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Crete and Greece

I've been lurking a bit too much lately, and have been wanting to make
several postings on various subjects, so here goes...

This is primarily an answer to Meg's posting on Greece and Crete. You said
you were off there on 2 April, so hopefully you'll see this before you leave!

Well, I think Crete is the most interesting place in the Mediterranean, but
then I'm seriously biased. March and April are the best time to go if you
want to see lowland spring flowers, especially bulbs and orchids, of which
there are many. The high mountains (rising to 2456 m) start to become
interesting in late April and May, with the spring (snow-melt) flora, then
have their main rush of flowering in June-July. There is also an interesting
variety of autumn-flowering plants, especially bulbs.

If you visit just one place in Crete in mid-April, can I suggest the Gious
Kambos plain east of Spili (SE of Rethimno). It is on the road E. of Spili
going to Gerakari ( just as you hit Spili, on the main road coming in from
Rethimno, turn left immediately before a retaining wall under a school
playing field). Drive up the road for about 3 miles, keeping to the tarmac,
until you reach the highest point, which is a plateau surrounded by
mountains. There are many, many wonderful plants in and around the fallow
fields of this plateau.

Also, if your ancient site list includes the acropolis at Polirinia (NW
Crete), do look out for the locally endemc Dianthus xylorrhizus on the
rock-faces there. It has white flowers, greenish on the back. Presumably
you'll be visiting Delfi in C. Greece? The cliffs and rocky slopes around
the site are very rich in interesting plants.

Good luck!

Nick.

Nick Turland,
Department of Botany, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
Telephone/voicemail: + 44 171 938 8803  Fax: + 44 171 938 9260  Email:
n.turland@nhm.ac.uk
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