Flowers of the Northern Agrafa Region in Central Greece, July 10th, 2016

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I visited the Karava mountain last Sunday to see the flowers that are growing there.  This is a 2250 m mountain having a Pass (Tymbano) at 1550 m.  This mountain separates Central Pindus from the Agrafa region.  The season had progressed so, I did not see many flowers.  It was hot so, after going with my car at 1800 m (3 km from the pass), I walked only for one hour on the gravel road opposite from the Pass.  It was getting hot (about 24 oC) mainly because I was feeling the intensity of the sun.

I saw one flower growing at its best: Acantholimum graecum.  I had not seen it before and I was really impressed.  Rocks were limestone, unlike Katara Pass where they are mainly serpentine.  Mid May would have been spectacular as I saw many plants past flowering.  Also, impressive were the chasmophytes, most also past flowerin, growing on the vertical exposed rocks.

pics 007, 009 and 152: a blue, small bushy plant.  Could it be a salvia?  I can't be sure but it was growing only among ferns.
pics: 024 and 026: Acinos suaveolens (?).  I saw this also on mount Olympus growing next to another Acinos sp., both flowering at the same time.

George Papapolymerou

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Next, at about 1600 m, on a paved road:

pics 027 and 029: Hypericum sp., possibly Hypericum perfoliatum

pics 034 and 038: unidentified sp., about 5 cm tall.

pic 100: unidentified sp. 30-40 cm tall

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pics 053 and 055: violet sp., small flowers, past its best

pic 065: Dianthus sp., possibly dianthus diffusus

pics 076 and 077: Convolvulus sp.

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pics 084, 091 and 092: Armeria sp., possibly Armeria canescens

pics 097 and 212: unidentified sp.

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pics 103 and 104: an interesting plant, I do not know what it could be, past flowering.

pics 107, 108 and 109: views (from 1650 m) towards NE, N and W respectively.

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In my opinion, as I saw it here is the real gem:  Acantholimum graecum at 1800 m.

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pics 233 and 265: more Acantholimum graecum from the opposite side of the Pass (1650 m)

pic 165: Bellis (?) sp. (1800 m)

pic 156: A small Erodium sp. (1800 m)

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pic 167: more Dianthus diffusus

pic 173: lake Plastira to the South located at an elevation of 810 m.

pic 190: unidentified sp., 30-35 cm tall

pic 203: nice form of Geranium subcaulens at 1800 m

pic 231: unidentified sp., about 25-30 cm, growing profusely on the opposite side at about 1550 m.

George Papapolymerou

[Tristan_He]

Hello again George,

007 and 009 - agree it looks like a Salvia, don’t know which though.
24 and 26, try Teucrium. Looks like T. chamaedrys but then this is Greece, so much diversity!
34 and 38 looks like a Prunella.
100 is Galium sp.
97 and 212 has a Pilosella look to it.
190 Scabiosa ochroleuca?

Sorry not much help. That Acantholimon is really beautiful! I bet you get some great butterflies too.

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Tristan,
The info on the flowers is of great help.

Yes, you are right.  I was intrigued why so many butterflies of so many different colorations-species.  I was saying to my self: where are the bees.  It seems like butterflies like thgis species.

[Yann]

George these mountains are marvellous, will you be my guide next spring ? :+)

[Gabriela]

Wonderful George!
I can only add that the first one may be a Stachys (if not a Salvia)
agree on Scabiosa ochroleuca (extends into Carpaths as well)
103-104 may be a Phlomis

Acantholimum is indeed an alpine gem, I would also like to see it in the 'flesh'

[Tony Willis]

George that acantholimum is a wonderful plant,thanks for showing it

[Hoy]

Marvellous

I thought 103-104  looks like a Marrubium?
024 Taucrium?
034 Prunella?
097 Pilosella?
165 Tanacetum or something like that

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Yes, Tristan and Hoy, you are right.

24 and 26 are Teucrium chamaedrys.  I made the identification (leaves) from the Greek flora webpage: http://www.greekflora.gr/el/catalog.aspx#T
Although it refers to ssp olympicum.

But then, another species on mount Olympus grows next to Teucrium chamaedrys ssp oilympicum, has similar flowers but very different leaves as the following pic shows.  Could this be an Acinos?  Acinos graveolens?

pics 379 and 380: from mnt Olympus, 2200m.  Although it does not belong here for discussion it is from my upcoming new SUBJECT on my Olympus trip on July 3rd, same place as in my June 3rd trip.

Webpage of Acinos sp (elongated thorny leaves): http://www.greekflora.gr/el/catalog.aspx#A

P.S.  Thank you all for expressing interest in coming and travelling with me.  Last March I had a wonderful three days with Janis Ruksans searching for Crocuses in Attica and Peloponnese.  I am open to that, except that I have such a busy schedule and therefore I cannot commit from now.  I will have to wait for next Spring, so that I will know better about my obligations at that time.

George