Exotic Birds on new stamps from Romfilatelia

Date of Issue : 14 August 2019

Here is a wonderful set of stamps recently issued by Romfiletelia. The stamps feature colorful exotic Birds. Its a beautiful set of stamps and First Day covers featuring 7 lovely birds. 'Birds'  is one of the most popular topics among stamp collectors. This set will definitely attract every bird lover as well as  Thematic collector !

The bird of the big paradise - Paradisaea apoda, is illustrated on the first stamp of the show, with the value of 1.40 lei.

Measuring approximately 33cm, it is one of the most beautiful birds in the world, despite its bright appearance and is difficult to detect in the forest environment.

Birds of paradise are part of the family Paradisaeidae, family comprising over 50 species of birds characteristic forested regions of New Guinea, the Moluccas et and northern Australia. An original feature of these birds is formed by the highly modified ornamental feathers. The sexual dimorphism is very pronounced, the females having the dark unicolored plume, while the plumage of the males is very alive and varied in color, thus being considered among the most beautiful birds in the world.

Their shrill cry, which sounds like an echo through the forest, is the element that betrays their presence. They drop down from the branches in the crown, launching their cries very quickly, about one per second.

Males live in groups, separated by females, and gather near certain trees they use during mating rituals. They feed on what they find on the trunks of the trees, but also with molluscs, arthropods, reptiles, fruits and seeds.

They nest in the trees, making a nest in the shape of a cup. The tip consists generally of two very variable eggs in terms of color.

The Quetzal - Pharomachrus mocinno , shown on the stamp with the face value of 1.60 lei , is part of the Trogonidae family , and can be admired in areas of North and South America, where it populates forests from altitudes between 1200 and 3000 m high. .

The name "Quetzal" itself comes from the Aztec word "quezalli", which means beautiful or precious, which is also why it has become an endangered species. Quetzal is admired by people for a long time, being the national bird of Guatemala since 1871 and considered a symbol of the gods by the Aztecs of Central America, and the feathers could only be worn by the tribal chiefs. The second largest city, after the capital city of Guatemala City, is called Quetzaltenango (which translates to "Quetzal Place"), which shows the appreciation for this very special bird. The bird attracts curious tourists and brings important incomes from tourism.

Considered one of the most spectacular birds in the world, Quetzalul lives between southern Mexico and Panama, being very easy to spot due to the plume of very bright colors.

Their chest is bright red, contrasting with the feather of the jade color, and the white cod feathers, contrast with the green cod feathers.

During the mating period, these are the easiest to observe, especially because the male undergoes physical changes, growing long feathers (which can measure up to 1.40 m). They can also be twice the length of the body and reach the true tail. These new feathers are protected by the male, by modifying the flight, he first leaning back, and not in front, as the birds generally do, so as not to damage them.

The nesting period lasts from March to June. During the egg hatching period (blue), the females sit in the nest with their face facing the entrance and hold their feathers bent. This period lasts from April to August, the bird stopping twice, often preferring to do so with other birds in holes of rotten trees.

The red- breasted toucan ( Ramphastos dicolorus ), illustrated on the stamp with the value of 1.70 lei , is a bird of the Ramphastidae family living in southern and eastern Brazil, Pantanal in Bolivia, eastern Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. It is found primarily in the Atlantic forest. In general, it is quite common and yet it is the attention of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature).

It is one of the smallest species of toucans, with a weight of 265-400 grams and a total length of 40-46 cm. Its beak is one of the shortest of these species of toucans, only about 10 cm long. His chest is, in fact, orange, with yellow on the sides. The beak is mostly pale green.

Toucans are monogamous birds, forming pairs for life. They are arboreal birds and nest in tree holes, the females laying 2-4 white eggs. The incubation period is 2-3 weeks. The chicks do not leave the nest for 2 months and only after this period begin to fly. Toucans are consumers of fruit, but they also feed on insects and other small prey.

The northern royal lizard - Onychorhynchus mexicanus, represented on the stamp with the face value of 3.10 lei , belongs to the Tityridae family .

It measures approximately 18 cm and is easily recognizable by the distinctive ridges of the ridge, which it rarely shows outside the mating period. The head and wings are brown, with the sides of the head more gray. It has a white neck, with a gray chest, the ventral parts are yellow, and the tail has a cinnamon color, with the tip closed. The spectacular element of this species is the ridge, which is folded over the head, in the form of a semicircle, which, when unfolded, is red with blue marks.

