Menorca is not only full of rocks it is also pretty small, as you can see from this map, not even 50 kms from west to east and maximum 20 kms north to south. The first flowers we are going to see were in the wild garden of the house where we stayed, just below the bottom right hand corner of the airport in the south east of the island, and in the surrounding area. We shall also visit points further west along the coast, and above Mao on the eastern coast, the fantastic Cap de Cavalleria, the most northern point, and Punta Nati way over on the north western corner of the island, plus a few places in between.

Flowers - There are approximately 1500 different flowering plants in the Balearic Islands. How many in Menorca itself? I have seen different figures from 900 to 1400 and these will include grasses and trees. As islands there are a lot of plants that can only be found there, ie are endemic, about 125 in all the islands together. Menorca has 80 of these, of which 21 only grow on Menorca itself. Flowers develop, flowers intermarry, producing new species and subspecies, some families and genera more than others. Orchids are very good at this, even marrying between different genera but there appears to be one genus of the family Plumbaginaceae (also called Limoniaceae), very prevalent in these islands called Limonium which is very active in this respect keeping botanists busy studying and classifying new subspecies!

Below you will find a small but representative number of the flowers that grow in Menorca but I hope that some of you will look more closely around you and beneath your feet and add new treasures to the many beauties of this island.

Names - First comes the scientific name in Latin, then local names in Catalan and Spanish followed by a common name in English, French and German. Common names can be numerous and vary from one region to another, or even from one village to another! and I just put one and sometimes two. There may not be a local name in some languages, eg Mediterranean plants not found in Germany, and particularly those endemics which only grow in the Baleares.

To learn more about names and more, you can go to the navigation bar above and click on Botany Basics. I am not a botanist myself but have spent nearly 50 years photographing wild flowers in my spare time. On my short visits to Menorca, too little time was spent studying the plants in the field and the photos generally lack sufficient information to guarantee the correctness of the names I have given. However I am pretty certain that most are OK and where I am not sure, I say so. Also on the navigation bar you can click on Sources where you can get much more information, and also see that I have done quite a lot of homework!

Flowers - one * before the name shows a flower only to be found on some of the Balearic Islands.

two ** show one that only grows (is endemic to) on the island of Menorca

8th to 17th May 2017 -Let's go!! +++ Click on a photo to enlarge +++

The Garden

Another new one was this tangle of pale flowers belonging to the Mint family, Labiatae or Lamiaceae, which includes Rosemary and Thyme.

Prasium majus / Arangi bord / Prasio

Sheltering against a wall, this Honeysuckle, distinguished by the cup like leaves immediately below the flowers.

Lonicera implexa / Gavarrer, LLigabora / Madreselva / Honeysucle / Chêvrefeuille / Geissblatt

This pretty lavander is a wild species but has probably been planted in this This is a terrible photo and I am only guessing that it

garden, as it does not grow spontaneously on the island of Menorca but only is not one of the other two to be found on the islands and

on Majorca. and in the NE of the Spanish mainland. also in NE Spain. These vibrant red beauties deserve more

attention.

Lavandula dentata / Lavanda, Gal.landa, Flor caputxina /

Alhucema rizada /Toothed lavander / Lavande à feuilles dentées / Gladiolus italicus / Espaseta, Gladiol / Gladiolo / Gzänter Lavandel, Grüner Zahn-Lavandel Gladiolus / Glaïeul / Hornmohn

Waste land

The next few flowers were found on ground cleared for building and then abandoned, leaving it free for nature to take over. Eventually larger plants, trees and shrubs will return, and the flowers will become fewer and fewer as the light is taken away. That, or more houses will be built there with their pristine lawns and swimming pools!! In the meantime this is what I found.

As you can see, I don't know what the plant is in the second photo below, so I shall just comment on the first one. There are two Asteriscus that grow on this island and both like to live near the sea; hence their names A. aquaticus and A. maritimus. However A. aquaticus has very short outer petals compared with its brother and although I took a single picture of the one example I saw, it seems clear that the identification is correct.

