AGS Logo

AGS Peloponnese Tour 2016

Day 1 - Mt Parnassus and Delphi
The tour started in Athens and the first two days involved a detour via Delphi and Mt Parnassus before crossing into the Peloponnese. 

Crocus cancellatus mazziaricus
Crocus cancellatus mazziaricus On Mt Parnassus

Colchicum boissieri
Colchicum boissieri On Mt Parnassus

Delphi
Delphi Within the site at Delphi we saw Colchicum cupanii and Sternbergia lutea.

Colchicum cupanii
Colchicum cupanii

Sternbergia lutea
Sternbergia lutea

Day 2 - Driving from Delphi to Nafpaktos

Cyclamen hederifolium
Cyclamen hederifolium A hillside covered in Cyclamen hederifolium near Amfissa.

Cyclamen hederifolium
Cyclamen hederifolium Near Amfissa

Cyclamen hederifolium
Cyclamen hederifolium Near Amfissa

Cyclamen hederifolium
Cyclamen hederifolium Near am

Crocus robertianus
Crocus robertianus Crocus robertianus at its most southerly site in Greece in an oak wood near Nafpaktos.

Crocus robertianus
Crocus robertianus

Day 3
Mostly driving with a stop at Olympia, the ancient site of the Olympic Games. Crocus boryi was flowering among the ruins.

Crocus boryi
Crocus boryi Growing in ruins of Olympia

Day 4 - around Sparti
The main target today was Galanthus reginae-olgae. However, the morning was spent visiting the ancient Byzantine town of Mystra, the centre of the Byzantine Empire during the 14th and 15th century.

Galanthus reginae-olgae
Taigetos One of the sites at which we found Galanthus reginae-olgae in the Taigetos Mountains above Sparti. They were growing in the leaf litter from the plane trees.

Galanthus reginae-olgae

Galanthus reginae-olgae

Day 5 - Sparti to Gythio
Went by a very circuitous route via Geraki. Crocus boryi to be seen at many places on the way. At its best today as the sun was out most of the time.

Crocus boryi
Crocus boryi In an olive grove at the side of the road.

Crocus boryi

Cyclamen graecum
Cyclamen graecum Arrived at Gytheo and went looking at Cyclamen graecum a short walk from the hotel.

Cyclamen graecum Very variable leaves

Cyclamen graecum And the Farrer Medal plant.

Pelopponese Gythio Relaxing in Gythio

Day 6 - The Mani Peninsula
A very wet morning so we drove straight to the bottom of the Peninsula in the hope that the weather would clear later and it did. Highlights of the day were our first Crocus goulimyi, our first Crocus niveus, masses of Sternbergia lutea and finally Narcissus serotinus.

Crocus goulimyi Our first 'stop the bus' moment was on sight of Crocus goulimyi growing along the side of the road.

Crocus goulimyi
Crocus goulimyi

Crocus goulimyi Quite variable in colour.

Crocus niveus 'Stop the bus' again - this time for our first sighting of Crocus niveus.

Crocus niveus
Crocus niveus Better pictures later in the olive groves where we found Sternbergia lutea.

Crocus niveus

Sternbergia lutea
Sternbergia lutea Growing in masses in olive groves.

Sternbergia lutea

Sternbergia lutea In amongst the Sternbergia were Cyclamen graecum.

Narcissus serotinus
Narcissus serotinus North of Ariopolis

Narcissus serotinus

Day 7 - Drive from Gythio to Monemvasio
Highlights today were Narcissus tazetta, lots more Crocus goulimyi and Crocus boryi, Colchicum sp., Anemone crassifolia, as well as the scented Cyclamen hederifolium crassifolium.

Narcissus tazetta
Narcissus tazetta Near Gythio

Narcissus tazetta

Anemone crassifolia
Anemone crassifolia Growing among the Narcissus

Colchicum psaridis and Crocus goulimyi At the next stop there were masses of Crocus boryi and Crocus goulimyi, as well as the diminutive Colchicum psaridis.

Colchicum psaridis
Colchicum psaridis

Colchicum psaridis

Crocus goulimyi
Crocus goulimyi Colour forms from pure white through to dark mauve.

Cyclamen hederifolium crassifolium
Cyclamen hederifolium crassifolium Growing everywhere with Cyclamen graecum. Very strongly scented. Only this form grows in the Peloponnese. 

Cyclamen hederifolium crassifolium Flower size varies dramatically.