What is truly spectacular is their shout, composed of a series of whistling notes.

It is found in the southeastern parts of Mexico, northwestern Peru and Bolivia, in Venezuela or southeastern Brazil. Its natural habitat consists of subtropical or tropical moist forests.

The American flamingo - Phenicopterus ruber , whose image is reproduced on the stamp with the value of 5 lei , is a gregarious bird, belonging to the family Phoenicopteridae . Measuring 145 cm, the American flamingos is an easily identifiable bird due to the glossy feather, with reddish tints on the neck, and the body has a pale pink hue, like the beak, which has a black tip. The wings have feathers and portions of black. The arched and thin neck and the long, delicate legs were represented even in the primitive rock paintings.

The very special color is given by the omnivorous food, consisting mainly of algae and small living things. The way it feeds is completely unique and unique, with the flamingos walking their heads underwater, using their long neck, which allows for the filtering of a large amount of water, while flowing with the unusual bumps from one side to the other. Because of the way they feed, they are vulnerable to changes in habitat, such as pollution in the areas they populate.

Flamingos are gregarious birds in all seasons, forming huge and dense colonies during the breeding period, in which each pair defends its restricted territory around the nest. They are monogamous birds.

The nests are cone-shaped, and are constructed of mud, with a slight depression at the top. I deposit a single tip per season, usually consisting of a single egg. Incubation is provided by both sexes for 27-31 days.

American flamingos live in the Caribbean Islands, Mexico, the northern coast of South America and the Galapagos Islands.

The bird of paradise Carabinier - Ptiloris magnificus , illustrated on the last stamp of the series, with the face value of 19 lei , is a member of the family Paradisaeidae of the order Passeriformes , being easily recognizable due to the color of its plume. It measures up to 37 cm, the males have a dark color and a short tail, the beak is long and an iridescent bluish portion on the crest and chest, and the females have the elongated beak and are brown in color, with stripes on the ventral sides.

The distinctive parade of the male of this species involves the swelling of the feathers on the chest and the extension of the wings, exposing itself especially in tall trees and climbing plants.

The nest of these birds has a deep dome, often built in a palm tree or similar trees.

They are widespread in the region of New Guinea and Queensland, Australia, preferring forest areas usually located at higher elevations and feeding on fruits and invertebrates.

The wonderful hummingbird - Calothorax pulcher, a bird illustrated on the two envelopes on the first day of the show, is part of the Trochilidae family , a large family of over 400 species spread only in the New World, from Alaska to the Fire Country, from the shores of the oceans. to the eternal snow of the mountains, but the family is best represented in the tropical area of ​​South America.

Known as one of the smallest birds on Earth, the wonderful hummingbird measures 5cm on average. It is easy to recognize, due to the multicolored plume, the males having the green-gold dorsal parts, with the black tail and wings, the whitish ventral parts, greener on the flanks, and on the neck they have a dark pink feather collar with purple markings. A distinctive feature is the long, narrow, curved and black beak.

The females do not have a bright color on the neck, have a light yellow hue

on the ventral sides and a pale gray stripe under the eyes, the tail feathers being predominantly black, with a brown base and white tip.

Club News

Stamp Design competition in Akola

A stamp designing competition for 2019 children's Day was organized by India Post in Akola on 12th September 2019.  40 students participated in this competition. They drew  beautiful designs on the  subject of "Child Rights".

These designs will be sent to New Delhi for final selection of the design for 2019 Children's Day stamp.

These designs were exhibited .at Nishu Nursery & Kothari Convent School, Gaurakshan Road, Akola 444 001. Maharashtra.

-Ajay Agrawal, Akola

Indian theme on foreign stamps

Indian Peafowl on new Romanian stamps

Date of Issue : 17 May 2019

Romfilatelia issued  a set of postage stamps  with the title Peafowls, on  May 17th, 2019. Peafowls are named in the Indian mythology the “the gods’ vehicles”, because the legend says that Shiva’s son, Karthikeya, is represented flying on the back of a peafowl.

The peafowl originates in Sri Lanka and India, but the beauty of its plumage has made it spread even in other parts of the world, being adopted as an ornamental bird. In other times, the peafowls were a symbol of opulence, being present in the gardens of European noble families. The male’s tail is the element that defines the exotism of the species and the main reason they are known throughout the world. Besides the multi-coloured plumage, they distinguish by their intense cries and elaborate mating dance. The peafowl is a solitary bird, diurnal, and sleeps in the trees to protect itself from predators.

