Europe, Flowers

The Tiny Flowers of South East Iceland

We spent 36 hours in Iceland on our way to Canada, so we only had time to visit the Saga valley area in South East Iceland.  This area was mainly lava fields,  some of which are very new from the eruption of Mt. Hekla in 2000.  The wind whistles over this area and there are no trees or shrubs.  The tiny flowers shown below are generally growing straight into the gravel, lava rocks and are generally only one inch high. I have added names to the plants, but if I have got it wrong please let me know, as I was sure about a couple of them.

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Moss Campion – Silene uniflora
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Moss Campion growing high up above the crater called inappropriately “Ugly Pond”
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Sea Thrift – Almeria maritime – I was not surprised to find this growing in such an inhospitable place as it grows in the cliffs near our home in North Devon
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Sea Campion – Silene uniflora
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I think this is a type of Bilberry, but it is tiny, the flowers are only about 5mm
Mountain Avens - Dryas octopetala
Mountain Avens – Dryas octopetala
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The lava fields in some places were covered in mosses and lichens
An import from Scandinavia these Nootka Lupins have spread all over the island as shown below
An import from Scandinavia these Nootka Lupins have spread all over the island as shown below
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