Kopet Dag, northern Iran

[Kees Jan]

Here are some pics from a trip to the Kopet Dag. I visited these mountains in 2009 and it is one of the most interesting Iranian mountain ranges that I visited so far...

I will start with some pics from the foothills.

The first 2 are Dendrostellera lessertii
subsequently Rosa persica
... 2 pics of what is supposed to be Eremurus luteus

Finding a nice meadow to camp isn't so easy though. On our first day we ended up camping on a gravel road .

[Kees Jan]

Higher up you can find a different set of plants: tulips .

Tulipa montana
Tulipa botschantzeva
Tulipa biflora

We are not the only ones who love wild tulips though   , a billboard in a town just south of Kopet Dag.
Subsequently a rather unusual centrepiece of an Iranian roudabout in the same town.

But finally back to tulips:
Tulipa micheliana
and a brilliant form of Tulipa botschantzeva!

[mark smyth]

more .... more .... more

[Kees Jan]

There is much more in the Kopet Dag gallery: http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/Asia/Kopet-Dag-Mountains-NE-Iran/

Back in the foothills we thought of more tulips. But no, it turned out to be Glaucium oxylobum.

But higher up bulbs again  :

Fritillaria gibbosa
Eranthis longistipitata
Corydalis chionophylla ssp. chionophylla (7 km S of Bajgiran, 2000m, Razawi Khorasam Province)
Iris fosteriana

[cohan]

Great stuff, very interesting to see the area and plants!

[David Nicholson]

Cracking set of images, more please.

[BULBISSIME]

As always, I love plants in the wild and yours are splendid !
Another nice place to visit for sure, the world is to large for one single life 
I'm going to visit your gallery....

[Gerdk]

Great stuff, very interesting to see the area and plants!

---- and Rosa persica !

Gerd

[TheOnionMan]

There is much more in the Kopet Dag gallery: http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/Asia/Kopet-Dag-Mountains-NE-Iran/

I looked through the entire gallery, well worth the exercise   I was completely taken with Anemone petiolulosa with large yellow globlets flushed red on the outside.  Go get a sneak peak, use link and search the gallery on anemone.  And with certain seductive gems such as Iris fosteriana and Tulipa montana, there are many many views and angles of each; all so beautiful.

The other one that caught my attention is Cleome coluteoides with rich rust brown flowers!  Cleome is a fascinating genus, with species found throughout much of the world, often in colors unlike the familiar pink and white C. hassleriana spider flowers.  I have dabbled with Cleome hybridization in the past, so seeing this rich off-colored species sent my heart racing.

Great plants and photos Kees!

[Kees Jan]

I'm glad you enjoy the pics from this facinating mountain range. Here are some views of the wildlife that you can see there

fox
Sturnus roseus, Rose coloured Starling
Central Asian Tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii)
Bee eaeter

[Kees Jan]

But after all this is a plant forum, so a few more plant pics from Kopet Dag...

Muscari neglectum
Primula fedtschenkoi (near Emam qoli, halfway Quchan and Bajgiran, Razawi Khorasam Province)
Anemone petiolulosa
Dionysia tapetodes

[cohan]

Great stuff, very interesting to see the area and plants!

---- and Rosa persica !

Gerd

I first saw Rosa persica in this forum, and was very taken with it no idea whether it would be hardy here, but I may try sometime!
And I have to agree with Mark--that Anemone is stunning!