Asteriscus aquaticus / Capseta / Bovas, Escoba de castañuela /

---- / Astérisque aquatique / ---- Unknown

There are about 20 different orchids that grow wild on the island, one of which is endemic to the Baleares. Below is the only species I found and most of its flowers were already past their best. Early May should have been a good time, not only for orchids, but for flowers in general. However in this year of 2017 the weather had not been very cooperative. The beginning of April had been unusually hot, had later been unseasonably cold and then, at the very end of the month running into May, had become very hot again. To confuse things even more, there had been very little rain, so all in all, by the time we arrived in May, the land was drier than might have been expected. Never mind: as you can see from this site, I can not complain - lots of flowers around and many I had not seen before.

This Pyramidal orchid grows all over Europe except for the northern Scandinavian countries and is more often pink than white. In fact I had never seen white ones before, only pink in Spain and in France. As you can see from the two right hand photos, there were some pink ones here too. Each individual flower is quite small but the whole plant can grow up to 60cm tall.

Anacamptis pyramidalis / Barreret, Flor caputxina / Orquídea pyramidal / Pyramidal orchid / Orchis pyramidal / Spitzorchis

The genus Helichrysum has over 600 species worldwide from South Africa to Australia, but only four in the Baleares of which two species grow in Menorca. The other one, H. ambiguum is grey in color and has quite different leaves.

Helichrysum stoechas / Flor de mort, Flor de Sant Joan / Manzanilla bastarda / Everlasting / Immortelle / Strohblume

This plant with its strange flowers belongs to the same family as the Citrus fruits, oranges and lemons! Rutas contain a strong oil, sometimes used in the past medicinally and also in cooking.

Ruta angustifolia / Ruda / Ruda / Narrow-leaved Rue / Rue à feuilles étroites / Raute

This very delicate plant is only about 20 cm tall and the flowers are therefore minute, all of which does not help in its identification. The closest I have been able to get is the Centranthus calcitrapa which has several subspecies for which I have no information, but I would hope that this is one of them.

Centranthus calcitrapa ssp ? / Pedrosa / Valeriana española (subespecie)? / Centranther? / Spornblume?

I have always liked the name 'Scarlet pimpernel' for this small flower which can be found almost anywhere, even in a crack in some stairs in central Barcelona! The flowers are either this lovely blue or orange - some books say scarlet or red, but I have only seen orange or blue. It was the emblem for fictional hero of the French Revolution, the Scarlet pimpernel.

Anagalis arvensis / Anagall / Anagálida /

Scarlet pimpernel / Mouron des-champs / Acker Gauheil

We have already seen one of these in the garden above, but this is much clearer and you can also see the leaves better. The only other Asphodel that grows in Menorca, A. fistulosus, is a much more delicate plant with few pale pink flowers and leaves that are semi-cylindrical.

Asphodelus aestivus / Albó, Porrassa / Asfódelo, Gamón / Asphodel / Asphodèle d'été / Affodill

On an untidy bit of waste ground the plants are taking over and indeed these Resedas make a great sight. Further down the page there is another species, R. alba and there is a third that can also be found on the island, R. phyteuma, a much smaller plant.

Reseda luteola / Disciplinat, Gabarró / Cetro de Ceres, Gualda / Dyer's Rocket / Résède des teinturiers, Gaude / Wau, Reseda

Very common on cultivated, barren or waste ground this thistle gets its name from the Greek 'gala' meaning milk and tomentosa, hairy. The plant has dense white hairs on the stems and the leaves. The leaves often have white spots (hence the German name) and are deeply cut.

Galactites tomentosa / Calcida blanca, Card blanc / Galactites / Purple Milk thistle / Chardon laiteux / Milchfleckdistel

Seen also in the picture immediately above behind the Galactites, this bush can be seen on cleared ground and near the rocky coastline. Grey leaves, deeply cut, and yellow daisy like flowers make it fairly easy to recognize. Although it is found in most of Europe, it is not native to Menorca, but has over time become naturalised, some no doubt having escaped from neighbouring gardens.

Senecio cineraria / Cinerària, Donzell de mar / Cenicera maritima / Silver Ragwort / Séneçon conéraire / Silberfarbiges Greiskraut

First picture: flowers of a wild olive tree. Second: an Opium poppy, probably a subspecies, O. somniferum ssp setigerum because of the black patches in the centre of the flower. Third: a lovely display of one of the several species of Cistus that grow on the island.

