Yellow bee orchid (Ophrys sicula)

 

Profitis Ilias, Lefkada

The weather has not been very nice the past few weeks and my job kept me busy, but last weekend I went camping and I have my computer full with new flowers!! So now I will need to find time to post them.

So I will get starting with this lovely Ophrys sicula belonging to the Orchidaceae family. Its common name is yellow bee orchid or yellow orchid (κίτρινη μελισσούλα) and it allocates to the shape it has that resembles a bee. I found an interesting video on the net that you can see by clicking here.

The name of the genus is Ophrys is derived from greek and means eyebrow and it refers to the hairy edge of the flower. The can be easily confused with the other orchids belonging in the lutea group (O. lutea and O. phryganae) but those two are a bit bigger than O. sicula. Moreover O. sicula has sparce lip hair and a more horizontal lip when compared to O. phryganae. It likes sunny positions and it can be found in stony and rocky places but also in grassland.

Profitis Ilias, Lefkada

Profitis Ilias, Lefkada

Profitis Ilias, Lefkada

Dovesfoot Cranesbill (Geranium molle)

Menidi, Aitoloakarnania

Menidi, Aitoloakarnania

Geranium molle or commonly known as Dovesfoot Cranesbill or Dovesfoot Geranium (γεράνι ή καλόγερος) belongs to the Geraniaceae family. It is native to the Mediterranean and sub-Mediterranean areas but it has naturalised in other parts of Europe. It is an annual plant with small pink-purplish flowers. It is a highly branched plant quite hairy and it can be up to 40cm high.

Menidi, Aitoloakarnania

Yellow star of Bethlehem (Gagea peduncularis)

Arta, Epirus

Gagea penducularis (Liliaceae family) belongs to the group of flowers that are commonly known as yellow star of Bethlehem. The genus was named after the English naturalist Gage. G. penducularis can be found insouthern Europe. It usually grows in dry and rocky places and can bloom from January to April.

Arta, Epirus

Arta, Epirus

Primrose (Primula vulgaris)

Enipeas valley, Olympus

Enipeas valley, Olympus

 Primula vulgaris or commonly known as primrose, common primrose or english primrose (πρίμουλα) belongs to the Primulaceae family. It is native to Europe, northern Africa and western Asia. The name comes from Medieval Latin prima rosa meaning first rose. One interesting fact about this flower is that male and female organs are on separate flowers. It is one of the first flowers to come out in spring and it can be often seen in gardens.

Enipeas valley, Olympus

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Sun Spurge (Euphorbia helioscopia)

Menidi, Aitoloakarnania

Euphorbia helioscopia (Euphorbiaceae family) or sun spurge (γαλατσίδα) is native to most Europe, Northern Africa and Asia. Other common names are ward spurge, umbrella milkweed and madwoman's milk. The name of the genus comes from the Greek physician Euphorbus, and the name of the species referes to the capability of the plant to turn towards the sun. When the plant is cut a milky juice flows and the greek common name galatsida (γαλατσίδα) indicates this. This sap is supposed to be a laxative (and highly poisonous). The name spurge comes from the middle english espurge (=laxative). The inflorescence is yellow-green with 4 petals. The stem is reddish. It is considered to be a weed in agriculture.

Peta, Epirus

Peta, Epirus

Summer asphodel (Asphodelus aestivus)

Menidi, Aitoloakarnania

Menidi, Aitoloakarnania

Asphodelus aestivus (Liliaceae family) is commonly known as summer asphdel, tall asphodel, asphodel or common asphodel (ασφόδελος ή ασφόντηλας). The name of the genus "asphodelus" means unsupassed and the species name "aestivus" of the summer, but despite the name it blossoms in spring. It is a bolbus plant with leaves growing directly from the ground and the stalk is hollow. The inflorescence is small with 6 petals and white with a red-brown stripe in the middle. One of the quite unusual features is that the ovary is superior (situated above the flower parts, see picture below) when in most flowers it is inferior.

Menidi, Aitoloakarnania

In greek mythology it is a plant connected with death and the underworld and according to Homer it was covering the haunt of the dead. Also Persephone was supposed to wear an asphodel crown. The roots were eaten by poor people and also it was supposed to be a remedy for snake bites and against sorcery.
The appearance of vast number of the flower in an area is an indication of desertification of it.

Menidi, Aitoloakarnania

Menidi, Aitoloakarnania

Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)

Peta, Arta

Here are some more pictures of this lovely flower. For more information about lesser celandine please click here.

Peta, Arta

Peta, Arta

Ivy-leaved toadfloax (Cymbalaria muralis)

This flower has been growing in our garden walls for ages...It has a very small blossom but it can grow with virtually no soil... I 've been looking for the name and I found out that it is Cymbalaria muralis (Scrophulariaceae family) or commonly known as ivy-leaved toadfloax or Kenilworth ivy (χιλιομάννα, άγριο σκυλάκι). The name of the genus "Cymbalaria" is derived from the greek word "kymbalon" that means cymbal and refers to the shape of the leaves and muralis describes it characteristic to grow on walls. So, one cannot argue that is has a very descriptive name...

It is native to southwestern Europe and it is evergreen. The flowers resemble small snapdragon flowers and are tiny with a yellow centre and purplish petals. One interesting feature the flowers have is that in the beggining the move towards light but after they are fertilised they start moving away from it. In this way the seeds are being pushed in dark places where it is more likely for them to germinate.