It is one of the largest flying birds, but spends more time running, than flying. The average lifespan of the peafowls in captivity is 25 years, and in the wild they live to the age of 30 years. Peafowls are omnivores, and their diet consists of plants, ants, seeds, locusts, termites, ticks, petals of flowers, reptiles, amphibians and arthropods.

The Congo peafowl or the African peafowl (Afropavo congensis) is spread in the tropical rainforests of the Congo River, and is illustrated on the first postage stamp of this issue, with the face value of Lei 1.80. This type of peafowl has a large-size appearance. The length of the male is up to 70 cm, with a short tail measuring between 23-26 cm and the females have dimensions between 60-63 cm, with a tail between 19.5 and 22.5 cm. The difference in weight between the sexes is considerable, the males weighting 1,475 g, and the females weighting 1,154 g.

Their plumage is special, with white stripes on the crown, some specimens having their neck partially discovered.Their habitat is varied, usually choosing lower areas below 1,200 m in altitude, being very difficult to spot in the wild.

The green peafowl (Pavo muticus) is part of the peafowl family (Phasianidae), the Galliformes order, originating in India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh or Nepal, and is represented on the second postage stamp of this issue, with the face value of Lei 5. 

It is divided into three races: Pavo muticus spicifer, pavo muticus imperator Delacour and Pavo muticus Linnaeus, the races having varied colour feathers, an element through which they are differentiated.

The males measure between 180 and 250 cm, with a tail that can be between 140 and 160 cm. Their weight varies between 3,850 g and 5,000 g. Females measure 100-110 cm, with a tail that can reach up to 45 cm. Females resemble males, but they have shorter legs and do not have the plumage so brightly coloured, a feature which makes them very difficult to confuse. They set up in open forests or at their periphery, but avoid tropical forests, preferring a habitat at altitudes ranging from sea level up to 3,000 m.

The Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) is of a legendary beauty, declared the national bird of India, known in two colour variants: blue and white, the subspecies being represented on the third and fourth postage stamp of the issue with the face values of Lei 8.50 and Lei 12. It is part of the family of peafowls (Phasianidae) and of Galliforme order, originating from India.

Males at adult age have a length of 180 to 230 cm, their tail measuring between 140 and 160 cm and their weight ranging from 4,000 to 6,000 g. The wingspan of this species varies between 130 and 160 cm. Males have a distinctive morphological appearance, and their open tail is in the shape of a fan.

Females are smaller and measure between 90 and 100 cm, with a tail measuring between 32.5 and 37.5 cm, with an average weight of 2,750 to 4,000 g. The wingspan of the females is from 80 to 130 cm.

There are varieties of the Indian peafowl feathers. One of the most spectacular Indian peafowls is the white peafowl, which is not albino, but is a pure species, with hazel eyes. The Indian peafowls choose to set up in open forest areas with shrubs, but at an altitude of up to 2,000 m.

Symphony of Tulips

Date of Issue : 7 April 2017

Here is a beautiful set of stamps issued by Romania Post featuring famous flower exhibition in Europe. The “Symphony of Tulips” is the most important social-cultural, artistic, sporting and commercial manifestation for the Pitesti municipality. This spring, Romfilatelia dedicates the postage stamp issue Symphony of Tulips, to the city of Pitesti and its main manifestation.

The exhibition’s tradition is long, and Pitesti became associated with the idea of the city of tulips. The first edition took place in early May 1978 and delighted the residents by the richness of colours. The “Symphony of Tulips” is the second oldest dendrological and flower exhibition in Europe, after that of the Dutch city of Tynaarlo.

Although this year’s event lasts three days, the floral arrangements are planned to last as much as possible by overlapping the flowering periods and combining tulips with other background flowers, such as pansies or common daisies. The collection is structured on the principles of landscape architecture and follows harmonious geometric lines. Plants are grown and bred both domestically and abroad, in countries with a tradition in the field, such as the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Poland.

Native to Central Asia and the Middle East, tulips were considered a luxury and were first introduced into Europe in the 16th century from Turkey. Presented in a variety of colours, tulips symbolize elegance and grace: the yellow tulip stands for cheerful thoughts and sunshine; orange represents fascination, happiness, and warmth; white asks for forgiveness; red signifies true love and romance; those that are almost black in colour represents the heart of a lover.

