Sideritis syriaca - "Cretan mountain tea"  - 9th July 2006

Sideritis syriaca - called malotira by the Cretans - is the main component of the Cretan mountain tea. It grows in the mountains from June to August where it forms dense clumps of intensely white wooly leaves from which arise stems bearing pale yellow flowers. In this picture I was more interested in capturing the "wooliness" of the buds instead of the whole mature flower.

You can click on the picture to enlarge.