The rare Canary Island juniper is found in high mountain areas of the Canary Islands and Madeira; it is also cultivated in lowland areas. As a wild plant it can be a gnarled shrub; cultivated it makes an attractive small tree.
Kleinia neriifolia, La Palma. November 2004.
Formerly called Senecio neriifolia, this succulent is common in much of La Palma and known locally as verode. In drier periods of the year or during drought, it loses its leaves.
Lathyrus tingitanus, La Palma. March 2008.
The Tangier pea is a common roadside plant, with large, deep purplish-red flowers.
Lavandula canariensis subsp. palmensis, La Palma. March 2008.
The Canary lavender is common in xerophytic lower altitude areas, and flowers for most of the winter half of the year. Each of the Canary Islands has its own, slightly different subspecies.
Lobularia canariensis subsp. palmensis, La Palma. March 2008.
One of two subspecies of the Canary white alison on La Palma, the larger-growing, semi-shrubby subsp. palmensis is usually found in pine or laurel forest.
Lotus pyranthus, La Palma. March 2008.
The slightly less rare of the two endangered endemic bird's-foot trefoil species on La Palma, L. pyranthus is confined to just 7 wild individuals at three sites in the NE of the island, with the main colony at around 1400m near Marcos y Cordero in Los Sauces. These tiny populations produce few seeds, and predation by introduced rabbits, goats and moufflon is a serious problem. It does reasonably well in cultivation, although hybridization with the frequently cultivated Tenerifean L. berthelotii is a danger. Further plants have been introduced to the main site, in an attempt to boost the viability of the population. Flowering time is spring. The flourishing plants in the photograph are in cultivation at the El Paso Visitor's Centre.
Marcetella moquiniana, La Palma. November 2004.
This giant Sanguisorba-relative is surprisingly rare in La Palma, despite availability of suitable habitat, and it is perhaps not native here. It is native to Gomera, Gran Canaria and Tenerife and is also cultivated on these islands.
Myosotis latifolia, La Palma. March 2008.
The woodland forget-me-not is common around the margins of the laurel forest.
Olea europaea subsp. guanchica, La Palma. November 2004
The Canary island subspecies of the wild olive is an attractive shrub or small tree; it was formerly lumped with the plants on Madeira, but the latter are now separated as subsp. cerasiformis. Superficially like a cultivated olive tree, the leaves are narrower and greener, the growth much less gnarled, and the fruit smaller and pendulous on long stems. In Gomera it is mostly confined to inaccessible cliffs, but it is comparatively widespread on La Palma in more level habitats - it would appear that it is vulnerable to destruction by grazing goats.
Pericallis papyracea subsp. papyracea, La Palma. March 2008.
Widespread and often very abundant over much of La Palma, often conspicuous on grassy roadsides. The species is endemic to the island.
Pericallis papyracea, La Palma, November 2004.
Plocama pendula, La Palma. March 2008.
An attractive pendulous shrub, in the family Rubiaceae, with pale greenish-cream flowers near the tips of the branches. Not as common in La Palma as in some of the other Canary Is.
Scilla latifolia, La Palma. November 2004.
The broad-leaved squill is endemic to the Canary Is, Salvage Is and Morocco. It has broad, often red-edged leaves and spikes of blue flowers in the winter, followed by orange berries. It is usually grows on lava. Behind the Scilla in the photo are the columnar stems of Ceropegia hians.
Trichomanes speciosum, La Palma. March 2008.
The sporophyte form of the Killarney fern is confined - in the Canary Is. - to laurel forest areas of low light and high humidity, almost always near streams, and its thin leaves cannot survive exposure to the sun or wind.
Woodwardia radicans, La Palma. March 2008.
The huge chain fern is another species of high humidity laurel forest, often growing on cliffs and high banks, above water, with its 2-3m fronds hanging down. Mature leaves produce a small, golden-brown plantlet underneath the tip.
Lance Chilton and Marengo 2010
Marengo, 17 Bernard Crescent, Hunstanton PE36 6ER, England
