Following extensive research into Cyclamen creticum, with three expeditions in successive years to Crete and one to Karpathos, the Research and Exploration Sub-Committee decided that it would be logical to see if that species or C. repandum ssp. peloponnesiacum could be found on Kithira, the principle land mass between the Peloponnese and Crete.
The following extract from the Flora of Kithira by Dr Yiannitsaros was also a persuasive factor. "Between the flora of Kithira and the flora of the neighbouring Peloponnese and the island of Crete exists a close relation. So the flora of Kithira is a link between these two areas".
The team chosen was Melvyn Jope, Peter Moore and Hilary Temple. The timing of the trip was based on past experience in the Peloponnese as Kithira is just 15km south of the eastern peninsula of the Peloponnese.
On the day of our arrival in Athens (we flew by Olympic Airways on Friday and then caught the early morning domestic flight to Kithira on Saturday) we met George Handrinos and had further discussions regarding the sites on Kithira which he recommended visiting. He had already advised that Faraggi Kakis Langadas, the "Big Gorge", was very rich botanically, and that the smaller island of Antikithira would also be interesting, but advised against going there because of the uncertainty about getting back.
As soon as we arrived on Kithira and checked into our accommodation at Livadi we took a walk around the area to get better acquainted with the local flora. First impressions were the extraordinary numbers of orchids particularly Orchis italica and a very impressive Serapias sp. probably Serapias vomeracea. Our walk took us past the ruins of the English school and we very soon found C. hederifolium in large numbers, and a few C. graecum.
Feeling much encouraged, we decided to travel north to Agia Anastassia and found a site which looked very promising - all the right signs, the location, companion plants etc, but once again a large number of C. hederifolium and a few C. graecum, but no C. creticum or C. repandum. This exercise was repeated several times at Milopotamus (an ideal C. creticum site), the Big Gorge and Kato Livadi, all with the same result.
We were then introduced to Stavros Emmanuel, a biologist living in the town of Kythira Hora. He said that he thought he had seen C. creticum on the road to Moni Agias Elessis. After a diligent search nothing was found of this species, although C. graecum and the beautiful Tulipa goulimii were found in great numbers.
We were now reaching the conclusion that if any of the Cyclamen repandum group were present on the island, then we were unlikely to find them because we had alreadv visited the most likely locations. The two species growing on the island were very numerous. As might be expected C. graecum was found in the more exposed areas - near the airport for example, and by the coast at Kapsali. C. hederifolium favoured the more sheltered places, with deciduous trees and in many cases running water.
It was considered that the Society's resources would be better utilised by going to the Peloponnese, and continuing studies of C. repandum ssp. peloponnesiacum. On 18th April we took the ferry from Agia Pelagia to Githio and the following day studied the populations at Petrina and Spartia. Two very distinct plants which looked very like C. repandum ssp. rhodense were found in this area.
It now began to feel more like a Society Expedition with surveys being undertaken. rather than the frustration of days of fruitless searching. During this second phase further studies took place at Artemissia (between Sparta and Kalamata). Saïdona and between Karavouni and Milia. A single plant was also found by the road from Aeropoli to Githio thus extending the easterly and southerly range of the species beyond that surveyed on previous expeditions.
It is of course somewhat disappointing to spend considerable time and effort when the goal constantly eludes you, but we are now confident that unless they grow in isolated or inaccessible pockets the Cyclamen repandum group is not represented on Kithira. Stavros Emmanuel has promised to get in touch immediately if he ever finds them.