Olea europaea / Oastre, Rebell / Acebuche / Wild Olive / Olivier européen / Olivenbaum

Papaver somniferum / Cascall / Adormidero / Opium poppy / Pavot somnifère / Schlafmohn

Cistus monspeliensis / Estepa negra, Estepa llimonenca / Narrow-leaved cistus / Ciste de Montpellier / Montpellier-Zistrose

Till now everything has been in and and around the house where we stayed in SE Menorca. The next photos were taken on a large patch of cleared ground above the harbour of Maó (Mahón). There are not many plants with names beginning with a K, at least not in Europe, but this was difficult not to notice, standing some 75cm high with bright green yellow umbels. It belongs to that curious and difficult family, Umbelliferae, or Carrot family in English, which includes others such as Coriander, Fennel, Celery, Parsley, Parsnip, and of course, the Carrot.

Kundmannia sicula / Estata-rassins, Fonollassa / - / Kundmannia de Sicile / -

Roadside

A great place for flowers is the roadside! It is clearly cleared ground and full of light. Roadsides are also less affected by pesticides, etc. applied to bordering fields. There is an increasing movement to help preserve these valuable locations, including better programming maintenance. It is normal to want to cut back roadsides in springtime just when they start getting untidy but this is when the flowers are coming out and have not had time to seed. 'Just hold off a bit longer please' is the cry. That, and a course in biology and environment!

On the short journey from the airport to our hosts' home, I was looking keenly out of the window and lo and behold the road was lined with red. As soon as convenient we stopped and found these flowers. Here they were kept short and close to the ground but they otherwise grow into small shrubs as can be seen in the second picture.

Hedysarum coronarium / Clòver bord, Enclova / Sulla, Zulla / Italian sainfoin / Sainfoin d'Italie / Süssklee

Monuments

There are about 1500 sites on the island belonging to the Bronze and Iron Ages, many of which have been well conserved. Some charge an entrance fee and have information available. Others have nobody there and you can just walk around for free. This website is, however about flowers and not ancient Stonehenge-like tombs and prehistoric remains, like the 'Taula' (table in Catalán) in the photo below. But do look up this Talaoitic Culture and learn more about it, something unique to the Balearic Islands, although Menorca has the most.

What have they to do with flowers? you might ask. In the first place they have a lot of open space and secondly they are well maintained and easy to walk around and the flowers think this is great. A few trees may give intermittent shade, the walls give shelter from the wind and a wide variety of flowers can be found in and around these magnificent places.

The two flowers pictured below were found in two different Taolitic sites but they can also be found on roadsides and cultivated land. They are from the same family as you may see from their very similarly shaped flowers. The Bellardia grows from April to July, but the yellow one from May right through to September!

Bellardia trixago (Bartsia trixago) / Cresta de gall, Erinassos / Gallonesta / Bellardia / Bellardie / -

Parentucellia viscosa / Boques de dragó, Motxa borda / Algarabia / Yellow bartsia / Parentucelle jaune / Klebrige parentucellie

Here is the white Reseda, not as big as the R luteola above and perhaps not so exciting, but a splendid plant nevertheless. In the second picture the tall yellow flower in the background does not show enough detail to be sure of the species, but it probably is a V. creticum.

Reseda alba / Capironats, Enturió / Hope de zorra, Reseda blanca / White mignonette / Réséde blanc / Wau, Reseda

Verbascum (creticum?) / Drepó, Trepó / Gordolobo / Mullein / Molène / Königskerze

And what are these two small daisies underfoot in the middle of the path?? They look like a kind of Aster but I can not find the answer.

Up to this point man has had a major influence on the land we have visited, much appreciated, and made the most of, by nature. We shall now turn to purely natural locations where nature is the only architect and designer

Cap de Cavalleria

Like a strange monster with outstretched arms lies this 3 km long Cape at the most northern tip of Menorca. Click on the photo and you can see a narrow road leading to the lighthouse centre right. Park your car just before the end among the rocks on the left, walk a short distance towards the horizon and there you are, staring straight down to deep blue water 90 metres below! Wow! The lighthouse on your right is itself 15 metres high and looks quite small in these wild and, for me,novel surroundings. The fact there were flowers on the way that I had never seen before just increased the wow factor.

These were the first flowers I found in this rocky landscape, tiny mauve daisies only found on the Islands of Mallorca and Menorca. For a flower lover, to walk in a new environment is always exciting and to find an 'endemic straight away was great.

