Crete

Spili & The White Mountains

A Greentours Tour Report

5th – 19th April 2012

Led by Terry Underhill

Day 1 Thursday 5th April Arrival

Pauline, David, Mark and Terry met up at Gatwick Airport. At Heraklion we met up with Diana and Gordon who had arrived 2 hours earlier. Within a short time the formalities for the minibus were dealt with and we were on the road - 80km to Rethymon via the scenic North road and then 27km across the island to Spili. There was a lot of yellow wayside colour from various Acacias, Spartium junceum, and Chrysanthemum coronaria. There were lots of peuce pink Cistus and a few white flowered Robinia pseudoacacia, along with white/yellow Chrysanthemum coronaria bicolor. Around Rethymon the tall Ferula communis flowered. Dropping down to the South coast we saw a large drift of Orchis italica.

Heracles welcomed us at Spili with a delicacy of caramalised walnut in syrup (yummy) followed by tea or coffee. We met at 6.15, well all except for David who had forgotten to move his watch forward 2 hours. At 6.30 we had our first meal at Kostas and Maria’s - a tasty and friendly welcome to Crete. Heracles had vases of flowers on each table, the quality Anemone coronaria, Anacamptis pauciflora, and Narcissus tazetta promised well, as did the open blooms of Tulipa doefleri around the base of the trees on Heracles’s terrace. With a full moon beaming down from a clear sky, it was going to be a cold night, although the strong wind had abated, and scops owls could be heard.

Day 2 Friday 6th April Gious Gambos

Spili was like a ‘ghost town’ when Terry went to the bakers, the quietness impounded by an overcast sky, but by the time we had all been introduced to Heracles’s breakfast with 6 tasty home-made preserves to go with the eggs and honey, washed down with coffee or tea, the sky had cleared and the sun was shining brightly. Terry and Irene went shopping, sorting out picnic food and a supply of gluten free food for Irene but were back at the scheduled time of 10am. A quick stop at the supermarket to collect the shopping now in cardboard boxes and we were off on the climbing twisting road towards Gerakari. Our first stop introduced us to drifts of Orchis italica and pauciflora, scattered Anacamptis boryi, Neotinea lactea and the occasional Neotinea tridentata, both of which were previously named as Orchis. Our first

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Ophrys was heldreichii and a single specimen of episcopalis found by Mark. On some of the rocks Prasium majus was producing its white flowers, and spikes of Asphodelus luteus favored very thin soil among the rocks, although it grows in ordinary garden soils back home in herbaceous borders. Everywhere were the white with blue centre Anemone heldreichii and the occasional Gagea graeca and Narcissus tazetta although most of the narcissus were in fruit. There were patches of Smyrnium perfoliata and low growing red Parentucella latifolia. As we walked back to the mini-bus we went through a large patch of the delicate Bellis annua. A number of Meadow Pipits flitted around, although the first birds of the day were a pair of Griffin Vultures.

Back at the mini-bus it was time for drinks as the temperature was soaring. David and Diana opted to walk up the road while the rest of us crossed the stream gully by the tree trunk, a route to the ‘famous’ Spili mound trodden by the majority of the world’s leading botanists. Drifts of Hermodactylis Black Widow Iris was a real treat as were the many colour forms of Anemone coronaria. For the next 90 minutes we pottered around and over the mound, finding and photographing numerous orchids, notable being Ophrys fusca, phrygana, cretica ariadne and bombylifera, tenthredinifera and the delicate Orchis quadripunctata. In the shade of rocks the aroid Friar’s Cowl flowered and in the open on a hot sunny slope were the last perfect flowers of Tulipa saxatilis, we had already seen a number of red Tulipa doefleri, but the local farmers’ policy of spraying the ground with Roundup had destroyed previous drifts of thousands enjoyed 10-15 years ago. Terry’s style of picnic was laid out on the concrete table in the shade of a large Oriental Plane tree by the holy well, close to the chapel. In the nearby pear trees flitted Blackcaps and Sardinian Warblers.

Afterwards we made our way slowly up the nearby hillside, disturbing a large Balkan Green Lizard, until Irene spotted a drift of the giant Barlia robertiana, which botanists in their wisdom now regard as a Himantoglossum. A little bit of ‘tinkering with a wire fence and we were on a narrow path among some of the best drifts of Iris cretensis Terry said he had ever seen. We were hoping to find Fritillaria messanensis in flower but they were still in tight bud. While the majority relaxed enjoying the view and another pair of Griffon Vultures Terry and Pauline hunted for a fritillary flower, finding only Ruscus aculeatus in flower and fruit, the diminutive Arabis verna, Ranunculus creticus with perfect blooms, a diminutive Myosotis and Saxifraga hederacea.

We retraced our steps, had more drinks and made our way slowly around the plateau. A few fantastic plants of Anacamptis papilionaceae albertis were found. Our plant hunting stopped when someone looked at their watch and we realised that it was gone tea time. After refreshing drinks at Heracles, a clean and tidy up we were all ready for a 6.45 appointment at Kostas and Maria. The lamb cooked slowly in olive oil and white wine was perfection. Raki and sweet glazed cherries ended a superb day.

Day 3 Saturday 7th April Triopetra

What an obliging man Heracles is, Mark and Terry were served with cups of coffee at just before 8am as they sat outside on the terrace writing up notes. Breakfast took a little longer than usual, but for no particular reason, therefore we set off at around 9.15 heading for Triopetra. A brief stop at the bakery was made for a loaf of their very popular brown bread.

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At Akoumia we took the narrow road through the village and onto the newly widened and surfaced road the making of which involved cutting into the roadside banks, destroying a beautiful habitat and making it more difficult to gain access onto the land. The first stop was where a little climbing gave access to a series of terraces although Diana and Gordon used a road/track which led to a sheep/goat house. On the terrace were Anacamptis collina and a single Ophrys spruneri. The ground cover contained Erodium gruinum and a mixture of Trifolium repens, fragiferum and stellatum. A good find was Ruta chalapensis with frilled corolla. Mark in the meantime was checking out butterflies such as Swallowtail and Cretan Festoon. There are promising signs of plants re-establishing themselves on the exposed banks. The stop by a roadside shrine where good views are normally had, looking over Triopetra to the sea and islands, was spoilt by a dense heat haze, but instead turned out to be very productive botanically. On the parking area was Pallenis spinosa, Galactitis tomentosa many with pollen bugs, and Chrysanthemum coronarium bicolor. The road going down to the left introduced us to Anchusa italica, the pale Echium italica, Gladiolus italicus, fragrant herby Satureja nervosa and various Malvaceae. Further on an area was awash with white turban Buttercups, Ranunculus asiaticus was too good to miss. It was intermixed with a few partly pink forms and Ornithogalum divergens. By the time we had reached the beach and parked under the shade of a Tamarisk bush we were ready for an early lunch. The beach-side taverna/café was being renovated, nevertheless the owner recognised Terry from a previous year and had no hesitation in letting us make use of his sun-loungers and use the garden for our picnic. Not surprisingly after lunch we all fancied a little siesta, after which Irene and David decided to continue their relaxation while the rest of us went for a walk.

Pink Silene colorata and yellow Medicago marina mixed with sea daffodil leaves just above the high tide line. Yellow Scorzonera cretica grew in cracks in the flattish rocks but not in the stone and gravel rich conglomerate. The main low bushy plants included Helichrysum barrelieri, Phagnolon graecum, Myrtus communis, Pistacia lentiscus with Smilax aspera and the delicate pale pink Convolvulus oleifolium threaded through them. On reaching the top we spent some considerable time watching swifts wheeling about the rocks. The area on the plateau had been a living herb garden but has been heavily ploughed and sown with grass a couple of years ago, but the grass has in many parts failed and herbs are re-establishing themselves. Mandrake was in fruit and flower. Field marigold was also in fruit and flower. Neostemma apulum is a small yellow-flowered borage.

The new area was a type of marl, slippery and sticky when wet, but today it was rock hard. It led to a gully ending close to where the mini-bus was parked. The gully area was heavily scented from the Calicotome. There were many tongue orchids, Serapias orientalis being new to our orchid list which was already up to 25. Despite the sea looking very inviting, we drove directly back to Spili, leaving enough time to relax with a drink, have showers, deal with plant lists before another tasty evening meal.

Day 4 Sunday 8th April Gious Kambos, Amari Valley

We were on the Gious Kambos by the Spili mound at 9.30am as arranged, only then for Heracles and Christina to make a phone call and be told the TV crew were not coming today as it was too near Easter, therefore Terry talking to the Spili Mayor about the importance of the mound and the destruction of habitats, will have to wait another day. So we made our

Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 3 way gently to Gerakari aiming for the Amari valley. A moderately steep sunny bank with a couple of tracks making moderately easy access was our first stop. New plants were little Robin, Geranium purpureum with yellow stamen heads, and the small, yellow Tuberaria guttata. There were some fine plants of Orchis anthropomorphum but they could not be reached due to the dense spiky undergrowth. The second stop was the church at Asomatos, The usual display of Allium nigrum in a nearby field was still a lot of tight drumstick heads and behind schedule. A wet spot was home to Anacamptis laxiflora and the drier bank to Ophrys heldreichii.

We had picnic lunch at the little chapel of St Anna, making use of the steps, wall and their chairs. We then crossed the road, took a little side lane and entered an area of terraces having un-wired a gap in the fence. Dominant plants were Orchis italica with Gynandiris sisyrinchium, Ophrys cretica, and blue Lupinus varius. At Amari we had refreshing drinks - than you very much Mark. We stopped on the way back to Spili for the view of snow-covered Mt Psiloritis.

Day 5 Monday 9th April Kotsifou Gorge and Agios Ioannis

Banging and rattling of doors and windows during the night indicated a change in the weather and when dawn broke the clouds were very low, and it was raining, making all yesterday’s washing wetter than before wringing after rinsing. However with a Heracles breakfast inside us, we were ready to tackle whatever the weather would throw at us. 9.15 and we were on our way making our first stop in the Kourtaliotis Gorge. Within minutes a couple of Griffon Vultures circled above. We had hardly got around to looking at some of the chasmophytes when it began to rain, so we moved off. Approaching the chapel some 200m down the road, and more Griffon Vultures overhead, we stopped, just as the rain stopped. After the vultures we put the scope on a pair of choughs (too far away to determine which type), then some rock doves. Walking a short distance to the chapel we noted Verbascum arcturus, Euphorbia dendroides and Mysopates orontium which goes under the delightful name of Weasel’s Snout, a stock and Hyoscyamus albus. We slowly made our way to the outskirts of Plakias. Making a stop for a superb display of golden Horned Poppies, Glaucium flavum, a stop which quickly became a botanical treat with Ceropogon hybridum very photogenic with rain drops, various clovers and Honeywort Cerinthe major. Another shower and we had reached the bottom of the Kotsifou Gorge. We all got out and began slowly walking up the gorge, noting Ricotia cretica, Linum arboreum Petrorhagia velutina looking very much like a dianthus, Scorzonera cretica and the small Nail Snails. Approaching the chapel we were hit by a real heavy rain storm, so we took refuge in the chapel, all very clean and neat. Terry ventured out to photograph one of numerous Arum creticums and a patch of Bryonia cretica. It was time to be sensible and abort the rest of the walk, instead make our way to the top of the gorge and the restaurant. Have a cup of coffee by their fire before ordering our lunch. Horror upon horror, it was closed, open all days bar Mondays and today was a Monday. So it was on to Plan B and back to Mirthios and the Panorama Taverna. In very congenial atmosphere we gave our taste buds treats.

When we left Mirthios it had stopped raining but looked more than a little suspect as we drove up the gorge again parking in Agios Ioannis. We walked through the narrow streets passing the ancient washing area where Adiantum capillus-veneris thrives on the wet rocks. We looked for the parasitic Cytinus hypocistus at the base of numerous Cistus but without any luck. Erica arborea and Arbutus unedo were in flower. The cyclamen wood had a number of

Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 4 weeks to go before being at peak perfection but were still a dramatic carpet. Terry spent some time removing large branches from the site, many having been cut from nearby oaks. David decided he would not clamber up the first 20m up into the wood on to a path which wended its way up to a chapel where we found over 135 Dactylorhiza romana in bloom. It was then time to head back to Spili.

Day 6 Tuesday 10th April Armeni, Viglotopi and Damoni

There are 231 tombs of the late Minoan period 1400-1200–BC currently excavated at the Late Minoan Cemetery, not far from Rethymon, but we only walked around a few and clambered down the steps of even fewer, as our main interest was to wander slowly around looking for plants, especially orchids. Although Crete had been bathed in warm sunshine for a couple of weeks following a long wet period, the nights had been cool, some say uncomfortably cold, which had held back plants, We did find superb specimens of Orchis italica and Ophrys heldreichii, as well as a number of other orchids. There were some excellent Onosma graecum, which Terry wrongly named Onosma erecta, and a good range of Fabaceae, which included the small flowered Vicia hirsuta and single yellow Vicia hybrida. The outstanding species has to be the Valonia Oaks Quercus ithaburensis subsp. macrolepis scattered all over the site with huge acorns in an equally large cup with medusa-like scales.

After about 90 minutes we made our way Viglotopi, entering an area where in recent years the low-growing shrubs had been removed and the area grassed down, although already some species were returning. The banks and margins were still moderately rich in species. Little Linaria pelisseriana was much in evidence, and deep pink/red plants of Anacamptis papilionacaea caught ones eye. The Serapias were a headache when it came to identification, although we had no difficulty with the fine displays of Anacamptis laxiflora of which there were some tall, sturdy plants in the wet area below the chapel. Irene photographed her 1st Anacamptis pyramidalis. How quickly time flies when you are having fun! It was approaching lunchtime and the sky looked very threatening, so we made haste to the taverna/restaurant at the top of the Kotsifou Gorge, which had been closed yesterday. After ordering drinks and sampling their hospitality cinnamon biscuits and raki, we trouped into the kitchen to choose our food - local cuisine at its best. Eventually we left, thankful that we had been in the warmth and comfort of the restaurant, while the rain hammered down. We slowly negotiated Kotsifou Gorge and just outside Plakias took the narrow road to the Damoni Headland, where we spent the remainder of the afternoon. It was pleasing to see numerous Moraea mediterraneana, previously Gynandiris monophylla, which as its name suggests, only has one leaf below the sky blue, iris shaped bloom. Small Mallow, Muscari spreitzenhoferi, Cotula coronopifolia, Salvia viridis and Anacamptis pyramidalis were among the mixture of low growing plants. This widespread carpet combined with the various coloured domes of Euphorbia dendroides and blue-red flowers of Echium plantagineum growing among the harshly worn, unforgiving grey limestone rocks makes the area botanically special.

