Dave Aplin’s Post

Something I wrote a little while ago ;-)

While I enjoy climbing up mountains to search for plants, occasionally time constraints mean a quicker mode of transport is necessary. A good population of Verbascum deserticola and Colutea instiga were among the rewards in northwest Saudi Arabia.

Sternbergia clusiana, an autumn flowering bulb blooming at 2100m in North West Saudi Arabia. Until last year, this species had not been officially recorded in the KSA.

Plicosepalus acaciae, the parasite on Vachellia tortilis is in full bloom in northern Saudi Arabia. The seeds are sticky and largely dispersed by birds, just like mistletoe. Interestingly, saw a few Ochradenus baccatus shrubs parasitised by this plant, although in these cases the parasite seemed to be challenged by the association.

Every image I have taken over the past decade has been on my Samsung Galaxy phone (various versions). The main reasons: 1) ease of use (I hate faff); 2) readiness to hand; 3) images are automatically downloaded to my Google images - so no fuss and easy to search and easy to share 4) the various devices have taken good pictures with me. I'm wondering if anyone recommends a compact camera that can fulfil all my criteria - with a stacking option to get a better depth of field - the one thing I currently think would be useful. Thanks!

Chiliadenus montanus (Asteraceae) is native subshrub from the Eastern Mediterranean and Arabian Peninsula. Small flowers with characteristic involucral bracts below. This specimen from Jebel Al Lawz, Saudi Arabia at 2000m.

Ferula or Giant Fennel towers 2.5 -3m above the montane shrubs on Jebel Al Lawz, KSA. At 2000m, they tolerate their fair share of cold in the winter months. An excellent native landscape plant that attracts pollinators in late summer. It's basal foliage, often dying before flowering, resemble the leaves of Foeniculum - the real fennel.

Holloways are sunken lanes, often made through the erosion of feet over hundreds of years. This one in Dorset, UK cutting through soft sandstone that has been carved at some points to produce short-lived petroglyphs.