WHITE MUSTARD (Sinapis alba) Very common Cyprus native. Flowers February-June, attracting large numbers of bees and other insect pollinators. Major coloniser of waste ground. Produces prolific number of seeds, which can remain in the ground for years before germinating. Seeds used in makling mustard, mayonnaise and pickles.

BERMUDA BUTTERCUP (Oxalis pes-caprae) Flowers November-May. Very abundant. Non native introduced from South Africa. Spread by rhyzomes leading the pant to grow in large clusters. Produces seeds identical to parent plant, leading to speedy colonisation of new ground. An indicator of copper in the soil. Absorbs pollutants and improvew air quality. Contains oxalic acid which is tasty. Used against skin infections and rheumatism. As a cosmetic used as a skin care lotion. Mildly toxic.

POPPY ANENOME (Anemone coronaria var rosa) Very common. Deep rooted, flowers first appears in December flowering to June. Flowers sensitive to light, closing with the dusk. Long flowering with many blooms. Pollinator magnet. Mildly toxic to humans, toxic to dogs and cats.

CROCUS LEAVED ROMULEA (Romulea bulbocodium)/(Romulea tempskyana) Common native species, flowering January to March, spread by tubers spreading the plant across the ground. Tolerant to drought and the cold. Pollinator magnet.

MUTELS BROOMRAPE (Phelipanche mutelii) Grows around trees. Parasitic. As they cannot produce chlorphyl, they must leech nutrients from neighbouring plants. Produces huge number of seeds that can survive in the ground for up to 20 years.

COMMON ASPHODEL (Asphodelus aestivus) Very common native species. Flowers emerge January-June. Sweet scented.. grows in hot and cold conditions.Tolerates poor soil. Atrracts inect pollinators producing prolific number of seeds to quaranteee regeneration. Roots absorb contaminants cleaning water table. Absorbs ultra violet light used in sunscreen products. Root extracts used to treat dermatitis, tubers to treat syomach disorders. Used also in cosmetics and making glue for cobblers. toxic

NAKED MANS ORCHID (Orchis italica x simia) Reproduce by new plants growing from the tuber of older plants. Tend to be grouped close together. Flowers March-April. Drought resistant and tolerant of poor soil.Tubers rich in mucilage and starch. Helps with stomach problems and diarrhoea.

BUG ORCHID (Orchis coriophora) Flowers March-May. Cyprus native. Fragrant. Pollinator magnet. Adaptable to poor soil.

BARBURY NUT IRIS (Gynandriris sisyrinchium) flowers Feb-April. Common native. Flowers open late morning and close as the sun sets. Grow from bulbs and so spread in clusters. Rhyzome used in perfumery and herbal cosmetics.

LITTLE BUR CLOVER (Medicago minima) flowers May-July. Native to Mediterranean. Insect pollinated. Drought resistant and Fruit a spinal shaped bur that attach to animals fir and carried away to fall and regenerate elsewhere. Has a symbiotisc relationship with rhizobia which attach to plants roots helping it fix nitrogen from the atmosphere and returning it to the soil improving fertility.. Seeds edible in salads. As a medicine itis used to treat respitory problems.

BLUE PIMPERNEL (Anagalis arvensis var.caerulea) Native cypriot plant. Flowers Feb -October. Adaptable to poor soil. Pollinator magnet. Poisonous. Very common, preferring lime rich soil. Appears in autumn, after first rains and flowers March to June withering as the ground dries out. Flowers open and close with the sun and clouds. Reproduces with seeds, which are toxic, producing as many as 1000 seeds in a season. Seeds used to lower blood pressure, adrenalin levels and slow heartbeat.

RED VETCHLING (Lathyrus cicera)) Cyprus native.Tolerant of drought , heat and poor soil. Flowers April-June.with flowers in bloom for up to 120 days. Mainly self pollinating, but also insect pollinated, increasing diversity. Flowers develop 50 days after seed germination with pods develop 30 days later. Pods explode dispersing up to 400 seeds away from the plant, spreading the colony. Has a symbiotic reletionship with underground rhyzomes, feeding atmospheric nitrogen which the rhyzome converts to amonia, providing the vetchling with nutrients, helping it to florish in poor conditions. Although seeds traditionally used as an additive to bread, the plant can cause mild paralysis if eaten in large quantities.

CROWN DAISY (Chrysanthemum coronarium) Flowers end Feb-early June. Very common native plant. Strongly aromatic. Stems can be eaten as vegetables. Rich in fragrant oil, olio tanaceti, containing camphor. Flower heads used to kill internal parasites. Oil good for the skin and counters rheumatism.