Kitte Rose (Aubrieta scardica)

Tsoukarela, Pindos

Tsoukarela, Pindos

Aubrieta scardica (kitte rose) belongs to the Brassicaceae family. The flowers name is a synonym to Aubrieta gracilis ssp. scardica. The genus was named after the French illustrator and botanical artist Claude Aubriet. It is a perrenial flower that likes dry, sunny places. It is native to the South Balkan peninsula.

Forget me not (Myosotis sp)

Tsoukarela, Pindos

Tsoukarela, Pindos

The Myosotis genus belongs to the Boraginaceae family and contains about 50 species that are commonly known as Forget me not (μη με λησμονεί). The name of the genus comes from greek and means mouse ear. The flowers are small in diameter and have 5 petals and their colour can be blue, white or pink with a yellow or white center.
According to a German legent when God was namming the flowers a small flower called "forget me not" and god said "that should  be thy name".  But there is another romantic story about the flowers name. A knight was walking along the bank river with his belved one when he saw a flower and wanted to pick it up for her. Unfortunatelly his armour was so heave that he fell into the river and before drowning he threw the flowers to his lady shouting "forget me not".

Bellevalia hyacinthoides

Bellevelia hyacintoides is one of the first flowers that one can see in Greece. It has been thought that it is endemic to western and northern Greece but it might also occur in Albania as well. The genus belongs to the Asparagaceae family but some scientist place it in a separate family, Hyacinthaceae. The name of the species has caused a lot of debate as some refer to it as Strangweja hyacinthoides. They are really small flowers and the bloom is just a few centimetres higher than earth.  The leaves are flat and longer than the flower but they are not erected.

Algerian Iris (Iris unguicularis)

Iris unguicularis (Iridaceae family) (formaly known as I. stylosa) is often known as Algerian iris (ίριδα) but it is native not only to Algeria but it can be found in northern Africa and eastern Mediterranean as well. The name unguicularis comes from Latin unguis that means claw and refers to the claw-like formation of the style and the branches. It can bloom as early as Christmas and can have consecutive flowering that lasts until Easter. The erratic flowering is a clever way to avoid weather damage as the flowers, in contrary to the buds, are not frost proof. The flowers are purple with yellow and white markings and a very nice aroma.
The flower can practically thrive in every kind of soil and it does not mind beeing neglected, so it can be a perfect choice for "lazy" gardeners.

Anemone (Anemone pavonina)

Anemone pavonina (Ranunculacea family) or commonly known os anemone (ανεμώνη) is a species native to the Mediterranean region. It flowers from January to May and can be seen in red, purple and pink. It very similar to A. coronaria with the main difference being that the stalk leaves are more jagged than the A. coronaria ones.

 

Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)

Vlacherna, Epirus

Vlacherna, Epirus

Ranunculus ficaria or commonly known as lesser celandine or fig buttercup (νεραγκούλα) belongs to the Ranunculaceae family. The common name celandine has its root greek chelidonia meaning swallows. It is said that the flower starts blooming when swallows come and fades away when they returned. The family name Ranunculacea means little frog in latin and probably it is named so because many species can be found near water like frogs.
The leaves are dark green and lustrous and form a rosette. They are heart or kindey shaped and can have toothed edges. Each rosette gives a bright yellow flower. It prefers damp places. In Greece it can be seen blooming from the beginning of January.
Throughout the history it has been used to treat hemorrhoids and ulcers. Because of the high content the early leaves have in vitamin C it has been used to prevent scurvy.
Celandine has inspired many writers and poets to write about it. Amongst them are J.R. Tolkien who describes the spring in Ithilien in Lord of the Rings and C.S. Lewis mentions it in Narnia. Moreover it has William Wordsworth and Edward Thomas have dedicated poems to it.

Dactylorhiza saccifera

Dactylohriza saccifera (Orchidaceae family) is a relatively late blooming orchid (I saw those in July) that appears in vast number in Northen Greece. It can be easily distinguished from other orchids due to its thick and downwards bending spur and a deep divided lip with the central lob beeing slightly longer than the other two.

 The name of the genus Dactylorhiza comes from the greek words dactylos and riza that mean finger and root. It refers to the shape of the root of this genus. The name of the species means the one that has a sack. The colour of the flowers can vary from pale pink to purple but it always has the characteristic dots. The leaves are also covered in brownish dots. I saw all those beautiful orchids in Voidomatis valley in Epirus.

Candy mustard (Aethionema saxatile)

Chelmos Mt.

Chelmos Mt.

Aethionema saxatile (Brassicaceae family) or commonly known as candy mustard can be usually found among rocks were there is virtually no soil. It is native to western and central Mediterranean. I think that is flowers look like "double" flowers and they I usually pinkish.

Scarletina bolete (Boletus luridiformis)

Athamanion, Epirus

Boletus ludiriformis formally known as Boletus erythropus is part of the Boletaceae family. Its common name is Scarletina bolete. The stems are yellowish-green but when it is cut it becomes blue. It can be eaten only after cooking otherwise it can cause gastric disturbances, but it my opinion it is not very tasty...

Snow crocus (Crocus chrysanthus)

This beautiful bright yellow crocus is the snow crocus (κρόκος) and as its name implies is often seen  to come out from snow. It's scientific name Crocus chrysanthus (Iridaceae family) refers to the colour it has, as it is derived from the greek word chrysos meaning gold. One of its main feautures that distinguishes from other crocuses is the fact that the stigma is divided in three parts as it can be seen in the first picture. It is native to the Balκans and Turkey. I took those pictures near Vradeto in Epirus.