*Senecio rodriguezii / Camomil.la de la mar, Margalideta de la mar

Another tiny flower of the daisy family and although not endemic to the islands this time, it was quite new to me and indeed looks different to most flowers of that family. There are 15 different species around the Mediterranean, 8 of which in Europe. Its odd shape consists of silvery grey leaves enveloping the yellow green flowers and, if anything, resembles an alpine edelweiss. Perhaps it could be called the Mediterranean Edelweiss!

Evax pygmaea, Filago pygmaea / - / Blanquilla mensa, Siempreviva enana / Pygmy cudweed / Evax nain / Filago

Photo 1 - The Frankenia genus has a family all of its own, Frankiniaceae, with 70 species worldwide including Australia and America, but only 6 in Europe of which 5 can be found in Menorca. You can see more pictures further down but I have been unable to identify the actual species of any of them. They are very small plants like many that hide among the rocks in their salty habitats near the sea.

Photo 2 - A much more recognisable Genus at least, although not so easy to identify the species, of which there are 5 on the island, except for the C. maritimum which has yellow flowers. The one below also prefers a coastal habitat and has slightly more rigid structure than other species although they all have very similar shapes and flowers.

Photo 3 - This greenish yellow plant lies beside an Evax like the one above and is very small and perhaps not very inspiring, only becoming interesting when you look at it through a magnifying glass, or blowing up the picture on you computer screen when you get home (which is what I did) The flowers do not last long and here they were already in fruit. These are oval with stiff hairs on either side, rather like a boat with oars, distinguishing it from another species V. hispida with a different shaped fruit with hairs all over.

Frankenia / Franquènia / Brezo marino / Sea heath / Lavande de mer / Frankenia

Centaurium tenuiflorum/ Centaura / Centaura / Centaury / Centaurée /

Valantia muralis / Herba de roca / Crujia menuda / Wall valantia / Vaillantie des murs / Mauer vaillantie

In such a new environment, dry and rocky I did not expect to see something I know well from green hills back home. This is the fruit of the Arum italicum plant which grows in western Europe and the Mediterranean and which is very similar to its north European brother A. maculatum.

Arum italicum / Candela, Cugot / Aro, Llave del año / Italian lords-and-ladies / Arum d'Italie / Aronstab

Socarrells - This the name given to some 8 plants from 3 different families that are endemic to one or more of the Balearic Islands and which have adapted to the bare rocky windswept shores by forming dense spiny cushions.

This Launnaea of the Daisy family is also pictured in the big picture heading the site. 'cervicornis' - deer's horns - describe the upright fork shaped tough spines of this lovely plant to be found all round the island's rocky shores. It is endemic to the islands of Dragonera, Mallorca and Menorca.

*Launaea cervicornis / Gatell, Gatovell (Socarrell)

Endemic only to Menorca this Socarell belongs to the Pea family. Here it has formed an extensive series of adjoining cushions and you can see how hardpacked they are in two of the pictures below. Quite extraordinary!

**Anthyllis hystrix / Socarrell gros

Launaeae cervicornis and Euphorbia paralias (see below at Es Grau) Unknown 'daisy on the rocks 80-90m up!

Two last pictures from this fascinating cape, one looking 90 metres straight down and the other, also taken on the edge looking back along the cape with Fornells in the background.

Cala Porter A change in vegetation and scenery. Cala Porter, on the south east coast, is a wide opening to the sea about 100 to 200 metres across with a great beach going way back inland with high cliffs on one side and lower rounded rocky hills on the other, western side. The cliffs are covered with houses and blocks of flats hanging precariously over the Cala, but the other side is wild and seems to be private land. The beach leads to a flat valley with a healthy stream running down to the sea. The first part is a public park with a small pond and meadows but then becomes private property. However there is a good public path running below the cliffs on the eastern side and provides a pleasant walk.

I found the first four flowers below near the pond, not far from the beach, and the remaining two near the path up the valley. Not a lot but time was short and I was unable to explore further.

Echium platagineum / Llengua de bou / Viborera / Purple viper's bugloss / Vipérine plantain / Natterkopf

Rumex bucephalophorus / Agralleta de bou / - / Dock / Rumex ou Oseille tête de boeuf / Ampfer

Orobanche minor / Frare / Rabo de lobo / Lesser Broomrape / Orobanche de trèfle / Sommerwurz

On the edge of the water were these tall rushes

Juncus acutis / Jonc mari / Junco redondo / Sharp rush / Jonc aigu / Steckende Binse

I then walked a short way up the valley and photographed four more. Further down the page among the October pictures, there are some photos of a splendid honeysuckle (Lonicera).

