Dimorphoteca ecklonis (Cape marguerite)

Philopappos hill, Athens, Mars 3, 2012

Dimorphoteca ecklonis is a native plant of South Africa (hence its common name: Cape marguerite), which has been introduced to Greece as an ornamental one. It seems however very well acclimatized and it grows wild in the vicinity of gardens, from which it escaped.

Iphiclides podalirius (scarce shalowtail)

Bratya Daskalovi, Central Bulgaria, July 8, 2012

  

Bratya Daskalovi, Central Bulgaria, July 11, 2011

Galanthus elwesii

Mt. Chortiatis, Macedonia, February 25, 2012

Helleborus cyclophyllus

 

Mt. Chortiatis, Macedonia, February 25, 2012

This is the only species of the genus Helleborus, which extends today to the Central Greece. The ancient sources, however, refer to Helleborus niger (ελλέβορος μέλας) as growing on Oeta, Parnassus and Helicon mountains, and been used by the ancient Greeks as a cure for epilepsy, melancholy and madness (Theophrastus, HP ΙΧ 2, 8.8, 10.2-4. Dioscorides, De materia medica IV 148-152, 162. Strabo ΙΧ 418. Pausanias Χ 37, 7-8. Horace, Sermones II 1. 83, 166; Ars Poetica 300. Pliny, HN XXV 47-52. Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum: Caius Caligula XXIX. Petronius, Satiricon 88, 4. Aulus Gellius, Noctes Atticae XVII 15. 1, 6. Valerius Maximus, VIII 7 fragm. 5. Frontinus, Strategemata III 7,6. Polyaenus, VI 13). Since Helleborus niger has never been reported in modern time Greece, it is quite possible that the species called today by this name is not identical with the "Helleborus niger" of the ancients. In this case Helleborus cyclophyllus  (modern Greek name: σκάρφη) would be the most probable candidate to identify with the ελλέβορος μέλας of the ancient sources.

Stellaria cupanii

Corfu, Mars 13, 2012

The Stellaria cupanii is sometimes treated as a subspecies of Stellaria media. There are however several differences, among which the most visible is the number of stamens (always 10 in cupanii; often less, between 3 and 7, in media). Stellaria cupanii is also often confused with Stellaria neglecta; the later however has a single row of hairs on the stem, while the former has the stem uniformely covered with hairs.

Senecio vulgaris

 

Pnyx hill, Athens, January 22, 2012

Borago officinalis

Corfu, Mars 13, 2012

Anchusa arvensis

Corfu, Mars 13, 2012

Smyrnium olusatrum (alisanders)

Corfu, Mars 13, 2012

Crocus chrysanthus (snow crocus)

Mt. Chortiatis, Macedonia, February 25, 2012

On a sunny Saturday of February we decided with my friend Yannis V. to walk from the village Chortiatis to the mountain shelter, a distance of 2.5 - 3 hours. The mount kept in some places much of the snow fallen in previews weeks. The Crocus bloomed just next to the snow cape. On the thrid and fourth pictures you may observe a rare specimen with 8, instead of usual 6, petals. 

Lunaria annua

 

Corfu, Mars 13, 2012

Lunaria annua is commonly known as "Silver dollar" or "Chinese money" because of the shape and colour of its seeds. It is also known as "Corfu blue" because it is widespread on the island of Corfu, in the Ionian Sea. The pictures above are taken precisely in Corfu (Kerkyra), in a warm spring afternoon, during a visit to the island with my colleague and friend Yorgos T.

We both had to give lectures in a master class of History and Digital resources and while Yorgos was teaching and I was waiting my turn, I used the opportunity to walk around the so-called New Fortress of the city. I have been pleasantly surprised by the variety and rarity of the wild flowers I encountered, among which the Lunaria here above.

Erysimum cheiri (syn. Cheiranthus cheiri, commonly Aegaean wallflower)

Corfu, Mars 13, 2012

On the slopes of the new fortress.

Vanessa atalanta (red admiral)

Philopappos Hill, Athens, January 22, 2012

Vanessa atalanta or red admiral is a beautiful butterfly common in Europe and North America. It features in Vladimir Nabokov's novel "Pale Fire".

Erodium moschatum

Peplos, Thrace, Mars 28, 2012

Areopagus hill, Athens, January 22, 2012

Pnyx hill, Athens, Mars 3, 2012

Alyssum saxatile (syn. Aurinia saxatilis)

Areopagus hill, Athens, January 22, 2012

Areopagus hill, Athens, Mars 3, 2012

The Alyssum saxatile is supposed to start blooming in April and continue until late June, but many specimens on the southern slope of the Areopagus hill were in full bloom already by January! Is this in any way related to the global warming?

Crocosmia x crocosmiflora (montbretia)

Camariñas, Gallicia, Spain, August 16, 2009

This is a man-made hybrid of Crocosmia aurea and Crocosmia patsii dating back to 1880, and since then naturalized to various parts of Europe. Both parent Crocosmiae were called Tritoniae in an earlier nomenclature.

Lampranthus spectabilis

Lemon Cove, CA, USA, April 6, 2010

Lampranthus is a genus originating in South Africa, but it seems naturalised to southern California too. George was driving and he nearly got a heart attack when I started to yell that we have to stop. I had spoted this magnificent Lampranthus carpet and, despite the fright I caused to him, he lent me his camera, since mine was lost somewhere in my lagage.

Xeranthemum annuum

Halka Bunar, central Bulgaria, June 25, 2010

Wisteria sinensis

Sofia, Bulgaria, May 6, 2009