Geranium subcaulescens Mt. Kitheronas Form

  Allan Robinson, UK

 

  

    In July 2000 we visited Mt.Kitheronas as we had information that suggested Erodium chrysanthum grew on the ridge between the two peaks and flowered at that time of year. Mt.Kitheronas is unusual as it sits almost on the sea at the eastern end of the Gulf of Corinth and its’ main peak attains just over 1400 metres. After searching for several hours, we decided that the Erodium was not present and we prepared to leave. Walking off the ridge to some pine trees which stood between us and the path, we noticed a solitary pink flower amongst some rocks at the base of a tree. To our surprise the flower was a Geranium, even more surprising, it appeared to belong to the G. cinereum group. We had never come across a member of this group at such a low altitude before, as they are normally found at around 2000 metres.

   We did try and identify the plant on returning to England, using various “Floras” and the Internet but could not trace anything similar in appearance.

   Some years went past and on another visit to Greece during the second week of June 2007, we decided to revisit the site as we were in the vicinity. To our amazement the whole ridge was alive with pink Geraniums, growing in full sun through to areas of some shade, it did not seem to matter. Quite a puzzle as the ridge had been fairly barren in July 2000. We did some serious thinking in an attempt to understand what was happening but our conclusion seemed preposterous at the time.

 

 

                                                     Typical habitat

   

   We returned almost a year later, this time the first week of June 2008, to find a greatly reduced number of flowering plants, about a third of those encountered on the previous visit.  Then our eyes started to focus on the surrounding rocks and all was revealed. The remaining plants had started into dormancy and were in various stages of their disappearing act. By the middle of July, the time of our first visit years before, all traces of the Geranium would be gone. We then realised that our thoughts on summer dormancy were correct after all. A summer dormant Geranium cinereum group member had been discovered.  

 

               The above three photographs were taken a few minutes apart on the 5th June 2008.                                                                                            

     On our return to England, thoughts of identifying this plant were put into motion. We were very quickly demoralised as no institution in England seemed to be interested, one way or another. Then one final idea came to mind, the Greek Specialists, the “Mountain Flora of Greece” and “Flora Hellenica” team at Copenhagen. To our relief, they were very interested and requested more information, which we supplied. We were very grateful for their decision around a year after we contacted them, informing us that they considered the plant to be no more than a variant of Geranium subcaulescens.

   We list the three main facts that we considered to be strong differences between this variation and mainstream G. subcaulescens in Greece -

a) This form grows several hundred metres lower in altitude than those usually encountered in Greece.

b) Flower colour ranges from pale pink to white; some veining is obvious but is not ostentatious. This pale pink colour break is so different to the normal stunningly attractive species. There is absolutely no deviation from the pale pink to white colour range of the flowers throughout the colony.

See other articles covering Geranium subcaulescens on this website.

c) This form goes summer dormant in its’ native habitat from June onwards, a characteristic not normally associated with members of the Geranium cinereum group.

   A few days ago we revisited the site, 2nd November 2011 where the ridge was enveloped in cloud and was extremely windswept. We noted new growth had already been produced, although the plants were nowhere near as leafy as they are at flowering time. See photo below.  

 

   The “Flora Hellenica” team has now forwarded information on this form to Carlos Aedo, who is working on Geranium for “Flora Hellenica”. We are extremely grateful to them for their help and interest in our “find”.

   Sadly, we feel this unique site is now under threat. In the past the peak of Mt. Kitheronas served as a military base, which has now been abandoned. Enterprising locals have moved in large numbers of Goats, the ruins of the base give these animals wonderful shelter. As if this is not enough, wind turbines are being positioned on neighbouring peaks in reasonable numbers. When we arrived a few days ago, large excavators were parked next to piles of rock and soil. It would seem what has taken probably thousands of years to evolve and establish has only a limited future under these circumstances. The Military would probably have left them to their own devices.

 

                                

                          Allan Robinson.   Sutton Bridge.  UK.      5th November 2011  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos  Allan Robinson

related pages on this site:

Geranium subcaulescens in Northern Peloponnese

Geranium subcaulescens in Central Greece

Geranium subcaulescens Pink Form

 

All images are © the photographer

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