This is a wild carrot of the family Umbelliferae or, in English, the Carrot family(!) which includes plants like Fennel, Coriander, Parsnip and Aniseed. The subspecies sativus root is the carrot we eat which has been cultivated for thousands of years.

There are several more subspecies of the D. carota and this is probably one of them. The one that I think looks most like it is however unlikely as it apparently only grows on the sister islands of Cabrera and Mallorca. That subspecies is the D. carota ssp majoricus. Therefore I have just written Daucus carota and leave it to anyone who knows better to add his opinion!

Daucus carota / Pastanaga / Zanahoria silvestre / Wild carrot / Carotte commune / Möhre

The Reseda alba in the first photo can be seen further up the page. The second picture shows a lovely white climber which has wide spear shaped leaves and likes damp places near running water. This example was taken by a wall separating the path from cultivated land and gardens which would have provided the necessary.

Reseda alba

Calystegia sepium / Campaneta de mar / Berza marina / Sea bindweed / Liseron / Strandwinde

The Potentillas belong to the Rose family and are close relations of the Strawberry plants. Humble they may be but without them, there would be many places which would look very bare without their bright colours as I have seen even in the high Himalayas in a wilderness of rocks and stones. There are over 300 species worldwide of which 76 can be found in Europe but only two in the Balearic Is., this one in Menorca and another in Mallorca. The leaves are typical of these plants.

Potentilla reptans / Cinc en rama, Peu de Crist / Pie de Cristo / Creeping cinquefoil / Potentille rampante / Kriechendes Fingerkraut

Punta Nati At the north eastern corner of the island is another lighthouse, not far from Ciudadela, on the edge of 42m cliffs. The surroundings are similar to those at Cap Cavalleria but much flatter and much drier. Whereas you can park quite close to the latter lighthouse, and even find a bar there, the last km of road to Punta Nati is so narrow that you are asked, advised, to use the parking and walk the rest, about 15 minutes, to the lighthouse, normally closed..

The 'parking' is just an open space which has been flattened to allow cars to enter without shattering their tyres and there I found this yellow thistle about 60 cm high, rather more than those outside this slightly protected spot.

Scolymus hispanicus / Card de moro, Cardeline / Cardillo / Spanish oyster plant / Scolyme d'Espagne / Spanische Goldwurzel

The Road is bounded on either side by dry stone walls which give protection from the wind and, to some extent, from the sun, which has allowed a nice flower border to flourish on either side. This may not be the intention of those who are responsible for its upkeep, and it may well be that every now and again someone will come along and ensure that the whole road will be beautifully clean and sterile and a little less interesting to walk along! We were lucky and can show here a few of the plants there.

These silver leaved daisies are seen below, first on either side of the road, and then near where we were staying, in the south east of the island on the rocks above a cove, slightly protected by a nearby housing estate. An alternative Latin name is Jacobaea maritima. I have already shown some towards the beginning found on Waste Land.

Senecio cineraria / Donzella de mar / Cenicera mariima / Cineraria / Séneçon cinéraire / Silberblatt

These white daisies with yellow centres are probably A. arvensis but there are other very similar species of the same genus and it would need more details to be sure. Anyway they brighten the way up and down to and fro.

Anthemis arvensis Camomilla borda / Manzanilla de campo / Corn chamomile / Anthemis des champs / Acker-Hundskamomille

The Lotus flower of the East associated with Buddhism is botanically not a Lotus at all. Here they are small flowers belonging to the pea family (Leguminosae). Here are some growing close to the walls at Punta Nati but found in many places ariund the island.

Lotus cytisoides /Trèvol fermella / Cuernecillo de mar / Bird's foot-trefoil / Lotus faux cytise / Hornblee

Then there is this, not so beautiful, plant with thick leaves and small dull yellow flowers and what a name! It pruduces a small cucumber like fruit which, when ripe, explodes expelling a yellow liquid containing the seeds. It is however toxic, although it has been used medically in the past.

