Gran Canaria

[Kees Jan]

Here are some pics from a recent visit to this small island that is well known for its plant diversity and its endemic species.

Romulea grandiscapa
Canarina canariensis
Orchis canariensis

The Orchis has bracts and I thought bracts were found in Dactylorhiza, not in Orchis (?)

http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/Europe/Gran-Canaria/

[Thomas Huber]

Thanks for the photos Kees. 18 years now since I have been there - long
before botanical fever caught me - so it's time for another trip.

[Kees Jan]

The Canaries are well worth revisiting Thomas, not that there are any Crocus , but many other great plants and Romulea grandiscapa is a good Crocus substitute  .

Here are a few more good plants:

Aeonium simsii (2x)
Aeonium percarneum and Aeonium manriquerorum on a roof
Aeonium virgineum (2x)
Cistus monspeliensis
Ophioglossum lusitanicum (a tiny fern! )

http://keesjan.smugmug.com/Botanical-trips/Europe/Gran-Canaria/

[DaveM]

Your pics remind me of my own trips to both Gran Canaria and Tenerife in February last year and the year before. I agree - well worth visiting. I remember especially the Euphorbias and Echiums, as well as the Romulea. Great stuff - look forward to seeing more.......

[Gunilla]

I visited Gran Canaria for the first time last year and went for a mountain walk. The scenery was magnificent. The mountain sides were covered with plants in flower and trees were growing all the way up on the mountain ridge.
  

[Gunilla]

and some more...

[Gunilla]

Kees Jan, I followed the link to your photos and spent this cold and snowy morning enjoying them all. Thanks to your excellent photos I now have identified most of the plants I saw when I visited Gran Canaria last April  . Our tour guide was not particularly interested in plants.

[Kees Jan]

I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures. Anyone looking for a field guide for the Canary Islands should look for 'Wild Flowers of the Canary Islands' by Bramwell, excellent book, although some of the native species are not included (perhaps because they were not known to occur in the Canaries by the time it was published).