colours of C.graecum are enhanced (47).

[Matt T]

With so many bulb sites dispersed across such a large area (even though we confined ourselves to the S. Pelops) some days involved a lot of driving. So that it didn't become a chore we alternated our bulb site/driving days with days exploring locally on foot (thankfully also involving bulb sites, due to the rich flora of the Mystras area).

Site MT22
Ostensibly I'm calling this site 'Neokaria Gorge', but in truth we started hiking from Mystras along the length of the gorge, out, beyond, higher and higher still until we were in the mountains far, far above. A tough day for those of us who are not quite so fit!

Within the gorge we found the now familiar Arisarum vulgare (48). There were also many, many C.hederifolium in many leaf forms, some of which are extremely attractive (49).

On more open ground outwith the gorge we found a few out of season flowers of a larkspur, which looked much like Consolida regalis to me (50).

Higher still and we find some particularly good specimens of C.hadriaticus, flowers here apparently blushing with colour as they age (51).

Wildlife abounds here. The most common bird we saw/heard during our time in the Pelops was probably the jay, gliding to and fro with acorns for its winter stash. In the sunshine we often saw butterflies, including a few shabby painted lady and occasional clouded yellow (52).
(cont'd)

[Matt T]

Site MT22 (cont'd)
In places, the Euphorbia rigida were colouring up, contrasting nicely with the more glaucous shoots (53).

The altitude and breeze keep the air cool and refreshing for us hikers, but green rock lizards were making the most of the suns rays basking on the rocks (54).

Smaller rock plants find niches in cool, shady crevices (55).

And finally I'm allowed a rest and we settle down to lunch with a glorious view, the sun on our backs, mountain air and ravens 'quorking' from the peaks above us (56).
(cont'd)

[Matt T]

Site MT22 (cont'd)
A short way further on after lunch and find more C.hadriaticus (57), but with few daylight hours left it's time to head back down off the mountain.

En route I'm amazed at the C.hederifolium tubers sitting on the surface of the path (58). Some of them look just like cobbles in the path itself.

Other plants we spotted include, C.boryi, A.callimischon, C.graecum, Cotinus coggyria in good autumn colour and juniper full of berries, a few S.sicula and C.cancellatus.

After a day of such exertion it was wonderful to return to our accommodation to find that the owner had left a few very welcome homegrown and homebaked treats for us (59)!

[Matt T]

Back in the car today and two key sites in our sights.

Site MT23
Parking up on the outskirts of Lampokampos we don't immediately head for the village centre but explore the road verges close at hand turning up C.boryi growing cheek by jowl with our first Crocus laevigatus (60). We finally got our eye in and managed to distinguish these species from each other, but it was tricky at times. The C.laevigatus were highly variable with white, feathered, striped, stippled and 'gold' backs to the outer tepals (61-63). However, the pure white petals, deeper yellow throat, usually deeper colour stigma and usually unequal sized petals/sepals helped to separate out those that were C.boryi.

Finally we wander into the village itself and what a sight! C.goulimyi is everywhere (orchards, verges, gardens, vegetable plots, threshing floors, literally everywhere), sheets of lilac and honey scent hanging in the air.
(cont'd)

[Matt T]

Site MT23 (cont'd)
Before heading off we go back to our verges and explore further into the fields/garrigue where we find even more Crocus laevigatus/boryi (65). Here also were many small Colchicum. Although quite variable in the shape of the tepals, I think they were all C.cupanii (66 & 67), but I need to check my photos against the texts. Nestled away on the shady side of old stone walls were also a few C.niveus (68).

[Matt T]

Site MT24
We stop off to look at some C.niveus growing at the roadside as we head back over the Nomea plataeu and the mountains.

Site MT25
The great bulb Mecca of Monemvasia (69)! We decided to follow the footpath around the north side of the rock and enter the town from the east/seaward side. For two reasons, this was a great decision. All along this path we found thousands of Colchicum. Again, I suspect these were all/mostly C.cupanii, but I know other species are found here and will need to find time to verify this (70 & 71). Wild leek, A.callimischon and C.graecum were also scattered along this path. Further  on and there are a few C.goulimyi (72) in varied forms, pale, darker and bi-coloured. However, the highlight on this path filled the air with a delicious fragrance, C.hederifolium confusum (73).
(cont'd)

[David Nicholson]

You've brightened up a miserable day here Matt, many thanks. Wondered if I might pop down to B&Q to see if I could get a bag of Tarmac

[Matt T]

Site MT25 (cont'd)
After stopping for a coffee in the town, we make our way up the winding path (74) to the upper town of Monemvasia, with a few flowers (Heliotropium europaeum) brightening the way (75). However, on reaching the top we were to be disappointed (76). Closed for renovation  - the second reason had been wise to explore the lower path around the rock. We trudged our way back down, leaving despondent and feeling as blue as a blue rock thrush (77) but soon rewarded with the sight of a short toed eagle for extended views and being mobbed by a raven, which cheered us up (78).

Speaking to a tour group a couple of days later I found out that their party of 16 had also been disappointed but they didn't take the lower path either. With three bulb tours that I know of in the area at the time it does seem to be bad timing to close the site, but I accept that it is low season and vital work needs to be done. It was a shame that we couldn't explore the top of the rock, but with hindsight we had seen some wonderful sights today, so our day wasn't spoiled.