Читать книгу Trekking in the Apennines. The Grande Escursione Appenninica онлайн

22 страница из 33

Bare twigs of mezereon or daphne burst into strongly scented flower in spring, though these morph into bright red poisonous berries at a later stage. Damp marshy zones often feature fluffy cotton grass alongside pretty butterwort, its Latin name pinguicula a derivation of ‘greasy, fatty’ due to the viscosity of its leaves which act as insect traps. Victims are digested over two days, unwittingly supplying the plant with the nitrogen and phosphorous essential for its growth, and which are hard to find in the boggy ambience where it takes root.

Oten, the way will be strewn with aromatic herbs – oregano, thyme and wild mint inadvertently crushed by boots scent the air deliciously with pure Mediterranean essences. Grasslands above the tree line are associated with a well-anchored carpet of woody shrubs, notably juniper and bilberry, which spreads to amazing extensions, to the delight of amateur pickers who use them for topping fruit tarts or flavouring grappa.

Chestnuts litter the ground in autumn