-
Zilla spinosa is a common perennial in extreme desert. In rainy years is forms large violets patches.
-
"Alyssum baumgartnerianum is one of the commonest plants of the heights of Mt Hermon, it is dominating stony dry slopes above 1800m. Here u can see it in autumn flattened like a small carpet, ""waiting"" for the winter snows. In June it blooms beautifly in yellow - see June pic - http://www.treknature.com/gallery/photo152259.htm"
-
Crambe orientalis is very common in Armenia, especially in dry slopes and roadsides. In the upper part fo the picture u can see Stipa grasses, typical for the steppes of Asia and Europe.
-
I don't know which Iberis species is it. The dark stem and the bright flowers make the plant difficult to photograph.
-
and here are the carpets in nature, all wadis of this area are decorated by these delicate flwoers.
-
Alyssum baumgartnerianum is a subalpine plant, commonly found in the heights of Mt Hermon. It is one of the first shrublets to bloom in late May-June.
-
Descurainia sophia is a common weed in hte Middle East and beyond. In Israel it is surprisingly endangered.
-
Iberis odorata is a tiny annual, rare and endangered in Isael. This is the closest I could get without crop.
-
An erect desert annual. Stems and leaves slightly succulent. Flower violet, fruits - long pods. Forming lovely carpets only in rainy years.
-
Alyssum dasycarpum is a small annual of the arid mts of the Middle east. Here u can see its fruits, the lower ones open and disperse their seeds.
-
A common weed in Europe and the Mts of the Middle East.
-
Iberis odorata is a tiny Middle-Eastern annual. In Israel it is very rare and endangered. In the pictures u can see the young fruits developing form the flowers.
-
This is an albino plant of a usually pinkish flowered plant. An erect desert annual. Stems and leaves slightly succulent. Flower violet, fruits - long pods. Forming lovely carpets only in rainy years.
-
Anastatica hierochuntica - rose of Jericho - one of the amazing desert adapted plants. I will post the dry form of the plant soon.
-
Diplotaxis acris is one of the commonest annuals of the extreme desert. In rainy years it grows and create carpets, it looks often as lush as a cabbage.
-
getting ready for summer, the fruits harden, protecting the seeds untill the next strong rain in Novemver - long 6-7 months !
-
Pseuderucaria clavata is an annual of the extreme desert. It germinates and bloom only in rainy years.
-
A desert annual, Leaves rounded-wavy. Flowers white tiny, fruits rounded and small. After drying the plant closes like a fist, waiting for the next rain to disperse its seeds. In the extreme desert it could take years for the next rain to come.
-
This is one of the commonest desert 'mustards' of northern Arabia. It has hairy and naked forms and characterised by pending pods.
-
Iberis odorata is a small E Mediterranean annual. Here u can see its seedling.
-
A peculiar biennial plant of the Brassicaceae plant family. The leaves are typically bluish, waxy and clasping. The inflorescence is much branched with tiny white flowers.
-
These the tiny self-pollinated flowers of Anastatica hierochuntica.
-
Diplotaxis harra is a common desert plant. Its an annual to short-lived perennial. At the back u can see the Atlas Mts.
-
We have found this plannt for the first time in Jordan, a delicate desert annual with pending, coil-like fruits. Isatis armena ( = Sameraria armena ) grows from central Asia to the Middle East. It is found in arid mountains.