Ecoballum elatorium Cobrómbols amargs, Cogombre bord / Pepinillo del diablo / Squirting cucumber / Ecbaliee eleterium / Spitzgurke

Beyond the road - The road ends at the entrance to the lighthouse enclosure, closed, where it is a question of climbing over the wall on one side or the other. The first photo below shows the left hand side and the other the right leading to the scene at the heading of this chapter and also in the two final pictures. The latter looked more moonlike and therefore more of a challenge. You have to look down all the time to avoid tripping and/or twisting an ankle so you can also check what is managing to grow among the rocks at the same time..

This is what you see at your feet and by enlarging the photo , see more clearly the plant middle bottom. It is clearly a very small Silene, possibly a S. sedoides, as is the plant in the hole in the third picture, taken among other rocks elsewhere. The plant is sticky to touch, but I ddn't try and therefore am left in doubt as its true identity.

Silene sedoides / Silene / Silene /Catchfly / Silène / Leimkraut

Here are five photos of Frankenias, small plants with tiny pink flowers that grow among the rocks near the sea. They keep close to the ground and are adapted o survive high winds and the salt that comes withe spray as the waves break against the rocks. Each patch will only be 12 to 15 cm wide and the flowers just a few mm, the leaves are often rolled up and the stems are woody. A tough one and you will have to look hard to see those tiny pink spots as you find your way carefully across the rocky ground. The last photo was in fact taken on the road and has been able to spread out a bit more.

I have already shown one picture of a Frankenia above at Cabo Cavalleria but will repeat here that Frankenia is the only genus of the family Frankeniaceae of which there are 70 species in the world, 50 in Australia, 14 in America and 6 in Europe. On Menorca there are 4 of these plus one subspecies, all of which can also be found on the mainland. The differences between them are very slight and I do not have sufficient information to say which is which. Next time I shall try to spend more time looking at them, taking notes and more detailed pictures. They deserve better treatment for their struggle.

Frankenia / Bruc de mar /Brezo marino / Sea heath / Lavande de mer / Frankenia

Frankenia

Frankenia

Other flowers that grow among the rocks are these Limoniums with pale blue flowers. I knew very little about these flowers until this visit and like with the Frankenias above I shall try to be much more observant next time I visit the islands. The first six photos are all the same species and I have been lucky that it has been relatively easy to identify, especially by the leaves. It is endemic to the islands of Mallorca and Menorca. Although the flowers in the third row below are very similar, the leaves are certainly not, but I find I do not have sufficient information to name the species. Further on there are photos of another Limonium which I found on a visit in October.

There are some 24 Limoniums that grow on the Balearic Islands, no less than 18 of which are endemic to one or more island. 7 species grow on Menorca, 3 of which are endemic, like the L. minutum, to both Mallorca and Menorca. See also some remarks in the introduction to the site under the paragraph 'Flowers'.

*Limonium minutum / Coca marina / Limonio / Sea lavender / Lavande de mer / Strandflieder

Limonium minutum

Limonium sp.

These last two picture show how incredibly rugged this area is and how extraordinary it is that any plant at all can survive her.

part of lighthouse enclosure. Rocky inlet

Son Bou This is the longest sandy beaches of Menorca, 3 km, and is backed by small dunes with some vegetation where you can find flowers that do not mind a little salt in the air, a nice little Scabious and a Rose

Scabiosa cretica / Col de penya / Scabiosa / Scabious / Scabieuse de Crête / Skabiose

Rosa arvensis / Roser repent / Rosa / Field rose / Eglantier des champs / Feld-Rose

Des Grau The bay at Es Grau is backed by a wide beach and behind that the Natural park of Des Grau and the lakes and wetlands of Albufera des Grau, all worth exploring.

The first flower here is well described by its English name, a creeper that likes the sea and which grows close to the ground binding the sand/soil and in addition producing some large, pretty pink flowers. All three plants below were found in the ground between the beach and the trees at the edge of the park.

Calystegia soldanella / Campaneta de la mar / Berzamarina / Sea bindweed / Liseron / Strandwinde

This spurge only grows on or near the beach and its distinctive shape makes it fairly easy to identify. This one was about 60 cm high.

