Ceratonia siliqua

803_3590 [Ceratonia siliqua]

 

The picture above shows a tree (called Ceratonia siliqua)

that I don’t see very often but it has attracted my photographic attention.

It is long-lived, evergreen and can become 5-10 m tall.

It originated from the eastern Mediterranean region

but it has gradually spread to the rest of the Mediterranean countries

and even further into Europe.

 

In Greece,

it is mainly found in Attica, in the Peloponnese and in many Aegean islands.

 

Here are some additional pictures

that may be justifying why it attracted my attention.

 

 

IMG_6373 [Ceratonia siliqua]

 Ceratonia’s leaves are deep green and shiny on the top

but underside, they are light-green.

 

 

803_5594 [Ceratonia siliqua]

Its flowers grow and hang from the tree-trunk and from branches.

 

In this picture, the flowers are in their initial stage of development

during September.

 

 

WPVV9109 [Ceratonia siliqua]

As they grow, they look like bunches of grapes!

 

 

803_5578 [Ceratonia siliqua]
 

 A close-up shot of mature flowers.

Ceratonia’s flowers are very small, have no petals, have a heavy smell

and can consist of male, female or both male and female reproduction organs

on the same tree.

 

 

IMG_3633 [Ceratonia siliqua]

 Fertilized flowers turn into fully shaped green fruit (10-30 cm x 1.5-3 cm) …

 

 

803_3596 [Ceratonia siliqua]

 

 

 … and gradually (when ripe) they become dark brown.

 

The process lasts almost a year, from Fall to the end of August!

 

At the age of 25-30 years,

a tree can give about 850 kg of nutritious fruit,

suitable for both animal and human consumption.

 

 

Easter wishes

[Easter wishes 2025]

 

 The text on this Easter card may be “all Greek”

to my non-Greek speaking friends,

so here is an explanatory note to them:

 

“Χριστός Ανέστη” means “Christ has Risen.”

It is the wish-phrase the Greeks wish each other for 40 days

beginning from the moment Jesus’ resurrection is declared by the priest

and joyfully chanted in church at midnight of Holy Saturday to Easter Sunday.

 

“Χρόνια Πολλά” means “May you live for many years”.

It is a wish-phrase we express immediately after “Χριστός Ανέστη”. 

 

So,

Χριστός Ανέστη! Χρόνια Πολλά to you all!

from Tagton

 

 

 

Ophrys tenthredinifera

301_5885 [Ophrys tenthredinifera]

Ophrys tenthredinifera is a diverse but always easily recognizable,

beautiful Mediterranean ophrys.

In Greece,

it is found in brushwood, in open stony areas and in shrub lands

of Central and Southern mainland Greece,

as well as on the islands.

 

It blooms from February to early May

at altitudes up to 1800 m and can be 10-30 cm tall.

Motacilla flava feldegg

304_5278 [Motacilla flava feldegg]

 

This is an elegant, colorful and highly distinctive small bird

widespread in South East Europe.

In Winter they emigrate to tropical Africa.

 

They feed on insects, spiders, worms and the like.

So, they prefer finding their food in damp fields

and in pastures with grazing livestock.

They apparently know that livestock will dislodge insects

from the ground making them more vulnerable to the birds.

 

Length: 17-18 cm

Lifespan: up to 5 years

 

Photographed near the Oropos wetland in Attica.

 

 

Motacilla alba

303_1052 [Motacilla alba]

 

A common European bird that emigrates to southern, warmer, areas in Winter.

 

It is often seen feeding in and around towns

where it nests in recesses, hollows, cracks in walls or in damaged roof bricks.

 

It feeds on insects that it catches on the ground or on roofs

and likes to be near lakes, rivers, reservoirs and canals.

 

When it runs or stands, it constantly moves its tail.

 

It is about 18 cm long and lives up to 5 years.

 

And between you and me … it is one of my favorite birds!!!

 

 

Ophrys basilissa

801_2742 [Ophrys basilissa]

 

A rare Ophrys that was initially considered native to Crete

but was also found on many Aegean islands.

The above picture, however, was taken near the Marathon Lake in Attica.

 

It flowers from late January to early April

on sunny, dry grounds at heights up to 500 m.

 

The name “basilissa” (a Greek word for “queen”)

refers to the large lip of the flower (= almost 3 cm long).

Remember the English expressions ‘king size’ and ‘queen size’? 

 

 

Fritillaria graeca

302_4182 [Fritillaria graeca]

 

This beautiful flower is a perennial plant native to Greece

and more specifically to Central Greece, Attica, Peloponnese, and Evia.

 

It grows on stony grounds on heights of up to 2000 m

and can become about 25 cm tall.

 

Its bell-shaped flowers appear from early Spring to May

and face towards the ground.

 

The picture above was taken on Mt. Himittos.

Fritillaria obliqua

301_7299 [Fritillaria obliqua]

Photographed in Evoia

 

 

301_6635 [Fritillaria obliqua]

 Photographed in Attica

 

--<>--

 

Fritillaria obliqua is a rare wild flower endemic to Attica and Evoia

where it grows in very small populations.

 

Unfortunately, for various reasons it is threatened with extinction.

This is the reason why it is included

in the “Red Book of the Rare and Threatened Plants of Greece”

and is protected by Law.

 

It blooms from early February to early April

at altitudes from sea level to 1000 m.

mostly on rocky grounds with sparse bushy vegetation.

 

 

Ferula communis

IMG_0935 [Ferula communis]

 

Ferula communis is a perennial plant

that grows on stony slopes and uncultivated areas

on altitudes of up to 600 m and blooms from March to June.

 It can grow more than 4 meters in height.

