Early search in Greece - 2012

[razvan chisu]

Labvakar!
Great journey Janis
Looking forward to reports of the next ones.

[I.S.]

  Janis, a very interestig and adventurous trip! The pallasii corm is very interesting! it can compensate the rest of the trip.
  Now I know why the Agion crocus is not discovered untill. A very secretive habitations!
  No one could imagine the stroms before months! it is just unlucky weather condition but it may be often in this time of the year!
  I will wish you many more lucky trips!....
  ibrahim.

 

[Janis Ruksans]

  Janis, a very interestig and adventurous trip! The pallasii corm is very interesting! it can compensate the rest of the trip.
  Now I know why the Agion crocus is not discovered untill. A very secretive habitations!
  No one could imagine the stroms before months! it is just unlucky weather condition but it may be often in this time of the year!
  I will wish you many more lucky trips!....
  ibrahim.

 

Thank you, Ibrahim. Very hope it will realize (and Athos in another year, too).
Janis

[Sinchets]

- so decided to go to North from where very special Crocus pallasii was reported.

I wonder if the directions Chris gave you were helpful in finding this particular Crocus pallasii or is it possible that it is more widely widespread within Greek Macedonia. 
Since first finding these Crocus pallasii with long necks 3 years ago we have been wondering and musing with another forumist about whether this feature would be maintained in gardens.

[Maggi Young]

Simon, how are you?  Much snow and ice?

[Sinchets]

We've had about a metre for the last 2 months but spring is approaching 
Aberdeen must be tropical in comparison!!

[Maggi Young]

We've had about a metre for the last 2 months but spring is approaching 
Aberdeen must be tropical in comparison!!

I wouldn't go that far.... but we've had almost no snow at all. Just a dusting once or twice that was soon gone.

[cohan]

Interesting trip-- and a good lesson on some of the additional problems one might encounter botanising - especially abroad!

[I.S.]

  Hello Simon!
  In my part of Balkans the pallasii has a very short neck not like on this photo! May be you heve more chance to find it on your side also!
This pallasii seems very interesting. The corm looks like mazziaricus but of course mazziaricus has more reticulate tunicks.
  The second things, my pallasii has more numerous leaves!

  İbrahim

[Sinchets]

Hello Ibrahim
These Crocus pallasii had the longest necks we have seen- between and 7 and 12cm. In comparison the ones in Bulgaria are short necked- and this includes 3 diverse locations in northeast, central and southern Bulgaria.
Populations we have found elsewhere in northern Greece also had short necks.
From memory the Bulgarian and Greek C.pallasii do not have as many leaves as I have seen quoted for the Turkish subspecies.
Simon

[Thomas Huber]

Janis, what a great trip you had. Even if not 100% successful, but that's always the risk if one travels at this time of the year.

Great to see photos of the Crocus aff pallasii that Simon and Chris have discovered 3 years ago. I had many interesting discussions with Simon about this plant and we also agreed that it is different to the standard pallasii. They told me that you will go to re-discover their finding and I had hope to see more photos of plant, corm and habitat, many thanks for that!

Simon, did you already send leaves for a DNA analysis? Any result? - ahhh and by the way: Welcome back to the forum 

[Janis Ruksans]

  Hello Simon!
  In my part of Balkans the pallasii has a very short neck not like on this photo! May be you heve more chance to find it on your side also!
This pallasii seems very interesting. The corm looks like mazziaricus but of course mazziaricus has more reticulatE tunicks.
  The second things, my pallasii has more numerous leaves!

  İbrahim

I just compared leaves. Really plants from locus classicus (Crimea) has much wider leaves than Greek pallasii and Turkish pallasii, but neck in wild is short in Crimean plants as well as in Turkey.
Janis

[Janis Ruksans]

- so decided to go to North from where very special Crocus pallasii was reported.

I wonder if the directions Chris gave you were helpful in finding this particular Crocus pallasii or is it possible that it is more widely widespread within Greek Macedonia. 
Since first finding these Crocus pallasii with long necks 3 years ago we have been wondering and musing with another forumist about whether this feature would be maintained in gardens.

I don't know your locality. May be I accidentally went to the same spot as you. I explored two slopes of same orientation, few kilometers one from other and on both I found it. But main indication plant was just chrysanthus in full bloom which I went to picture and I find first plant quite accidentally. Of course - I looked for it, as ecology (competition from other plants) was quite similar to that on Crimea, only on Crimea it grows in heavier clay and more flat land. On Chios and Ariasos - in very stony clay. Macedonian plants on much more sandy clay plenty with daze. At first look it seemed to me too light soil for wild crocuses. After that it was only question of good eyes.
Janis

[Tony Willis]

Janis I have really enjoyed the information about your trip it is most helpful and informative.

Having travelled in the area I realise how frustrating the weather can be,either too early and snow or too late and hot and dry and in both cases disappointment. Hit it right and it is wonderful.

[Sinchets]

Janis, I thought that you had sent an email to Chris asking for a location for the long necked Crocus pallasii, which we found north east of Thessaloniki 2 years ago.
I will post 2 pictures we have of the flowers of this form of Crocus pallasii as soon as possible, but we have a storm tonight and a bad connection.