tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26344751335120824662024-03-14T00:15:54.085-07:00Mollyblobs and PaiglesA blog for those botanising in the East Midlands, mostly in South Lincolnshire, East Northamptonshire and Peterborough, but with forays into Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshiresarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-33936838195051783102016-08-28T13:55:00.003-07:002016-09-05T03:41:34.163-07:00Autumn Lady's-tresses<div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="aleaj" data-offset-key="1q9s6-0-0" style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; white-space: pre-wrap;">
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<span data-offset-key="1q9s6-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">It seems to be a good year for Autumn Lady's-tresses <i>Spiranthes spiralis</i>. A small population (maximum count of 36 spikes so far) has appeared apparently out of the blue at Swaddywell Pit in VC32, growing in rather open structured grassland with Lesser Centaury Centaurium pulchellum, and close to a number of Common Spotted-orchid <i>Dactylorhiza fuchsii</i> and Southern Marsh-orchid <i>Dactylorhiza praetermissa</i>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today I received an email from Jeremy Fraser of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, who visited the well-known population at Tydd Gote Pumping Station, on the Lincolnshire - Cambridgeshire Border on 24th August. He counted 274 plants in three main areas, which is the highest count in recent years, though somewhat short of the estimated 1000-2000 recorded in 1983. A worker from the pumping station confirmed that the plants had flowered particularly well this year.</span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="dt152-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">The other main population in VC53 was on the drain bank at Surfleet Seas End (TF285302), but there are no records from here since 1997. Perhaps this would be a good year to go and have another look!</span></div>
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sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-52672285828527571822016-07-24T21:00:00.000-07:002016-08-02T14:38:47.090-07:00Cranwell and Bloxholm<div style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
On Sunday I set off in the cool of the morning for a day's botanising in some under-worked parts of the vice-county north-west of Sleaford. My first stop was the village of Cranwell (having driven swiftly through the RAF college whose grounds seemed far too orderly to hold any botanical jewels). This is one of the more intensively arable parts of VC53, but has limestone soils, and there were still fragments of species-rich grassland with an abundance of Field Scabious <i>Knautia</i><span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit;"><i> arvensis</i> along the green lane and footpaths that I walked.</span></div>
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However, the arable field margins at the top of the hill were the richest hunting ground, with smoky clouds of Common Fumitory <i>Fumaria officinalis</i>, sprawling masses of Round-leaved Fluellen <i>Kickxia spuria</i>, Musk thistle <i>Carduus nutans</i> in profusion and five plants of Prickly Poppy <i>Papaver argemone</i>, a species that was once widespread in south-east England, but is now considered to be Endangered in the England Red List. It's only the second time I've found it, the first being almost thirty years ago. The small orange-red flowers are very distinctive, and only last a day. In fact in hot weather, the petals seem to drop by lunchtime, so one to get up early for!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHpP00I11uw1RSDIR4aKeTouupbV9HbUQlU4lZVH_WDw3kLLK1YR7tY5bfYJVhv2fMcnBfBX1IEY_6rEdqh2AFrIruiz7Q78awy7_Rbz-x2kDYVg9AceebCiwW6MaIIYktQL9EiVKa53J/s1600/IMG_9024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIHpP00I11uw1RSDIR4aKeTouupbV9HbUQlU4lZVH_WDw3kLLK1YR7tY5bfYJVhv2fMcnBfBX1IEY_6rEdqh2AFrIruiz7Q78awy7_Rbz-x2kDYVg9AceebCiwW6MaIIYktQL9EiVKa53J/s400/IMG_9024.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Papaver argemone</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VwpEpe9RKKqDia2O_5gVgZj1iFtOQTz3RGbiTQvizbv_OGTfHLzJWCQ2fwWmjSSIvrl2dP1ahm7hqExHKNP9UMkVD-qDvyKUbnwAnKNi2e-D5iNL4cJdAP2FigY8_zHY8nwA9EN_eOaN/s1600/IMG_9026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="line-height: 19.32px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1VwpEpe9RKKqDia2O_5gVgZj1iFtOQTz3RGbiTQvizbv_OGTfHLzJWCQ2fwWmjSSIvrl2dP1ahm7hqExHKNP9UMkVD-qDvyKUbnwAnKNi2e-D5iNL4cJdAP2FigY8_zHY8nwA9EN_eOaN/s320/IMG_9026.