 

Its stem, that sometimes can be wider than 10 cm at its base,

is hollow and filled with a soft white substance

which – when it is set on fire – burns very slowly without a flame.

 

According to the Greek Mythology,

Prometheus took advantage of this property of the plant

to hide the fire when he stole it from Zeus

and brought it to the mortals.

 

IMG_0938 [Ferula communis]

The upper part of the plant above.

It was captured from a shorter distance

for details to be seen more clearly.

 

Photographed on Mt. Himittos

 

 

IMG_1109 [Ferula communis]

mature plants near Sounio

 

 

303_1858 [Ferula communis]

 

Focus on the flowers, also from Sounio

 

 

Romulea linaresii subsp. graeca

801_8696 [Romulea linaresii subsp. graeca]

A small, perennial plant (usually 6-7 cm tall)

with violet flowers of about 3 cm in diameter.

 

It is a plant of the Balkans with wide distribution in Greece.

 It is found in low grasslands and stony locations

of mainland Greece

from February to April in heights of up to 1200 m.

 

Photographed on Mt. Himittos

 

 

Iris attica

DSCN3689 [Iris attica]

 

Iris attica is a short plant (5-15cm)

found in mainland Greece and in the Aegean islands.

 

It blooms from February to May

and produces violet-purple, yellow or bi-colored flowers.

 

Favorable habitat: stone locations

in the mountain zone (400-2100m).

 

Photographed on Mt. Himittos in February.

 

For more pictures and a short video of Iris attica please click HERE and scroll down.

 

 

Narcissus tazetta

IMG_4613 [Narcissus tazetta]

 

Narcissus tazetta is a perennial wild flower

that grows in grassy habitats of mainland Greece

and in Aegean and Ionian islands.

Its eye-catching clusters of flowers

with their white tepals and yellowish cup-shaped coronas

bloom in early Spring and beautify their environment.

 

Photographed in Holargos in early February 2025. 

 

 

303_0950 [Narcissus tazetta]

 

A closeup on the bi-colored flower

shot in Sounio.

 

 

Arisarum vulgare

801_1663 [Arisarum vulgare]

 

A common arum-like perennial plant

appearing in winter or early spring.

Rather short: 20-30cm.

Its cylindrical spathe looks larger in the picture

but it is actually 4-5cm long.

 

It often forms patches (See below) in shaded or semi-shaded areas

in open woodland and grassy places

throughout Greece and other Mediterranean countries. 

 

DSCN4196 [Arisarum vulgare]

 

Both pictures were taken on Cape Sunio.

 

Memories from the Past

801_1645 [Train station]

This small, abandoned and dilapidated building [37°43'51.6"N 24°03'11.5"E]

is a historical landmark located in Thoriko,

a small, ancient settlement next to the port of Lavrio in Attica.

 

It recounts old moments of glory and prosperity to passers-by today.

It was built in 1885 when a 76 km railway line was put into operation

to connect Athens with the port of Lavrio

and was one of about 20 stations that allowed the public

to go on board or disembark from the train.

The line was then a modern means of transport for citizens and goods.

It ceased to operate in 1957 for the public

but remained in use for commercial use until 1962.

Since then, Time has left its indelible marks on it.

 

Today, the building is being restored to avoid collapse

and to continue to keep alive the relevant memories of the past.

 

 

A burglar caught in the act

[A very short story]

 

Some time ago, when Verbascums were in full bloom,

I went to Mt. Hymittos, parked my car on the side of the road

and started looking for a Verbascum to take a picture of.

 

  

IMG_2528 [Verbascum]

 

 After having taken the photo above,

I returned to the car to pick up something I had forgotten there.

 

 

804_0820 [Vulpes vulpes]

 To my great surprise,

I saw an animal curiously looking into the car

through the half-opened window.

Was it a burglar looking for something to steal

or was it “a poor empty stomach”

desperately looking for something to eat?

 

 

804_0821 [Vulpes vulpes]

Frightened by my unexpected arrival, it jumped off my car…

804_0822 [Vulpes vulpes]

and rather disappointed, it slowly walked away…

804_0835 [Vulpes vulpes]

 sniffing the ground for traces that would possibly lead to food.

IMG_4441 [Vulpes vulpes]

Quite some time later, on my way home,

I saw an animal lover

offering the poor hungry animal a rich evening meal!

 

Well done, my friend!

👍👍👍

IMG_0851 [Vulpes vulpes]

The last photo seems to show just an animal.

It surely does so, but it also shows something invisible:

gratitude!

This fox is just one of the various foxes

that the animal lover fed on each of his visits to the mountain

before he went home.

In spite of being hungry,

when she realized that the man was leaving,

she stopped eating and kept looking at him with deep gratitude

until he was out of sight at the end of the road!

 

Love for animals and Gratitude:

Two lessons we may need to learn,

no matter whether they originate from a human being

or from an animal!

Crocus nivalis

802_7825 [Crocus nivalis]

from Anthusa (Attica)

 

 

302_3527 [Crocus nivalis]

 

From Mt. Artemissio in Central Peloponnese.

 

Crocus nivalis is a winter crocus that appears from the Peloponnese

all the way to the north, up to the former Yugoslavia and Bulgaria.

 

It blooms from December to April on rocky slopes, mountain meadows

and open spaces in coniferous forests

on altitudes of 400 - 1300 m.

 

In Attica it can be found on all mountains and areas around Athens

usually at lower altitudes

while further to the north it can be found even on snow-covered mountain peaks.

 

Note: nivalis = adj. deriving from the Latin word “nix” = snow flake or cold like snow.

 

 

Crocus nivalis

 

Photo by Nik Nikitidis

New Year Wishes

 

Many Happy Returns of the Year!

  

🍷🍷🍷

from Tagton