Euphorbia paralias / Lleteresa de playa / Lechetrenza de las playas / Sea spurge / Euphorbe / Wolfsmilch

The flowers of the different species of the genus Teucrium, of the Mint family, Labiatae, are extremely varied in colour and the shape of their inflorescence. I have never seen one like this before. There are 13 species in the Balearic islands, three of which are endemic, but not this one which also grows on the mainland in N.E. Sapin. The local and the Spanish names translate as 'male thyme': thyme is another genus, but the same family. This is another example of the problems with local or vernacular names.

Teucrium capitatum / Farigola mascle / Tomillo macho / Germander / Germandrée / Germander

Punta Prima is the S.E. point of Menorca and there is a very pleasant walk from the northern end above the cliffs towards a

a small tower.

This flower has been seen above at Cap de Cavalleria - you have to get down to be able to appreciate it.

Centaurium tenuiflorum

This Ononis is often mistaken for O. natrix which I know well from the mainland but it was clear that this had some small differences and it was satisfying to discover that it was endemic to the Islands, Cabrera and Menorca to be precise.

*Ononis crispa / Motxa / - / Rest-harrow / Ononis / Hauhacheln

This was another new one for me: first the surprise at this lovely panorama of different coloured bushes. The Euphorbia dendroides or tree spurge can grow as high as 2 metres, a true small tree and it has its own kind of 'autumn': it loses its leaves in the summer and recovers them in winter. So in May you can see them at different stages just like many trees in October/November! Beautiful.

Euphorbia dendroides / LLeterassa, Lletrera mala / Lechetrenza, Titímalo árbol / Tree spurge / Euphorbe arborescent / Baumartige

One last picture of the last push up to the tower brings our May visit to Menorca to an end and now I go back in time to see a few of the flowers to be seen in October.

October 2015 and 2016

Back to Es Grau for a couple of flowers

There are very few plants in flower at this time of year so any spot of colour attracts attention. I was walking on a raised pathway above the Albufera wetland when I saw these very pale blue flowers. Onle afterwards when I was examining the photos did I find that this was another Limonium, and a closer look at the leaves inclines me to think this is a Limonium virgatum.

Limonium virgatum

Also in the same area but on drier ground near the beach I photographed this member of the Daisy family which I think must be Inula crithmoides, also niown as Limbardo crithmoides. Normally the stems are upright and ordely but here the whole plant looks rather bedraglled and beaten up. It has narrow, rather fleshy leaves and nice big yellow flowers. It prefers coastal areas and a bit of salt in the air like many island flowers.

Inula crithmoides / Salsona / - / Golden samphire / Inule faux / Gemeine Dürrwurz

At the beginning of autumn the lovely pink flowers start appearing straight out of the ground all over the island. They have no stem and the leaves only appear as the flowers die. If you are lucky you may see extensive carpets covering bare ground. Although common to the Western Mediterranean they do not seem to have acquired an exclusive name of their own in English. If anything they will be referred to as Autumn crocuses, but this name is more used for another crocus, Colchicum autumnale, which like most crocuses has a proper stork up to 29 cm high and a cup like form. Whatever, these plants are a welcome sight at a time when there are not so many flowers around. (There is an alternative botanical name, just to confuse you, which is Colchicum filifolium). The 'filifolium/a' refers to the very narrow, grasslike leaves that appear after flowering.

Merendera filifolium / Safrà borda / Cástamo / (Autumn crocus) / Mérendera à feuilles filiformes / Zeitlosengewächse

Another interesting flower that can be seen in many parts of the island during a very short period at the beginning of Autumn is this rather meek Narcissus. They are often solitary and only bar one flower, but do also form loose groups as in the last photo below. Close up, you can see the typical narcissus flower which i really a very beautiful object and in fact the phot below serves as my screen saver, so I see it quite a lot!

Narcissus serotinus / Ninon tardá, Narcís / Narciso / Narcissus / Narcisse d'automne / Narcisse

Finally another Mediterranean autumn flower which I first saw south of Barcelona nearly 30 years ago!! They form bushes up to a metre high and have these gorgeous tubular spikes of varying tones of pink and for me are the prettiest of the European heathers. Hence so many photos.

Erica multiflora / Bruc d'hivern / Brezo / Heather / Bruyère multiflora / Erika

Erica multiflora

Finally four non flower pictures typical of this beautiful island, a 'cala', a stone wall and a prehistoric site with a large 'Taula' and ................

a view of the back of the house where we stayed - it is the small one on the right -

with a nice stone wall in the foreground.

Thank you Maren and Alex