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A small shrublet. Leaves silvery - covered by tiny hairs that decrease water evaporation. Flowers pale yellow, one lipped. The species grows at the edge of the Mediterranean region penetrating the semidesert. In Israel it is sparse and rather rare.
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Clinopodium vulgare is a common European perennial. It reachers its southern border in northern Israel, like some other species. In Israel it is ver rare occuring only in the north Golan Heights and Mt Hermon.
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Holmskioldia sanguinea is a beautiful winter blooming shrub that originates in India and the Himalayas.
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Perovskia abrotanoides is a beautiful shrublet of the Himalayas, from distance it is lavender-like, its leaves are aromatic.
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Thymus bovei is a small aromatic desert shrublet. It blooms in summer. This is a rare and least known species.
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Ajuga orientalis is scattered in the Middle East and the Caucasus. In Israel it is rather rare in the north parts of the country.
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Clinopodium vulgare is a common perennial in Europe and the Mts of the Middle East and the Caucasus. In Israel it reaches its southern border and is rare.
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Lallemantia peltata is a common weed in the firelds of Armenia and Turkey. As u can see, it has typical flower bracts.
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Phlomis aurea is a shrublet of the S Sinai Highlands (Egypt). It has typical yellow felt that covers its leaves and stems.
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Thymus bovei is a least known desert thyme. It has thyme-scented leaves and white flowers.
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Ajuga orientalis is a peculiar hairy perennial of SW Asia.
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Lallemantia peltata is a beautiful small annual. Here you can see its typical toothed bracteols, accompanying the flowers.
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Phlomis aurea is a shrublet of the S Sinai Highlands (Egypt). It has typical yellow felt that covers its leaves and stems.
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Ziziphora clinopodioides is a scented shrublet of the Middle East mountains. In Mt Hermon it is considered as the best herb for tea. One can add a few of its small leaves and the drink becomes much better. Sometimes we add them to cold tab water and get a better taste. Herre u can see a close up of the flowering head. The shrublet is breeping, probably a great plant for a dry rock garden.
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Ballota nigra is a common weed of temperate Euro-Asia.
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This lamium is common in the Mediterranean region. In Israsel it is a rather rare (but locally common) species of the north. This one was taken in Mt Hermon, 1600m.
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At the end of spring, after most plants are dry, Phlomis brachyodon is blooming. It looks like flames in the dry fields, hence its latin name and Hebrew name (shalhavit). This is a narrow endemic species growing in Israel and Jordan along the transition zone bet. the Mediterranean and desert regions. The whole plant is covered by felted wool which helps decresing water loss in its arid habitat.
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and here u can see the whole plant in its rocky habitat (my previous pic was a close up).
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Ballota philistaea is a local endemic perennial found only in the Israeli coastal plain and in Edom Mts in south Jordan. In both cases it grows on sandy soil. It is rather common, but decreasing in Israel due to urbanization. It is often found under other shrubs such as Retama raetam and Ephedra aphylla.
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A north Mediterranean species reacinh its southern range in N Israel, where it is rather rare.
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This shrubles is felted all over. The yellow flowers are in contrast to its silvery parts and to the dry habitat. It is an endemic species of Israel and Jordan.
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We escape the hot lowlands of Israel in Mt Hermon, the only cool place available. Blooming still takes place there. We saw the creeping cherry together with Ziziphora clinopodioides (a great herb for tea!).
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A Israeli coastal endemic plant. Close to the european Ballota nigra. The calyx has 5 teeth.
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Fruiting time for Lamium...