WILD FLOWERS OF THE ALGARVE
SOUTHERN PORTUGAL

On the bare ground long stalked spikes of white flowers appear leafless straight out of the dry soil even before the autumn rains start. The secret of the marvelous sea squill (Urginea maritima) is a very large bulb. After the flower has bloomed a rosette of green leaves develops and persists through the winter and spring producing and storing food and moisture in the bulb so that the flower stalk can be produced the following late summer and autumn.

As soon as the first rains fall tiny autumn snowdrops raise two delicate flowers and a pair of narrow leaves out of the damp earth. They are often many produced after the area has been burnt in summer.

Scrambling rapidly along walls and over other bushes both male and female Smilax (Smilax aspera) plants grew, produce fresh leaves and flowered while their shining black berries mature.

This small bush (Astragalus lusitanicus) may start to bloom as early as December. It has elongated creamy white flowers which will develop into long (up to 7 cm) pendulous hairy grey pods. It is found on dry rocky hillsides and in pine wood in Spain, Portugal and North Africa.

A autumn orchid, widespread in the Meditarranean region and Portugal will raise its short slender spike of spirally arranged white flowers after its basal leaves have withered.