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Hiking in Palekastro area with view to Kastri hill and to Kouremenos bay

The small plateau south of Palekastro and the pictursque chapel in the midst

Sunrise in Karoumes bay, exceptional beach between Palekastro and Kato Zakros

Windsurfing in Kouremenos Bay

The bay of Kato Zakros and the Deads Gorge in the background

Palm Beach Vai, 7km north of Palekastro village

Xerokambos Beach, 10km south from  Zakros

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The Endemic Plants of Sitia - Itanos

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Endemic Plants in ItanosThe Endemic Plants of Sitia - Itanos region

The Cretan endemic plants in the region of Sitia usually grow in high altitudes, in gorges and isolated areas. Some of these plants are extremely rare or in danger of extinction. Most of the endemic plants grow in rock cracks and steep cliffs, where humans and animals cannot reach them.

Campanula (Campanula tubulosa)

Its shoot is median, fuzzy, with medium and basal oblongovate leafs and dichotomous stem. The calyx lobes are twice the size of the ovary, and it has tubelike corolla of blue-violet color. It blooms in April-May and grows on rocks and gorges in high and low altitudes.

Kyklamino (Cyclamen creticum)

It is the only endemic cyclamen species in Crete. It has tuber at its root, and the leafs are long-petioled, more or less cordate at base. Its white (and sometimes rosy) flowers bloom in March-April. It grows on montane and sub-montane zones, in shady locations.

Petromarula (Petromarula pinata)

A biennial plant with a rosette of pinnatelylobed or pinnate leafs, up to 30cm. High and hairless stems, up to 80cm. Flowers blue that bloom from April to May. It grows on rocks and gorges from sealevel to the montane zone.

Agriogarufalo (Dianthus juniperinus)

It is a species that has many varieties, all endemic in Crete. A woody perennial shrub, closely packed at the base, with many short non-flowering stems. Flowering stems up to 20cm high with 2-3 flowers. Pale pink or pink dentate petals 4-8mm and 4-8 epicalyx scales. It grows on rocks in altitudes of 200-1500 meters.

Matzourana (Origanum mirophyllum)

It is an endemic plant of Crete and grows on rocky areas, usually in an altitude of 100 to 1800 meters. It has pubescent or hairy leafs, slender quandrangular reddish stems, and purple corolla. It is boiled in water and used as hot medicinal drink. In eastern Crete it is also known by the name "Antonaida". 

The Cretan Ebenus, arhontoksulo (Ebenus cretica)

Small endemic shrub of Crete that grows all over the island, on dry, rocky slopes of hills and gorges in the montane and lowland zones. It has impressive reddish flowers in dense hairy racemes that bloom in April.

Read 7322 times Last modified on Saturday, 11 May 2013 15:12

3 comments

  • Comment Link Sitia frient Friday, 15 August 2014 00:15 posted by Sitia frient

    Sitia Nature Park

    The history of this land has been flowing for thousands of years alongside the history of its people. And although the time of humans usually leaves gaps and unexplored points, the time of the land in Sitia has recorded its marks in every nook and cranny: on the rocks, in the ravines, in the caves and in its unique gorges.

    The courses of humans and land here, in eastern Crete, intertwine and complement each other. The marks of humans are revealed in the rich archaeological finds and in the present day, still unadulterated, life of its residents. The land is revealed in each of the hundreds of points of geological interest of the area.

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  • Comment Link Ganod Friday, 15 August 2014 00:11 posted by Ganod

    Την Τετάρτη 5/3/2014 πραγματοποιήθηκε στο Δήμο Σητείας κατόπιν σχετικής πρόσκλησης του Δήμου, συνάντηση των θεσμικά εμπλεκόμενων φορέων, του Δήμου Σητείας, του ΔΟΚΑΣ, του ΟΑΣ, του Ιδρύματος Παναγία Ακρωτηριανή, του Συλλόγου Ξενοδόχων Σητείας και του Μουσείου Φυσικής Ιστορίας του Πανεπιστήμιο Κρήτης, με στόχο την προώθηση της δημιουργίας του Γεωπάρκου Σητείας.

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  • Comment Link Γιάννης Thursday, 14 August 2014 23:55 posted by Γιάννης

    Φυσικό Πάρκο Σητείας

    Η ιστορία αυτής της γης κυλά για χιλιάδες χρόνια παράλληλα με την ιστορία των ανθρώπων της.

    Και αν συνήθως ο χρόνος των ανθρώπων αφήνει κενά και ανεξερεύνητα σημεία, ο χρόνος της γης στην Σητεία έχει καταγράψει τα σημάδια του μέχρι την τελευταία λεπτομέρεια πάνω της. Πάνω στην πέτρα, μέσα στις χαράδρες, στα σπήλαια και στα μοναδικά της φαράγγια.

    Οι πορείες του ανθρώπου και της γης εδώ στην ανατολική Κρήτη συμπλέκονται και αλληλοσυμπληρώνονται. Τα σημάδια των ανθρώπων αποκαλύπτονται στις πλούσιες αρχαιολογικές ανακαλύψεις αλλά και στη σημερινή, ανόθευτη ακόμα, ζωή των κατοίκων. Η γη αποκαλύπτεται σε κάθε ένα από τα εκατοντάδες σημεία γεωλογικού ενδιαφέροντος της περιοχής.

    Αυτή την παράλληλη διαδρομή με τα σημεία των ανθρώπων και τα σημεία της γης, τα «γεωσημεία» μπορεί να ανακαλύψει ο σημερινός επισκέπτης του Φυσικού Πάρκου Σητείας.
    Πηγή: http://www.sitia-geopark.gr/

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