Day 7 Wednesday 11th April Phaestos

It had rained so heavily overnight that I doubt if there was any more left in the sky to come down, therefore we decided to adhere to the scheduled plan of visiting Phaestos and Agia

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Triada, especially as the Internet weather forecast indicated cloudy with possible showers all over Crete with the exception of Timbaki, the large town close to Phaestos, an advantage of iPads and readily available connections to the Internet.

The sun was shining when we left Spili and the air was pleasantly warm, actually too warm for wandering around wearing outdoor coats. By the time we had reached our first stop the moisture on the vegetation had evaporated although the ground tended to be a little moist; giving wet knees when photographing or examining some little plants. The sloping area to the south of the road at our first stop is basically a deep layer of clay/marl with outcrops of rock. Progressively the grassy slopes have become more luxuriant with strong grass, masses of Gladiolus italicus with a fairly thick base of legumes. Serapias seem to tolerate the conditions, whereas other orchids, particularly Ophrys are only found close to the rock outcrops, where they compete with such plants as Satureja thymbra and helichrysum.

The north side of the road is very much Mediterranean flora and fairly rich in orchids among the garrigue. Below the slope the olive groves start and are usually a good area for small birds. The Mediterranean garrigue supported, as usual, a number of Swallowtail butterflies and Mark was kept busy dividing his time between photographing orchids and checking the identification of the various Lepidoptera. We are usually entertained by the continual croaking of frogs and toads in a nearby butyl-rubber lined water hole, but this year there was silence and Terry could only see two large toads clinging to the liner at the water’s edge. Eventually we had to drag ourselves away, but not before Terry had realised that the Tragopogons he had names Geropogon hybridus were Tragopogon porrifolius, and the delicate pink Goatsbeards close to where the mini-bus was parked were the true Geropogon hybridus.

After a series of twists and turns Timbaki comes into view, and the route is not the best advert for the town, with polyhouses scattered all over the area, although there was little of the rubbish polythene sheeting scattered around as in previous years. A town with very tolerant police or lack of traffic wardens and vehicles park where they wish and sometimes three deep, making negotiating the main street an interesting exercise. At least this year there was not a street market to add to the traffic chaos.

It is only a short drive from Timbaki to Phaestos, the side road crossing a stream where by the bridge Ricinus communis and Nicotiana glauca grow. A few bends as one climbs up to Phaestos car park are always a floral delight and whet the flower lovers appetite. There is always a clash of interests and a compromise has to be made - culture and a tour of Phaestos Minoan ruins or botanise on the nearby hillside? Terry and Mark clambered up the hillside, being welcomed at the bottom by patches of Convolvulus althaeodes and finding a hedge of the small-leaved Phlomis lanata at the top, while David kept an eye on us from below and the others opted for culture.

At one we met up and drove slowly towards Agia Triada. Looking for a place to have our picnic out of the westerly breeze. Outstanding was the quantity of the beautiful Cretan Ebenus or Shrubby Sainfoin Ebenus cretica. We found a place at the edge of an olive grove for the picnic. The remainder of the day - about three hours was spent wandering a short way back towards Phaestos, on a grassy and bushy area across the road from our picnic spot and along a track above an olive grove. Mention must be made of the exceptionally strong growing Serapias orientalis and a new orchid find - Ophrys sphegodes ssp gortynia.

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Eventually we had to leave this floral and botanical delight and head back to Spili, making an ice-cream stop in Timbaki. Perhaps it was the ice cream or the earlier lunch with too much tempting cheeses, salad, soft brown bread the various dips, fruit, nuts or honey dripping baklava, but Irene and Pauline opted out of supper, which the rest of us indulged, in the comfort and friendly hospitality of Kostas and Maria. Where at the end of the meal, no doubt after another cuddle from Maria, David cleared the table taking everything, except the condiments, to the sink, where he ‘chickened out’ from doing the washing up.

Day 8 Thursday 12th April Psiloritis

The sky cleared as we sped to Rethymno, taking the Old Iraklio Road to Perama, a fascinating mountain town with a series of central islands down the main street, leaving little space for passing parked vehicles. The twists and turns increased as we headed for Anogia, a town high up in the mountain slopes on the north side of Psiloritis, through pleasant rocky valleys with trees and shrubs coming into leaf including the lovely Styrax officinalis with masses of small white flowers. We made a short stop just before Axos giving a chance to stretch one’s legs. There was nothing new in the plant world, but it is always fun looking. Further stops were made to photograph Psiloritis the majority of the mountain covered in snow, and the delightful Axos church. We then took the 20km road heading for the Nidha plain, and Analipsis refuge at the end of the road.

Most of the higher areas were covered in snow. A quick recce to see if the usual sea of white Romulea were open on the few exposed grass areas produced a wonderful surprise. Instead of Romulea the area was covered with hundreds of thousands of Crocus sieberi sieberi, all fully open in the sun. The picnic could wait, as we admired and photographed the wondrous sight. Around many of the leafless Berberis cretica were Scilla nana subsp albescens. Among some of the rocks Taraxacum bithynica, Corydalis uniflora, Gagea chrysantha and the foliage of the very rare knotgrass, Polygonum idaeum. Eventually we had our picnic. The final route to the Nidha Plain had a new experience for us - snow drifts across the road at most bends, and there are a lot of bends on this stretch of road, a bulldozer had cut a channel just wide enough for vehicles to pass through. We parked and intended to walk up to the Idean Cave, a famous historic site and the birthplace of Zeus in Greek legend. The first part of the path was literally a stream from melting snow. Scilla nana and Ranunculus ficaria and a single Corydalis uniflora were our only floral rewards until we reached a little group of buildings. In very wet conditions were hundreds of Romulea bulbocodium, and drifts of Scilla under nearby trees. There were lots of birds flitting around and it took a lot of patience to eventually identify some - Wren, Blue Tit, Wheatear, Whinchat, Sardinian Warbler, Chaffinch and Greenfinch. Earlier we had watched a solitary Griffon Vulture and a flock of choughs. On the return journey we stopped at a delightful roadside taverna for mountain tea or coffee. On a nearby lilac bush Mark identified Large and Small Whites, Red Admiral, Painted Lady and a Comma.

Refreshed we continued steadily down through Perama, bypassing Rethymno and eventually turning off to Mirthios. Our destination was the Panorama restaurant, where on the terrace, overlooking Plakias and Sweetwater bay, we gave our taste buds a treat as the sun set on a what had been a very sunny and warm day, with at times a gentle breeze.

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Day 9 Friday 13th April Mourne and Drimiskos

Our first stop for the day was at the foot of a track not far from Kissos Kambos, which led to the foot of the Gious Kambos. In the field at the bottom Anacamptis laxiflora flourished intermixed with Gladiolus italicus. The track has been concreted, no doubt because of the steepness and rain wash. We reached an open area. Our main reason for visiting this area was to find Limodorum abortivum, which grows under some of the oaks. Eventually two shoots, a long way from flowering were found. One particular new plant was Trifolium tomentosum, with fruit looking like small balls of cotton wool. Our second stop was on the way to Mourne, at the beginning of what we call the ‘slag heaps’ mounds of metamorphic rock, mainly serpentine. On a particular plateau we admired drifts of Orchis simia, intermixed with Anacamptis anatolica and sitiaca, looking somewhat similar but with hints of green in the wings and often slight spotting on the leaves. Other plants of note were Fumana thymifolia and arabica.

We managed to find a way through the narrow roads of Mourne to reach their church. A very old church, with old but deteriorating wall and roof paintings. The church yard was a hive of activity with numerous people cleaning relative’s graves, lighting oil lamps, tidying photographs and artificial flower arrangements. While in the chapel an elderly lady entered, crossing herself and bowing to the altar after every crossing, then going to the various pictures and repeating the crossing and bowing. We felt intruders and departed. Only a short distance up a track and we reach a tarmac surfaced road which took us to a crossroads. The dominant plants here were Anacamptis pauciflora and the low-growing, bright red Rumex bucephalophorus. Every so often there was Aethionema saxatile cretica with small pink flowers above deep red/purple semi-succulent foliage. Having found how easy it was to open the wire fence across the road, we drove about 100m to find a secluded, sheltered spot for the picnic. Perhaps we had all eaten too much as the walk down to the chapel and back was hard work. We normally drive down to have our picnic there but one area of washed away track was a little suspect for our minibus which had very little ground clearance. Among numerous orchids was Ophrys herae a completely new one to Terry’s lists compiled over many years and Ophrys iricolor with a strong blue markings. The area around the chapel produced nothing new and we slowly made our way back to the mini-bus, where David and Mark had been having their extended siesta. A short distance along the ‘main road’ from the crossroads grow about a dozen Orchis provincialis, distinctly pale yellow with spotted leaves. After very many photographs we took a series of twisting bends, ups and downs until we were overlooking the sea. Unfortunately a good sea mist hid the view. At another corner, mainly composed of black serpentine type rock we found numerous Tulipa cretica. Some had already gone to seed and the leaves shriveled, others were perfectly open with others still in bud.

Around 8pm chanting from a nearby house could be heard, which stopped abruptly at 9pm. Around that time the bell of the main Spili church began tolling. Outside the church many hundreds of locals (adults and children) were gathered, many with lighted candles, some people were singing, until suddenly at about 9.20 all went quiet and down the steps came a man carrying a large wooden cross and a number of people with illuminated maces. Shortly afterwards an altar like object decorated with artificial flowers and lit up at its corners came out of the church carried by a group of men. This joined the procession along with three priests in white/pale pink gowns. Then slowly followed by everyone it processed down the Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 8 main street and back by an upper route when it reached the Green Hotel. Not long afterwards, singing began again in a nearby house and a couple of loud crackers were let off. This ended a busy, tiring day, but an exciting one, with 29 different orchids being recorded.

Day 10 Saturday 14th April Plakias

There was a slight drizzle and the cloud base was very low. However, full of high spirits we departed on schedule at 9.15am. There was no point stopping for raptors or any other sort of bird as we travelled down the Kourtaliotis gorge. We turned off to Preveli passing a beautiful romanesque bridge spanning the river which runs through the gorge. Then the ruins of the old monastery and onto the road above the sea. The sky was a little brighter out at sea, therefore we were a little more hopeful about the days weather. Terry and David stayed around the mini-bus, entertaining the local cats while the rest of the group made a short visit to the monastery. On the return we stopped at the war memorial. We made a photostop at the Romanesque bridge before moving on towards Plakias. A track in an olive grove leads to a well-known specimen of Ophrys episcopalis, which Terry has known to be there for over 30 years. A nearby slope is a mass of hybrid Serapias, once studied by students from Liverpool University Botany department. The ground around some of the olive trees was a mass of Oxalis pres-caprae - a symptom of paraquat and roundup use, as the Oxalis is resistant to them, but most other plants are susceptible. A solitary Iris albicans, a plant introduced by the Crusaders, was flowering close to a boundary fence. We drove right through Plakias, past the harbour at Souda to the far end of Sweetwater bay to see a group of the rare Phoenix theophrastii palm. It was then back through Plakias to the far eastern end of the promenade. It was still a little too early for a picnic lunch so we made our way over the dunes, where Euphorbia paralias, Silene colorata, Medicago marina, Muscari spreitzenhoferi and Cakile maritima thrived on the path which leads to the headland. On the cliff Verbascum arcturus was in full bloom, but the Capparis spinosa was only just breaking into leaf. Other than a few Serapias and Pyramidal Orchids the Orchidaceae family was very poorly represented. On the rocks Campanula tubulosa was still in tight bud. At the far end by the German tunnel the little group of Tulipa cretica was nearly over, but the Aristolochia cretica close by was in full bloom. Being the food plant for the caterpillars of the Cretan Festoon butterfly, we would expect if it had been sunny and warmer to have seen many of the butterflies on the wing, as it was we did not see a single one. Back on the promenade it was now bright, very humid and not raining, so the picnic was laid out on the wall and we all indulged.

Heracles had recommended an area which was good for orchids so we decided to skip re- visiting the Gious Kambos, especially as we reckoned that the Fritillaria messanensis would still be in tight bud, and instead check out Heracles’s sites. We were confronted by a mass of different orchids and other blooms, including masses of Aristolochia cretica. We spent a considerable time here - a possible new plant for our list being Ophrys funerea in the fusca group. Terry knew it as that but the name is no longer used. We had yet to visit the first site marked on Heracles’s map, which was a further along the road. A magnificent Ophrys episcopalis greeted us. The field reached by a gap in the wire fence kept us busy for some time as it was so botanically rich. There is little doubt that these new sites will be suggested as part of future tours. Back at Kosta and Marias we had our last meal, presented them with a thank- you farewell gift of a box of special cakes and then retired to our rooms to pack and some of us to stay up for the midnight Easter candle and fire-cracker event. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 9

Day 11 Sunday 15th April Travel to Anapoli

At breakfast Christina presented us all with a coloured egg and a slice of ‘special’ Romanian cake as part of Easter celebrations. We presented Heracles and Christina with a box of special biscuits all wrapped in various coloured papers. We bade our farewells and were on the road at 9.15.

