BOTANIZING IN BULGARIA, 



3 



The common trees of Bulgaria are the Oak. Elm, Beech, Alder, 

 Walnut. Birch. Quercus conferta. Spruce, Silver Fir, Pinus montana, 

 and P. Peuke, while Limes, Robinias, and A ilanthus glandulosa are used 

 in the large towns for avenues. 



Our first excursion was to the Vitosh mountain, about 9000 feet 

 high. Orchids were plentiful in the meadows, and the Fishbone 

 Thistle, Cnicus Casabonae, was growing in stony places. Salix 

 Lapponum with its silvery leaves shimmered over boggy places, and 

 it was rather a surprise to me to find Geum coccineum most luxuriant in 

 these bogs. In moist places the masses of Saxifraga rotundi folia were 

 a picture. The Honey Balm {Melittis M elissophyllum) chose shady 

 places in the woods where its large pink flowers were quite attractive ; 

 Veronica anstriaca and Genista sagitialis were abundant. At intervals 

 we passed the rare yellow European Columbine (Aquilegia lutea), but 

 unfortunately up to the present it has not proved a lasting perennial 

 in Ireland ; Lilium Jankae is now very scarce on Vitosh. Towards 

 the top of the mountain Myosotis alpestris covers some acres ; Pedicu- 

 laris, Gentians, and the beautiful little Dianthus microlepis (fig. 1) with 

 pink and occasionally with white flowers were found. Other plants we 

 saw were Geranium macrorrhiznm, G. phaeum, Geum monianum, Ranun- 

 culus aconitifolius and R. montanus, Asperula odorata, Asarum 

 europaeum, Helleborus, Paris quadrijolia, Digitalis lutea, D. grandiflora, 

 and D. laevigata. The common Gentian on this mountain is Gentiana 

 aestiva ; it is a vigorous form of G. verna, and is said to grow in drier 

 places than those in which our native species can thrive. On the 19th 

 we caught the n p.m. train to Stara Zagora, arriving there at 9.30 a.m. 

 the next morning. The O'Mahony conducted us to the Bishop's 

 house, where our breakfast consisted of a cup of Turkish coffee and a 

 cigarette. After this refreshment we had a look round the town 

 and the park, and later in the day went off botanizing to a dry lime- 

 stone hill a few miles away. Twining among bushes Clematis Viticella 

 gave abundance of its purple flowers. Spartium junceum was a blaze 

 of yellow, while Dictamnus Fraxinella was in flower and everywhere 

 around Achillea clypeolata raised its yellow heads. This species and 

 A.pseudopsctinata are the parents of the beautiful Achillea X Keller eri. 

 Ajuga Laxmanni is a quaint addition to the Bugle flowers ; it has 

 strong hairy stems, 2 feet high, with striped brownish yellow 

 flowers more curious than beautiful. The silver-leaved Convolvulus 

 Cantabrica with pink flowers seemed to enjoy the heat, while the white- 

 leaved Teucrium Polium, Eryngiums, Linums, and Thymus zygioides 

 were also plentiful in this locality. 



On the 21st we drove to Kasanlik, where we stayed at the Monastere 

 des Religieuses. At 5 o'clock next morning we started off and rode 

 over the Shipka Pass to Gabrovski Monastery, which we reached at 

 dusk, illumined now and again by the numerous fireflies flitting to and 

 fro. Near the monastery are some interesting white and yellow 

 Onosmas. and one sees eagles and vultures soaring over the mountain 

 tops. The Shipka Pass in places is broad and easy, but also winds 



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