[Hilary]

Thanks, I will check that I have written it correctly on my computer

[Hilary]

Hordeum sp. Hordeum vulgare, Barley

A stamp issued by Israel in 1958 to celebrate the JEWISH NEW YEAR.
There are four stamps in the series all depicting agricultural products

To continue with the stamps featuring grain and photos from Lasithi plateau, Crete, Greece in 1966 the last photo I have shows sheaves of grain waiting to be processed. Lasithi is famous for its white sailed windmills. People are usually disappointed as they expect to see thousands more windmills but you can see quite a few in this photo.

Barley is mentioned in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
number 62, October 2010 in
AIN KASSIMOU:
A MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN IN MARRAKECH by Ida Tonini

[Hilary]

Aristolochia littoralis    PATITO

The eighth stamp issued in the flower series by Argentina in 1983.
You can read some interesting information about this plant here

http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/19880http://florawww.eeb.uconn.edu/198800141.html0141.html

I didn’t expect to find a reference to this plant in
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN but there you are, life is full of surprises.
Go to issue number 67, January 2012 and read
THE 2011 AGM – THE MAIN PROGRAMME IN MALLORCA
 by Valerie Whittington

[Alisdair]

Hilary, Here's an Aristolochia littoralis that we saw on Mallorca, on one of the excursions that Sally Beale organised for the MGS AGM meeting that was held there a few years ago (and for this October she's organised another programme for about 50 of us there, before the main meeting in Alicante on the mainland - a glutton for punishment!)

[Hilary]

Wonderful, Quite breathtaking.

I am hoping that when I post a stamp depicting Caesalpinia pulcherrima and another featuring metrosideros fulgens someone will jump in just a quickly with good photos .
OK for the stamp of the  New Zealand tree i will accept metrosideros excelsa , especially as I will be posting it during the Christmas holidays ,συν θεώ

[Hilary]

Anagallis arvensis, scarlet Pimpernel

The last stamp of the four stamp series named WILD FLOWERS issued in 1972 by
THE BAILIWICK OF GUERNSEY.

This time I have a photo, taken somewhere in Sparta, to add to this post.

Anagallis arvensis is mentioned BY John Joynes as growing in his garden in Cyprus.
Read all about it in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 22, October 2000
REDISCOVERING NATURE

[Alisdair]

The little aberrant one with just the four petals looks every bit as brave as his six-petalled friends!

[Hilary]

I did wonder about that four petaled one

[Hilary]

Aglais urticae   and Buddleja davidii, Small tortoiseshell and Butterfly – bush

A stamp issued by Alderney in the Bailiwick of Guernsey in 1997. There are three stamps in the series.

 I don’t seem to have a photo of either the butterfly or the Buddleja.
 I do have a photo of Buddleja madagascariensis which we planted down in the back yard several years ago. It has twice been cut down by someone who apparently doesn’t like it very much but it grows back, even more strongly I would say

Both the butterfly and the Buddleja bush are mentioned in
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 64, April 2011
DON’T LET THEM FLUTTER BY:
ENCOURAGE, BUTTERFLIES INTO YOUR GARDEN by Joanna Millar

[John J]

Our 2 Buddleja davidii bushes are in flower now, Hilary. Our B. madagascariensis isn't but have you tried smelling its flowers?

[Hilary]

Yes the Buddleja madagascariensis has a heady scent which reaches  the third floor

[John J]

Personally I find it a rather unpleasant smell.

[David Dickinson]

Before I bought my  B. madagascariensis I had read that it had an unpleasant smell but went ahead with the purchase because I wanted some winter colour. I haven't been disappointed with the colour and although the perfume is not a sweet smell it is not as bad as I was led to believe. Even when I had it on my balcony in the old house very close to the kitchen door. It has been through periods of intense summer heat and the -7°C of this last winter and is still growing strongly in a large pot. If in doubt, give it a try would be my advice. The leaves are a nice colour too - soft green on top and white underneath.

[Hilary]

Thevetia peruviana, sometimes called Yellow Oleander

This stamp was issued by Vietnam in 1977 in an eight stamp series named
WILD FLOWERS.

Apparently, as with, Oleander it is very poisonous. 

Thevetia peruviana is mentioned several times in THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN
I have chosen issue number 30, October 2002 for you to read today
SPAROZA IN SUMMER by Caroline Harbouri

[Hilary]

Gossypium , Cotton

A stamp issued by the USSR  in 1964 in a series named  AGRICULTURAL CROPS.

When we visited the Royal Botanical Gardens in Madrid this spring we looked at the area growing commercial crops. I wish I had taken a photo of the notice saying
 DO NOT EAT THE PLANTS
Here is a photo of the information board about Gossypium and another photo of a rather bedraggled cotton boll.

Cotton is mentioned in three issues of THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN and since this must be the fourth stamp I have featuring cotton I have run out of articles for you to read
To can always go back to number 6
THE COTTON SPINY BOLLWORN BY Richard Dight
number 28
MORE REFLECTIONS FROM APHRODITE’S ISLE by John Joynes
And number  76
SOME MEDITERRANEAN GARDENS ON THE BLACK SEA
by David J. Bracey and re read the articles.