Monte Cecilia (Colli Euganei) April 2008

Colli Euganei (Euganean Hills) are located in the Veneto region of northern Italy, a few kilometers south of Padua.

The Euganei Hills are of volcanic origin; the first eructions of basaltic magma occurred during the Eocene period, when the area was submerged under the sea. Later, in the Oligocene period, eructions of more viscous rhyolites, trachytes, and latites created the typical volcanic cones.

Colli Euganei are characterized of a great number of plant species. This is due to the different origin and composition of the substrate and to the morphology. In particular, there is an endemic species which the scientific name is Haplophyllum patavinum, that grows on calcareous substrates, and we can find it on Monte Cecilia.

 Figure 1 and 2. Haplophyllum patavinum (family Rutaceae). May 2008.

On calcareous substrates we can find also a great number of species of the family Orchidaceae. In particular there is one species that it's similar to a monkey and for this reason it's called Orchis simia.

Figure 3. Orchis simia (family Orchidaceae).