|
|
|
|
|
| Island
of Korcula Flora and Fauna |
<
back |
|
| |
 |
The island
of Korcula is classified, according to its size, as one of the
large Adriatic islands while in terms of its geographic location
it belongs to the group of southern Dalmatian islands. It is
surrounded by numerous small islands. As for vegetational and
bioclimatic aspects of the vegetation, the southern part of
the island cluster of Korcula lies in the stenomediterranean-coastal
belt. The vegetation is also partially in the epimediterranean
vegetational zone of the Mediterranean mountain vegetational
belt.
Korcula
is the most densely wooded of the bigger Croatian islands; 61%
of the total surface is under woodland. The rest of the surface
comprises cultivated fields under olives, vines and other agriculture,
and there is less than 5% of stony unusable land. The ship building
tradition and its dependence on woo, as well as the lack of
much cattle breeding, saved Korculas woodland. However, the
forests lost their importance for their owners, so that many
woodland paths are disappearing, together with other fire-brakes,
so that fire is today the greatest hazard for Korcula forest
lands.
The forests of Korcula consist mostly of Aleppo pine (pinus
halepensis), coastal pine (pinus maritimus), black pine (pinus
nigra), stone pine (pinus pinea), and the evergreen maritime
oak Cesvina (quercus ilex). Wild olive (olea oleaster fiori)
can also be found in the woods, as well as black ash (fraxinus
ornus), prickly juniper (juniperus oxycedrus) and others. Numerous
cypress trees (cypressus sempervirens) can be found near villages
and roads. quite a large part of the surface area is covered
by dwarf vegetation known as maquis. Maquis comprises bushes
of stunted coastal oak and juniper as well as arbutus (arbutus
unedo), myrtle (myrtus communis), European holly (phyllirea
latifolia), heath (erica arborea) and other species. Arbutus
(the strawberry tree) predominates in the maquis with its white
flowers and sweet brilliant red fruit. Trees and bushes of cultivated
bay (laurus nobilis) can be found near settlements and in courtyards.
Medicinal and aromatic plants have great value: sage, rosemary,
sweet marjoram, mint,. Many wild herbs such as Zutinica are
gathered, cooked and eaten dreesed with olive oil. Mulberry-trees
(white and black) were planted earlier for their valuable wood.
The avenue of lime-trees in Blato is well-known. In more recent
times, one notices in Korcula many decorative trees, bushes
and flowers such as palms, tamarisk, oleanders, agaves, cactuses,
Bougainvilleas and others.
Beetles and other insects, also lizards and birds contribute
to an exceptional richness of fauna. A particularly interesting
lizard is cephalopod with stunted legs, which is mistaken by
many with some of the snakes, but it is a timid lizard and useful
to man. Birds are noumerous and the visitor can much enjoy their
singing - and their flight over the dense woods and fertile
fields. Large owls live in the pine trees, and among birds of
prey there are hawks and falcons. The sea-gulls are an obligatory
part of the Korcula landscape, and large flights of migratory
birds arrive on the island during migration. Among mammals,
besides the mongoose, martens, weasels and rabbits, especially
interesting is jackal (cagalj), the last European animal of
that genus (canis aureus) to be extant. From the beginning of
the eighties, wild boars, have swum over to the Dalmatian islands
in ever bigger numbers. They are very unpleasant nuisances for
the peasants on the island who hunt them without regard to the
close season. Amoung working animals, the islanders use donkeys
and mules, and they also keep goats and a smaller number of
sheep for meat and milk. Every peasant household breeds a few
pigs. The sea around Korcula is rich in fish. One sights visitors
specially enjoy is an encounter with dolphins. In 1994, after
many years, the Mediterranean seal (monachus albiventer) has
been seen in the waters of Skoji. While in a boat one can often
see the flights of diving birds, and above the waves there are
sometimes flying fish.
|
| *
* * |
|
|
| |
 |
 |
 |
| |
|
| |
| Olive
Oil and Olive Tree |
|
| |
The Mediterranean
people have considered olive oil as sacred for thousands years.
The Old Egyptians believed that the goddess Isis transmitted the
knowledge of growing and usage of olives to the people. In the Greek
mythology the goddess Athens is mentioned as the one who conveyed
this holy plant to the people, after she won in the competition
among gods about who would introduce this most appreciated gift
to the people. The Bible mentions the olive tree and olive oil on
thousands of places, from usage of olive oil as fuel for lamps,
anointment, or as a mean of payment. The farmers of the eastern
coasts of the Mediterranean naturalized the wild olive tree around
the year 4000 B.C., and with the production of olive oil they started
two thousand years after that. The Fenitian trades transmitted the
olive growing to Greece and Spain, and the Greek brought it to the
Italian.
|
| |
| |
| Pinus
halepensis |
|
| |
|
The
pine tree (Pinus halepensis) is a distinctly Mediterranean variety.