We made a number of stops for the view, Petromarula pinnata a pretty form of blue and white, Serapias parviflora, and the smelly Dragon Lily, Dracunculus vulgare, before eventually arriving at Frangocastello having seen at least 10 Griffon Vultures. The Hottentot fig, Carpobrotus aciniformis was in full flower scrambling over the rocks down to the beach. On the beach Euphorbia parialis and Cakile maritima flowered. In a moist area while looking for previously recorded Ophrys apifera we found a mixture of serapias especially good plants of Serapias lingua and Ophrys heldreichii. As there was a strong breeze Terry negotiated with a sea-front taverna to use their table and chairs for our picnic providing we bought their drinks. Afterwards it was a drive to Hora Sfakion followed by the series of switchbacks as we climbed up to Anapoli. All was quiet as it was the Easter holiday, and Popi was resting having had lunch with all her family, so we drove the extra 5km to the semi-abandoned village of Aradena, Once reached only by steps and pony track down to the bottom of the Aradena Gorge and back up the other side, it is now reached by a bridge donated by a family of ex-villagers that made a fortune in the USA. The weather was cold as we walked around, only seeing a couple of Lesser Kestrels, a lonely Common Sandpiper and some Crag Martins. Before returning, Pauline, the youngest of our group, showed us how fit she was by taking the path and steps while we walked across using the bridge. Back at Anapoli we were welcomed by Popi’s boys and were allocated our rooms. About 30 minutes later we made a short journey to the known Ophrys spruneri site, where it seemed we could find both subspecies - spruneri and grigoriana. Kavoli was hidden under a shroud of low cloud, and the pine trees were black with sooty mould from the white masses of woolly aphis.

Back at Kopasis rooms we updated plant, bird and butterfly lists before supper and bed.

Day 12 Monday 16th April Kavoli – Imbros

6.15 and the bright light shining through Terry’s bedroom window alerted him to the view - Kavoli a mixture of rock, trees and snow below a clear blue sky. Within minutes Terry was driving up the road and spent the next 2 hours enjoying the peace and tranquility along with a little bird watching. Very little about - Collared Doves, Chaffinches, Blue Tits, a Pied Flycatcher and a Wood Warbler. A look around a small area fenced off from the ‘greedy’ grazers had a good display of Ophrys spruneri.

8.30 and breakfast of bread, honey and yoghurt and extra special marmalade, coffee and tea and fresh orange juice. 9.15 and a new experience, one of Popi’s sons had made a magnificent seating device for the back of his 4wd pickup - two rows of wooden seats and back rest railing. For the next 50 min he drove us up the track on the side of Kavoli. Pinus brutia, Cupressus sempervirens and Acer sempervirens dominated the trees with a low scrub containing a lot of Asphodelus luteus and aestivus - a sign of over grazing. Eventually a solid snow-ice bank blocked the route so we walked the last 4-600m A lot of snow in the hanging valley where previous groups have often picniced. There were a few Crocus sieberi, a handful of Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 10

Taraxacum bithynica and a very limited number of Scilla nana. Walking back to the pickup Terry found a plant of Prunus prostrata with numerous tight deep pink buds and one flower open, much to Pauline’s delight. Driving down we stopped for a few Cerastium scaposum, Anemone heldreichii, Paracaryum incrassatum with very minute forget-me-not flowers, and Paeonia clusii still in tight bud. Mark had recorded three Cretan Festoons - that high up - Aristolochia present?

Back at Anapoli we had ten minutes break before we set off for the Imbros Gorge. An extended stop was made at Anapoli’s bakers for some very tasty desert bread and two cheesy pancakes which were to be eaten dipped in honey. Only a very short distance down the series of bends to Hora Sfakion we stopped for lunch with fantastic views of Hora Sfakion and along the coast. An eagle made a very quick appearance, but we had extended views of Alpine Swifts showing their white undercarriage. We parked at the foot of the Imbros Gorge and explored, having a pleasant walk. On our return we stopped for drinks and ice cream at the taverna where we had parked the mini-bus. Afterwards it was the twisty road back to Anapoli.

Day 13 Tuesday 17th April Georgioupoli - Agia to Omalos

It was a lovely warm, calm morning with the mountains crystal clear under a blue sky. Pauline walked towards the foot of the mountain looking for elusive flycatchers, Terry walked around the village. Just before breakfast Terry bade Popi goodbye and her and her husband well wishes as she took him off to hospital in the hope that they can slowdown a serious muscle nerve problem. After breakfast, with the vehicle packed we made a brief call at the bakers resulting in many cinnamon friendship pieces of bread. As we drove down to Hora Sfakion David had the job of distributing the previous day’s stale bread to roadside sheep and goats. A little shopping at Hora Sfakion and off to the Imbros Gorge. Part way up we stopped for a photo call of the bottom part of the gorge, then a little further up we turned into a quarry. It was nice to find among the rocks Ricotia cretica, and the Jersey Fern on some rocks along with Cheilanthes and Rusty back. We found a few Arabis verna and Saxifraga hederacea. Most notable were the Acer sempervirens (why sempervirens for a deciduous tree?) The ones in this area were in various stages from dormant to full leaf and the leaf colour varied from bronze on some trees to beautiful light green on others. We spent a little longer than planned therefore Terry abandoned a coffee stop at the top of the gorge, instead he made a direct route for Georgioupoli.

Our destination was a small spring-fed lake. On arrival a Cattle Egret flew up, although there were a couple on the far lake edge. Stripe-necked Terrapins sunbathed while Coots and Moorhens, some with youngsters, dominated the water. There were a few semi-domesticated ducks and a goose and these hung around hoping for tit-bits. Just when we were about to leave a Water Rail was spotted lurking among reeds on the far side of the lake. Mark managed a little butterfly observation. A nearby bank had a couple of large bushes of Styrax officinale. A very brief stop at Georgioupoli coast/harbour only produced some gulls in the distance and a couple of geese - no cormorants or pelicans. It only takes a few minutes to negotiate the village square with its shops and cafes onto the main north road. The acacias now looked tired their flowers no longer a vibrant yellow, instead Spartium junceum was the bright yellow performer. Soon we were passing Souda Bay, where notices still tell you not to

Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 11 take photographs, despite the Greek navy probably no longer berthing their navy there. It was then past Chania and onto the exit directing one to Omalos. Soon the fragrance of citrus blossom filled the air, as we passed orchards in full bloom and at the same time laden with fruit. The sign of the swan directs one to Agia Reservoir where we parked alongside a café, only to find a little later on when we were virtually having hallucinations of beers or teas, that for once it was not open.

Bird watching was reasonable. A Black-winged Stilt very close, a Glossy Ibis a little further way, and yet further on a Squacco Heron. A number of sightings were had of a Little Crake. With the temperature hovering around 30°C we all fancied a drink so we made a visit to a restaurant on the other side of the reservoir. There are a lot of twists and turns on the way up to Omalos. Terry taking the opportunity for a short break when everybody photographed the statue of three men standing on top of each others shoulders at Lakki. As we climbed the wind increased and the temperature dropped 10°C. Nearing the ridge before dropping down onto the Omalos Plain Daphne sericea was in full bloom.

Day 14 Wednesday 18th April Omalos – Irini

The wind had abated, and been replaced by low cloud, intermittent heavy squalls, at times with hail and low temperatures. It really goes without saying that all the anemones and tulips were closed tight and only Northern Wheatears, which were in abundance, represented the feathered world. A brief stop was made at the top of the Samaria gorge, where a rope and a man in an office made certain that no one attempted to walk down into the gorge. On the rocks was Aubretia deltoidea.

There was a hint of brighter weather to the south so we drove into the far south west corner of the Omalos plain and took the reasonably new road down towards Sougia. We drove with a mix of sun and squalls. It was not the weather to venture into the Irini gorge so we continued to a known floristic crossroad. Ophrys fleischmannii and Anacamptis fragrans (Orchis coriophora) had been found on a previous trip. Another very heavy storm brought botanising to a quick end, so we continued down to Sougia. The views along the coast and the surf were good but the best was having lunch in a local restaurant. Excellent food and a superb ambience.

Day 15 Thursday 19th April Departure

Rise at 6am, luggage to the mini bus at 6.30, breakfast at the Neo Omalos and departure at 7am. All went like clockwork and we made very good time down to Chania airport, where we said goodbye to Irene, who faced a long journey - Chania - Athens - London - Victoria (S. Australia). Two hours later and we bade farewell to Gordon and Diana at Heraklion airport. Pauline, David, Mark and Terry went a few km east finding a taverna by the beach. While David, Mark and Terry admired the view, Pauline went for a stroll finding Mathiola tricuspidata and Limonium sinuatum. We had a simple but tasty meal then back to Heraklion airport where the weight of our luggage was not even noted, then an uneventful flight back to a rainy Birmingham.

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Systematic List Number 1 Orchids

Species are listed as being seen by days as follows; 0 travel to Spili, 1 Gious Kambos, 2 Triopetra, 3 Amari, 4 Koutaliotis and kotsifou Gorges, 5 Armeni, Viglotopi, Damnoni Headland, 6 Phaestos and agia triada, 7 Psiloritis, 8 Mourne & dromiskos, 9 Preveli, Souda, Plakias, Kato Saktonura, 10 Frangocastello, Anapoli, Aradena, 11 Kavoli, Imbros Gorge, 12 Imbros Gorge, Georgioupoli, Agia, Omalos, 13 Omalos, Sougia, 14. Chania, Iraklion. So 1, 7- 10 = seen day 1 and days 7 to 10. Se = seen but day not recorded

Anacamptis (Orchis) boryi Bory's Orchid (1, 3, 5, 8, 9, ) Commonest in grassy phrygana,[Resembles large Green-winged Orchid, upper flowers opening first] Anacamptis (Orchis) collina Fan-lipped Orchid (2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11) Grassy phrygana:[Few flowered spikes, olive-brown flowers, pink centre to labellum]. Anacamptis (Orchis) laxiflora Lax-flowered Orchid ((1, 3, 5, 8, 10) Mostly in damp seepage areas:[Long purple spikes, leafy stems. Odd plants at Viglotopi had leafier bracts, and approached O. palustris]. Anacamptis (Orchis) papilionacea Pink Butterfly Orchid (1-3, 5, 6, 8,-10) Often frequent in phrygana[Distinctive few-flowered spike, large pink flowers with darker pink lines] Anacamptis pyramidalis Pyramidal Orchid (5-11) Widespread in phrygana,[Dense pink spikes with long thin spur, deeply 3-lobed lip; narrow leaves]. Dactylorhiza romana Roman Orchid (4) On edge of coniferous woodland and maquis [Typical “marsh-orchid” with rose-pink flowers]. Himantoglossum (Barlia) robertiana Giant Orchid (1, 2, 5, 6, 8-10) Light shade, and lusher phrygana [Stout and fragrant, with many greenish-purple flowers]. Limodorum abortivum Violet Bird's-nest Orchid (4, 8) [Purplish saprophyte with scale-like leaves]. Neotinea (Orchis) lactea Milky Orchid (1, 3, 5, 8, 9) [Dense milky white spikes, with many pink spots; sepals with some green, notably at base] Neotinea (Orchis) tridentata Toothed Orchid (1) subsp. commutata (1) [Short almost conical spike, with violet-lilac flowers whose 13-20mm long labellum is strongly marked with purple lines]. subsp. tridentata (1) Rare all over Gious Kambos,. [Differs in short oval spike, labellum 7-12mm]. Ophrys bombyliflora Bumble-bee Orchid (1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9 ) Often gregarious in phrygana:[Round right green sepals and brown very furry lip]. Ophrys cretensis ariadnae Early Spider Orchid(1, 5, 6, 8, 9) Phrygana: upper Kotsifou gorge and Drimiskos zigzag. [Green sepals, square labellum 6-9mm. Endemic] Ophrys cretica Cretan Bee Orchid (1, 3, 6, 8, 9 ) Common in phrygana, old terraces and groves:. [Sepals green (or rose-tinted below); lip marked (or speculum outlined) in white]. Ophrys cretica Ophrys episcopalis (1, 6, 9) Ophrys funerea Lesser Dull Ophrys (9) Occasional in phrygana Tiny member of O. fusca group, lip 7- 12mm, often with strong narrow yellow margin]. Ophrys fusca Sombre Bee Orchid (1, 3, 5, 8, 9)[Green sepals, 15-23mm brown lip, without any pale “omega” mark]. Ophrys gortynia (6) [Differs in having labellum 9-13mm long and deep brown-black. Endemic]. Ophrys (scolopax) heldreichii Cretan Woodcock Orchid (1-3, 5, 6, 8-10, 12, 13)[Distinguished from all other pale pink-sepalled Ophrys by its deeply three-lobed labellum, the central lobe long-ovate]. Ophrys herae (8) Ophrys iricolor Rainbow Orchid (8) Phrygana [Like large O. fusca whose labellum is 14-26mm and strongly red or purple underneath]. Ophrys mammosa(a spider orchid) (1, 6) [Striking, with bicoloured lateral sepals and large velvety labellum]. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 13

Ophrys omegaifera(a dull Ophrys) (9) Clear omega mark on pale brown labellum]. Ophrys phryganae (a yellow bee-orchid) (1, 3, 5-10, 12, 13) labellum angled at base and subhorizontal or even pendant]. Ophrys sicula Lesser Yellow Bee Orchid (1, 3, 5, 8) . [Differs from O. lutea in subhorizontal labellum 8-14mm long, often with inverted purple V in yellow margin; aka O. lutea subsp. minor]. Ophrys spruneri Grecian Spider Orchid (2, 9-11, 13) Rare in phrygana: [Exquisite! Rose pink sepals, bright blue speculum on brown-black labellum]. Ophrys tenthredinifera Sawfly Orchid (1, 3, 5, 8,9) [Round pale pink sepals, and large square labellum with a wide straw-yellow margin. Plants with little or no pink colour (“chlorantha”) occasional]. Orchis anatolica anatolica Anatolian Orchid (8, 9) Rare in phrygana:[Long purple spikes, flowers with long narrow spur and labellum with two rows of dark spots]. subsp. sitiaca (8)[Differs in pale pink flowers, with a green blotch on lateral sepals. Endemic] Orchis (Aceras) anthropophorum Man Orchid (1, 3, 8) Frequent on phrygana[Greenish yellow flower-spikes, edged in red – no spur, lip “anthropoid”] Orchis italica Italian Man Orchid (0-10, 13) Frequent and often gregarious in phrygana, grassy areas and old terraces:[Large bright pink spikes, labellum of each flower with long thin lobes]. Orchis pauciflora Few-flowered Orchid (1, 3, 5, 8, 9) Frequent in open phrygana [Spikes of 3-7 yellow flowers, labellum brighter yellow]. Orchis provincialis Provence Orchid (8) by track from Mourne to the sea. [Differs in its spike of 5-20 uniform pale yellow flowers, and spotted leaves. In fruit]. Orchis quadripunctata Four-spotted Orchid Carpeting open phrygana and soil-pockets in rocks, notably Gious Kambos; also Kotsifou, Fourfouras, round Drimiskos pass, Mourne, track to Kakovoli (900-1400m), Imbros gorge and by Omalos cave. [Often tiny, flowers small, usually pink with 2-6 small spots in centre of labellum. White plants on Psiloritis and elsewhere]. Orchis simia Monkey Orchid (6, 8, 9, 13[Dense spikes, flowers with grey-pink “helmet”, labellum like dark purple dancing monkey]. Serapias cordigera (5) Serapias lingua Tongue Orchid (1, 3-10) Generally in damper phrygana:. [Differs in long lip with 1 basal swelling, often much paler or pinker than the rest of flower] Serapias orientalis a long-lipped Serapias (2, 3, 5, 6, 13) With other Serapias, local and mainly in drier areas: [From other tongue orchids by its lip being 11-23mm wide near base and markedly hairy]. Serapias parviflora Small-flowered Tongue-orchid (7-10) [Similar to S. bergonii, but shorter bracts and lip more closely recurved under flower. Serapias bergonii (a long-lipped Serapias) (2-7, 9). [Reddish-brown spikes with tongue-like lip with two dark blobs at base, and long bracts].

