flowers from Kyrgyzstan & Socotra

[Tim Ingram]

Really intriguing plants Harry - especially some of those from Socotra. These, and Maggi's suggestion to look back at Frazer Henderson's posts led me to search on Amazon for books on this remarkable place.  One, 'Socotra, a Natural History of the Islands and Their People' (by Catherine Cheung, Lyndon De Vantier and Kay van Damme), has glowing reviews by several very eminent biologists. A great privilege to visit such a place.

[FrazerHenderson]

Tim
That book provides an excellent overview. Chapter 3 covers the flora. I'd recommend it to anyone as a general overview (it's about £40). It also contains a very good bibliography for further referencing and furthermore it is well produced and looks good in one's library.

For those with greater interests in the flora the best book is probably Tony Miller and Miranda Morris' Ethnoflora of the Soqotra Archipelago, published by the RBGE (2004). This weighty tome is a work of real scholarship. It contains a great illustrated key - which I've used in the field. Alas, the photographs in the book have not been reproduced well and call into question the high price (£70). I do recommend obtaining the illustrated key as a separate ring-bound publication. It is considerably cheaper at about £15, I think, but you need to contact the RBGE to get a copy.

One other publication to mention is Joel Lode's Succulent Plants of Socotra which contains 60 pages of photographs (though of variable quality) of almost all the succulent plants in the archipelago. It costs about 10 Euros - handy for a wide pocket when travelling.

Frazer

[arillady]

I have just come across this thread and the Dragon Blood's Tree forest was amazing. There are some old specimens in the older parts of Adelaide. I do wonder if a certain old tree was saved when an old house on the same allotment  was demolished to build a new building or if it went the way of the house. It would have been a great pity as they take ages to get to any sort of size I should imagine. I have tried seeds twice but lost both soon after germination.

[Maggi Young]

Reopening this  thread  to add a  link to a  super  video on Youtube -
 


"The Island of Socotra, Yemen is famous for its exceptional natural beauty and biodiversity. Socotra is sometimes called the "Galapagos of the Indian Ocean", it is UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Main locations in the video: Arher Beach & Sand Dunes (0:41), Homhil Protected Area (2:50), Hoq Cave (5:59), Dirhamri marine protected area (8:48), Delisha Beach (9:30), Dixam Plateau (10:54), Rokeb di Firmihin Dragon Blood Tree Forest (13:29), Southern Coast sand dunes and beaches (17:23), Degub Cave (19:18), Detwah Lagoon (20:28), Boat trip and dolphins (24:14), Shu'ab Beach (25:39)"

"

[ashley]

Thanks Maggi, very nice to see.

National Geographic also published articles in 2012 & 2018.
Socotra is now under control of southern Yemeni separatists (see here).