Monte Smith, 10th April 2023 (36°26'20.59"N 28°12'35.80"E)

The final day here and an afternoon flight home, so we have left visiting the Acropolis and Stadium till now. The ruins are a bit neglected and I am hoping that there will be orchids here. There are but not in any numbers despite covering a lot of the site, and just scanty Ophrys umbilicata and Serapsias orientalis.

Nymphaea, 10th April 2023 (36°26'35.77"N 28°12'44.93"E)

As we leave Monte Smith we spot a sign pointing to Nymphaea (Sanctuary Caves). These are not in our guide books so decide to have a look. Not much to see as they are locked and gated, but there are more Ophrys umbilicata and Anacamptis pyramidalis.

Conclusions

Mixed fortunes on Rhodes. I haven’t seen orchids in numbers that I would have liked. Where, if one went by experiences on Sicily or Crete, one should see orchids on a stretch of phrygana they where consoicuous only by their absence. I did see a good number of species, however, and managed to see the species on my must-see list, but all the same, a bit disappointed to have fallen short on numbers of Ophrys species. Still that does leave opportunities for the future.