It is spread out in North Africa and in Europe from southeast Spain
to the south of France, Italy and Croatia and to Greece, Israel
and Jordan. In Croatia it grows naturally on the Dalmatian islands
south of the town of Sibenik and along the coast south of the town
of Split. As already mentioned the pine tree is being planted in
crops, parks and set out in seedlings along the whole coastline
of Croatia. It is worth mentioning that a similar kind is the Pinus
brutia. Some scientists consider that the pinus brutia is only a
sort of the Pinus halepensis. These two sorts of pine are being
crossbred, but only when the Pinus brutia is taken from the female,
and the Pinus halepensis from the male parent. The crossbreeding
is taking over the characteristic of both parents, so that you never
be a hundred percent certain that the tree you are looking at is
a Pinus halepensis.
|
| |
| Cupressus
sempervirens L. |
|
| |
 |
The
cypress (Cupressus) has its Latin name from a young man who Apollo
turned into a cypress, and from his name originates the Greek word
Kyparissos. The common cypress is naturally spread out in North
Iran, Asia Minor, on the islands of Cyprus and Crete, where from
it spread out to the whole Mediterranean. In avarage it reachnes
a hight between 20 and 30 meters, but there are species that have
reached 52 meters high and over 3,20 diameters of its trunk. It
reaches an age of over 1000 years. The cypress grows along the whole
Adriatic coast; not onlyon the coastline, but far away in the inland,
but bigger groups naturally sprout up trees can be found only on
the island of Korcula and the peninsula Peljesac. The cypress has
been celebrated in verse by many poets of different nations and
all times, and it is the most beautiful ornament in front of old
village churches, where it creates beautiful sights and reaches
enormous dimensions. The cypress is a great ornament of many landscapes
of the island of Korcula. Beautiful species grow on the island of
Osjak, as well, where it together with the pine tree creates a magnificient
park-forest. Its pyramidal form creates a characteristic physiognomy
of that plant group and it fits perfectly in the ambience.
|
| |
| Viola
blu |
|
| |
 |
The
violet (Viola odorata or Viola blu) is a tiny plant that grows eyery
year in authentic parts of Europe, Asia and North America. It was
a Gods gift for the ancient Greek, and that is said in the legend,
as well. It was created by Zeus, the supreme God of all Greek Gods.
He fell in love with the beautiful nymph Io and to protect her from
the anger of his jelaous wife Hera, he turned her into a cow. He
ordered the nature (meadows) to grow a new flower that will feed
it. He gave her the name Ion, in her honor, and in Greek it means
violet. The Greek and the Romans discovered the madical worthiness
of the violet, and even the father of medicine Hippocrates glorified
its medical values, especially for the healing of headache, hangover
and breathing difficulties. The violet was Napoleon Bonaparte favorite
flower. He gave a bunch of violets to his wife Josephine as a gift
for her birthday over the years, and before leaving in confinement
to St. Helen, he picked some violets from her grave and carried
them in a medallion around his neck until his death.
|
| |
| Mentha
piperita L. |
|
| |
 |
Mint
has been used for many centuries. The name comes from the Greek
legend of the nymph Minthe, who attracted the attention of Hades.
Hades wife, the jealous Persephone, attacked Minthe and was in the
process of trampling her to death when Hades turned her into the
herb (and was ever sacred to him). A symbol of hospitality and wisdom,
the very smell of it reanimates the spirit, Pliny tells us. Ancient
Hebrews scattered mint on their synagogue floors so that each footstep
would raise its fragrance. Ancient Greeks and Romans rubbed tables
with mint before their guests arrive. The Romans brought mint and
mint sauce to Britain. The pilgrims brought mint to the United States
aboard the Mayflower. The Japanese have distilled peppermint oil
for several centuries and the oil is further treated to produce
menthol. The smell of mint is known to keep mice away and pennyroyal
is also regarded as an effective insecticidal against fleas and
aphids.Native to the Mediterranean, mint is now grown virtually
worldwide. Spearmint is a herbaceous perennial growing as high as
1m (3 ft) with gray-green leaves and tiered clusters of small blue
or purple flowers in spikes. Peppermint is a hybrid of spearmint
with spikes of mauve flowers and red tinged leaves. Pennyroyal is
a smaller plant with pink flowers. Mints thrive in cool and moist
places but will grow virtually anywhere. Propagate by division,
or transplant the underground runners. Mint can be very invasive
in a garden. To dry, hang sprigs in bunches in a warm airy place.
|
| |
| Mediterranean
Oak(Quercus ilex) |
|
| |
 |
The
Evergreen, Holm, or Holly Oak is a tree that puzzles many folk at
first sight, For it looks much like an enormous holly tree. A closer
view, however, will show that its leaves, though evergreen, leathery,
and dark in hue above, are white and hairy, not green and smooth,
beneath; they are never prickly, though sometimes their edges are
toothed; and the twigs are downy. The bark too differs, being black
on young trunks, and dark grey, shallowly patterned into small squares,
on older ones, whereas holly bark is always smooth and pale grey.