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seed-head of <i>Papaver argemone</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO77ohM8SWh7ufdZHv5-jV_NF1FsY6-BZmcnd5zoRWhNg-iauuEE-v3AIDdfmSZIMFrCcM22H0w0r-ksC55OkX7iBeISUJmVGohTFBtRz7tRINZpwfMoa5nf8guJ-cmzjinNLQw9QVHZW-/s1600/IMG_9036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO77ohM8SWh7ufdZHv5-jV_NF1FsY6-BZmcnd5zoRWhNg-iauuEE-v3AIDdfmSZIMFrCcM22H0w0r-ksC55OkX7iBeISUJmVGohTFBtRz7tRINZpwfMoa5nf8guJ-cmzjinNLQw9QVHZW-/s320/IMG_9036.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The soft, hairy leaves of <i>Kickxia spuria</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54hiegyHFY9oA0Wu7MK3obB8A2uTiSg1zSxI-q3EJnZZ5fUwnDeVR8SsyKlMe4pWlNiuOowRN1h4EZ58eXtjmePmdZxCaFOw0xWc4yA7iHhvYYf6VRu-VZBsXHmPYSGXY0OM5_hOvE3wD/s1600/IMG_9040.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="363" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg54hiegyHFY9oA0Wu7MK3obB8A2uTiSg1zSxI-q3EJnZZ5fUwnDeVR8SsyKlMe4pWlNiuOowRN1h4EZ58eXtjmePmdZxCaFOw0xWc4yA7iHhvYYf6VRu-VZBsXHmPYSGXY0OM5_hOvE3wD/s400/IMG_9040.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flower of <i>Kickxia spuria</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA45ZVnoCzNW3V2o6RCZH1y8degnyd0Gj2scQoxQPfCWR6Jrs3U7tZS9lyWeVaxc4qIwJQnOojBs90qGSoRWnVTlKRX1rQpE31YG0jkSQjZ9ka01sJ7kc30w5aGsJMwl5sLznS_v6vt-pT/s1600/IMG_9041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA45ZVnoCzNW3V2o6RCZH1y8degnyd0Gj2scQoxQPfCWR6Jrs3U7tZS9lyWeVaxc4qIwJQnOojBs90qGSoRWnVTlKRX1rQpE31YG0jkSQjZ9ka01sJ7kc30w5aGsJMwl5sLznS_v6vt-pT/s320/IMG_9041.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of many plants of <i>Kickxia spuria</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnewFMwqvWOmV-suAGBTyHaux50z5CEu65QJSYK9r0-W6nBrGMorbc5iHTuC04b_rQ7f0Pr2lXj4WxNQ5gWrru-yZ1K6UWSgbk-bSh-yOJJ1BZQaRJLEwhDF2WyVv-LJT11ZW1_B6YzSU/s1600/IMG_9044.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvnewFMwqvWOmV-suAGBTyHaux50z5CEu65QJSYK9r0-W6nBrGMorbc5iHTuC04b_rQ7f0Pr2lXj4WxNQ5gWrru-yZ1K6UWSgbk-bSh-yOJJ1BZQaRJLEwhDF2WyVv-LJT11ZW1_B6YzSU/s400/IMG_9044.jpg" width="262" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Carduus nutans</i> as an arable weed</td></tr>
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By half past ten it was getting pretty hot, but I drove round to the northern part of my first tetrad, where a number of fields had been some with a wildflower mix containing plenty of Chicory <i>Cichorium intybus </i>an<i>d</i> the fodder form of Bird's-foot-trefoil <i>Lotus corniculatus</i> var. <i>sativus</i>. </div>
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<span style="line-height: 19.32px;">On the side of a green lane I spotted three rose bushes that were quite upright in form and just looked a bit different from the Dog-rose <i>Rosa canina</i> I had been seeing scrambling through the hedges. I managed to extract some samples (reminder - carry secateurs!) and when I keyed them out they seemed to fit well with Round-leaved Dog-rose Rosa obtusifolia, which has strongly reflexed bipinnate sepals that fall early, and neat, rather overlapping biserrate leaves that are pubescent. There are few records for this species in VC53 and this seems to be the first since 1989.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views of <i>Rosa obtusifolia</i> hips and leaves</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.32px;">By the time I returned to the car at about midday, it was really very hot and steamy, but I felt I couldn't give up and went for a walk around a contrasting area of sheep-grazed grassland and woodland west of Bloxhom. Initially it didn't seem as interesting, but on a very ordinary wayside I found a couple of plants of Good-King-Henry </span><i style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.32px;">Chenopodium bonus-henricus</i><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 19.32px;">, another rare species that's now considered to be Vulnerable in the UK, and one I'd never seen before. It is an archaeophyte, present in Roman times and once grown for its edible leaves - one of its vernacular names is Lincolnshire Spinach! It often grows in scruffy areas and has declined enormously, possibly as a result of the general tidying of ruderal vegetation.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JRS3a4afA18R98nS6z923AILcvHzY1zjU7rACSP4DCUPiJQlj95npduYlaq0DmdTAfKPxSA9AzSub-XP1WVCNm9G3m8dxEHaOAxTNY_OLTWuNUzQlEGY8XSxsUq0ZON8_Bbn20e6SwCc/s1600/IMG_9055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_JRS3a4afA18R98nS6z923AILcvHzY1zjU7rACSP4DCUPiJQlj95npduYlaq0DmdTAfKPxSA9AzSub-XP1WVCNm9G3m8dxEHaOAxTNY_OLTWuNUzQlEGY8XSxsUq0ZON8_Bbn20e6SwCc/s640/IMG_9055.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plants of <i>Chenopodium bonus-henricus</i> in improved grassland </td></tr>
