Plants from eastern Turkey

[Kees Jan]

Can anyone help me with some names of plants that I photographed in eastern Turkey recently?

The plant on the first picture has rosettes about 10cm in diameter and I have the impression that it's a biannual.

2nd picture is a tiny Colchicum photographed in the mountains near Akdag, northern Turkey, just northwest of Amasya. I think C. umbrosum is the only small autumnal species mentioned from this part of Turkey in the 'Flora of Turkey', but having seen umbrosum elsewhere in Turkey I think this is something different.

And finally what seems to be a very nice Centaurea, photographed in the mountains west of Erzincan.

[Kees Jan]

Here are a few others that would like to know their name...

First there is what might be the most spectacular Crataegus I have ever seen... Photographed between Malatya and Darende. Could it be a form of C. azarolus?

Then there is what I suppose must be some sort of Aster... Photographed between Erzurum and the Kurdish town Doğubayazit.

... a Linum, photographed just north of Erzincan

And finally, Thymus, Satureja or something similar, also photographed just north of Erzincan.

[ThomasB]

The Crataegus looks more like C. orientalis to me. Can't say anything about the other plants though.

[Kees Jan]

Thanks Thomas!

[Maggi Young]

Nice Linum, too.... might it be L. mucronatum ?

 Now connected to  L. pamphyllicum........  http://www.sekj.org/PDF/anbf43/anbf43-077.pdf

[Kees Jan]

sounds like a complicated group of plants, but I suppose it may well be L. mucronulatum. Thanks! In another publication L. mucronulatum is the only yellow species mentioned from the province of Erzincan: http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/botany/issues/bot-08-32-4/bot-32-4-2-0705-4.pdf

Here is another challenge, photographed east of Erzurum. I thought it was Salvia argentea for a moment, but it probably isn't... Don't have a clue what it is though, although it must be Lamiaceae I suppose.

[Lesley Cox]

I hope you find a name for that wonderful woolly. I love plants like this.

[kelaidis]

Love that succulent rosette with the teeth: bet it is a crucifer...will check my Flora of Turkey at work this week and see if there is a biennial, succulent crucifer like that. Did you get seed?

The Centaurea looks VERY CLOSE to C. cyanus (the common bachelor's button): it is in that complex for sure...

Likewise your Salvia is in the same complex as Salvia argentea, and looks almost identical to my plants of that. The only close relatives (S. microstegia, S. aethiopsis, S. ceratophylla) have much more deeply incised leaves (progressively). Salvia candidissima is in the same complex, but very small (as is S. frigida): I assume the leaves are at least 15 cm wide?

Love that Thymus: don't have a clue which one, alas!

[Paul T]

That last one certainly look exactly like what I've grown as Saliva argentea in the past.  The most wonderful leaves, and excellent head of flowers when it is happy too.

[Kees Jan]

Thanks for your help Panayoti and Paul! I did not collect any seed during this trip, not that there was any sign of either inflorescence or seedheads in the succulent crucifer, just rosettes !

Can anyone help me with a name of this Quercus, photographed at Arsemia, Nemrut Dag National Park?

[Lesley Cox]

There is of course, the Turkey Oak Quercus cerris. I have a good one in my garden but there's not really enough in your picture to tell if they are the same Kees. Although mine is about 18 years old and is almost 20ft high, it hasn't had acorns yet.

[PeterT]

The leaf in the picture is not quite as I remember but google images show some variability. this picture of the acorns in Q cerris is a good match though
http://www.deeproot.co.uk/pbo/plantdetail.php?plantname=Quercus+cerris
this picture is a better match for the foliage
http://www.rogerstreesandshrubs.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~8207~gid~~source~gallerydefault.asp
and this more resembles the trees we had when I was a child.
http://www.havlis.cz/karta_en.php?kytkaid=1054

[Kees Jan]

Thanks. Here are a few more pics of this tree... leaves must be very variable. The acorns seem to be typical of cerris, but I thought cerris had very different leaves. This publication http://fbe.dumlupinar.edu.tr/dergi_son/sayilar/fbe_sayi7/11.pdf seems to confirm that Quercus cerris var. cerris grows in Nemrut Dag NP (Adiyaman province) , not that I can read Turkish ofcourse...

[Lesley Cox]

The leaves in your leaf link do look quite like mine Peter. I find in the autumn the leaves turn to a rich tan usually but golden/tan in the evening sun and are very gorgeous. They are persistent on the tree through winter even with strong winds and take a lot of time to rot down after falling. I do like those acorns so hope mine bears soon.

[Kees Jan]

Here is a very different oak photographed between Diyabakir and Sanliurfa. Any suggestions? It IS an oak isn't it  ?