ChiosNatureNote14March07.
Chios Nature Notes, 14th March 2007.
Mike Taylor
I arrived in Chios on the first flight from Athens on Friday 9th March. Friday was spent sorting out domestic arrangements and shopping for provisions.
Discussions with my Greek friends revealed that Chios had an unusually warm and dry Winter, with only about half the average rainfall, i.e 35cm instead of about 70cm.
However about a month ago there was a heavy fall of snow 20cm deep, widely covering all the upland areas. This soon melted but the melt water was very beneficial to plantlife.
My observations over the last four days confirmed the general dryness in that many streams are completely without flowing water, in extreme contrast to the situation in the last two years.
Daily Observations and Activities
Went to Giossonas on the North Coast and found Op.dodekanensis, Or.papilionacea and Op.sicula in flower.
Proceeded to Pelinaeon Mountain and found, Or.anatolica in flower and Op.basilissa just coming into flower. Many fine plants of Op.dodekanensis were found at the usual site, I estimate that they will start to flower in about two weeks time. The Op.reinholdii site yielded 14 fine plants, again I estimate that they will generally commence to flower in two to three weeks time, save for one precocious plant which will probably be in flower in about ten days time.
Proceeded to Elinta and found Op.umbilicata, Op.sicula, Op.tenthredinifera, Or anatolica and H.robertianum in flower. Many less advanced plants of Op.minutula, Or.sancta, Op.ferrum-equimun and Or.italica were seen with flowering forecast in two to three weeks time.
Sunday 11th March
Went to Kalimassia and found several Op.sitiaca well over, they were probably at their best, as usual, mid to late February. The many H.robertianum were mainly past their best, however there were fine fresh Op.cinerophila in good flower and a single fine flowered Op.mammosa, Or papilionacea were just coming into flower. The usual large numbers of Op.sicula were also in fine flower.
Proceeded to Kalamoti and found many species in flower including the usual problematical ‘fuscas’ showing a range of identifiable species together with a range of intermediates ( hybrids ?). These ‘forms’ included Op.leucadica, Op.cesmeensis, Op.attaviria, Op.parosica. Also in flower were Op.mammosa, Op.sicula, Or.anatolica and Op.tenthredinifera . Examination of the upper areas of the hill revealed that last years discovery, Op.calypsus, was in good fettle, expected to be in flower in about two weeks time. Adjacent to this single plant, several leaf rosettes of Op.homeri were seen with flowering forecast in about three to four 
weeks time. The small group of Or.papilionacea were just showing some colour.
Proceeded to Kato Fana where the two plants of Or.punctulata were in fine condition, the original plant having thrown up two large flowering spikes and the second plant a single spike. I expect these two plants to be at their best in two to three weeks time.
Monday 12th March
Went to Psiles and found Op.sicula, Or.anatolica and Op.cinereophila in flower together with a tardy but perfect Op.sitiaca. There were several robust plants of Op.dodekanesis, forecast to be in flower in two to three weeks time, together with many less advanced plants of Op.ferrum-equinum.
Proceeded to Managros where twenty ‘gone over’ plants of the tall and robust growing Op.iricolor were to be found growing up and through the bushes in the dune gravels. Also in flower were two plants of Or.italica.
Proceeded to Eko Knoll, which yielded further ‘gone over’ Op.iricolor and many plants of Op.umbilicata and Op.attica in good flower. These plants were somewhat dwarfer than in previous seasons, probably reflecting the low rainfall this last winter. The usual group of Op.blitopertha had several fine plants with flowering forecast in two to three weeks. The group of Or.italica were looking good and will be in flower in ten days to a fortnight.
Proceeded to Lamsa near Volissos to the Op.persephonae site and quickly found half a dozen plants in good condition, most leaf rosettes were still very green indicating that flowering is about two weeks away, as they flower after the leaves have substantially ‘browned off’, indeed one plant was showing leaf browning and an emerging flower spike. Also found at Lamsa were Op.sicula and Op.tenthredinifera.
Proceeded to Lopaidi near Lithi to view the Op.fuciflora site, unfortunately the site had been recently ‘cultivated’ and the serious soil disturbance had extensively damaged the colony. This colony usually holds about a dozen plants, but only a single leaf rosette appears to have survived. We will anxiously wait to see if further plants manage to come through.
Proceeded to Olympi where Or.anthropophora was just coming into flower, a single undetermined Ophrys was found in flower, a straggler from one of the early ‘fuscas’. Also to be seen were many other leaf rosettes of a variety of Ophrys species, and no doubt hybrids as well, it appears that Olympi will be putting on another ‘spectacular show’ again in the next few weeks. Op.lindia rosettes were found in their own little special area. A fine spike of Op.mammosa was found probably to be in flower in about a week from now. Many H.robertianum, Op.sicula and Or.anatolica were in flower. The emerging young shoot of one of the Epipactis densifolia plants was found and what appeared to be a crop of young seedling E.turcica, these plants do not flower normally until May, it will be interesting to see if they flower earlier this year.
Tuesday March 13th
Visited Emporios to search for Op.cesmeensis without success, though some interesting territory was discovered which will probably yield plants of interest later in the season.
Proceeded to ‘Armolia Valley’ a fine inland upland area and found a new orchid rich site. Many plants of Op.cinereophila, Op.sicula. Op.tenthredinifera, Or.anatolica, Op.leucadica, Op.attaviria were in full flower. Higher up the slope a group of five Op.omegaifera were found, these plants had largely ‘gone over’ and were probably at their best in late February. Leaf rosettes of many Op.minutula and Op.homeri were found in fine condition, flowering forecast to be in about three weeks time.
General Comments
Some concern has been expressed regarding the implications for Chios of reports of an exceptionally poor orchid season in Cyprus this year due to the warm winter and lack of rainfall there. I do not believe that this situation obtains in Chios this year, I am anticipating a good orchid show again this year. At present the weather is sunny dry and cool and this may retard some flowering so that whilst it is still earlier than normal, it will not be extremely early. The Tulips are now starting to flower, about ten days earlier than normal as is the flowering of Iris species including I.suaveolens. Many Anemone colonies are now ‘going over’.
As to be expected butterflies are well on the wing with species observed including, False Apollo, Eastern Festoon, Orange Tip. Red Admiral, Small Copper, Clouded Yellow, Cleopatra and many ‘Whites’. My moth trap is seeing large numbers of spring species.
Mike Taylor
