South West Turkey the Kemer and Marmaris areas

[Tony Willis]

I have just returned from a week in SW Turkey. The first few days were based in Kas with a visit to the Kemer area in the hope of seeing Galanthus peshmenii and Crocus wattiorum. Although there were lots of Cyclamen graecum in flower the area was not good as there had been no rain and the temperature at the galanthus site was 34c. This did not matter for the visit to the crocus site which is close by as this is now a very tasteful holiday village and when the rain comes they will have to push up through concrete floors. In Kas there was a small clump of Narcissus tazetta in flower on a cliff so sorry about the focus, more cyclamen and urginea which were widespread all along the coast.
I then moved on calling at Baba Dag on the way to Akyacka which is farther west near Mugla. In the area near Baba Dag, Spiranthes spiralis was in flower and on the mountain its self lots of Crocus asumaniae, one colchicum sp. but no C. mathewii.

pix.....
cyclamen graecum turkey altinyaka.JPG
 cyclamen graecum turkey altinyaka.JPG
 crocus cancellatus turkey altinyaka.JPG
 spiranthes spiralis turkey near baba dag.JPG
 crocus asumaniae turkey baba dag.JPG
 narcissus tazetta turkey kas.JPG
 urginea maritima turkey kas.JPG

[Tony Willis]

Out from Marmaris I visited the Bozburum area and there was lots of Cyclamen hederifolium in flower with Narcissus serotinus whilst at the end of the peninsular were a few Sternbergia sicula but no sign of Biarum marmariense.

pix.....
asarum european turkey bozburum.JPG
 cyclamen hederifolium turkey bozburum.JPG
 narcissus serotinus turkey bozburum.JPG
 sternbergia sicula turkey taslica.JPG
 clematis cirrhosa turkey bozburum.JPG

[Tony Willis]

I then went to Labranda to see Crocus nerimaniae which was out in quite large numbers growing with Cyclamen mirabile. On the way there near Milas I found Sternbergia lutea growing with a biarum sp which was not in flower. This area was quite moist

The last area was North of Mugla to look for Sternbergia clusiana. This area again was dust dry with only one colchicum sp in flower. I did see a clump of the sternbergia in beautiful flower growing on a grave in a cemetery clearly well fertilised.

pix....
cyclamen mirabile turkey labranda.JPG
 sternbergia lutea turkey milas.JPG
 crocus nerimaniae turkey labranda.JPG
 crocus nerimaniae turkey labranda.JPG
 colchicum sp turkey near mugla.JPG

[David Nicholson]

I said this, or something like it, a short while ago but it's been lost in the ether.

Fascinating pictures Tony, thanks for taking the time and the trouble to post them. For non-exploratory types, like me, it's great to see the plants in their natural environment.

[Maggi Young]

Some posts made during the afternoon were lost in the changeover to the new Forum server, so Tony has kindly re-posted this page..... thanks to him for that, as well as for taking us on another great virtual visit..... so much appreciated by the likes of David N and myself!
And, I rather think, by those who do get up and go.... because they learn all sorts of great places to go and what they might see when they get there!! 

[Gerry Webster]

Tony - great photos, it's always wonderful to see plants in the wild. I'm puzzled that Crocus nerimaniae - with its striking flower - has only been noticed/described relatively recently. Are they very thin on the ground?

[hadacekf]

Tony,
It makes me always happy to see the plants in their natural environment.
Thanks
 

[Paddy Tobin]

Tony,

Wonderful sow, great selection of plants and great treat to see them here. Many thanks, Paddy

[Tony Willis]

Tony - great photos, it's always wonderful to see plants in the wild. I'm puzzled that Crocus nerimaniae - with its striking flower - has only been noticed/described relatively recently. Are they very thin on the ground?

Gerry

I think it was first described in 2000. It seems to be very dependant on rain to get it flowering in the autumn and I think that although this is a quite heavily populated area around the edges near Milas the interior is perhaps not often visited .It is only a few miles from Bodrum but I expect there are not many botanists on holiday there.There is not much else to see at this time of year other than Cyclamen mirable which is much more prolific elswhere.The first time I saw it I found only three. This time it was quite numerous.

[Jim McKenney]

Wonderful pictures, Tony: it's always exciting to see photos of familiar garden plants in the wild, and it's really exciting to see plants which are all but unknown to me (Crocus nerimaniae for instance).

Take another look at the photo of  Asarum europaeum: I think that's Arisarum vulgare, isn't it?

[Tony Willis]

Jim

 you are of course correct.

When I said it was quite a remote area for visitors I should have added that Labranda is its self an ancient site and has numerous coach tours visit it.

I have copies of the publication of the description of the C. nerimaniae which was in The Plantsman and I can email it if anybody wants it

[Jim McKenney]

Tony, in the image labeled "cyclamen hederifolium turkey bozburum.JPG" is that Laurus nobilis in the background?

[Maggi Young]

Tony, in the image labeled "cyclamen hederifolium turkey bozburum.JPG" is that Laurus nobilis in the background?

I thought it might be a young fig tree, Ficus carica ?

[Tony Willis]

Tony, in the image labeled "cyclamen hederifolium turkey bozburum.JPG" is that Laurus nobilis in the background?

Jim

I have looked at the full size picture and also compared the leaves and twigs with my own we keep for cooking and it cerainly looks like it could be.The situation was the plants were on a steep damp shady bank  on one side of the road and on the other side of the road was the sea.

[ruweiss]

Tony, thank you so much for taking us to such fine places and showing us
so many good things. I was astonished about the Cyclamen hederifolium's survival
under this condition.