During the event, artistic and cultural events take place, such as international scientific symposia, flower parade, folklore and pop music shows, painting exhibition and the “Tulips Cross”.

The stamp issue depicts the images of four representative buildings for Pitesti, in terms of administrative, historical and cultural heritage, which are accompanied by the enchanting colours that the Symphony of Tulips pours over the city.

The postage stamp with the face value of Lei 2.50 illustrates Pitesti City Hall, built in 1933 as headquarters of the Financial Administration and which became City Hall in 1968.

Built in Neo-Romanian style, the edifice has as author the architect State Cintan (1876-1940), who combined archaeology and ethnography in his works, and was very susceptible to local architectural traditions. Thus, the central hall was conceived as a patio covered by a spectacular skylight.

The stamp with the face value of Lei 4 presents the County Museum, the former palace of the Prefecture of Arges County, a beautiful Neoclassical building (1898-1899). It hosts significant evidence of the town’s history and that of Wallachia. Near the main building, two new modern buildings complement the museum.

The postage stamp with the face value of Lei 4.50 presents the headquarters of the “Rudolf Schweitzer - Cumpana” Art Gallery, built in 1886, in the Neoclassical style, and the former headquarters of Pitesti City Hall, until his move to the current location in 1968. The interior was done in French eclectic style, with a spacious hall and monumental staircase, which is in harmony with the valuable museum pieces it shelters. In its rooms are exhibited by Nicolae Grigorescu, Stefan Luchian, Theodor Pallady, Gh. Petrascu, Rudolf Schweitzer-Cumpana and Nicolae Tonitza attracting visitors’ attention to important moments in the history of Romanian fine arts.

The stamp with the face value of Lei 16 illustrates the Court of Appeal, a Neoclassical building from 1914. The architects Eracle Lazarescu and Arghir Culina designed a monumental construction, in which light transforms into a genuine element of creation and invited to animate the space through central hall skylight.

Source : Romfilatelia 

New stamps for Flower Lovers....

Flowers, National Symbol

Flora, a beloved theme for those passionate by philately, is once again taken up this year by Romfilatelia within the postage stamp issue “Flowers, National Symbol”. Together with the symbol flower of each state, the national flag completes the stamp illustration.

Romania is bordered by Bulgaria to the south, Serbia to the southwest, Hungary to the northwest, Ukraine in the north and east and Moldova to the east and the Black Sea to the southeast.

The peony whose image is reproduced on the stamp with the face value Lei 1.50 is a flower species unique to Europe. In the country there are five nature reserves for Paeonia peregrina in Teleorman, Mures, Olt, Dolj and Giurgiu.

Romania’s national symbol flower, the peony, is also known under the name of the Palm of the Lord’s Mother (verbatim). All its other names are popular, archaic and describe the Romanian peony. In popular culture, the peony is often associated with longing, with physical beauty or love.

The symbol flower of the Republic of Moldova is the basil, whose image is reproduced on the stamp with the face value of Lei 4.50.

To the left of the Prut it’s one of the most beloved and sung plants. Because of its special aromatic oils and its preservative properties, basil is used in the Orthodox Church rituals to produce holy water, having the role of chasing away evil spirits. At the same time, in local tradition this plant is considered the flower of love and luck; it is also present in most magical practices for marital purposes. In popular medicine, basil is used as a plant with talismanic properties for memory improvement and as an anti-stress remedy.

The Republic of Croatia’s national flower, illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 8, is Iris croatica. The Croatian name for this flower is Perunika and comes from the name of Perun, who was the greatest god of thunder and lightning in Slavic mythology. Legend has it that Perunika will only grow in the place where the god Perun’s lightning struck.In 2000, the Croatian Academy of Arts and Sciences proclaimed the Perunika as Croatia’s national flower.

Iris croatica is distinguished primarily from many other subspecies by the greatness of all its plant parts, the flowers being oval and richer. We can admire the beauty of the iris flowers in summer and autumn. About the gorgeous purple flower, herbalists claim that it is a simple remedy to keep a variety of diseases under control. The gorgeous flower that we find in gardens, parks and even in pots on terraces is a less known cure.