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Systematic List Number 2 Other Flowers

Species are listed as being seen by days as follows; 0 travel to Spili, 1 Gious Kambos, 2 Triopetra, 3 Amari, 4 Koutaliotis and kotsifou Gorges, 5 Armeni, Viglotopi, Damnoni Headland, 6 Phaestos and agia triada, 7 Psiloritis, 8 Mourne & dromiskos, 9 Preveli, Souda, Plakias, Kato Saktonura, 10 Frangocastello, Anapoli, Aradena, 11 Kavoli, Imbros Gorge, 12 Imbros Gorge, Georgioupoli, Agia, Omalos, 13 Omalos, Sougia, 14. Chania, Iraklion. So 1, 7- 10 = seen day 1 and days 7 to 10. Se = seen but day not recorded

Aceraceae Acer sempervirens- Cretan Maple) (1, 7-14) [Small tree with 3-lobed leaves, and yellowish-green flowers].

Aizoaceae Carpobrotus edulis - Hottentot-fig) ( 0, 2-13) Near coast by roads, on sand and rocks. [Mats of succulent leaves and pink daisy-like flowers].

Anacardiaceae Pistacia lentiscus- Mastic Tree (7, 8, 10) Forming dense thickets along coast [Evergreen shrub whose pinnate leaves normally have no terminal leaflet]. Pistacia terebinthus - Turpentine Tree (2, 3, 6-10, 13) Scrub [Small deciduous tree, whose pinnate leaves have a terminal leaflet; branched brownish flower-panicles]. Schinus molle- Californian Pepper-tree (0, 7, 10, 13) [Small tree with pendulous branches, pinnate leaves, many narrow leaflets].

Apocynaceae Nerium oleander - Oleander (0-14) Though planted along the north coast road, clearly native by streams and wet gullies: [Shrub with long leathery leaves, and gaudy pink flowers] Vinca major- Greater Periwinkle)( 3) , Naturalised by road [Scrambling plant with opposite leathery leaves and blue flowers].

Araliaceae Hedera helix Ivy -( 0, 3-14) [Familiar evergreen climber with lobed leaves].

Aristolochiaceae Aristolochia cretica - Cretan Birthwort (9 ) Occasional Plakias headland [Low scrambling plant with heart-shaped leaves and large brown flowers like “Dutchman’s Pipe”. Endemic].

Berberidaceae Berberis cretica - Cretan Barberry ( 7, 10-14 ) Forming [Low shrub with 3 spines at each node, and leaves emerging].

Boraginaceae Alkanna sieberi (13) Anchusa caespitosa (an alkanet) (11 ) Stony ground from 1500-1900m on Kakovoli, and at 1600m above Xiloskalon. [Cushion of strap-shaped leaves and bright blue flowers. Endemic]. Anchusa hybrida- undulate Alkanet (5 ) Dry disturbed ground. [Bristly herb with wavy leaves and bluish funnel-shaped flowers]. Anchusa italica- large Blue Alkanet (1-12 ) Frequent by roads and in disturbed areas:. [Large bristly herb with open panicle of big bright blue flowers] Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 15

Borago officinalis-Borage (0, 5, 7 ) Waste ground. [Blue, star-like and almost nodding flowers, oval bristly leaves]. Honeywort Cerinthe m. major (4, 5, 10 ) Roadsides: [Patch-forming, grey with white swellings, and nodding yellow flowers with reddish-purple base]. Cynoglossum columnae (1-7, 9-12) Cynoglossum creticum- Blue Hound's-tongue (1-3, 9, 10 ) Pathsides and rough ground. [As latter but with larger dark-veined pale blue flowers]. Cynoglossum sphacioticum- (a hound's-tongue) ( 9 ) Stony ground [Slender with purple-maroon flowers, oblong leaves. Endemic]. Echium angustifolium- Narrow-leaved Bugloss - (6, 7 ) Verges [Typical bugloss, but with narrow leaves and red flowers] Echium italicum- Pale Bugloss ( 1-10, 12 ) Verges and waste ground: [Distinctive pyramidal inflorescence of bluish-white flowers]. Echium plantagineum- Purple Viper's-bugloss (2, 4-7, 9, 10, 13 ) Verges:[Big violet-blue funnel-like flowers]. Lithodora hispidula (13) Lithospermum incrassatum- (a gromwell) (11 ) Among scree above tree-line [Small decumbent herb with narrow in rolled leaves, and regular blue flowers]. Myosotis incrassata (1, 5) Neatostema apulum- Yellow Gromwell (2 ) Rocky point at Triopetra. [Typical small erect gromwell, with small yellow flowers]. Onosma graecum- Greek Golden-drop ( 5 ) Rough ground:. [Erect, very bristly - orange/purple tinged yellow flowers]. Paracaryum lithospermifolium- (no common name) (7 ? ) Rocky ground at 1900m. [Low, grey with narrow leaves; tiny violet-blue flowers. Subsp. cariense]. Symphytum creticum- Procopiania (12 ) On and below gorge cliffs:. [Like a small white comfrey, but with divided flowers, lobes recurved].

Cactaceae Opuntia ficus-barbarica- Barbary-fig (0, 2, 4-12 ) Verges and olive groves. [Large cactus, made up of flattened jointed stems]

Campanulaceae Campanula tubulosa- (a bellflower) (9 ) Rock-crevices [Oblong-leaved and hairy, with pale blue bell-flowers. Endemic]. Petromarula pinnata- Cretan Blue-lettuce (1-5, 8-13 ) Despite its endemic status, common on wall) as well as gorges [Pinnate leaves (toothed leaflets) and spikes of pale blue flowers with recurved lobes].

Capparidaceae Capparis spinosa- Caper (7, 9, 14 ) Cliffs [Decumbent, purplish stems with round leaves and paired stems; probably both subspecies rupestris and spinosa present).

Caprifoliaceae Lonicera etrusca- Etruscan Honeysuckle (8 ) [Typical honeysuckle, with leaves fused in pairs below flowers]. Sambucus nigra- Elder (5-7 ) Rough verges (planted?). [Familiar shrub with heads of creamy- white flowers].

Caryophyllaceae Cerastium brachypetalum - Grey Mouse-ear (1, 12, 13)

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Cerastium glomeratum- Sticky Mouse-ear ( Se ) Roadside gravel, also under pines,. [Erect sticky, regularly branched annual mouse-ear]. Cerastium scaposum- (a mouse-ear) ( 11-13 ) Common in stony places, through and above forest [Compact mouse-ear with large white flowers on long stalks. Endemic]. Petrorhagia velutina- (an annual pink) ( 1, 5, 8, 13 ) Disturbed ground and rocks: [Slender pink, brown papery bracts].

Petrorhagia glumacea (se) Silene bellidifolia (a catchfly) (4 ) [Erect annual, with one-sided spike of pink flowers with reflexed petals]. Silene colorata (2, 4, 5, 9, 13) Silene cretica - Cretan Catchfly ( 1-5, 8, 9, 12, 13 ) Widespread in rocky and disturbed places: [Slender sticky annual with rose-pink flowers]. Silene dichotoma Forked Catchfly ( 4 ) Gravel verges [Widely fork-branched herb, spike-like inflorescences of white notched petals. Subsp. racemosa]. Stellaria media- Common Chickweed ( 3, 12, 13 ) Disturbed ground, [The familiar weed].

Chenopodiaceae Atriplex halimus - Shrubby Orache ( 2 ) Stabilised sands and lower rocks at Triopetra. [Low shrub with silvery-white angled/oval leaves] Chenopodium album- Fat Hen (Se ). [Mealy annual, irregular-toothed lanceolate leaves, grey- green flowers]. Chenopodium murale - Nettle-leaved Goosefoot (5)

Cistaceae Cistus creticus- Cretan Cistus (0, 2-10, 12, 13 ) Common in phrygana and garigue:. [Short shrub with oval crinkly leaves and rose-pink flowers 4-6cm] Cistus parviflorus- Small-flowered Cistus (5, 7-10, 13 ) Phrygana. [Similar to last, neater, pale pink flowers ca 2-3cm wide]. Cistus salviifolius Sage-leaved Cistus- (0, 2, 4-10, 12 ) Roadsides [Sage-like leaves and white flowers 3-5cm wide]. Fumana arabica- Arabian Fumana ( 3, 5, 8 ) Open phrygana [Like a narrow-leaved yellow rockrose, with 12-18mm flowers, all leaves alternate]. Fumana thymifolia- Thyme-leaved Fumana ( 2, 8, 13 ). [Similar, but most leaves opposite, and flowers only 9-14mm wide]. Helianthemum salicifolium - Willow-leaved rockrose (1, 2,) Tuberaria guttata Spotted Rockrose ( 3 ) Open phrygana under pines. [Similar to latter, but with basal rosette, and petals with purplish-brown blotch].

Compositae (Asteraceae) Anthemis arvensis - Corn Chamomile ( Se ). [Scented branched chamomile, with leaves woolly beneath]. Anthemis chia- Chian Chamomile ( Se ) Locally abundant in rocky or fallow land:[Similar to latter, but generally unbranched and hairless]. Anthemis rigida- Rayless Chamomile ( 2, 5, ) Near sea, gorge; and by tracks from 1200-1850m above Anopoli and Omalos. [Short, often mat-forming annual, with yellow heads bearing no rays]. Asteriscus spinosus- Pallenis (1, 2, 5, 7-9, 11 ) Near coast in sandy and rocky sites. [Like a yellow- flowered marigold or fleabane with spine-tipped bracts around the heads]. Bellis annua - Annual Daisy (1, 6, 7, 11 ) Bare (seasonally damp) clay [Very like common daisy, but tiny, annual and with heads only 5-15mm across]. Bellis perennis- Daisy (1-10, 12, 13 ) Moist grassland: [The familiar lawn daisy].

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Calendula arvensis - Field Marigold (1-3, 5, 6, 10, 11 ) Stony land:. [Like small-flowered orange Pot Marigold]. Carduus argentatus (a thistle) (Se) Rocky ground, often below cliffs:. [Prickly thistle with silver undersides to leaves, and long-stalked heads very variable in size]. Carduus pycnocephalus- Plymouth Thistle (2) Waste land:[Typical tall slender leafy thistle with many small rose-purple heads] Carlina corymbosa- Flat-topped Carline Thistle a (2-11 ) Phrygana [Like Atractylis, but branched leafy stems and remains of last year’s head. Subsp. graeca]. Centaurea calcitrapa - Red Star-thistle (9, 11 ) Roadsides. [Softly-leafy below (pinnately cut) but with heads of straw-coloured spines]. Centaurea idaea - Cretan Star-thistle (2, 8-12 ) Frequent on stony ground:. [Grey leaved star-thistle, young heads with straw-coloured spines. Endemic]. Centaurea raphanina- Stemless Knapweed (1, 2, 4, 7-9, 11, 13 ) Common on cliffs and rocky phrygana from sea-level to above tree line [Distinctive rosette of pinnate leaves, with pinkish thistle- like stemless heads. Subsp. raphanina is endemic]. Centaurea spruneri - (a knapweed) ( ) Waste ground [Similar to C.calcitrapa but shorter spines. Subsp. minoa is Endemic]. Chrysanthemum coronarium- Crown daisy (0-14 ) Common by roads: [Tall 2-pinnately leaved herb with yellow (or yellow and white) heads 3-6cm wide] Chrysanthemum coronarium bicolor (0-14 ) Chrysanthemum segetum- Corn Marigold (4, 5, 6, 8-10, 13 ) Rocky and fallow [Greyish annual with toothed (or lobed) leaves and large yellow daisy-like heads]. Cichorium intybus : Chicory (4, 10) Cichorium spinosum- Spiny Chicory (12, 13 ) Rocky ground also on upper beach. [Spiny, much branched and woody, blue heads like dandelions]. Crepis cretica (2, 9-11)i Crupina crupinastrum - Crupina (6) Cynara cornigera- (a cardoon) ( 1, 2, 5-10) ) Rocky places. [Like a short very prickly globe artichoke]. Cynara scolymus - Globe Artichoke ( 7-10, 12, 13 ) Roadsides - almost certainly cultivated [Big non-prickly pinnately-cut leaves]. Galactites tomentosa - Galactites (0-14 ) Common on roadsides [Thistle-like annual with white veined leaves, and purple-lilac rayed heads] Geropogon hybridus : hyrid goatsbeard - (6, 7, 9) Hedypnois cretica - Hedypnois ( ) Rocky slopes and coastal sand). [Dandelion-like plant with stalks thickened below heads, bracts incurved in fruit] Helichrysum barrelieri - (an everlasting) (0-2, 6-10, 13 ) Phrygana:, quarry ; stabilised sand and rocks. [Tufted, woody-based; whitish stems, linear leaves, clustered small golden-yellow globular heads]. Helichrysum italica (3 ) Helichrysum stoechas (3) Hypochaeris radicata- Common Cat's-ear ( 1, 4, 5, 8, 10, 12 ) Fallow. [Leaves all basal and rough hairy, stem branched bearing dandelion-like heads]. Matricaria recutita- Scented Mayweed (2 ) Waste ground. [Like a weedy, branched chamomile]. Phagnalon graecum - (a phagnalon) (2, 8, 9 ) Rocky phrygana: [Dwarf shrub, with narrow leaves white-felted beneath, and with long-stalked yellowish button-like heads] Picnomon acarna - Picnomon (2, 3, 5-11) Phrygana and verges;. [Grey thistle-like plant with golden spines]. Ptilostemon chamaepeuce- Shrubby Ptilostemon ( 4, 5, 8, 9 ) Frequent on cliffs in gorges around Spili on rocky banks and by fountain, and at coast. [Small, rather pine-like, shrub with white undersides to leaves]. Pulicaria dysenterica - Common Fleabane (9)

