We continued to work our way through all of the records for Papyrus in Israel, outside of the Hula Valley, in search of the prize - new genetic material.
North of the main 87 highway, camping territory
Lake Kinneret is primarily fed by the River Jordan and its tributaries. The day before yesterday we searched in the marshes which fringe its northern edge. Today we went northwards along the Jordan, from a similar starting point just to the north of yesterday’s searches, which meant across the main 87 Highway. Part of this area is another nature reserve (Beit Tsaida Zachi Reserve), here the Jordan branches and anastomoses so several small channels may potentially hold suitable habitat, It is a very popular area with Israeli tourists, who frequently drove their camping equipment deep into the Nature Reserve.
Camping near Beit Tsaida Zachi Reserve on the River Jordan, note the bare banks of the River, probably the result of wear from many visitors.
This area was searched at length, as it is a complex of small channels and thick reed beds. But Papyrus could not be found and it is assumed no longer grows here. None of the channels was deep or ample enough, seemingly, to still support Papyrus. Furthermore, we were on the same sandy/grit soil as the shoreline of Lake Kinneret, not generally conditions Papyrus is associated with. Much of the area was thick with Vitex agnus-castus L., the Chaste Tree, even in dry looking areas, suggesting there was water underground.
Vitex agnus-castus L., as seen growing prolifically in Beit Tsaida Zachi Reserve
By Sten Porse - Own photo, taken near Pont-du-Gard, Provence., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=111195
The Jordan, approximately 12km North of Lake Kinneret
Lake Kinneret is primarily fed by the River Jordan and its tributaries. Yesterday we searched in the marshes which fringe its northern edge. Today we went northwards along the Jordan, from a similar starting point just to the north of yesterday’s searches, which meant across the main 87 Highway. Part of this area is another nature reserve (Beit Tsaida Zachi Reserve), here the Jordan branches and anastomoses so several small channels may potentially hold suitable habitat. It is a very popular area with Israeli tourists, who frequently drove their camping equipment deep into the Nature Reserve.
This is an area prone to flooding in the Winter, since the Jordan is joined here by a major tributary. The area was boulder strewn, but the River level was low and no suitable habitat for Papyrus seemed to be present anymore, like so many other places, just not enough bulk of standing or slow flowing water for Papyrus to be sustainable in this area.
Boulders piled up near an old site for Papyrus, seen in the early evening light. At this time of year the water levels here appear too low to support Papyrus. These rocks support a population of the widespread Rock Hyrax (Procavia capensis), considered a pest in this area because they may carry the Leishmaniasis disease.
Some useful work was done, nevertheless, collecting an Ecballium which nestled down among the rocks in full, spiky fruit (cf. Ecballium elaterium (L.) A.Rich., rare in this part of Israel, for accession to the Israeli seed bank, my knowledgeable collaborator is a major contributor to this seed bank.
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