Kalanit
Israel Plant Magazine
May 2015
"His lips like lilies" – on Lilies and Irises
Uzi Paz pazuzi@bezeqint.net
Keywords: folklore, Jewish tradition, conservation, endangered species, Lillium, Iris haynei, Lily Irises, Rosa, Pancratium, plants of Israel, Lilium
The Lily is mentioned 17 times in the Bible. In various sources it is usually identified as the Lilium. In our opinion, on the basis of an analysis of the Jewish sources and archeological findings it should be identified with the Iris. Therefore, it is suggested to call the Oncocyclus Irises Lily Irises.
The Red Deadnettle – a new plant in Israel
Dror Melamed nivnav@012.net.il
Ori Fragman-Sapir, The Jerusalem Botanical Garden, ofragman@013.net
Keywords: episodic, bilabiate corolla, Dan valley, invasive plant, plants of Israel, ruderal, Lamiaceae, Lamium
In March 2015 an unfamiliar labial plant was found in the area of Kibbutz Hagoshrim. The plant was first identified as the Red Deadnettle (Lamium purpureum) by Ron Frumkin – a previously unknown species in Israel. In this article the plant is presented, its identification marks are described, and the differences between it and other species of Lamium in Israel, and its distribution details are provided. A discussion was held on the appearance of the plant in Israel and its future here, and an updated definition key of the Lamium species in Israel is presented.
Kalanit study tour to the northern Golan Heights
Avi Shmida, the Department of Evolutions and Behavior, and the Federmann Center for the Study of Rationality at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Givat Ram. avi.shmida@gmail.com
Keywords: Golan Heights, lentil, clover, plants of Israel, endemic, rare plants, calciphobes, oat
The Golan Heights have been given numerous titles – "the land of the Crocus" in December, "the land of the Clover" in March, and "the land of the Grasses" at the end of April. During the study tour to the Golan Heights we saw vast areas with "forests" of grasses: endless carpets of the Bulbous Barley (Hordeum bulbosum) and the Sterile Oat (Avenis sterilis), which grew this year to the height of a human being, and colored the basaltic Golan plains in yellowish green. In the clearings, between the grasses, on firm and rocky soils, carpets of legumes reigned, led by the Few-flowered Clover (Trifolium pauciflorum), with its felty round fruit. We counted at least 25 species of clover during the study tour, and in the clearing near Mas'ade we counted 21 different species in an area of 100 square meters – a phenomenal number of clovers and annual legumes for the Golan Heights, and the Fertile Crescent in general, for that matter.
Analysis of flowering patterns on the Gilboa
Shaul Aviel, Sdeh Eliahu, aviel@biobee.com
Eitan Shapira, Ein Hanatziv, etan@hanatziv.org.il
Gadi Pollak, Kalanit editorial, gadpollak@gmail.com
Keywords: flowering, pollination, seasonal plants, Micromeria fruticosa, Ceratonia – Pistacia community, Petrorhagia zoharyana, temperature, Anemone coronaria, Merav, Malkishua, rainfall, Ranunculus asiaticus, phenology, Tulipa agenensis, plants of Israel
In a survey carried out in the course of two flowering seasons, it was found that the peak of flowering at the top of the Gilboa is in the winter-spring, but varies from year to year. The model of rain distribution over the rainy seasons, and the progression of temperatures in the winter and spring months, affect the flowering rates, the timing of the flowering peak, and the average length of time in which the various plants blossom – more than the absolute quantity of rain. The average length of flowering of herbaceous plants is shorter than of woody plants, and occurs at the end of winter and in spring (March and the beginning of April). Flowering in summer and autumn is mainly of woody species.
