FLORA OF THE REGION OF CROATIA

HPT - Croatian Post end Telecommunications issued two commemorative stamps bearing the motif of endemic plants of Croatia: Degenia of the Velebit (Degenia Velebitica) and Bluebell of the Biokovo (Edraianthus pumilio). Croatia is famous for its picturesque natural sights and scenic beauties. A number of endemic and relict plants are to be found in that crossroad of several vegetational regions. Some of them are rare remnants of very old flora, going as back as to the Tertial, and belong to the most interesting plants of Europe. The bellflower genus from the Biokovo is 1 - 3 centimetres (1/2 to 1 1/2 inches) low, occurs in the crevices on the mountain of Biokovo, exposed to the most violent blasts of the bora, to the hot sumer sun, to the heaviest draughts and extreme winter colds. In June or July this tiny bellflower flowers with big blue bell-shaped flowers bigger then the stem itself. The white flowers occur sometimes in this species. The bellflower of the Biokovo is highly decorative, it is native only to this Croatian mountain whose name it is bearing. It is the treasure of our vegetal world. Degenia of the Velebit is a modest, inconspicuous, extremely rare plant, created to become world-spread by the philatelic way of presentation and experiencing. It occurs only on Velebit, Croatia, on three highly limited spots. It was first discovered by botanists Degen July 17, 1902. Degenia is a survivor of flora almost erased by climatic and geologic changes. It survived on Velebit because this Croatian mountain had in the period of deglaciation different climate from the rest of European mountain chains. Degenia thrives on very sunny spots, supports well even the draughtness and extreme variations in temperature. The stems are 3 to 11 centimeters (1 to 4 inches) high. The rosete-like leaves are covered with silvery hairs, the yellow flowers have butfour petals in the shape of human nails. It flowers after the snow thaws, in its habitat it occurs in the last weeks of May or in the beginning of June. Stamps were printed in sheets of 25 pieces. HPT put on sale commemorative envelopes of the first day of issue (FDC) and a commemorative sheet of stamps.