The dark brown acorns, of course, reveal the helm oaks true relationship.
They are borne in long, hard cups, and are themselves remarkably
long and narrow, tapering to a point; they ripen in their first
year. The flowers resemble those of the common oak, but the male
catkins are greenish-white and rather short-stalked.
The evergreen oak is a characteristic tree of the macchi, or evergreen
scrub of the Mediterranean countries, but it is quite hardy in the
south and west of Britain. Slow growing, and rather tricky to transplant,
it is used sometimes for ornament but mainly as a shelter tree;
it stands up very well to strong sea winds. Each leaf endures two
years, and there is a heavy fall of tough, brown, leathery leaves
in May and June. Seedlings occasionally spring up spontaneously.
The sapwood is white, and the heartwood dark brown, very hard, strong,
heavy and durable. The timber is valued in its homeland, but too
little grows here for it to be marketed.
Taken
from British Trees by Edlin.
|
| |
| Agaves
americana |
|
| |
|
Agaves
Americana belongs to the family of Agavaceae and in the Mediterranean
it established itself after it was brought from Mexico. The places
were they grow must be sunny and half-shady. The agaves must get
very old to become an 8 meters high flower pillar. Some say it takes
30 to 40 years, and some say it takes even 80 years. In any case,
after blooming the main plant dies but it leaves enough offspring
behind so that the cycle can repeat. Beside the kind of agaves with
clear green leaves, there are also the ones with cream-white or
yellow stripes or edges. The fat, fleshy leaves can grow even in
a flower-pot on the balcony up to one meter high.
|
| |
| Ophrys
Archipelagi |
|
| |
 |
Korcula
is an island that is situated in the Mediterranean climate area
and its characteristics are a relatively richness of different plants.
Among the different sorts of plants that were noticed on the island
of Korcula so far, it is especially worth mentioning a sort of plant
from the family of orchids ( Ophrys archipelagi). Vela Luka is mentioned
as «Iocus classicus», respectively the place where the
first example of the plant was found and used as a sample for the
first description of its kind. The sample is being kept in the Botanic
museum in Zurich. It is interesting to mention that the same sample
was only found, except on the island of Korcula, in Italy on the
peninsula Monte Gargano. At the end it should be emphasized that
this kind of plant is spread on a very restrained area. This endemic
example is visually very attractive and beautiful and it represents
for sure a special botanic value. This endemic example of an orchid
emphasizes Vela Luka as the place where it was first found and described
and the island of Korcula, beside other, as an island where the
nature is preserved and rich with rarities and special kinds of
life and that is of great value that should be pointed out but also
preserved.
|
| |
| Figs
(Fichus carica) |
|
| |
 |
Fichus carica
- there are many sorts of figs, and the best known fig got its name
after our sea - the Adriatic sort. This is a very old kind of fruit,
that, upon the bible, descendsfrom the Garden of Eden, where Adam
and Eve, apart from it that they used it probably for food, they
made of its leaves in a particular moment clothes for themselves.
The old Egyptians knew the fig as a distinctly nourishing plant,
and the antique Greek not only relished its fruit, but also carried
it on the first Olympic Games as a part of the trophy for their
merit. As nourishment, the fig is a special fruit that is apart
from it known for its medical features. Dry figs are rich source
of different minerals, especially calcium (even 144mg in 100 grams)
and phosphor, magnesium, mange, copper and iron. Apart from being
rich with calcium and phosphor and the reciprocally proportion of
this two minerals is ideal for the absorption of the mentioned minerals,
so that dry figs are an excellent natural food that builds up and
keeps the strength of the bones. Figs also contain a proportional
ingredient of vitamins, and, thanks to its basic contain - carbohydrates,
fibers, etc. figs are also very caloric. It is no wonder that in
ancient times dry figs were used as a great part of the meals of
the army of that time. There are also identified different kinds
of photochemical in figs - polyphones, coumarone, bhensaldyhids,
that have shown a particular activity against cancer cells, so that
the fig is considered to be a good fruit with features that prevent
cancer.
|
| |
| Caper |
|
| |
The Caper is
a tropic and subtropical plant that grows in all hot parts of the
world and it grows on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, as well.
In our parts it grows in hidden and hot places and mostly it is
wild growth on walls, cliffs and rocks, in stone, on all island
and small islands of the middle and southern parts of the Adriatic
coast. The flower buds (berries) made in vinegar is very popular
as a vegetable or spice used in all cuisines. In ordinary earth
it gives less tasty buds of poorer quality, and it does not grow
at all in humid and colder countries. The stone-graveled land with
chalky earth is the most suitable for caper growth.
|
| |
|
|
For more information
and details, please, do not hesitate to contact
us.
|
| |
|
| <
back |
|
|
