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I defer to the authority, Brian Mathew, in his definitive monograph A Review of Allium section Allium, where A. commutatum is a good species, as it is in all other pertinent floras I've seen... it has a few detailed floral differences (albeit minor ones) that separate it from A. ampeloprasum, and yet another close ally, A. bourgeaui. Taxonomic separation of many alliums will get down to a few minor differences. Allium commutatum is a Mediterranean species found close to sea level (or up to 300 m) in habitats close to the sea and on islands. There is also Allium bourgeaui ssp. cycladicum which is found in E. Peloponnese inhabiting similar low elevation locales. The ID will remain a question until detailed inspection of plants in flower.
My pleasure Luc. Some more photos from our trip down the Mani Peninsula:54 - cant remember the name of this village, but I think it's worth showing56 - oh no - not again... I wish all 'weeds' would look so beautiful 57-62 - another population of Crocus niveus, not as variable as the one North of Monemvassia, but still worth showing63-65 - landscapes on the Eastern coast of the Mani
Hi ThomasI have only just caught up with the rest of your Greek Odessey. So wonderful to revisit one of my favourite places on earth. Though this year she wasn't so kind to me and my partner, Suzie. We were robbed near Kardamili, all our money and plastic and Suzie's passport stolen. On the bright side we were shown GREAT kindness by the people in the village. We were lent money and accomodation and shown were we could get our hire car repaired. The Greeks are so laid back. It took 3 extra days to get the right side window replaced because the supplier guy didn't take down the correct product serial number and then he didn't hurry to put the window on the Friday bus from Athens! Anyway enough of me.Which villages did you travel through to Mt Parnon? I found Crocus niveus growing all along the ditches on side of the road north of Kosmos. The pine forest restricts their territory only to this strip. Its like someone has thrown seeds from out of their car window. As an aside, I don't know why the Cyclamen Society bothered to do a detailed survey of this area for C. rhodium ssp peleponnesiacum f. vividum - it grows EVERYWHERE! Did you go anywhere near Mt Kouchera? It would be on the southern branch of the turn from Sikea. That road takes you eventually to Lambokambos. John Fielding in his guide to Flower walks on Mainland Greece that this the place to see all the Peleponnesian crocus, except maybe C. biflorus ssp melantherus, in the one place! Cheers, Marcus
Marcus The last cyclamen society survey of viviidum was in 1993, 17 years ago. Please do not knock the only society that is doing any research into plants in the wild whatsoever, we are doing our best! Unlike most societies that do nothing.
