As usual April has been a very busy month here, with not enough
time to get out into the countryside for photography. However,
on the days we did get out, we were rewarded with some wonderful
weather and equally wonderful flowers. We had intended to
travel further afield this month, but we were kept very busy
with flowers in Lassithi.
A high spot of the month was a trip to Kew with John Fielding
and Gareth Stanfield, where I was shown the new Alpine House
and the alpine flowers of Crete in a London suburb. My photos
of Cyclamen creticum and Paeonii clusii in their exalted surroundings
can be seen at the end of the April calendar.
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| Compositae seed head
- Dandelion clock |
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| Tragopogan sinuatus
- Seed Head - the large puffball clocks
of the Tragopogan are easily recognised and beautiful
to photograph. See March calendar for an image
of the dramatic flower that precedes this equally
dramatic seed head. |
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| Anthemis rigida
- A very small spreading plant, which was photographed
high on a ridge above Lassithi plateau. There
was a high wind on the day we were up on this
ridge, but the Anthemis obligingly stood very
still for the photo! |
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| Satureja nana
- a tiny little annual, which has very small flowers
and can be easily missed. It grows to a height
of around 2 cms. |
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| Onosma graecum
- A very hairy plant with bronze coloured buds,
which turn a vivid yellow, once they have opened. |
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| Valerianella sp
- Identification was kindly supplied by Dr Gerhard
Pils. |
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| Orobanche pubescens
- Such a pretty plant found hiding under a carob
tree on large Spinalonga (Nisa). Orobanche are
parasites and grow on the roots of other species. |
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| Centranthus calcitrapae
- Not fully in flower, the name of this
species refers to the Roman weapon 'calcitrapa'
– 'a foot trap' that was used to hinder
cavalry and infantry. A calcitrapa consisted of
a wheel with four spikes, one of which would always
project upwards, piercing horses hooves if ridden
over. |
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| Phlomis lanata
- this Phlomis is endemic to Crete. It is found
in stony places, shrubland and forest clearings.
The flowers are small (around 2 cms). |
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