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Reichardia picroides- (no common name) (Se) rbed ground: [Coarse herb, clasping leaves and inflated dandelion-like heads] Rhagadiolus stellatus Star Hawkbit ( 2-5, 8, 9) ) Shady and disturbed sites:[Like low weedy Nipplewort, distinctive star-like fruiting heads] Scolymus hispanicus- Spanish Oyster-plant (Se ) Roadside,. [Thistle-like, very leafy, winged stems] Scorzonera cretica - Cretan Vipers-grass (1, 2, 4-6, 8-10 ) Cliffs: coastal. [Many linear cottony leaves, and dandelion-like heads]. Senecio squalidus - Oxford Ragwort (4, 9 ) Debris below cliff, Kotsifou. [Familiar weed] Senecio vulgaris- Common Groundsel (1, 3-6, 8-10, 12, 13 ) Bare soil:. [Familiar weed] Silybum marianum (Se ) Sonchus asper - Spiny Sow-thistle (2, 4, 6, 9 ) Waste [Thistle-like plant with milky sap, and many small dandelion-like heads]. Sonchus oleraceus- Smooth Sow-thistle (2-10, 12, 13 ) Waste ground. [Similar to latter, but almost without prickles] Staehelina fruticosa- (a Staehelina) (1, 5, 8 ) Frequent on cliffs,. [Small tufted shrub, lanceolate green leaves, remains of last year’s thistle-like flowers] Staehelina petiolata - (a Staehelina) ( 1, 4, 10 ) Limestone cliffs in [1m shrub, with oval leaves, white beneath. Endemic] Tanacetum parthenium- Feverfew ( 12 ) Trackside in groves. [Strongly-scented leafy herb, pinnately divided] Taraxacum bithynicum s.l - (a dandelion) (7, 11 ). Bare soil at high altitudes [A typical, if rather neat, dandelion]. Tragopogon sinuatus- (a salsify) ( 2-6, 9, 10, 12 ) Rocky or sandy sites: [Like leek with lilac dandelion-like heads, forming large “clock”].

Convolvulaceae Convolvulus althaeoides- Mallow-leaved Bindweed ( 0, 6-9 ) Rough grass [Clamberer with cordate or lobed leaves and decorative deep pink funnel-like flowers - see also below]. Convolvulus elegantissimus - Bindweed) (6, 7, 9, 10 ) Gorge edge. [Form of C. althaeoides, differing in its finely-divided silvery leaves] Convolvulus oleifolius- Olive-leaved Bindweed ( 3 ) Rocky slopes by roads [Low erect woody, with narrow silvery leaves and pink flowers]. Cuscuta epithymum- Common Dodder (4-6 ) Phrygana/verges: [Parasite with reddish thread-like stems, globular clusters of 5-lobed flowers]

Crassulaceae Crassula alata- (a mossy stonecrop) (12 ) Compacted soil: pine groves fallow and near cave. [Tiny erect reddish herb with linear leaves, dense clusters of flowers] Rosularia serrata - (no common name) (12 ) Cliffs and ledges: [Rosettes like neat grey houseleek]. Sedum acre (Se) Sedum laconicum (10) Umbilicus horizontalis - (a wall pennywort) (Se ) Walls and rocks: [Typical small navelwort, with reddish-green flowers]. Umbilicus parviflorus Small-flowered Navelwort (4, 5, 11, 13 ) Walls by track also on rocks. [Typical navelwort with large yellow flowers].

Cruciferae (Brassicaceae) Aethionema saxatile- Burnt Candytuft (8 ) [Short herb, crowded oval grey untoothed leaves, dense head of pink & white flowers. Subsp. creticum]. Alyssum foliosum- ?(an alison) (11 ) Gravel at 1900m in Kakovoli pass. [Dwarf herb with narrow crowded ciliate leaves and dense heads of tiny yellow flowers] Alyssum sphacioticum (Se) Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 19

Arabidopsis thaliana - Thale Cress ( ) Fine gravel [Slender branched herb with white flowers and thin pods]. Arabis verna - Spring Rockcress (1, 12 ) Open rocky areas [Low cress, oval toothed leaves and yellow-eyed purple flowers]. Aubrieta deltoidea - Aubrietia (13 ) Rocky places [Low straggling grey cress with big purple flowers and long-beaked fruit]. Barbarea vulgaris - Common Winter-cress (1-13 ) Colouring verges . [Medium-sized cress with yellow flower spikes and pinnate lower leaves. First noted by us in 1996: seems to be new species for Crete; widespread in Europe] Biscutella didyma- Buckler Mustard (1, 2, 4-9, 12 ) Gravel verges and stony land: [Hairy annual with yellow flowers and distinctive pods comprising two joined disks]. Brassica c. cretica - Cretan Cabbage (4 ) Gorge cliffs:. [Tall cabbage with pale yellow flowers] Brassica nigra- Black Mustard ( Se ) Road verges. [Tall yellow mustard with thin pods appressed to stem]. Cakile maritima - Sea Rocket (2, 6, 9, 10, 13 ) Sandy beaches: [Decumbent succulent annual, with pinkish flowers and lanceolate pods] Capsella bursa-pastoris - Shepherd's-purses (1-9, 12, 13 ) Disturbed areas, fine scree to 1700m on Kakovoli. [Familiar white cress with triangular fruit]. Erophila verna s.l - Early Whitlow-grass ( 7 ). Bare stony ground:. [Tiny white cress, all leaves basal and pods ca 6mm. All plants seen are probably E. verna in the strict sense] Eruca sativa Eruca (1, 9, 12 ) Fallow land on Gious Kambos. [Weedy annual with large white flowers veined in purple] Erysimum raulinii- (a wallflower) ( 1 ) Crags. [Similar but more densely tufted. Endemic]. Matthiola sinuata (incana) - Sea Stock (4 ) Cliff by chapel, Kourtaliotis. [Large hairy stock with coarse toothed leaves and pinkish flowers]. Mathiola tricuspidata (14) Ricotia cretica - Ricotia (4, 5, 12 ) Scree/rubble in gorges:. [Low pink cress, distinctive pods like “purple mange-tout”. Endemic]. Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum Water-cress ( 3, 4 ) Stream/ditches: [Familiar aquatic with pinnate leaves and white flowers]. Sinapis alba - White Mustard ( 1, 6-10, 12 ) Waste ground: [Coarse yellow mustard, pods with word-like beak]. Sisymbrium officinale - Hedge Mustard (2, 3, 6-10, 12 ) Pathsides [Erect yellow cress with pinnately-lobed leaves and pods appressed to stem]

Cucurbitaceae Bryonia c. cretica White Bryony ( 4, 10, 11 ) Scrub/rubble in gorges. [Climber with mottled maple- like leaves opposite tendrils, greenish-white flowers] Ecballium elaterium - Squirting Cucumber ( 5, 12 ) Waste ground. [Coarse bristly scrambler with heart-shaped leaves, yellow flowers and 4-5cm long fruit].

Dipsacaceae Knautia integrifolia - (a scabious) (10, 12 ) Rocky phrygana:. [Tall typical scabious, variable leaves; subsp. mimica]. Lomalosia brachiata - (a scabious) (2, 5, 8 ) Behind shores: [Short scabious with leafy bracts]

Ericaceae Arbutus unedo - Strawberry-tree ( 4 ) Maquis and common in pine woods [Evergreen tree with lanceolate leaves and warty berries] Erica arborea- Tree Heath ( 4, 13 ) [1-4m tall, but otherwise a typical white-flowered heather] Erica manipuliflora- (a heath) 2-5, 8, 9( ) [Shorter species, in fruit, with longer leaves].

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Euphorbiaceae Euphorbia acanthothamnos- Greek Spiny-spurge (2, 3, 4-9, 11-13 ) Phrygana, often coastal. [Intricately branched domed, spiny shrubby spurge]. Euphorbia characias - Large Mediterranean Spurge (0-14 ) Scrub and rocky slopes:). [Tall tufted hairy perennial] Euphorbia helioscopia- Sun Spurge (1-13 ) Disturbed ground: [Familiar weedy spurge, toothed leaves] Euphorbia paralias- Sea Spurge (2, 9, 10 ) Low dunes, [Fleshy greyish perennial, many oblong leaves] Euphorbia peplus- Petty Spurge (3 ) Damp soil:. [Similar to Sun Spurge, but untoothed, smaller] Annual Mercury - Mercurialis annua (1-13 ) Olive groves and walls:. [Like neat nettle, with erect green spikes] Ricinus communis - Castor Oil Plant ( 6, 10 ) Waste ground. [Coarse purplish shrub, with palmate leaves].

Fagaceae Quercus coccifera- Kermes Oak (1-13) Scrub and garigue,[Shrub or tree with evergreen, holly-like leaves]. Quercus ilex- Holm Oak (4, 5, 8) Upper Kotsifou gorge, among pines, Arkadi and Aradena gorge. [Evergreen tree with lanceolate leaves paler (downy) beneath] Quercus ithaburensis- Valonia Oak (1, 3-5, 8-10, 13) Scattered trees: [Tree with large leaves, lobed with pointed teeth; huge acorn-cup; subsp. macrolepis]. Quercus pubescens- Downy Oak (3, 4) Woodland and scrub [Small tree/shrub, typical oak-leaves, downy]..

Geraniaceae Erodium cicutarium - Common Stork's-bill (2-8, 10, 12) Pathsides and disturbed ground:. [Typical stork’s-bill with fern-like leaves, pink flowers and beaked fruit]. Erodium gruinum - Long-beaked Stork’s-bill(2, 4, 5, 10) Pathsides:. [Large annual with lobed leaves, violet flowers 4cm wide, and very long (6-11cm) fruit] Erodium malacoides- Soft Stork's-bill ( 2, 8, 9, 12) Olive groves. [Like E. cicutarium, but with oblong, slightly-lobed leaves]. Geranium dissectum - Cut-leaved Crane's-bill (1-5, 8, 9, 12) Damp soil. [Similar to latter, but with smaller flowers, notched petals] Geranium lucidum - Shining Crane's-bill (3) Walls and shady rocks: [Shiny bluntly-lobed palmate leaves, and pink flowers]. Geranium molle - Dove's-foot Crane's-bill (8, 9, 11) Disturbed ground. [Like G. dissectum, but wedge-lobed and with more purplish-pink flowers]. Geranium purpureum - Little Robin 1, 3, 12) Shaded rocks:. [Aromatic herb with fern-like leaves and unnotched pink petals]. Geranium rotundifolium - Round-leaved Crane's-bill (3, 4, 8, 11, 12) Groves and waste ground,[Like G. molle, but shallowly-lobed, unnotched petals]

Guttiferae (Hypericaceae) Hypericum empetrifolium - Shrubby St. John's-wort (7, 13) Garigue and phrygana: [Dwarf heather- like shrub with many yellow flowers. Mostly Subsp. oligathum, though the Lefka Ori plants are probably subsp. tortuosum. Both endemic]. Hypericum perfoliatum - (a St. John's-wort) (Se) Moister phrygana. [Typical erect St John’s-wort with leaves clasping stem].

Juglandaceae Juglans regia- Walnut (0-14) Planted. [Trees with fragrant pinnate leaves and coarse catkins]. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 21

Labiatae (Lamiaceae) Ballota nigra - Black Horehound 10, 12) Pathsides. [Strongly scented, with coarsely toothed leaves, small purple flowers. Subsp. uncinata]. Ballota pseudodictamnus - False Dittany (12-14) Often abundant on coastal verges. [Woody-based perennial, woolly-felted, oval, almost untoothed leaves] Lamium amplexicaule - Henbit (1-4, 12) Disturbed ground:, [Annual pink dead-nettle, long flowers]. Lavandula stoechas - French Lavender (12) Rocky verges: [Linear-leaved shrub, flower spikes with purple tassel] Marrubium vulgare - White Horehound (11) Rough verges:. [Like Ballota, but white-downy, small white flowers]. Nepeta melissifolia (6, 11) Nepeta scordotis - ?(a catmint) (9) Rocky terraces. [Blue branched spikes and heart-shaped leaves]. Origanum dictamnus - Dittany (diktamus) (4) Limestone cliffs, mainly in gorges: [White-woolly round-leaved, with overlapping bracts. Endemic] Origanum vulgare - Marjoram (3, 4, 7-9, 13) Rocky ground: [Typical marjoram, white flowers; subsp. hirtum]. Phlomis cretica - (a Jerusalem Sage) (??3-5, 7, 9), NB Some of the plants at exposed sites near Anopoli are probably referable to this, rather than the next. [Much shorter and more orange flowers]. Phlomis fruticosa - Jerusalem Sage (0-14) One of typical dominants of rocky slopes: [Grey-felted shrub, with leaves like a sage, and dense heads of 23-35mm long flowers]. Phlomis lanata (6-9) Prasium majus - Shrubby Woundwort (1-10) Banks in groves etc and on rocks: [Evergreen shrub, with white flowers and aroma similar to a Stachys]. Rosmarinus officinalis - Rosemary (5, 10) [Familiar shrub]. Salvia fruticosa - Three-leaved Sage (2, 4-10, 12) Garigue,s (bearing abundant galls). [Typical lilac- flowered shrubby sage with 3-lobed leaves] Salvia verbenaca - Wild Clary (1-5) Disturbed ground. [Herb with wrinkled leaves, and spike of dense purple whorls]. Salvia viridis - Red-topped Sage (2, 5 ) Stony land and rocks: [Short neat annual, with bright green bracts]. Satureja nervosa - (a Micromeria) (2-9) Phrygana etc:. [Slender shrub, with small-leaves and whorls of purple flowers above – the similar S. juliana possibly overlooked]. Satureja thymbra - Satureja (6) Scrub and phrygana:. [Like a large-leaved, very aromatic, pink thyme]. Scutellaria sieberi - (a skullcap) (10, 11) Crevices in gorges [Neat scentless herb, with triangular- ovate leaves, and crowded curved spikes. Endemic]. Stachys arvensis - Field Woundwort (3) Stony fallow fields below Viglotopi. [Annual with heart shaped leaves and white/pink flowers] Stachys cretica - Mediterranean Woundwort (5, 6, 8, 9, 12) Rocky slopes, often by roads: [Like a slender white-felted pink “Lamb’s-ears”] Teucrium microphyllum- Small-leaved Germander ( 3, 5) Rocky phrygana, [Similar to last but leaves ca 5mm, white below].

