Everybody that has been on a walk with me will have witnessed this moment.
The moment I drop to the ground, making excited noises. Because yes, I’ve spotted yet another ‘cool plant’.
From the limestone cliffs of El Chorro, to the pine forests and matorral scrublands of Sierra Negra. Here are ten finds from my February trip to the Málaga Province.
1. Winter IrisIris planifoliais an early flowering species that seems quite content to grow from tracksides, roadsides and spoil heaps alike. Escalera Árabe SL-A 207, El Chorro. 11.02.26.2. White-hoop Petticoat Narcissus cantabricus. A north African and Iberian daffodil relative. This population was growing from a boulder along the SL-A 207 Escaleras Árabes, El Chorro. 11.02.26.3. Gagea lacaitae is a widespread Mediterranean species, related to the Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem. It was locally frequent along the rides through the pinewoods at Sierra Negra, Coín. 13.02.26.4. Andalucian Pipe vine Aristolochia baetica scrambling through Small-flowered Gorse and Rosemary in the pinewoods of Sierra Negra, Coin. 13.02.26.5. Sombre Bee-orchid Ophrys fusca we came across this species in two places. The first, on the verge of the MA-5403. The second, along the forest track way of the Sierra Negra pinewoods. 13.02.26. 6. Grey-leaved Cistus Cistus albidus is a core constituent of the pinewoods of the Málaga province. Its grey-green, tomentose foliage carpets the forest floor in some areas. Sierra Negra, 13.02.26.7. Arisarum simorrhinum – This member of the Arum family was scattered throughout the pinewoods and waysides. We thought the leaves looked like small Arum maculatum, but later saw this cryptic flower. Matagallar, Coín 13.02.26.8. Fan-lipped Orchid Anacamptis collina was the plant that evoked the drop to the floor, camera in hand. We saw only two of these flowering, in grassy clearings between Small-flowered Gorse scrub. Matagallar, Coín 13.02.26.Foreground: The ‘Matagallar’ matorral scrubland supported many of the species above including Anacamptis collina, Ulex parviflorus, Arisarum simorrhinum, Romulea and Cistus albidus. Background: the Sierra de Mijas range.9. Branched Sand Crocus Romulea ramifloras.l. occupied a similar niche to that of Anacamptis collina, between scrub on the Matagallar, Coín. 13.02.26.10. Yellow AnemoneAnemone palmata which we initially thought was a buttercup. Damper areas of the Matagallar, Coín. 13.02.26.
For more photos from my recent trip, see ‘This Week in Photos’ (link to be added).
About
These photos were taken between the 10th to the 14th of February, 2026. Whilst staying at Prolongacion Calle Los Olivos, Coín.
Tom the Botanist 
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