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sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-78695325062861162702016-03-24T01:22:00.001-07:002016-03-24T01:22:50.589-07:00Weird willow<span style="background-color: white; color: #202021; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">As it was a glorious morning, Pete and I went for a walk to Ring Haw quarry, always a good spot to see the first hairy violets of the year. Sheltered corners were positively cosy in the sunshine, bringing out the first spring butterflies - a brimstone and two peacocks - as well as a basking lizard. We also heard the first chiffchaff of the year, bang on cue.</span><br />
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<br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202021; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #202021; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #202021; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; line-height: 22.4px;">As expected the Goat Willows <i>Salix caprea</i> were flowering, plenty of males (top right) with their iconic golden bottlebrush catkins, and some of the more subdued females (bottom right). But we also came across one large tree that was very peculiar (left). The catkins were large, shaggy and a vivid bright green in the early morning sun - they were also popular with bees. On closer examination it became clear that this particular tree was hermaphrodite, with both anthers and stigmas developing in the same flower head. This phenomenon appears to have been known for several hundred years, but is remarkably unusual - willows are normally strictly dioecious - and this is the first hermaphrodite willow I've ever noticed.</span>sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-39877161530607210482016-03-21T08:47:00.000-07:002016-03-21T08:47:08.616-07:00Heckington - a fen-edge village<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Saturday 19th March a group of six botanists form the South Lincolnshire Flora Group braved the north-east wind to record plants in Heckington. We started in the car-park of the famous eight-sailed windmill, and found an interesting area of waste-ground behind it which kept us occupied for quite some time. There was an interesting mix of ruderals and garden throw-outs, including a single very healthy-looking plant of Spanish-dagger <i>Yucca gloriosa. </i>It was too early to record s<i>o</i>me potentially interesting species, such as a Lamb's-lettuce <i>Valerianella </i>sp. and an Evening-primrose <i>Oenothera</i> sp., but the rather fine grass, which initially looked like a rather weak Red Fescue, was identifiable and proved to be Rat's-tail Fescue <i>Vulpia myuros</i>, which was last recorded from the same location in 1975 by Miss. E. Gibbons.<br />
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A puzzling ragwort <i>Senecio</i> will need a return visit to be sure of its identity - the leaf shape was reminiscent of Oxford Ragwort <i>Senecio squalidus,</i> but it was too hairy. On further examination it seems to have characteristics of both <i>S. squalidus</i> and Groundsel <i>S.vulgaris</i>, so could possibly be their hybrid, <i>S x baxteri. </i>However, to be sure of this, it will be necessary to see whether the flowers have ray-florets, and whether any viable achenes are produced!<br />
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We recorded many of the usual suite of urban species while walking through the streets of the village, but a couple of plants of flowering Rocket <i>Eruca vesicaria</i> subsp. <i>sativa</i> were a bit of a surprise. The appeared to be self-seeded in an area formerly planted as a herb garden, but now neglected. Other highlights of the street flora included rather frequent patches of naturalised Glory-of-the-snow <i>Scilla forbesii</i>, two populations of Spotted Medick <i>Medicago arabica</i> (one of which was in exactly the same spot where Malcolm Pool recorded it in 2001) and a good population of Hart's-tongue Fern <i>Asplenium scolopendrium</i> on the north-facing wall of Heckington Hall.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowering Rocket</td></tr>