Lauraceae Laurus nobilis- Laurel (1, 3, 4) With Quercus ilex in upper Kotsifou gorge. [Evergreen tree with scented leaves].

Leguminosae (Fabaceae) Acacia sp. - (an acacia) (0, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14) Planted by roads. [Shrubs with grey willow-like “leaves” and yellow mimosa blooms]. Anagyris foetida- Bean Trefoil (3, 5-7, 12) Trackside. [Trefoil shrub 1-4m tall and foetid]. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 22

Anthyllis vulneraria - Kidney Vetch (1, 3-6, 8, 9, 13) Rocky phrygana:. [Typical kidney vetch, but here red-flowered subsp. rubriflora]. Astragalus angustifolius- (spiny milk-vetch) (7, 11) Open rocky slopes. [“Vegetable hedgehog", pinnate leaves with 6-10 pairs of leaflet]. Bituminaria bituminosa - Pitch Trefoil (2-10, 12) Olive groves and verges:. [Dull green, often tall trefoil, flower-heads violet-blue, and smelling of bitumen]. Calicotome villosa - Spiny Broom (0-14) Often abundant in garigue. [Like an elegant gorse, scenting the air with honey]. Ceratonia siliqua - Carob (2-4, 6-14) Olive groves and scrub:. [Evergreen tree with coarse pinnate leaves and big hanging pods]. Cercis siliquastrum - Judas-tree (0, 3-10, 12) Planted: [Small tree, heart-shaped leaves, and pink flowers on stems]. Coronilla parviflora (10) Coronilla velutina glauca (6-8, 9, 11, 12) Ebenus cretica - Shrubby Sainfoin (2-6, 9-12) Cliffs) and steep banks. [Shrub, palmate leaves and silky heads of pink flowers. Endemic]. Genista acanthocloda- (a greenweed) (1-3, 6, 8, 9, Phrygana:. [Similar to Cretan Dwarf-broom, but with tiny leaflets, and coming into flower]. Hedysarum spinosissimum - Spiny Sainfoin Open ground; [Low hairy annual, pinnate leaves, pinkish flowers and jointed spiny fruits]. Hippocrepis biflora - (a horseshoe vetch) (Se) Bare ground among rocks [Short annual with pinnate leaves, single yellow flowers and pods like a string of horseshoes]. Hippocrepis unsiliquosa (6) Hymenocarpos circinnatus - Disk Trefoil (1-5, 8, 9, 13) Similar habitats to last: [Pinnate-leaved; big terminal leaflet, flowers orange-yellow; fruit a toothed disc 1-1.5cm across] Lathyrus clymenum - (a vetchling) (Se) Rough grass:. [As L. annuus, but with 2-tone flowers (crimson/violet) Lathyrus setifolius - ( a vetchling) (2, 5) Tracksides: [Similar but narrow-winged with orange-red flowers]. Lotus ornithopodioides - (a bird's-foot-trefoil) (6) Trackside [Differs from last in having pods constricted between seed]. Lotus pedunculatus - Greater Bird's-foot-trefoil (5, 9) By ditch. [Large hairy typical bird’s-foot- trefoil]. Lupinus pilosus - Hairy Blue Lupin (3, 6, 9, 10) Striking patches by roads, fallow. [Bright blue hairy lupin]. Medicago arabica - Spotted Medick (4-6, 9 ) Olive groves and fallow:. [Bur-fruited yellow trefoil, dark blotches on leaflet]. Medicago arborea - Tree Medick (6, 9, 12) Naturalised by roads:. [Silvery leaved scrub, golden- yellow heads]. Medicago intertexta - Medick (Se) Medicago marina - Sea Medick (2, 9, 10) Sandy beaches, low dunes: [White-downy creeping perennial trefoil with yellow heads]. Medicago murex - (a bur medick) (2) Coastal rocks:. [Typical yellow medick with dense cylindrical bur fruit]. Medicago orbicularis - Large Disk Medick (2, 5, 6, 8, 9) Waysides: [Typical yellow medick with large smooth spiral disc fruit]. Onobrychis aequidentata- (a sainfoin) (Se) Phrygana and tracksides: gorge,, quarry [Pinnate- leaved, few pink flowers and fruit with cockscomb crest] Onobrychis caput-gallii- Cockscomb Sainfoin.(Se) [Similar, flowers smaller and bur fruit]. Robinia pseudoacacia - False Acacia (0, 6-10, 12, 14) Planted/naturalised by coast road etc. [Spiny tree with pinnate leaves, pendent white racemes]

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Scorpiurus muricatus- Scorpiurus (9) Rocky banks:. [Long elliptical undivided leaves, yellow flowers and pods like coiled caterpillars]. Securigera globosa- (a crown vetch) Cliffs gorges. [Like neat Crown Vetch – large pinnate leaves. Endemic]. Securigera securidaca - (a scorpion vetch) Rocky ground:. [As last but more slender and with yellow flowers]. Spartium junceum - Spanish Broom (0-3, 6-10, 12, 14) Roadsides: [Shrub with many rush-like branches and large yellow flowers]. Tetragonolobus purpureus - Dragon's Blood (3-9) Groves and disturbed ground:[Hairy trefoil herb, crimson flowers, big winged pods]. Trifolium boissieri - Brown Trefoil (Se) Rocky slope. [Low annual yellow clover, turning brown with age]. Trifolium campestre - Hop Trefoil ( 4-12) Rocky places: [As latter, but not going brown]. Trifolium fragiferum - Strawberry Clover (2, 5, 6, 9 ) Moister turf of paths:. [Creeping clover with pink flowers, and inflated fruit heads, resembling raspberries! ]. Trifolium repens - White Clover (1-3, 5-12) Phrygana and damp turf:. [Familiar clover: creeping, rooting at nodes] Trifolium resupinatum - Reversed Clover (6) Sandy ground: [Pink annual clover, flowers are “upside down”]. Trifolium stellatum - Star Clover (2-13) Stony areas: [Hairy annual clover with round leaflets, globose pink heads, calyx teeth spreading star-like, reddish]. Trifolium tomentosum - Woolly Trefoil (8, 10, 11 ) Stony turf:. [Like T. resupinatum, but flowers “right way up”, fruit heads like balls of cotton]. Trifolium uniflorum - (no common name) (1, 2, 5-10, 12, 13) Locally common on rocky turf and phrygana: to 1600m. [Mat or cushion-forming perennial, with stalkless white flowers in ones (-3) not heads]. Vicia bithynica - Bithynian Vetch (6, 8, 9) Low phrygana: [Vetch with tendrils, and violet and white flowers]. Vicia hybrida - Hairy Yellow-vetch(1, 3, 8, 9) Banks in groves and by roads: (especially by spring) and below Viglotopi. [Large yellow-flowered vetch, hairy standard] Vicia lutea - Yellow Vetch (3-5, 12 ) Waste areas:. [Like smaller V. hybrida, but standard hairless and flowers cream]. Vicia sativa - Common Vetch (1-3, 5, 6, 8, 9 ) Tracksides and fallow: [Familiar pink leafy vetch]. Vicia villosa - Fodder Vetch (1-5) Olive groves:. [Like a bright red-purple Tufted Vetch; subsp. varia].

Linaceae Linum arboreum- Shrubby Flax (1, 4, 5, 10) Limestone gorge cliffs:. [Small shrub, spathulate leaves, yellow flowers] Linum austriacum (2, 4, 8, 9 ) . Linum bienne- Pale Flax (4, 11) Roadsides, rough grass: (prostrate). [Slender pale blue flax]

Lythraceae Lythrum junceum - (a loosestrife) (1-4) Seasonally wet places, ditches:. [Larger often ascending perennial, petals 5-6mm].

Malvaceae Alcea biennis - (a hollyhock) (Se) Roadsides:. [Typical hollyhock, not in flower during April]. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis - Hibiscus (Se) Planted along roadsides near Rethymno. [Shrub with irregularly palmately toothed leaves] Lavatera cretica - Small Tree-mallow (2, 8, 9) Disturbed. [Like Common Mallow, but broad epicalyx lobes]. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 24

Malva cretica - Cretan Mallow (2, 5, 8) Rocks near sea also in gorges (lower Kotsifou, Kourtaliotis and Aradena gorge. [Like a dwarf, delicate Musk Mallow – pale pink flowers] Malva neglecta (6) Malva parviflora Least Mallow (Se) Pathsides and ruins:. [Usually prostrate mallow with tiny (<1cm) flowers] Malva sylvestris - Common Mallow (2-9, 12, 13) Roadsides. [Familiar pink-purple biennial/perennial].

Moraceae Ficus carica - Fig. (0-3, 4-14) [Familiar shrub/tree with large palmately-lobed leaves] Morus alba - White Mulberry (3-4, 6-8, 11, 12) , Planted. [Tree with oval and cordate leaves, dense flower spikes].

Myrtaceae Eucalyptus sp. - (a gum) (0-10, 12-14) Planted by roads,. [Large trees with flaking bark, grey leaves] Myrtus communis- Common Myrtle (2-5m 7-9,13) Streamside thicket; by roads. [Opposite-leaved evergreen aromatic shrub].

Nyctaginaceae Bougainvillea glabra- Bougainvillea.(), 3-5, 7-10, 12, 14) [Familiar ornamental climber with bright purple bracts].

Oleaceae Jasminum species - Jasmine (6) Naturalised by ruined church above Faestos. [Trefoil shrub with yellow flowers] Olea europaea - Olive (0-14) Abundantly cultivated,. [Evergreen tree with greyish narrow leaves].

Onagraceae Epilobium hirsutum - Great Hairy Willow-herb (3-10) Wet tracksides in lower groves. [Familiar tall hairy herb].

Orobanchaceae Orobanche crenata- (a broomrape) (5) On Vicia faba in groves below Heracles Rooms, Spili. [Tall broomrape with veined white flowers]. Orobanche lavandulacea - Lavender Broomrape (4-8M 11) On Pitch Trefoil by road at Damnoni and Kourtaliotis. [Small darkish purple broomrape] Orobanche pubescens - Downy Broomrape (Se) On various hosts (often umbellifers) in phrygana:[Medium yellow to purple-flowered broomrape, flowers hairy]. Orobanche purpurea - Purple Broomrape (4 ?) On Composites in waste. [Like O. lavandulacea, flowers more violet] Orobanche ramosa - Branched Broomrape (3-6, 8, 9) Olive groves (often on Oxalis pes-caprae):[Small prolific broomrape, with pale purple flowers contrasting with light brown stems].

Oxalidaceae Oxalis pes-caprae - Bermuda Buttercup ()-14) Often abundant in olive groves and by roads everywhere, rarely phrygana [Trefoil leaves, and umbels of yellow flowers].

Paeoniaceae Paeonia clusii - Clusius's Peony (11, 12 ) Cypress woodland above Anopoli at 1400m and shaded rocky slopes in Imbros gorge. [White flowers 7-12cm across and narrowly-divided leaves. Subsp. clusii is endemic].

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Papaveraceae Corydalis uniflora - Cretan Corydalis (6) Sparse on bare clay among stones: 1600-1900m. [Short herb with greyish lobed leaves, whitish flowers tipped in maroon. Endemic]. Fumaria capreolata - Ramping Fumitory (4) Clambering on coarse vegetation by streams etc:. [Large fumitory, greyish divided leaves, pale flowers tipped reddish-black] Fumaria officinalis - Common Fumitory (Se) Fallow. [Typical non-climbing fumitory] Glaucium flavum - Yellow Horned-poppy 1, (2, 4, 5, 9, 10,), Coastal rocks and sand [Big grey-leaved poppy with yellow flowers and long pods]. Papaver argemone - Pale Poppy((5) Gravelly track edge:. [Delicate orange poppy with long pod bearing appressed bristles. Subsp. nigrotinctum]. Papaver hybridum -Prickly poppy) (2) Papaver rhoeas - Corn Poppy (2-12) Rocky and disturbed ground:. [Typical red poppy, sometimes with black blotches, globular pods].

Plantaginaceae Plantago afra - (a plantain)(0-10, 12) Pathsides: to 1500m; coastal rock and sand. [Typical plantain flowers, but branched leafy stem] Plantago coronopus (10) Plantago cretica - Cretan Plantain (1, 2, 8, 9) Seashores and rocks. [Similar to latter but with stems thickening and recurved in fruit]. Plantago lanceolata - Ribwort Plantain (2-6, 9) Olive groves and grasslands:. [Familiar plantain]

Platanaceae Platanus orientalis- Plane Tree (0-14) Lining streams/rivers, forming groves: [Tree with alternate palmate leaves, scaling bark].

Plumbaginaceae Acantholimon ulicinum- (no common name)(7, 11) "Vegetable hedgehog" zone on rock slopes 1600- 1900m on Kakovoli. [Differs from other components of zone in its linear spiny leaves] Limonium sinuatum (a sea-lavender) (14)

Polygalaceae Polygala venulosa- Eastern Milkwort (1-3, 8, 13) Phrygana:. [Typical milkwort, with pale mauve veined flowers, rather pea-like].

Polygonaceae Polygonum aviculare s.s-. Common Knotgrass Waste verges. [Familiar weedy knotgrass]. Sea Knotgrass Polygonum idaeum Polygonum maritimum - (2) Upper beach by planted Tamarisk at Triopetra. [Prostrate knotgrass, with in rolled leaf margins] Rumex bucephalophorus - Bull's-head Dock (8, 9, 11) Rocky. [Small annual, distinctive recurved fruit; subsp. gallicus].

