Snow in the desert?

[Andres]

It looks like snow but it isn't. Linaria nigricans is in full flower in the desert of Tabernas. A joy for your eyes.

[Dave]

Hi Andreas
What wonderful Photos thanks for sharing them
Regards
Dave

[lucy]

Hi Andreas,

A beautiful sight!

Is this an exceptional year?

[Andres]

Is this an exceptional year?

This year is very excepcional, the amount of rainfall was never seen here before. Nevertheless we see this plant growing like that every spring if there is enough rain. The photograph was taken last sunday, but I think it's only begining.

[Technopat]

Greetings Andrés,
Beautiful! As with many other parts of Spain the Iberian Peninsula, Almería never ceases to surprise me! 

Maybe you should modify your caption as follows:
Floración: noviembre a abril, en función de las lluvias y la nieve (en el resto del país)

Also shows that you can't believe everything you read in the press:
"Pérdida de diversidad biológica y fragmentación de hábitats en Almería"

Though I suppose the year ''Quercus'' published that article (2008) had been yet another dry year...

Cheers!
Technopat
 

[nick]

Lovely photos Andrés. Thanks again for letting me use it on the blog:

http://www.iberianature.com/spainblog/2010/03/tabernas-in-flower/

Anyone got any comparative rainfall figures for Tabernas?

[Andres]

Also shows that you can't believe everything you read in the press:
"Pérdida de diversidad biológica y fragmentación de hábitats en Almería"

Hi Technopat,

Unfortunately what they say in the article is right, Linaria nigricans is in danger. As it usually grows on flat land, that's the place where they want to build or transform it into agricultural land. Its habitat is in constant recession. Right beside the place where the picture was taken, there is a huge olive trees field, always in expansion. Another piece of land beside has already been altered and just a few plants are growing there. In other sites like Campohermoso, they are building new agricultural tents and will probably disappear in the future. Things are no better at Pulpi site where new developements are eating up all its land.

It is considered as "En peligro" (Endangered) in the "Lista roja de la flora vascular española" and "Lista roja de la flora vascular de Andalucía".

[Technopat]

Greetings Andrés,
I wasn't really accusing Quercus of sensationalism.

I'm surprised by the olive groves being expanded: a) are they planting grown trees? b) I seem to remember - but I'm probably wrong - that olive trees don't need much water. So apart from whatever pesticides they may use, surely olive groves are more ecological than golf courses, which would seem to be the other viable option, apart from plastic greenhouses.

Regs.,
Technopat

Ps.
For those of you who haven't yet seen it, there's an amazing satellite image Nick posted here in March 2007 of the kind of thing Andrés refers to:
http://www.iberianatureforum.com/index.php?topic=113.msg665#msg665

[Andres]

Hi Technopat,

To your first question, I can tell you that I have never seen small trees in the area, so I guess they plant them grown.
To your second question, I will say that however ecological olive trees might be, wherever they plant them, Linaria nigricans doesn't grow any more. Needless to say that the same applies to greenhouses.

Here are a couple of photographs of the same Linaria nigricans, but these are variety fragans. Taken last year away from the desert.

Regards.

[Sue]

What fabulous displays of colour Andrés, a real treasure.
Is it that the plant is sensitive to disturbance, i.e. will not regrow if transplanted?

[Andres]

Is it that the plant is sensitive to disturbance, i.e. will not regrow if transplanted?

Hi Sue,

The plant doesn't seem to like altered land, but I never tried to transplant it, so I don't know. I guess there must be some techniques for that.

Regards.