Jordan examines Camelina anomala for the first time. This is a very rare species of Camelina that was last collected over one hundred years ago!

C. anomala is unique among Camelina species in that it has elongated fruit pods. This trait is could potentially increase seed yields since fruits are larger, but unfortunately our efforts to collect this species from the regions where it was originally documented have thus far been fruitless. We got to see this type specimen at the Berlin Herbarium.

Another rare Camelina collection was found at the Berlin Herbarium. Camelina stiefelhagenii is an interesting plant with an even more interesting story. It was collected in a garbage dump in Dresden during 1938. The specimen came with many hand written letters and postcards detailing Stiefelhagen's findings.

The Berlin Botanical Gardens was a treat! Exhibits were based on geographies, even the Caucasus region was represented in the gardens. We found numerous Brassicaceae species dotted throughout these recreated landscapes.

Remnants of the Berlin wall with the dead-zone separating East and West Berlin.

In the center of Batumi is a statue to Medea from the famous Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts. Medea is holding the golden fleece. Jason is believed to have been from the region where Batumi now stands.

The Batumi Botanical Garden's park map detailing the many different geographies and regions represented.

A view from the Batumi Botanical Gardens overlooking the Black Sea.

Cleome is a common decorative garden plant belonging to the family Cleomaceae. This family is sister to Brassicaceae.

The main administrative building of the Botanical Garden. The house once belonged to a wealthy local businessman, but was seized by the Soviets following the revolution. Around 1914, the time the Garden was being erected, the government gave the building to be used by the Garden.

Dr. Davit Kharazishvili, Mark, and Jordan pose for a picture in the Garden.

Mark walks across an astonishing living bridge (Liriodendron tulipifera). The original tree fell during a wind storm, but was left because it created a bridge across the small gorge. Later the tree sprouted new shoots. Today it is one of the main attractions for visitors to the Garden.

The Botanical Institute in Tbilisi. New herbarium and administrative building is at the entrance to the Tbilisi Botanical Garden. Many thanks to Dr. Shalva (Nukri) Sikharulidze. 

Jordan gets a view of Tbilisi from the castle on the hillse

First day of collections outside Tbilisi. There were five of us packed into that Lada, Niva (4x4). 

At the end of the collection day we stopped at the old capitol city of Mtskheta and toured the church.

Evan proves once again that he is the most stylish of the group by adorning his noggin with some traditional mountain headwear. 

In Gori, Stalin's hometown, Mark has a photo-op with the Soviet Premier. 

Inside Stalin's childhood one-room home.

Jordan presses specimens collected in the dry mountains outside Borjomi.

A hawk waits in the high alpine fields surrounding Lake Tabatskuri.

Evan demonstrates his search technique for Camelina. 

Lake Tabatskuri.

Jordan, Mark, George Tedoradze (our botanist guide & driver), and Evan pose at the lake.

Mark storms a castle along the Mtkvari (Kura) River and loots it of it's Camelina treasure.

Storks roosting along the roadside in rural Georgia.

The guys discuss fruit size and other characters of a collection that might be C. sativa.

On the final day of collections George, Mark, Jordan, and Evan tour one of the monasteries of David Gareja. 

Camelina growing at the monastery site.

Evan climbed the hill behind the monastery to capture this view of the complex and the surrounding area.

Our last excursion in Tbilisi was a trip up the hillside in the funicular. 

We ran into the WWF as they prepared to release a 16 month old bear cub back into the wild.  Can bears climb apple trees?

The gang comes across the remains of an ancient hotel.  Unfortunately there were no vacancies.

Evan, always the fisherman - even when eating the fish. 

Jordan and Evan strike poses in front of lake Sevan.  Meanwhile, Mark is busy actually looking for Camelina (not pictured).

Jacko and Alma guard the Sevan Botanical Gardens guesthouse.

A power outage in Sisian warnt gon' stop Evan from 'a' learning about the Adventures of Huck Finn.

Some road damage on the pass to Sevan Lake. 

Jordan takes a sip from one of the natural mineral springs in the mountains near Yeghegnadzor.

We share some quality time with the locals picnicking near the spring.

Holdover from the Soviet days - ice cream! It was delicious.

No trip would be complete without a little car trouble... fortunately our driver was also a skilled mechanic. 

We pose with our collaborators and the trusty Mercedes van at our last collection site along Sevan Lake. Thank you Dr. George Fayvush, Alla, Rapsime, and our skilled driver for making our trip so successful!

The fruits of our labor - a full plant press.

Cryptic Camelina.

Evan's jam.

Little Ararat (left), Ararat (right).

The church on site at Khor Virap. 

The stairs into Grigori's pit! 

Parked under an apricot tree.

Jordan's jam.

Above: Standing next to our train after arrival in Yerevan. Below: Evan and Mark relax in a 2nd class compartment. 

Jordan, Alla, Karine, and Evan pose in front of the liana display in one of the glasshouses at the botanical garden.

The team boarded a ferry from Çanakkale to the European side of Turkey to begin collections on the way to Istanbul. On the boat Jordan made some fast friends with a Turkish high school students. 

At the last stop in the field, Evan, Ali and Jordan pose with our trusty Dacia rental car.  Tuesday we leave for Armenia. Ali Dönmez was our constant companion along the trip through Turkey and the work could not have been done without his help. Thank you Ali! 

Evan walks along the shoreline in Çanakkale. We ate fish for dinner, a welcome break from chicken shish and red meat!