July 2008 continued...
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| Omalos -
One of the most beautiful areas of Crete, the
Omalos Plateau is home to many unusual and endemic
plants. A real treat for nature lovers, photographers
and artists, it is somewhere I shall be returning
to from time to time over the next twelve months. |
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| Scolymus hispanicus
/ Spanish oyster plant / Ασκόλυμπρο / Spanische
Golddistel - The delicate stems and the
roots of this compositae are delicious and eaten
steamed or boiled and drizzled with olive oil
and lemon juice. The roots, however, are very
difficult to dig up in barren and rocky soil,
so are best bought in the supermarket. |
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| Red berries
- These red berries took my eye as they glistened
in the sunshine near the Kallergi Refuge. |
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| Satureja alpina ssp.
merionalis - It was very windy when I
was trying to photograph this little satureja
and the image is a little blurred. This was the
best shot I could get, so include it here, as
I have not seen this little alpine before. |
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| Siderites syriaca
ssp syriaca / Mountain Tea / Μαλοτήρα / Bergtee
- This plant, although called ‘syriaca’ is endemic
to Crete. It is the herb used to make ‘mountain
tea’ and is found in the White Mountains. |
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| Verbascum spinosum
/ Spiny mullein / Βερμπάσκο το ακανθωτό / Dornige
Königskerze - The sharp spines on this
Verbascum made it easily identifiable. Low growing
and very beautiful, it grows in the White Mountains.
V. spinosum is endemic to Crete. |
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| Verbascum arcturus
/ Βερμπάσκο η άρκτος - Another endemic
verbascum, the bright yellow of its flowers with
its rich reddish purple staining make it one of
the most attractive. It has straight, erect stems
which grow from a base of hairy leaves. It can
be found often growing from the sides of ravines
or steep cliffs in the west of the island. |
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| Galactites tormentosa
/ Galactites / Ασπράγκαθο / Milchfleckdistel
- The white veins of this plant make it look as
if filled with milk (‘gala’ – Greek). Its flower
heads are delicate and beautifully shades from
white to mauve. It is not found in the far east
of the island. |
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| Nerium oleander
- The oleander can be found in dry river beds,
along roadsides and spotted on mountainsides and
blooms in pink, red and white. All parts of the
oleander are poisonous and should not be gathered.
This great drawing by Hans de Vries shows the
oleander in all its stages. |
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