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| Holargos: 31/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides |
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Astraeus hygrometricus
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| IMG_0080 [Astraeus hygrometricus] This interesting, star-like, mushroom was named “Astraeus” after Astraeus, the father of stars in the ancient Greek mythology. Its “star rays” behave like a barometer. They measure the humidity in the air and if humidity is enough they open up to expose the spore sac. If not, they remain closed to protect it from dry conditions. Because of this behavior the mushroom was named hydrometricus which is also of Greek origin and means “water- measuring”. Mt. Hymittos: 27/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides |
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Ophrys proimi
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CCC1010-2
[Ophrys proimi (?)]
Τhis ophrys is posted under a temporary name as the
plant has not been officially identified yet. Erotokritos Kalogeropoulos
spotted the plant for the first time near Lavrio back in 2009 and has been
studying and recording its features and behavior since then. As he has found
strong evidence that it might be a new subspecies, he is about to publicize his
findings. I express my appreciation for his early sharing with me the plant
locations as well as his research on the subject.
Lavrio: 10/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides
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Monday, December 20, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
The Temple of Poseidon at Sounio
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| DSCN4197 [The Temple of Poseidon] No, it’s neither a corpse nor Poseidon you see lying on the ground. It’s my friend Nick trying to get the right angle for a picture of the Temple! Sounio: 07/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides |
Friday, December 10, 2010
Narcissus papyraceus
DSCN4219 [Narcissus papyraceus]
Mt. Hymittos: 07/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Monday, December 6, 2010
Salamandra salamandra
BBB7069 [Salamandra salamandra]
Salamander is an amphibian that normally goes out hunting at night but if you’re lucky you can see it during the day after the rain.
BBB7069 [Salamandra salamandra]
Mt. Voras: 04/06/2010, photos © Tony Taglides
Saturday, December 4, 2010
On Mt. Olympus
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The blogger at the top of Mt. Olympus on a summer misty morning. [The picture was posted in response to a polite request by some friends.] Mt. Olympos: 20/07/1972, photo© Tony Taglides |
Friday, December 3, 2010
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Mandragora officinarum
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DSCN3350
[Mandragora officinarum]
This plant has
been well-known since antiquity mainly because of its toxicity and its
anthropomorphic root shape. Its toxicity and its pharmaceutical properties led
to its extensive use in medicine while its root shape led people to associate
the plant with numerous superstitions and magic filters.
“There is a superstition that if a person pulls up this root they will be
condemned to hell. Therefore in the past people have tied the roots to the
bodies of animals and then used these animals in order to pull the roots out of
the soil.” [Wikipedia]
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DSCN7058
[Mandragora officinarum]
Its blue-violet
flowers appear from March to April and have both male and female reproductive
organs; a fact that makes it easier for insects to pollinate them.
Kea:
15/03/2009, photo © Tony Taglides
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Sunday, November 28, 2010
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Prospero autumnale
DSCN2687 [Prospero autumnale]
The flowers of this plant come in pink, blue or violet and occasionally in white. They’re tiny. Never more than 1 cm in diameter.
Mt. Hymittos: 28/09/2008, photo © Tony Taglides
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Cichorium intibus
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| AAA3434 [Cichorium intibus] This flower is a pleasant, unmistakable sight by the side of the road but it remains open only in the morning and closes by midday. Its leaves are edible and much favored by the Greeks as a salad. Mt. Elikonas 22/09/2008, photo © Tony Taglides |
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Shooting flowers in the rain
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DSCN3319 [Shooting flowers in the rain]
Nafpaktos: 26/11/2008, photo © Tony Taglides |
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Ecballium elaterium
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| BBB9492 HF [Ecballium elaterium] Ecballium elaterium is far from being attractive but it’s an interesting plant. Both its male and female flowers co-exist on the same plant. Male flowers have yellow anthers (as we can see in this picture) while female flowers have green ovaries. The plant gets its name “Squirting cucumber” from the unusual fact that, when its fruit is ripe, it squirts a stream of liquid over a considerable distance and so it scatters its seeds to spread the species around. Mt. Hymittos: 15/10//2010, photo © Tony Taglides |
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| BBB9559 [Ecballium elaterium] Here, the female flower of Ecballium elaterium with its characteristic green ovaries Mt. Hymittos: 15/10//2010, photo © Tony Taglides |
Monday, November 8, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Phalacrocorax carbo
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| BBB7787 [Phalacrocorax carbo] The Great Cormorant is one of the few birds which can move its eyes; a fact that helps them in hunting. In the picture, by looking at different directions, the birds become mutually supportive and they can survey the area in virtually any direction! Kerkini: 06/06/2010, photo © Tony Taglides |
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Crocus cartwrightianus
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| AAA4340 [Crocus cartwrightianus] Mt. Paneio: 30/10/2008, photo © Tony Taglides |
Friday, November 5, 2010
Mantis religiosa
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| Insect collection item # 2833 [Praying mantis] May look like an alien creature but it's an insect known to practice cannibalism on its own male partner during and right after copulation. However, there are some lucky males that occasionally manage to escape! Mt. Paneio: 12/11/2009, photo © Tony Taglides |
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Crocus laevigatus
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CCC0562 [Crocus laevigatus]
Mt. Hymittos: 02/11/2010, photo © Tony Taglides
CCC0548 [Crocus laevigatus]
Mt. Hymittos: 02/11/2010, photo © Tony Taglides
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Spiranthes spiralis
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| AAA4436 [Spiranthes spiralis] Lavrio: 04/11/2008, photo © Tony Taglides |
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| DSCN3148 [Spiranthes spiralis] Lavrio: 03/11/2008, photo © Tony Taglides |
Spiranthes is the only wild orchid that flowers in Autumn. It's a charming little orchid with characteristic tiny white flowers arranged spirally on the stem. This spiral arrangement gives the flower its name.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Pseudophilotes vicrama
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| DSCN2297 [Pseudophilotes vicrama] A different, equally beautiful, view of Pseudophilotes vicrama. The butterfly got its English name "Chequered Blue" from its prominent chequered fringe on the wings. Peania: 12/04/2008, photo © Tony Taglides |
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Pseudophilotes vicrama
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| BBB5819 [Pseudophilotes vicrama] This butterfly was earlier known as Polyommatus vicrama. It is one of many similar species that are hard to tell one from the other. It flies fast and close to the ground, so taking a good picture of it is not always easy. Its wingspan varies from 20 to 25 mm. Males are blue on the upper part while females are brown. Mt. Penteli: 13/04/2010, photo © Tony Taglides |
Thursday, October 28, 2010
“Seeing life in color”
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“Seeing life in color” intentionally is a form of optimism! Barcelona: 12/10/2006, photo © Tony Taglides |
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
A rose
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| DSCN4043 [rose] I was walking along the pavement downtown Athens with a friend when I decided to click on the flower in order to show my friend how annoyingly long it takes my camera to save the picture on the memory card. And then, I clicked two more times on other roses. Saving time once again was too long as expected but the outcome convinced me that I should be tolerant and forgiving towards my camera! Here I’m sharing with you the outcome of the two clicks. The third one came out too blurry. |
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| DSCN 4044 [rose] Athens: 12/10/2010, photos © Tony Taglides |
Monday, October 25, 2010
Tommie...
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| DSCN0884 [Tommie] |
...gazing out toward the sunset.
Halkidiki: 06/07/2006, photo © Tony Taglides
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