THE DOLOMITES of north-eastern Italy are deservedly famous as a tourist destination. The scenery is magnificent, as beautiful as anywhere in the world, added to which are the hospitality, food, and wine, each reason enough to tempt visitors. However,it is the alpine flora that draws the naturalist for the limestone rocks are rich in endemics, and many are spectacular plants. Accompanied by Harold Koo-powitz and Steve Hampson, my wife, Marianne, and I based ourselves in two centers for a ten-day holiday. Although picked with a prayer and a pin, our choices proved ideal. We flew to Verona, the city of Romeo and Juliet, and picked up our rental car, a large Jeep Commander (unwieldy for narrow European roads but with scarcely enough room for the four of us and our luggage!) and headed north up the through the vineyards of the Trento valley.
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