Friday, December 31, 2010

Happy New Year!

Holargos: 31/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Neotinea lactea

IMG_0066 [Neotinea lactea]

Mt. Hymittos: 27/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Astraeus hygrometricus

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

Merry Christmas!


Click here for the Christmas spirit.
[© AG.com, Inc]

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Ophrys proimi

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

CCC0999 [Ophrys proimi (?)]

Lavrio: 10/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides


Monday, December 20, 2010

Geastrum rufescens

CCC1215 [Geastrum rufescens]

Mt. Hymittos: 19/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Alectoris chukar


AAA4984 [Alectoris chukar]


Photographed on Mt. Hymittos on January 5, 2009


Thursday, December 16, 2010

Sunset at Nafpaktos

AAA4791 [Sunset at Nafpaktos]

Nafpaktos: 26/11/2008, photo © Tony Taglides


Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Clathrus ruber

CCC0955 [Clathrus ruber]
Mt. Hymittos: 08/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

Sunday, December 12, 2010

The Temple of Poseidon at Sounio

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

Narcissus tazetta

CCC0942 [Narcissus tazetta]

Sounio: 07/12/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

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



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

Door knockers

BBB5485 [Door knockers]
Amorgos: 30/03/2010, photo © Tony Taglides


Thursday, December 2, 2010

Bovista plumbea

CCC0879 [Bovista plumbea]

Lavrio: 24/11/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Narcissus serotinus

AAA4821 [Narcissus serotinus]

Lavrio: 01/12/2008, photo © Tony Taglides

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Mandragora officinarum

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]

Kea: 29/11/2008, photo © Tony Taglides
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



DSCN4984 [Mandragora officinarum]

Its fruit, on the other hand, was believed [and they say it’s still believed in the East] to facilitate pregnancy!

Irakleia: 26/03/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Bellis sylvestris


DSCN3908 [Bellis sylvestris]

Kea: 28/11/2009, photo © Tony Taglides

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Colchicum atticum

CCC0882 [Colchicum atticum]

Mt. Hymittos: 26/11/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

Friday, November 26, 2010

Fringilla coelebs

DSCN4195 [Fringilla coelebs]


Photographed on Mt. Hymittos on November 25, 2010


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

The Haunted Tree


0654 -2 [The Haunted Tree]
 

Athens: 04/06/2006, photo © Tony Taglides

Monday, November 22, 2010

Arisarum vulgare

AAA4728 [Arisarum vulgare]

Ermioni: 22/11/2008, © Tony Taglides

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Crocus laevigatus

CCC0835 [Crocus laevigatus]

Mt. Paneio: 21/11/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

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


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

Galerida cristata

BBB5319 [Galerida cristata]
 

Photographed in Amorgos on March 29,2010


Sunday, November 14, 2010

Asyneuma limonifolium


2954 [Asyneuma limonifolium]
 


Mt. Paneio: 14/11/2009, © Tony Taglides

Friday, November 12, 2010

Shooting flowers in the rain


DSCN3319 [Shooting flowers in the rain]


Nafpaktos: 26/11/2008, photo © Tony Taglides

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Ecballium elaterium

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


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

Echium plantagineum

BBB3009 [Echium plantagineum]

Attiko Alsos: 17/11/2009, photo © Tony Taglides

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Phalacrocorax carbo

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


AAA4340 [Crocus cartwrightianus]

Mt. Paneio: 30/10/2008, photo © Tony Taglides

Friday, November 5, 2010

Mantis religiosa

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


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

Spiranthes spiralis


CCC0360 [Spiranthes spiralis]

Lavrio: 30/10/2010, photo © Tony Taglides

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Spiranthes spiralis


AAA4436 [Spiranthes spiralis]

Lavrio: 04/11/2008, photo © Tony Taglides

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


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

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”


“Seeing life in color” intentionally is a form of optimism!

Barcelona: 12/10/2006, photo © Tony Taglides

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

A rose

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.

DSCN 4044 [rose]

Athens: 12/10/2010, photos © Tony Taglides

Monday, October 25, 2010

Tommie...


DSCN0884 [Tommie]
...gazing out toward the sunset.
Halkidiki: 06/07/2006, photo © Tony Taglides