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 After the first autumn rains, seeds that have been lying dormant through the heat of summer burst into life giving a green haze to hillsides and fields. This is also a time when autumn flowers put on their show. The brighter yellows can easily be discerned but the more delicate lilacs and whites blend with the surroundings with some blooms so fine that they can easily be over looked. These are just a few of the gems to look out for.
Small Pheasants eye narcissus (Narcissus serotinus) is a small bulbous perennial that can form clumps or even swathes in the right situation. The bright white, scented flowers may be just one, or up to five per slender stem. The overall height is around 15cm tall. This plant is quite widespread in the European Mediterranean region. They prefer sand or gravely light soils in dry habitats, stony hill slopes, including roadsides, rock pockets and uncultivated grassy fields. Their flowering time can be as early as September depending on when the autumn rains arrive and continue through to December.
Narcissus humilis (cavanillesii) is a bulbous perennial that can easily be overlooked if there are just a few individual flowers as they are very small. Occasionally they can form small groups, perhaps if protected between rocks. They can occur in grassy habitats and open woods, this plant is endemic to south west Spain.
Autumn Scilla (Scilla autumnalis) with lilac or rose coloured flowers these delicate perennial flowers are tiny jewels which hide in the grasses. They carry no leaves at flowering time and may only stand around 20cm tall. They can be seen in dry grassy and rocky places, open scrub, field and roadsides. They can begin flowering in September , continuing to November. Widespread in the Mediterranean region.
Autumn snowflake (Leucojum autumnale) a bulbous perennial reaching up to 20cm in height, terminating in these delightful nodding bells with a rose tinge to the stem. Their preferred habitat is stony hill slopes. The leaves appear at the end of the flowering season. Flowering from August to September.
Common Sternbergia (Sternbergia lutea) is a bulbous perennial that at first looks akin to a bright crocus. (The main difference to look out for is that it holds six not three stamens. Its preferred habitat is dry scrub, limestone rocky crevices and grassy slopes generally in hills and low mountains with a flowering time around August to November.
Autumn Mandrake (Mandragora autumnalis) initially a dark green clump of lush leaves may catch your eye as sometimes the flowers are tucked low into the plant. On other occasions the pale blue to pinkish flowers stand above the leaves in a showy display. This perennial plant often occurs on cultivated clay soils and fallow land as well as stony waste places and olive groves. Their flowering period is from September to December. The fruit is a bright orange or yellow egg shaped berry ripening in the following year.
Common Smilax (Smilax aspera) This scrambling evergreen climber can reach 15metres in height by using its tough, hook like, thorns to hang onto surrounding vegetation. The deep green, heart shaped leaves can be edged with further spines. In its favour are the delicate flowers that hang in clusters emitting a strong fragrance.
Autumn Buttercup (Ranunculus bullatus) this perennial can cover hillsides with its bright yellow, shiny flowers. The leaves form flat rosettes and the tall flowering stems hold solitary blooms. They can be seen in rocky and stony habitats, including olive groves, from October to March.
 Lesser Calamint (Calamintha nepeta)
This is a medium to tall perennial plant with erect stems that are branched. The flowers are small tubes set in whorls, they are pale pink or white with a few darker spots. The small leaves are aromatic. They occur in dry habitats such as hedgerows, fallow fields and rough grassland, primarily in the mountains. This widespread plant can flower from June to November.
Southern Colchicum (Colchicum lusitanicum) this cormous perennial has no leaves at flowering time, they appear later. The flowers which stand just above soil level, are pale to mid pink , crocus like, with a faint chequered pattern on the outside. Their favoured habitat is in dry open fields and limestone rocky areas seen in flower from September to early November.
Biarum dispar this odd looking tuberous perennial is easily missed as it is a very simple chocolate spathe projecting from the ground with a similarly dark spadix, the leaves are wavy and green but often not visible at the time of flowering. They can occur in rocky places, scrub, garrigue and olive groves from July to November.
Friar’s Cowl (Arisarum simorrhinum)
This is a short perennial whose flowers are easily hidden amongst its leaves and grasses. The unusual flowers are chocolate brown and white with a curved or hooded top covering a spadix that ends in a thickened, rounded end just at the lip. The leaves are oval to heart shaped, lying close to the ground. They can be found in rocky habitats, scrub and grassland, flowering from October to May.
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