AGS Greece 2006

[Andrew]

Thank you.

That may seem a funny way to start a thread but its for all the comments on the old forum.

I'll repost the pictures from the old forum (I did not get very far before the problem) so they are all in one place and then continue with the new.

[Andrew]

You cannot see Greece without the history, so the first stop was Delpi and this was the transport from the hotel to the site.

After a few steps, this was the view,

and not too far away was my first bulb,

Sternbergia lutea.
At the top of the site is the stadium.

About two-thirds of the way down is the VIP seat, so I had a wander and when I got there noticed this,

all over the ground,

Colchicum cupanii.
The view from the top.

A little drive and we were in the Mount Parnassos area,

what the above photo does not show is the amount of houses that have been built on the plain.
Then my first crocus,

Crocus cancellatus mazziaricus looking a bit white.

Then a bluer looking one, same crocus with and without sun.

[Andrew]

A few more C. cancellatus,

a dark one and a marked one.

You cannot be on Parnassos without seeing this (when in flower!).

Crocus hadriaticus parnassicus.
I did have a shot of the houses,

all built in the National Park.
On the way up to the summit are the forests of Greek Fir,

with Cyclamen hederifolium,

and a couple of Colchicums,

with no leaves, which made diagnosis very hard, possibly lingulatum and/or parlotoris.
In the sun,

a lizard and at the summit.

[Andrew]

An insect,

a beetle,

and back in the hotel a moth.

Today we were looking for a particular Crocus, but found this,

Tony, Thomas ?

Just after taking the pictures, there was a massive explosion,

the locals were quarrying !!

But we did find C. niveus.

A view of the area

and past a reservor to the next site.

[Paddy Tobin]

Andrew,

Loved the photographs; just fabulous. Many thanks.

Paddy

[Andrew]

Still no Crocus but we did find this,

Spiranthes spiralis or Autumn lady's tresses.
Finally at the last site of the day we found it.


Crocus robertianus.
Over the new bridge to the Peloponnese.

Today was Mt Chelmos.
On the plain we found,

Viola graeca

Hyraycem sp.


Ameria canescens
After an hour's climbing, this was the view for dinner.

In the misty distance is Mt Parnassos,

and looking down onto the plain.

[Andrew]

Thank you Paddy, but there's more, lots more.

[David Nicholson]

Andrew, so glad you are continuing with this one. Lovely pictures

[Andrew]

Just as we were going to leave, this was found,

Sternbegia colchiciflora.
Another morning and a different Sternbergia,

you really had to be there to appreciate it,

Sternbergia sicula.
Also here were some,


Crocus biflorus melantherus forms.

Larkspur sp.

Petrorhagia sp.

Another insect with nice wings

and a butterfly, Anthony !

[Andrew]

Another nicely coloured beetle.

? !

A skink ?

This view might not be around much longer as out of shot where some very large concrete foundations which had appeared since the leaders were last here

Happy at the moment was this German helmet tortoise.
On the way to the hotel was C. hadriaticus

but take a second look at it

and a nice clump of them.

An atomspheric shot from the hotel that night

and the view in the morning, the Byzantine city of Mistras, which was the destination for today.

Crocus group.

[Andrew]

Crocus boryi.


Campanula versicolor


Silene sp.

The view down to the 'new' town.
Onto the next site.

Another C. boryi with extra bits.

Cyclamen graecum leaves

and flowers.

More Colchicum's

[Andrew]

without leaves, C. lingulatum/boisseri/bivonae.

This is another view

where you had to be there.

Galanthus reginae-olgae.

Another day and

Narcissus tazetta


Ecballium elaterium or Squirting Cucumber


Cichorium intybus or Chicory

[Andrew]

Some C. boryi and down the road,




C. goulimyi.

Spurge hawk moth caterpillar having a feed.

A Mantis trying to hide.

Urginia maritima or Sea Squill

Picture of a flower later.

[Andrew]

Along the roadside,

C. niveus pink tinge,

blue tinge,

and a nice group.

Verbascum sp.

Dinner time near a beach and this was growing,

Lantana camara.

Into the hills

and Clematis cirrhosa.

[Andrew]

Narcissus serotinus

looking the worst for wear, close up.

Cyclamen hederifolium var. confusum

Colchicum parlatoris, the needle leaves just visible.
Onto the southern tip of the Mani,


and Urginia maritima (Sea Squill) in flower,

making a home for this,

and someone else's home a long while ago.

Also here, a cricket.

Back at the hotel, someone leaving in their dinghy !