Bulgaria, a beautiful country in the Southeast European continent, has the rose as a national symbol. Rosa damascena whose image is reproduced on the stamp with the face value of Lei 15 is a symbol of this country, considered a worldwide brand, and the wide range of cosmetics that have rose aromas are called “Bulgarian gold” or “liquid gold”.

Rosa damascena or Kazanlak Rose is a highly fragrant flowering plant from which essential oil, confiture and syrup are extracted. From this variety of rose one can extract 30% more oil than of any other rose. The pink flowers have about 30 petals, hence the name of Trigintipetala.

Intelligent Birds....

Date of issue : 16 February 2017

Here is  a beautiful set of stamps and Maxim Cards from Romania featuring Intelligent Birds.The study of bird intelligence led to results that brought under question the pre-conceived ideas about how they can understand and how quickly they can adapt. A common test of intelligence is the bypass test, where a glass barrier sits between the bird and a desired object, such as a piece of food. Most mammals can discover that the objective is achieved only if you first walk away from the target. While poultry fail to pass this test, many birds from the Corvidae family are able to easily solve the problem.

The Eurasian jackdaw or European jackdaw (Corvus monedula), illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 2.50, is one of the smallest birds belonging to this family, being widespread in Western Europe, but can be found less often in south, in Northern Africa and Western Asia.

The pair is formed for life and is very loyal in the relationship. They raise a single brood of chicks every year, which they take great care of. They have strong emotional ties between them, which come from their above-average intelligence, and these ties can be manifested if they are hand-raised by humans. 

The jackdaw’s voice is considerably more modulated and more varied compared to that of other Corvidae. They are glib birds, giving the feeling that they chatter a lot among themselves, always making much noise. Without much effort the jackdaw learns to copy words and other sounds.

The Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 4.50, is widespread in Europe, Africa and Western Asia and is a sedentary species. This means that it can be seen in Romania throughout the year. 

It was first described by the botanist Carl von Linné in 1758. It is about 35 cm long, has beautifully coloured feathers and its wingspan measures 55-60 cm. The Eurasian Jay is not as easy to spot as its Corvidae cousins, given that it is extremely cautious when approaching human settlements. In winter, due to a lack of food, it can be seen more often in villages and city parks. 

The Rook (Corvus frugilegus), illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 8 is a great consumer of nuts which it drops onto the ground to break them and then nibbles the core. They are also sociable birds that inhabit and nest in large groups, called colonies, being impressive in number. They can be sedentary or migratory (in disparate groups and different directions), depending on the low temperatures in region where they live and th favorable conditions for food. 

The Eurasian magpie or common magpie (Pica Pica), illustrated on the stamp with the face value of Lei 15, can be seen in the lowlands, as well as in mountain areas up to altitudes of 2,500 m. Compared to other members of the Corvidae family, magpies are not strong flyers and therefore spend a lot of time sitting on tree branches or on the ground. While foraging, the magpie utters loud sounds, but despite that and despite its size it is often chased away by smaller birds.

Due to its characteristic black and white plumage, it’s easily recognized even by those with little knowledge of birds. The magpie is a diurnal bird which starts being active shortly before sunrise and finishes its activities at sunset. 

The Raven (Corvus corax), illustrated on the "first day cover”, has proven tactical skills from a study in which researchers put under observation a population of captive ravens. They had two methods of survival: either they created their own hideouts with food or they would raid other ravens’ hideouts. „Gatherers” drastically changed behavior when they noticed "raiders” placing themselves in order to follow them to their hideouts. A "gatherer” raven will choose another location for his hiding place, where it will take small amounts of food, which it will leave unguarded to convince the “raider” raven that he has found the initial hideout. The latter is itself able to hide its intentions, trying to imitate a „gatherer” but seeking to discover its hiding place.

These results suggest that all ravens, whether they act as "gatherers” or "raiders” are able to retain information on their intentions and therefore manipulate the attention of other birds, either to prevent or to acquire advantages.

New Stamps on Flowers..

Date of Issue : 4 March 2016

Latvijas Pasts has released a new stamp featuring Water Lily in the  Flowers series on 4th March 2016. The design of the FDC is excellent. A nice  collecting item, for all stamp lovers.

Water lilies are considered by many to be the jewels of the pond. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they also serve an important purpose in the pond, mainly in aiding its ecosystem. Water lilies spread across the water‘s surface, filling it with color and vibrancy all the while keeping the pond and the creatures in it safe and healthy.

