SEARCHING FOR THE FINAL FLOWERS!

[Before we start – you must have noticed the text in the trial spreads is in latin? This is just to gauge the appearance of the spread, Chris’s is still writing the real version and we’ll update when they’re ready.]

We’ve got most of the pics we need, but there are always a few loose ends and annoying these are strung out across Asia.  There are some superb species we’ve got to try and include and luckily a lot of them are here in Turkey.  In March we’re going to track down the stunning Iris galatica and Iris danfordiae, maybe even Iris sprengeri if we can find an early one.  Iris galatica is a stunner, easily the match of any of the taller Central Asian species and there are plenty of locations in central Anatolia around Nigde.  After the irises there’s Fritillaria alburyana on Kop Dag and Fritillaria latifolia would be good, although the best population we know of is on the Cam Gecidi near Ardahan.  Closer to home we’ll be tracking down Campanula macrostyla and the bizarre Biarum ditschianum both in the Fethiye direction.  In May we’re going to find Iris gatesii near Siirt before our Van trip.  Basak also has a tour to the north-east in summer so she should find a few Euxine goodies there such as Pedicularis atropurpurea.  At least that’s the plan so here’s the Turkish hit-list which we’ll be crossing off as we find them and posting the pics.  Essentials are in bold;

Aquilegia olympica

Arnebia pulchra

Asyneuma compacta

Bellevalia forniculata

Biarum ditschianum

Campanula choruhensis

Campanula macrostyla

Corydalis caucasica

Corydalis henrikkii

Corydalis integra

Cyclamen coum

Dianthus crinitus

Digitalis davisiana

Fritillaria alburyana

Fritillaria latifolia

Fritillaria sibthorpiana

Fritillaria sororum

Galanthus plicatus

Iris danfordiae

Iris galatica

Iris gatesii

Iris sprengeri

Lilium ciliatum

Lilium monodelphum

Muscari anatolica

Muscari discolor

Nectaroscordum siculum

Onosma orientale

Pedicularis atropurpurea

Pedicularis condensata

Primula longipes

Rhododendron luteum

Rhododendron ponticum

Sternbergia candida

And what about the rest of Asia?  Well Central Asia needs a bit of work and there are a few tulips down there with our name on.  We’ve done well in China of late but ideally still need a couple of decent Saussurea and Rheum nobile for which we have a locations so they should be in the bag in June/July when we go on our respective Yunnan and Sichuan tours. The only other target we have in China is Crawfurdia campanulacea an amazing climbing gentian, but we always seem to be too early for it in mid-September when we take the autumn Yunnan tour.  Also Chris will be checking out another part of China or Sikkim after Yunnan but not sure where yet, should know soon, maybe Xinghai and northern Gansu or southern Tibet all pretty far out places or even Sikkim in summer.  In the meantime here are shots of Eryngium giganteum and Astrantia maxima both fantastic architectural species taken in the Kaçkar late last July;