Friday 29 March 2013

Anemone palmata

 Anemone palmata Yellow anemone

Hierba centella

Flowers from March~May and each stem can grow 30cms tall. It is native to the Iberian peninsula, southern France, Sardinia and Sicily. 

Ophrys tenthredinifera

Ophrys tenthredinifera Sawfly Orchid

There were many of these beautiful Orchids flowering yesterday. 28.3.2013 These beautiful orchids seem to be flowering earlier each year. Found one on 26.2.2016. They flower until May, when they are succeeded bu their subspecie. They are native to the Mediterranean.

Teucrium fruticans

Teucrium fruticans Tree germander

Olivilla

This evergreen shrub flowers from March to June and is native to the western and central Mediterranean. It can grow to a metre tall but has a much wider spread. The flowers are slight scented. It is now widely grown in gardens worldwide.

Ranunculus spicatus ssp blepharicarpos

Ranunculus spicatus ssp blepharicarpos Buttercup

March to June

It is a very large buttercup, the flowers at least 5cms.

Muscari comosum

Muscari comosum Tassel hyacinth

Guitarrillo

March to June
Starting to flower yesterday
The family name has changed from Liliaceae to Asparagaceae.

Centaurea pullata ssp pullata


Centaurea pullata ssp pullata Southern knapweed

This plant flowers from March to June and can grow to 30cms. It is native to the western Mediterranean and north-west Africa. 

Monday 25 March 2013

Retama monosperma

Retama monosperma White broom

Retama blanca 

This Broom flowers from January to May and can grow over 3 metres tall. In some countries it is regarded as a pest as it seeds itself freely. The seeds are toxic, but only one seed per pod.

Cytisus fontanesii ssp plumosus

Cytisus fontanesii ssp plumosus

May and June

A Ronda Endemic, classed as in Danger of Extinction in the Red List of Andalucia, photographed in Sierra de las Nieves.



Argyrolobium zanonii

Argyrolobium zanonii

Hierba de plata

This plant flowers from March to June and is native to southern Europe and north Africa. It is not uncommon in pine forests. It can grow to a metre tall.

Lagoecia cuminoides

Lagoecia cuminoides Wild cumin

Comino silvestre

This small plant flowers from April to July and is native to the Mediterranean basin. The stems frow from 10~25cms tall.
It is an hermaphrodite, and can be used as a substitute for Cumin seeds

Linum ustatissimum

Linum ustatissimum Cultivated flax

Lino cultivado

This pretty blue Flax flowers from April to June. In cooler climes it is cultivated as a food and fibre crop, in the production of linen. The oil is known as linseed oil. They can grow to over a metre in height. Sometimes they seed themselves and escape to the wild, as this plant.



Linum tenue

Linum tenue Yellow flax

Lino
This flax flowers from April to August and is native to SW Mediterranean and the Atlas mountains of Morocco

Linum suffruticosum

Linum suffruticosum White flax

Lino blanco

March to June
This beautiful white flax fills the rocks and crevices creating large white frothy clumps. It is native to Spain, France, Italy and North Africa. The buds are cream, and then open to pure white flowers. It grows from 30cm to 1 metre tall. Flowering profusely at the moment, beginning of June.

Linum suffruticosum

Linum suffruticosum White flax

Lino blanco

March to June

Linum strictum

Linum strictum Upright yellow Flax

Linillo

This small herbaceous plant flowers from March to June and grows to a height of 10~30cms tall. It is native to southern Europe.

Linum bienne

Linum bienne Pale Flax

Lino

This pale blue flax flowers from April to July and is native to the west Mediterranean and northern Europe.

Sunday 17 March 2013

Ophrys speculum ssp speculum

Ophrys speculum ssp speculum  Mirror Orchid

Orquidea espejo

March to June

Himantoglossum or Barlia robertiana




Himantoglossum or Barlia robertiana Giant orchid

Orquidea gigante

This Giant orchid flowers from January to April and can grow up from 20cms to a metre tall. It is native to the Mediterranean countries, and eastwards to Greece and Turkey. It is starting to flower now near to Grazalema, Cadiz province, on 7.1.2015.

Himantoglossum hircinum

Himantoglossum hircinum Lizard orchid

Satiron barbado

This wonderful orchid is native to much of Europe and eastwards to the Balkans, also in north Africa. It can grow to a height of 130cms. Occasionally you just find clumps of 2 or 3 but there are places where it grows in the dozens. It flowers from April to June.