Primulaceae Anagallis arvensis - Scarlet Pimpernel (1-4, 6, 8-12) Phrygana and fallow land:. [Familiar weed]. Anagallis coerulea- Blue Pimpernel (1-6, 8-12) Similar habitat [As latter but bright blue]. Cyclamen creticum -Cretan Cyclamen (1, 4, 5, 7 ) Shade, scree and crevices:. [White cyclamen. Some of the non-flowering plants in the Kotsifou resemble C. graecum]. Primula vulgaris - Primrose - (13)

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Punicaceae Punica granatum - Pomegranate ()2-10, 12, 14) ?Naturalised (presumably originally planted). [Tree with shiny opposite untoothed leaves]

Ranunculaceae Anemone coronaria - Crown Anemone (1, 2, 8, 13) [Distinguished from Turban Buttercup by absence of green sepals] Anemone hortensis- (an anemone) (1, 3, 5, 9, 13) Frequent on phrygana and rocky places: Spili, Gious Kambos, below Viglotopi, Kotsifou gorge and Drimiskos pass. [Short anemone, white flushed pink; subsp. heldreichii]. Clematis cirrhosa -Virgin's Bower (3, 7, 12) Rocky places: [Typical Clematis, but evergreen and in fruit]. Delphinium staphisagria - (a delphinium) (10) Abundant in the ruins and groves at Aradena, rarer in the gorge. [Typical hairy delphinium]. Ranunculus asiaticus -Turban Buttercup (0-9, 12, 14) Drifts of white on phrygana and rocky road- sides. [The only big white or red buttercup here, red separated from Anemone by presence of green sepals]. Ranunculus bullatus -(a buttercup) (Se) Open areas within phrygana. [All leaves basal, ovate and warty] Ranunculus creticus- Cretan Buttercup (1, 4, 12) Cliffs (often shady) of gorges [Big buttercup with shallowly lobed leaves, mostly in fruit]. Ranunculus ficaria - Lesser Celandine (1, 3-5, 7, 9, 12) By ditches [Familiar plant, but big-flowered subsp. chrysocephalus]. Ranunculus gracilis- (a buttercup) (Se) Abundant in rocky phrygana[Neat buttercup, leaves 3-lobed (mostly basal), sepals recurved]. Ranunculus muricatus - Bristly Buttercup (1, 5, 8) Wet ruts and ditch edges: ([Hairless annual, with shallow-lobed leaves and fruit with spines on both surfaces]. Ranunculus subhomophyllus- ?(a buttercup) (1, 8, 9, 12) [Differs from other mountain buttercups in its small flowers].

Resedaceae Reseda lutea- Wild Mignonette (2, 4-10, 12) Rocky ground:. [As latter, shorter and pale yellow flowers].

Rosaceae Aphanes arvensis s.s.- Parsley-piert Bare ground in pine grove. [Small annual with parsley like leaves and tiny flowers]. Crataegus monogyna- Hawthorn (1, 2, 4-10, 12-14) , By streams and in woodland: [Familiar shrub, but here the densely hairy subsp. azarella]. Eriobotrya japonica- Loquat (2-10, 12, 13) Planted [Robust shrub, large (to 30cm) ribbed and brown- felted leaves], Prunus domestica -Wild Plum (1-3, 5, 6, 8, ) Naturalised. [Familiar fruit tree] Prunus dulcis - Almond ( 1, 3-6, 8 ) Naturalised by roads. [Spiny shrub with narrow leaves, pale flowers and oval velvety fruit] Prunus persica - Peach ( 3, 5, 6, 8 ) Naturalised. [Familiar fruit tree]. Prunus prostrata -Prostrate Cherry (7, 11) Frequent on rocky upper slopes of 1500-1900m [Prostrate shrub, with bright pink flowers] Pyrus communis - Pear (1-8, 10-14) Naturalised on roadside. [Familiar orchard tree]. Pyrus spinosa -Almond-leaved Pear (13) Rocky slopes and woodland: (also in pine grove), by tracks above Anopoli to 1300m and around Omalos plain. [Somewhat spiny shrub with narrow elliptical leaves, white flowers]. Rubus sanctus -Bramble (1-13) Scrub, stream-banks:[Typical bramble, but with small trefoil leaves]. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 27

Sanguisorba minor - Salad Burnet (4-6, 8, 9, ) Grass slopes and olive groves:. [Familiar herb, represented by subspp. muricata and verrucosa] Sarcopoterium spinosum -Spiny Burnet (1-10, 12, 13) Often dominant in phrygana: [Intricate spiny shrub (“barbed wire plant”), pinnate leaves, globose flower-heads].

Rubiaceae Galium aparine - Cleavers .(3, 12) [Familiar coarse clambering weed]. Rubia peregrina - Wild Madder (4, 8) Climbing on bushes in scrub: Monastiraki, Mili, Arkadi and west of Aghios Ioannis. [Like a coarse evergreen cleavers with berries]. Sherardia arvensis - Field Madder Disturbed ground:. [Like a compact bedstraw with pink flowers]. Valantia hispida - Valantia (2) Rocks:, gorges), coastal rocks at. [Like a tiny bristly crosswort]. Valantia muralis - (no common name) (2) Open phrygana. [Similar to last, but more softly hairy, fruit stalked “horned”]

Rutaceae Ruta chalepensis - Fringed Rue (2, 11) Rough ground:. [Two-pinnate blue-green leaves, pungently scented with yellow flowers, fringed with hairs].

Salicaceae Populus alba - White Poplar (Se) Populus nigra - Black Poplar (1-3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13) By stream planted?. [Tall tree with fluttering leaves shaped like ace of spades] Populus tremula- Aspen (3, 5-7, 9) Planted. [Medium-sized tree with roundish leaves, slender stalks].

Santalaceae Osyris alba - Osyris (3, 5-7, 9) Often common in rocky sites:. [Broom-like shrub, with three-lobed yellowish flowers and narrow leaves - usually short but up to 2m tall in the last two sites].

Saxifragaceae Saxifraga chrysosplenifolia - (a saxifrage) (Se) Shaded gorge rocks[Round-leaved saxifrage, white flowers, spotted yellow or red]. Saxifraga hederacea -(a saxifrage) (1, 12) Common in crevices among ruins. [Slender herb with single white flower and rather ivy-like leaves].

Scrophulariaceae Bellardia trixago Bellardia (3, 6, 7, 9) Rough grass: coastal sand:. [Erect opposite-leaved annual; 4- sided spike of white flowers flushed pink/yellow] Cymbalaria muralis - Ivy-leaved Toadflax (1-10) Walls [Trailing plant with ivy-like leaves; spurred violet and yellow flowers]. Linaria pelisseriana - Jersey Toadflax (5, 6, 8, 9, ) Stony ground and fallow: [Delicate erect toadflax, purple-violet flowers] Misopates orontium - Weasel's-snout (4, 5, 9 ) Rough ground:. [Slim annual pink snapdragon]. Parentucellia latifolia - (a bartsia) (1, 4-9) Bare areas in phrygana: [Short erect herb, opposite leaves, red-purple flowers]. Parentucellia viscosa- Yellow Bartsia (4, 9) Damp ground: fields [Sticky hairy erect herb, with opposite leaves and yellow flowers]. Scrophularia lucida - (a figwort) 1-10, 12, 13) Banks:. [Typical figwort flowers, but pinnately-lobed leaves]. Scrophularia peregrina - Nettle-leaved Figwort (1, 2, 11, 12) Pathsides:. [Typical figwort, shiny nettle-like leaves] Verbascum arcturus - (a mullein) (1, 4, 5, 9-12, 14)) Cliffs in gorges). [Lower leaves lobed (densely soft-hairy), short spikes of yellow flowers, violet filament hairs. Endemic]. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 28

Verbascum macrurum - (a mullein) (1, 3-10, 12) Stony ground [Typical mullein, with ovate leaves and tall spikes]. Verbascum sinuatum -Wavy-leaved Mullein ((!, 3-6, 8, 9, ) Pathsides:. [Differs from other mulleins in pinnately lobed undulate leaves]. Verbascum spinosum -Spiny Mullein (11, 12) Gorges and phrygana[Small spiny domed shrub with narrow white-downy, toothed to lobed leaves. Endemic]. Veronica cymbalaria -White Speedwell (1-5, 7, 12) Paths/walls [Decumbent annual, lobed leaves and white flowers]. Veronica glauca - (a speedwell) Ledges below Omalos cave. [Erect annual, deep blue flowers and lobed leaves. Subsp. kavusica] Veronica persica -Common Field-speedwell (Se) Groves. [Familiar annual weed] Veronica thymifolia - (a speedwell) (11) Open soil in scree, tree-line to 1900m, Kakovoli. [Woody- based perennial, oblong leaves and few-flowered clusters of blue or pink flowers].

Solanaceae Hyoscyamus albus- White Henbane (4)Nutrient-rich margins and goat-frequented overhangs and in Kourtaliotis gorge. [Irregularly lobed leaves, greenish-white flowers with purple throat]. Mandragora autumnalis -Mandrake (2, 5, 6) Rocky turf:. [Violet flowers on stalks in centre of big crinkly rosettes]. Nicotiana glauca - Shrub Tobacco (0, 6, 14) Naturalised by roads[Tall slender shrub, with scattered glaucous leaves and tubular yellow flowers].

Styracaceae Styrax officinalis -Storax (7, 12) Scrub:[Shrub with alternate oval leaves, and pendant fragrant white flowers].

Tamaricaceae Tamarix smyrnensis - (a tamarisk) (2, 9) Probably always planted: on beach at Plakias (most pollarded 1999/2000), recently planted on Triopetra beach. [Flowers would be 5-lobed (not 4) and pink - none seen].

Thymelaeaceae Daphne sericea - (no common name). (1, 3, 12-14) Short dense evergreen shrub, crowded evergreen leaves; fragrant pink flowers]. Thymelaea hirsuta - (no common name) (6, 8, 9 )Rocky hills: [1m shrub, white stems, scale-leaves (white-downy within)]. Thymelaea tartonraira - (no common name)(8, 9, ) Limestone phrygana. [Small shrub with many silvery oblong leaves, and clusters of yellowish flowers; subsp. argentea]

Ulmaceae Ulmus minor - Smooth-leaved Elm ((12) Also probably planted by river and ditches at Agia. [Typical elm; probably ssp. minor]. Zelkova abelicea - Zelkova (13) Rocky slopes above Omalos plain. [Large shrub with small coarsely lobed leaves. Endemic].

Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) Crithmum maritimum Cliff Samphire (2, 5, 9 )Coastal slopes (rocks and walls): Plakias, Damnoni, Ligres and Triopetra. [Succulent 1-2 pinnate leaves; perennial] Daucus carota Wild Carrot (0, 2-10, 12)Grass roadside [Familiar herb, divided bracts, bur fruit; subsp. maxima]. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 29

Daucus guttatus (a carrot) (Se) Upper sands at Plakias, and Kotsifou gorge. [Short annual like latter]. Eryngium campestre Field Eryngo (1-9) Phrygana:. [Wide branched greenish spiny perennial, heads 10-15mm] Eryngium maritimum Sea Holly (10) Low dunes [Stiff leathery and spiny blue-green perennial] Ferula communis Giant Fennel (0-7, 9, , 13, 14) ) Roadsides and abandoned land: [Striking big herb with feathery leaflets and many yellow umbels]. Lecokia cretica (no common name) (6, 7) Woods, groves and moist waysides: [Robust perennial with 1-2 pinnate triangular leaves; large warty asymmetric fruit]. Oenanthe pimpinelloides Callous-fruited Water-dropwort (1-4, 6-9, 11, 12) Ditch/stream edges, seasonally wet turf, fallow: [White perennial with parts of umbel distinct from one another]. Orlaya daucoides (no common name) (5 ) Rocky verges:. [Erect annual with bur fruit and outer petals much bigger than the inner]. Pseudorlaya pumila (no common name) (6 ) More stable sands at Plakias. [Rather like Daucus guttatus, but much more densely hairy]. Scaligeria napiformis Scaligeria Shade and rocks: [Slender bright green, lower leaves 2-3 divided, upper sparse, often linear] Scandix pecten-veneris Shepherd’s-needle (1, 4-8, 12) Disturbed or cultivated sites, Rough grass: [Stout widely branched with divided glossy leaves and rounded umbels of yellow green flowers]. Smyrnium perfoliatum Perfoliate Alexanders (1, 5-9) Grass: by stream [Differs in brighter yellow flowers; upper leaves simple, oval and clasping]. Tordylium apulum (a hartwort) (2, 4-9) Disturbed ground:[Annual with singly pinnate leaves, outer petal much larger; fruit disk-like with beaded margin (“false-teeth plant”)]. Torilis leptophylla (a bur-parsley) (Se) Rocky ground: [Rough hairy, 2-pinnate, small bare fruit; umbels leaf-opposed].

Urticaceae Parietaria judaica (3-10, 13) Walls and rocks. [Similar perennial, with leaves 1-7cm long]. Urtica pilulifera Roman Nettle (10-12) Caves, ledges, areas frequented by goats: [Annual with jagged toothed leaves, globular fruiting heads and stinging hairs].

Valerianaceae Centranthus calcitrapae (no common name) (Se) Rocky ground, especially below cliffs. [Annual, opposite pinnately-divided leaves; pink-purple flowers, pouched at base]. Centranthus ruber Red Valerian (12) Naturalised on ruins and walls. [Familiar garden plant, with undivided leaves]. Valeriana asarifolia Cretan Valerian (1, 5, 13) Limestone cliffs/crevices:. [White valerian, basal leaves kidney-shaped; flower-head dense. Endemic] Valerianella coronata (a corn-salad). (1, 5, ) [Regularly branched annual, narrow leaves, globose inflorescence, calyx regularly 6-lobed]. Valerianella echinata (a corn-salad) ( 3, 8 )Rocky ground: Fourfouras and track to Kakovoli 1200- 1400m. [As latter, calyx with 3 lobed – one long and two short].