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Although the cemetery looked rather well-groomed, the grassland had areas of interest. There was a significant population of Common Wood-rush <i>Luzula campestris</i>, just coming into flower, as well as a scatter of species such as Ox-eye Daisy <i>Leucanthemum vulgare</i>, Sweet Violet <i>Viola odorata</i>, Primrose <i>Primula vulgaris</i>, Cowslip <i>Primula veris</i> and Sorrel <i>Rumex acetosa</i>. A semi-naturalised population of Green Snowdrop <i>Galanthus woronowii</i> prompted some discussion on snowdrop identification. Unfortunately the churchyard was significantly less interesting botanically, but we made up for that by exploring the interior, which has one of the finest stained-glass windows in Britain.<br />
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All-in-all it was a satisfying day, both botanically and culturally. We recorded in two tetrads, and found 155 species (90 new) in TF14L and 110 (38 new) in TF14M. I can also recommend the tea room at Heckington Windmill where we had both lunch and afternoon tea - very necessary in the rather cool and grey conditions.sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-74950125737873855152015-06-28T06:20:00.000-07:002015-06-28T10:43:21.787-07:00A brownfield jewel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Sandwiched between the River Nene and the Peterborough to Cambridge railway line there is a little sliver of brownfield land, the remains of the old Peterborough East station, which is probably the most botanically important area in the city centre. If you travel on the Cambridge train you can pick it out by the startling chrome-yellow sheets of Biting Stonecrop <i>Sedum acre</i> that are in flower at the moment. </div>
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The best quality habitat is to the west of the Frank Perkins parkway, and is easily accessible from a well-used footpath to Stanground. The area forms part of a more extensive corridor of brownfield land along the railway, which further east is included within the Wildlife Trust's Stanground Wash nature reserve. The substrate is formed from railway clinker, which is very nutrient poor and highly base-rich when fresh, but over time the calcium ions leach out leaving areas of more acid substrate. These unusual properties encourage a very rich flora, with both calcicole and calcifuge species growing in close proximity.<br />
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Peterborough East station shares many characteristic species with the railway land at Stanground Wash, including Viper's Bugloss <i>Echium vulgare</i>, Common Stork's-bill <i>Erodium cicutarium </i>and Perforate St.John's-wort<i> Hypericum perforatum </i>but it also has strong populations of several species that are not known from the nature reserve, such as Heath Speedwell <i>Veronica officinalis</i>, which is considered to be Near Threatened in England, and Grey Sedge <i>Carex divulsa</i> subsp. <i>divulsa</i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viper's Bugloss, a typical brownfield species</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heath Speedwell, a calcifuge species which is well-established adjacent to the railway fence</td></tr>
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The most important of these additional species is undoubtedly Wall Bedstraw <i>Galium parisiense</i>, a species that is listed as Vulnerable in Red Lists for both the UK and England. This diminutive cousin of Cleavers <i>Galium aparine</i> is a small annual of bare ground, favouring very nutrient-poor, summer-parched substrates which prevent competition from more robust species. This predominantly Mediterranean species is largely restricted to the warm and dry climates of the south-east but many former populations have been lost. There are only a handful of populations in Cambridgeshire, the most important of which occur on similar substrates at Whitemoor Railway sidings in March and at Conington tip, where it was introduced with translocated soils from Whitemoor. The population at Peterborough East station is well-established and numbers many hundred individuals.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9Rb3qbuIxwZVmKClb8Tk0MB1-TV_eplB0H13LxUiPZowB2WYCx9mK6bxyFNUsi6vyxT1CmrxJtUSl4Hw-apzUwTgaCjgxr8fa9So506gKvy7w-iJOCLl-HXyFkm32gFZ791LdOXTImq-/s1600/IMG_4210.