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Town: ROCCA PRIORA
Each Year from April to May the cajano's meadowlands are covered with narcissi's
white flowers and the town of Rocca Priora organizes for the
second Sunday of May, the narcissus' feast. The town's streets
are decorated with these elegant and sweet-scented flowers.
The ancient Greeks said that this flower had drowsy properties,
and its name come from the Greek verb “narcao”,
a verb meaning: to drowse, and the same origin has also the
word “narcosis”. The narcissus' feast was celebrated
also in the past, and probably it originated from the May's
ferias celebrated in honour of Jupiter.
Area's Natural Characteristics
The narcissus belongs to the perpetual herbaceous species with
a bulb under the soil. Its five/eight-millimetre-large leaves
are linear, ribbon-like. Each plant produces two or at least
three flowers; these are white and headed downward. Their corollas
are red and orange. The narcissus is protected in Lazio by the
Law, article 3 Legge Regionale 19 settembre 1974 no.61. Notwithstanding
this law, the town of Rocca Priora has received a particular
permission to pick up these flowers to celebrate the narcissus'
feast. This feast takes place on the second Sunday of May and
the flowers are picked up with a lot of accuracy leaving the
bulbs under the soil; from the bulbs the plants will flowers
again in next spring.
Place
To reach the cajano's meadowlands cross via Tuscolana (S.S.
215), at the 30 kilometre, near the Fontanile Osteria Nuova,
turn to the right on via delle Carrozze, where there are pasturelands
within a residential zone. There are narcissi which grows also
on the meadowlands near the stadium.
Roads and Public Transports
By car: From Rome cross via Anagnina (S.S. 511, slip-road
22 G.R.A.), following the directions for Grottaferrata. Cross
via Tuscolana (S.S. 215) towards Rocca Priora. It is possible
to park along via della Carrozze.
By Bus: Rome-Artena. (Cotral bus service phone number
800431784, phone number 067222153) from the underground station
‘Anagnina' of the Linea A. It will take you about 40 minutes
to reach the bus stop “Prati di Cajano”.
Topic
Botany
Visits
For information phone to the Comunità Montana del Lazio
Castelli Romani e Prenestini”, Via della Pineta n.69,
00040 Rocca Priora (RM), phone number 069470820.
Tourist signs
absent
Further Information
Web sites: www.xiTownstamontana.lazio.it. www.castellionline.com,
www.hurricane.it/castelliromani.
Books: Bassani P., Cantiani G.P., 1997. L’ambiente
naturale del Vulcano Laziale. Ed. XI Townstà Montana
del Lazio “Castelli Romani e Prenestini”, Rocca
Priora (RM); AA.VV., 1996; AA.VV., 1996. Quattordici sentieri
tra natura e archeologia dei Castelli Romani e Prenestini.
Editore XI Townstà Montana del Lazio Castelli Romani
e Prenestini, via della Pineta 69, Rocca Priora (RM); Del Nero
R., 1990. La Valle Latina. Storia di un ambiente. Ed.
Parco Regionale dei Castelli Romani, Rocca di Papa.
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