Verbenaceae Lantana comosa Lantana (10-14) Naturalised on verges along the main north coast road [Scrambling prickly shrub with oval leaves and heads of orange and yellow flowers]. Vitex agnus-castus Chaste-tree (9-14) Damp gullies; also on seepage clay [Aromatic scrub and opposite digitate leaves, and fruiting spikes like peppercorns].

Vitaceae Vitis vinifera Common Vine (0-14) Naturalised in groves and hedges. [Familiar climber]

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MONOCOTYLEDONES

Agavaceae Agave americana Century Plant ), 3-14) Naturalised on roadsides and along north coast. [Huge rosettes of grey spear-shaped leaves and last year’s tall stems bearing saucer-sized heads]

Amaryllidaceae Narcissus tazetta Polyanthus Narcissus (1, 3) Frequent by streams/ditches, also field-banks [Typical daffodil leaves and several-fruited stems] Pancratium maritimum Sea Daffodil (2, 7, 9, 10) Coastal sands[Grey daffodil leaves].

Araceae Arisarum vulgare Friar's Cowl (1, 3-5, 8, 9 )Rock ledges: [Patch-forming with heart-shaped leaves and spadix under a hooded spathe]. Arum concinnatum Large Cuckoo Pint (12) Olive groves and gorge woodland:. [Like big Cuckoo Pint]. Arum creticum Cretan Arum (4, 5, 7) Rock, scree, stone-heaps. [As latter but with yellow spadix and spathe -this folded backward]. Arum ideaum Cretan Mountain Arum (11) Frequent in Lefka Ori: woods above Anopoli at 1400m, shaded Imbros gorge and rocks at and near Omalos cave. [Like Cuckoo Pint Endemic]. Dracunculus vulgaris Dragon Arum (0-3, 5, 7, 10, 11) Olive groves and disturbed rocky ground:. [Purple-striped stems, digitally divided leaves, long purple spathe]. Zantedeschia aethiopica Arum-lily (0-2, 4, 5, 7, Naturalised [Familiar garden plant].

Dioscoreaceae Tamus communis Black Bryony (5) Shaded gorge-beds/gullies. [Unarmed climber with cordate leaves].

Iridaceae Crocus sieberi (a crocus) (7, 11) Stony ground 1500-1900m on Kakovoli (only in flower at 1900m), and by path above Xiloskalon. [Typical white crocus, purple streaked outside; narrow leaves with white midrib. Endemic]. Freesia refracta Freesia (Se) Possibly naturalised. [Familiar ornamental with spikes of scented bell- shaped flowers and linear leaves]. Gladiolus italicus Field Gladiolus (2, 3, 5-10) Olive groves and fallow. [Typical large pink-purple gladiolus. Plants in rocky phrygana at last site have stamen features etc of G. byzantinus – unknown on Crete]. Gynandiris sisyrinchium Barbary-nut (2-5, 8, 9, 12) Common (compact clay among rock);. [Blue Iris- like flowers, opening in sun; leaves narrow and sheathing stem] Gynandiris monophylla (5) Hermodactylus tuberosus Widow Iris (1, 5, 6, 8, 13) Fallow and scrubby banks,. [Iris-like flowers, yellow-green with blackish blotch on falls; leaves quadrangular. All in fruit]. Iris albicans White Iris (3-6, 8, 9, , 13) Around cultivation and cemeteries in villages:. [Typical large iris, always with white flowers]. Iris unguicularis Cretan Iris (1-3, 8, 9 )Rocky phrygana [Compact purple iris with yellow blotches; subsp. cretensis is Endemic]. Romulea bulbocodium Romulea (1, 2, 7 )Compacted clay (paths etc): and moist pans and paths, Viglotopi. [Small, crocus-like; white flowers have a yellow throat; leaves narrow-linear].

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Liliaceae Allium nigrum (a garlic) (4) Fallow on Omalos plain. [Similar to last, but leaves all basal and narrower, and pale heads]. Allium roseum Rosy Garlic (3) Moister sites, often in shade. [Low garlic with grass-like leaves and loose heads of rosy-pink flowers]. Allium subhirsutum (a garlic) (4) Rocky areas and phrygana. [Grass-like leaves with sparse hairs and umbels of white flowers]. Allium trifoliatum (a garlic) (Se) Fallow and waste:. [Similar to A. subhirsutum, flowers pink- tinged]. Asparagus aphyllus (an asparagus) (1, 2, 5, 8-10) Olive groves and phrygana: [Scrambling branched woody perennial, thorny “leaves” (actually branches); subsp. orientalis]. Asphodeline lutea Yellow Asphodel (0-14) Phrygana:[Similar to last, but with stiffer leaves and stout yellow spikes]. Asphodelus aestivus Common Asphodel (2, 4, 6-12, 14) Phrygana and fallow:. [Stout branched candelabra head of pinkish-white flowers]. Colchicum macrophyllum (an autumn crocus) (7, 10, 11) Fallow terraces. [Rosettes of large corrugated leaves, with a fruit capsule hidden at their base]. Drimia maritima Sea Squill (1, 3, 6, 7, 9-11) Rocky phrygana. [Rosettes of large leathery leaves emerging from a big exerted bulb – “dog onion”]. Fritillaria messanensis (a fritillary) (1) Local below cliffs Plakias headland, Drimiskos pass (and to south), upper Kotsifou gorge, Mourne outcrop, at 1500m above Anopoli and near Omalos cave. Very common on rocky phrygana on parts of Gious Kambos. [Typical slender fritillary with linear leaves and nodding brownish flowers, usually mottled/chequered]. Gagea chrysantha (7) Stony snow-melt at 1800m on Kakovoli, and with latter, Xiloskalon. [Similar, but true yellow, and broader leaves]. Gagea graeca Greek Star-of-Bethlehem (1, 2, 11) Common in rock crevices, phrygana and bare soil:. [Slender erect perennial, several linear leaves; 3-5 white flowers, often nodding]. Gagea peduncularis (Se) Muscari comosum Tassel Hyacinth (1-3, 5, 9, 10, 13) Widespread in rocky phrygana and roadsides: [Spike of pale brown tubular flowers with cream teeth, and prominent bright violet terminal tassel]. Muscari neglectum Common Grape-hyacinth (4) Woods and rocks from 1300-1800m, [Typical grape-hyacinth, but rather dwarfed]. Muscari spreitzenhoferi (a tassel hyacinth) ((5, 9 ) Rock-crevices near the [Similar to latter, but shorter, teeth of fertile flowers yellow, and tiny terminal tassel]. Ornithogalum divergens (a star-of-Bethlehem) (Se) Fallow and open land: [Typical white star-of- Bethlehem with widely-branched corymb of 1cm flowers]. Ornithogalum exscapum (a star-of-Bethlehem) (2, 5, 7, 9, 10 Clay areas. [Similar, widely branched from base, flowers much bigger]. Ornithogalum narbonense (a star-of-Bethlehem) (6) Dry stony slopes:[Elongate white spikes of white star-like flowers] Ruscus aculeatus Butcher's Broom (1, 4, 5 )Shaded or sheltered gorge) and other rock crevices. [Low evergreen shrub with lanceolate spine-tipped “leaves” (branches)]. Scilla nana Cretan Squill (7, 11) Frequent on recent snow-lie 1700-1900m on Kakovoli (flowering at 1800m+) and at 1600m above Xiloskalon [Low delicate squill with pale-blue star-like flowers, fading whitish. Endemic] Smilax aspera Common Smilax (2-5, 8, 9 ) Clambering on scrub. [Cordate leaves with some prickles on leaves, stalks and/or stems]. Tulipa bakeri Baker’s Tulip (13) Abundant Omalos fallow. [Similar to T. saxatilis (from which possibly not distinct) but smaller darker flowers. Endemic]. Tulipa cretica Cretan Tulip (8, 9 ) Drimiskos pass (notably "slag-heap" knoll); also on rocks by foot- tunnel mouth, Plakias. (Possibly on Kakovoli). [Small white tulip, yellowish base to petals and wavy leaves. Endemic]. Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 32

Tulipa doerfleri Orange Tulip (1) Often common in cultivated and fallow fields on Gious Kambos,. [Orange-red tulip; linear-lanceolate leaves. Endemic]. Tulipa saxatilis Rock Tulip (1) Knoll on Gious Kambos,. [Pink tulip with white-edged yellow base to petals and rather oblong leaves].

Typhaceae Typha domingensis (a reedmace) (Se) Marsh and ditch by road. [Typical reedmace].

Cupressaceae Cupressus sempervirens (0-2, 4-6, 8, 9, 11-13) Juniperus oxycedrus (11)

Pinaceae Pinus brutia (5, 6, 9, 11, 12)

Adiantaceae Adiantum capillus-veneris (4, 9 )

Aspleniaceae Asplenium trichomanes (Se) Ceterach officinarum (9-12)

Dennstaedtiaceae/Hypolepidaceae Pteridium aquilinum (3-5, 8, 9, )

Equisetaceae Equisetum ramosissimum - Branching Hprsetail (3) Equisetum telmateia (3, 5)

Selaginellaceae Selaginella denticulata (1, 2, 4-6, 8, 9, 11)

Sinopteridaceae Cheilanthes maderensis (5, 11, 12 )

Palmae (Arecaceae) Phoenix theophrasti Cretan Date-palm (9 [Typical date-palm with pinnately cut leaves].

Potamogetonaceae Posidonia oceanica Posidonia (2, 9, ) Cast-up balls of leaves on beaches:. [Submerged “sea-grass” with long ribbon-like leaves].

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Systematic List Number 3 Birds

Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis (7) Squacco Heron Ardeola ralloides (12) Little Egret Egretta garzetta (12) Grey Heron Ardea cinerea (12) Purple Heron Ardea purpurea (12) Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus (12) Mallard Anas platyrhynchos (12) Honey Buzzard Pernis apivorus (12) Black Kite Milvus migrans (6, 12) Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus (1, 4-10, 12, 13) Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus (10) Common Buzzard Buteo buteo (1-3, 6, 7, 10, 12) Lesser Kestrel Falco naumanni (10) Common Kestrel Falco tinnunculus (2, 6, 12, 13) Moorhen Gallinula chloropus (12) Coot Fulica atra (12) Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus (12) Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus (2) Green Sandpiper Tringa ochropus (14?) Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos (10, 12) Audouins Gull Larus audouinii (12) Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus (2, 12, 14) Yellow-legged Herrring Gull Larus (argentatus) cachinnans (2, 5-10, 12-14) Rock Dove Columba livia (2, 4) Woodpigeon Columba palumbus (3, 5, 7, 12) Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto (5, 6, 12, 13) Scops Owl Otus scops (Heard only) (1-5, 8, 9, 12, ) Common Swift Apus apus (2, 5-10, 12) Alpine Swift Apus melba (5, 10-12) Hoopoe Upupa epops (6, 9) Green Woodpecker Picus viridus (heard) (10) Crested Lark Galerida cristata (1, 6, 10-12) Skylark Alauda arvensis (1, 6) Crag Martin Ptyonoprogne rupestris ((5, 7, 9-`11, 13) Swallow Hirundo rustica (1, 3-14) Red-rumped Swallow Hirundo daurica (2, 9, ) House Martin Delichon urbica (1-3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13) Meadow Pipit Anthus pratensis (1, 7) White Wagtail Motacilla alba (2, 12) Wren Troglodytes troglodytes (7, 9, 12, 13) Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochuros (7) Common Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus (10) Whinchat Saxicola rubetra (7) Stonechat Saxicola torquata (4, 6-10) Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe (2, 3, 12,-14) Black-eared Wheatear Oenanthe hispanica (3, 5, 6, 12) Blue Rock Thrush Monticola solitarius (11) Blackbird Turdus merula (1-14) Sardinian Warbler Sylvia melanocephala (1, 7, 12) Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla (1) Greentours Natural History Holidays www.greentours.co.uk 34

Wood Warbler Phylloscopus sibilatrix (11) Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita (heard) (1, 6, 7, seen 12) Goldcrest Regulus regulus (4, 5) Collared Flycatcher Ficedula albicollis (11) Coal Tit Parus ater (10) Blue Tit Parus caeruleus (1, 3-7, 10-12) Great Tit Parus major (4, 10) Woodchat Shrike Lanius senator (3, 6) Alpine Chough Pyrrhocorax graculus (7, 10) Chough Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax (7, 10) Jay Garrulus glandarius (3, 12) Magpie Pica pica (5 ) Hooded Crow Corvus (corone) cornix (0-14) Raven Corvus corax (1, 3-5, 7-13) House Sparrow Passer domesticus (1-14) Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs (3-13) Greenfinch Carduelis chloris (1, 3) Goldfinch Carduelis carduelis (1, 2, 4-10) Linnet Carduelis cannabina (7, 12) Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra (5, 6)

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Systematic List Number 4 Butterflies

Species Days seen Comments Papilionidae Swallowtail Papilio machaon 2,3,6,7,8. Scarce Swallowtail Iphiclides podalirius 3,6. Cretan Festoon Zerynthia cretica 1,2,3,7,8,12. none at Plakias, but often seen Pieridae Large White Pieris brassicae 1,2,3,6,7,8,9,11,12 common Small White Artogeia rapae 1,2,3,6,7,8,9,11,12 common Eastern Bath White Pontia edusa 6 Eastern Dappled White Euchloe ausonia 1,3,5,6,11,12 Clouded Yellow Colias crocea 3,6,8,8,12 Clouded Yellow var. Colias crocea var helice 3 helice Brimstone Gonepteryx rhamni 3 Cleopatra Gonepteryx cleopatra 1,7,12 Wood White Leptidea sinapis 8 Lycaenidae Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas 1,2,3,6,8 Long-tailed Blue Lampides boeticus 12 3 worn insects Holly Brown Celastrina argiolus 1,2,6,8,12 Brown Argus Aricia agestis 2,3,6,11 Common Blue Polyommatus icarus 2,6,8,9,11,12 Nymphalidae Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta 2,7,11,12 Painted Lady Cynthia cardui 1,2,5,6,7,8,11,12 Southern Comma Polygonia egea 7,12 Queen of Spain Fritillary Issoria lathonia 1 Satyridae Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria 1,2,3,8,12 Wall Brown Lasiommata megara 1,2,6,8 Hesperiidae Mallow Skipper Carcharodus alceae 3 Pigmy Skipper Gegenes pumilio 6

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