Ophrys lutea

Ophrys lutea Yellow Bee Orchid

Abejas amarillas

February to June This year there are thousands upon thousands of these whereas last year due to the drought they were very scarce.


Ophrys picta

Ophrys picta Small  Woodcock orchid 

Flor de la araña

February to June, depending on altitude.

Orchis olbiensis

Orchis olbiensis Early purple orchid

Satiron manchado

Flowers from March to June though they seem to be getting earlier each year. I found several on 26.2.2016. It is native to the Mediterranean, but found in North Africa too. It comes in a multitude of colours from white to deep purple. It is similar to O. mascula, but is taller and can grow to 50cms.

Orchis anthropophora

Orchis anthropophora Man orchid

Flor del ahorcado

This unusal orchid flowers from April to June and grows from 20-40cms tall. It is found on calcareous grassland and is native to most of Europe, as far north as southern England to west Asia. 

Saturday 16 March 2013

Saxifrage specie for ID

Ornithogalum reverchonii

Ornithogalum reverchonii

This beautiful plant is virtually endemic to the limestone rocks of Ronda and Grazalema. It is also found in Morocco. It grows from 35~90cms tall. It flowers from March to June.Flowering at Llanos de Libar 15.3.2013
Classed as vulnerable on the Red List of protected plants of Andalucia



Friday 15 March 2013

Omphalodes commutata or Omphalodes linifolia

Omphalodes commutata 
or Omphalodes linifolia Venus's navelwort

Alfenique andaluz

This lovely little flower blooms from March to June and is native to SW Europe and Africa. It grows to an height of 30~40cms and 15cm wide. I really must get a better photograph of it. It grows in dry open areas in full sun.

Borago officinalis

Borago officinalis Borage

Borraja

This annual herb flowers from February to June and can grow to an height of 80cms tall. It is native to the Mediterranean and is cultivated for its seed oil. All of the plant is edible and can be used as a vegetable or dried herb. 

Cerinthe major

Cerinthe major Honeywort

Ceriflor

This plant, native to the Mediterranean, flowers from February to May. It is very popular as a garden plant in northern Europe, but doesn't always survive frosts. It can grow from 25-60cms.


Cynoglossum creticum

Cynoglossum creticum Blue hound's tongue

Lengua de perro

March to June

Echium albicans

Echium albicans White leaved bugloss

Viborera andaluza

This beautiful plant flowers from April to June and can grow to an height of 20~60cms. It is loved by bees and butterflies. It is endemic to the Andalucian mountains, in southern Spain.


Echium boissieri

Echium boissieri Candle bugloss

Viborera gigante

May to July

Neatostema apulum

Neatostema apulum Yellow gromwell

Chupamiel dorado

This small pretty flower blooms from March to May and can reach an height of 15cms. It is native to southern Europe, NW Africa and western Asia.

Echium plantagineum

Echium plantagineum Purple viper's bugloss

Viborera

This very invasive plant flowers from February to June, and whole fields can be a riot of blue. The flowers fade to pink as they age.It is highly toxic to grazing livestock, but is a wonderful sight to see. It grows from 20~60cms tall and is a native of SW Europe, north Africa and SW Asia. It has now been introduced to other continents.

Nonea vesicaria

Nonea vesicaria Nonea

Lanuda blanca

This tiny flower blooms from February to May and can grow from 10~40cms tall. It is present in SW Europe and north Africa.

Tuesday 12 March 2013

Centaurea melitensis

Centaurea melitensis Maltese star thistle

Cardo escarolado
This yellow thistle flowers from May to August and grows from 20-70cms tall. It is native to the Mediterranean and north Africa.


Glebionis segetum

Glebionis segetum Corn marigold

Synonym: Chrysanthemum segetum

Ojos de los sembrados

March to June

This wonderful marigold grows in orchards and roadsides throughout spring in Spain. It is native to Europe  where it flowers during the summer and grows from 20cms to 70cms.

Cynara cardunculus

Cynara cardunculus Globe artichoke

Cardo comestible

This wonderful plant flowers from May to July and can grow to an height of 2.5m. It is considered a delicacy in some parts of Spain, and the tender leaves can be braised. They contain enzymes that help in the production of cheese. It is native to the Mediterranean.