Water lily is one of the most magnificent aquatic plants. It can impress anyone with its beauty and diversity. Water lilies are large plants with big floating, long-stalked leaves that grow in water and wetlands. The flowers are large and solitary. Pollination occurs either by insects or by self-pollination.

Water Lily is the seventh stamp in the series Flowers, which was launched in 2010 by Latvijas Pasts. The first release in the series was Peony, which was followed by Rose, Lily, Iris, Tulip and Sunflower.

Symbolic bouquet of flowers for women…

Date of Issue : 8 March 2016

The postage stamp issue “Flowers’ Alphabet (II) CU DRAG (With Love)” is dedicated this year to March 8th, the International Women’s Day. 

In different regions of the globe the March 8th festivities range from a general celebration of respect, appreciation and love towards women to a celebration for their economic, political and social achievements. International Women’s Day has had various interpretations over the years. The version that is celebrated now has its origin in 1977 when the United Nations General Assembly invited all member states to proclaim March 8th as Women’s Rights and World Peace Day. 

On this occasion, Romfilatelia offered to all the ladies a symbolic bouquet of flowers. Each of the stamps of this issue depicts a head letter intertwined with a flower, the entire issue forming the words “CU DRAG” (With Love). 

The stamp with the face value of Lei 1.20 illustrates the letter C of Chrysanthemum (lat. Chrysanthemum hortorum).

 Chrysanthemums, also called autumn daisies, belong to the genus Chrysanthemum, featuring over 30 species of perennials belonging to the family Asteraceae, native to Asia and northeastern Europe. The flowers are solitary or grouped in multiple inflorescences. The flowers of the spontaneous species are yellow; even the name chrysanthemum is derived from the Latin words chrysos (gold) and anthemon (flower). The cultivated species have a multitude of shapes and colours ranging from white, yellow to various shades of red, green or purple. 

The stamp with the face value of Lei 1.40 illustrates the letter U of “Urechelnita”, the common houseleek (lat. Sempervivum tectorum). 

Its name does not betray the beauty and utility of the plant. In Europe, it grows in among the spontaneous flora but is also widely cultivated for its ornamental and curative nature. In Romania it’s found in rocky limestone areas, but it’s also cultivated and even preferred for growing on green roofs in some rural areas. Fleshy leaves grow from the stem, thick and very juicy, arranged in a rosette, with sharp peaks. They are used in various household remedies both internally and externally. 

The stamp with the face value of Lei 1.60 illustrates the letter D of Dahlia (lat. Dahlia variabilis). 

The Dahlia genus includes over 15 species of perennials and is native to Central and North America. Its cultivation in Europe began in the Royal Gardens of Madrid, the director of the gardens naming the plant in honor of the Swedish botanist Anders Dahl, who brought the plant from America. The flowers are grouped in inflorescences of various colors. The plant is multiplied by tubers. 

The stamp with the face value of Lei 4.50 illustrates the letter R of “Ruscuta de primavara”, yellow pheasant’s eye (lat. Adonis vernalis). 

The species grows in Europe and Asia; in our country it can be found on steep hills, in pastures and sunny hayfields, from the plains to the mountains. The leaves are deeply divided, like those of dill. The flowers are golden yellow and shiny. It is considered a poisonous plant, but with curative properties for heart disease. 

The stamp with the face value of Lei 8 illustrates the letter A of Azalea (lat. Rhododendron japonicum). 

Azaleas are a group of shrubs that belong to the genus Rhododendron. Its name derives from the Greek words rhódon (rose) and déndron (tree). The plant is attractive both by size and composition of the flower, which can be simple or with multiple petals, and also by its vivid color tones and shades from dark red or purple to pink and white. The azalea is widespread in regions with mild winters and moderate summers except Africa and South America. 

The stamp with the face value of Lei 16 illustrates the letter G of Gladiola (lat. Gladiolus hybridus). 

The Gladiolus genus contains over 250 species spread throughout Asia, Europe and South Africa. Gladiolas are related to irises, both having an elongated shaft sharpen toward the peak, in the form of a sword. Even its name is derived from the Latin word for sword, gladius. Its flowers grow in the form of a blade, with a wide range of colors. 

Romfilatelia thanks The Romanian Academy Institute of Biology for the documentary support offered in the creation of this postage stamp issue.