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9Rb3qbuIxwZVmKClb8Tk0MB1-TV_eplB0H13LxUiPZowB2WYCx9mK6bxyFNUsi6vyxT1CmrxJtUSl4Hw-apzUwTgaCjgxr8fa9So506gKvy7w-iJOCLl-HXyFkm32gFZ791LdOXTImq-/s640/IMG_4210.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sprawling mats of Wall Bedstraw on typical railway substrate</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEW2bEmqlKYb8x4wQx24vKtBMCRv0chxI2SpRSYgxcYeUlSzrjJ7-YnIf6w8nOQuc61BJAaju4MZG3IPgAd80Lg2_5Qo77I25g_HMlXjkPNp-bfYGIHT_OwhPBh0clHlWcKHUPdVZmOl9/s1600/IMG_4201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbEW2bEmqlKYb8x4wQx24vKtBMCRv0chxI2SpRSYgxcYeUlSzrjJ7-YnIf6w8nOQuc61BJAaju4MZG3IPgAd80Lg2_5Qo77I25g_HMlXjkPNp-bfYGIHT_OwhPBh0clHlWcKHUPdVZmOl9/s320/IMG_4201.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wall Bedstraw only reproduces by seed</td></tr>
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Like many brownfield sites, the flora of Peterborough East station also contains a number of species that have become established in the UK more recently such as Large-flowered Evening-primrose <i>Oenothera glazioviana</i>. However, the presence of sheets of a small, fluffy grass with noticeably purplish awns was initially a puzzle, but after a little detective work it was confirmed as Southern Beard-grass <i>Polypogon maritimus</i>. This species is slenderer than Annual Beard-grass <i>Polypogon monspeliensis</i>, which is now widely established in brownfield sites around Peterborough, and has more deeply bifid and longer hairy glumes and an unawned lemma.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCO4IViVjCsVR7JkVq5S0eOqfacLdZdjQKbikgKCCt_kNjo1qI8NltlEJCXi207ux8ACIyyptOYg61SyZW8CJ3UT79E89YbYxIcOdfymg0ANepj0d6AJrEOd_HU5PBrwPMyvx9v3A7fNR/s1600/IMG_4198.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcCO4IViVjCsVR7JkVq5S0eOqfacLdZdjQKbikgKCCt_kNjo1qI8NltlEJCXi207ux8ACIyyptOYg61SyZW8CJ3UT79E89YbYxIcOdfymg0ANepj0d6AJrEOd_HU5PBrwPMyvx9v3A7fNR/s400/IMG_4198.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheets of Southern Beard-grass, with noticeably purplish awns</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6TsITuH0g6FgZKwVK8Q0QY8IRak7T7y6DvYlVg9QaruFhvLvc6cn9gk_Pit1hQEzbmK3ZX1OXZ2fekrOlUzI-7TCzLeVeTgabRlbdKnAk2TGDnOYs6Ts9thFg_r5M5jVa0Yyy53o5KLC/s1600/IMG_4200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-6TsITuH0g6FgZKwVK8Q0QY8IRak7T7y6DvYlVg9QaruFhvLvc6cn9gk_Pit1hQEzbmK3ZX1OXZ2fekrOlUzI-7TCzLeVeTgabRlbdKnAk2TGDnOYs6Ts9thFg_r5M5jVa0Yyy53o5KLC/s320/IMG_4200.jpg" width="188" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A single spike of Southern Beard-grass</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDZ65irqMiDG64T8mWoHLaO-wakbdRLcKt49LBYq6GNSsRW5i7Qq0VkQIKeZCATq_kvvyFEVubpTi5Bhmaav2Iyb6Ectm4eqaS6Sdv_iHZf3-JaBDvmHUb03gckexIT9r59gr4HZ2TC-d/s1600/IMG_9509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxDZ65irqMiDG64T8mWoHLaO-wakbdRLcKt49LBYq6GNSsRW5i7Qq0VkQIKeZCATq_kvvyFEVubpTi5Bhmaav2Iyb6Ectm4eqaS6Sdv_iHZf3-JaBDvmHUb03gckexIT9r59gr4HZ2TC-d/s320/IMG_9509.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxT1XeKCCeAwgsnewuLhqY22yfgzam7E0Wazk0UgbOPPa1jHBf1pGOpajrIWWSlhEgwxESVRZScGTh_RrNLkJubw4ob7sQooPWvVKVD36oRcpTmt_zvG9G0HupsT3cyJe_jBvyzjgqLmYt/s1600/IMG_9512.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxT1XeKCCeAwgsnewuLhqY22yfgzam7E0Wazk0UgbOPPa1jHBf1pGOpajrIWWSlhEgwxESVRZScGTh_RrNLkJubw4ob7sQooPWvVKVD36oRcpTmt_zvG9G0HupsT3cyJe_jBvyzjgqLmYt/s320/IMG_9512.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detailed structure of Southern Beard-grass florets</td></tr>
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Southern Beard-grass has rarely been recorded in the UK, but several of the previous records are associated with railway land. It has been recorded in Cambridgeshire once previously, at Cottenham, but has never been recorded from the Peterborough area. The population at the Peterborough Station East site is considerable, numbering many thousands of individuals.<br />
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The invertebrates of the site have scarcely been looked at, but even based on a half-hour of superficial examination, are interesting. Biting Stonecrop <i>Sedum acre</i> supports the rather local bug <i>Chlamydatus evanescens, </i>at one of its most northerly British locations; Stork's-bill <i>Erodium cicutarium</i> has the very local squashbug <i>Arenocoris falleni </i>and the only currently known Peterborough population of the burrower bug <i>Odontoscelis lineola</i> at the northern limit of its British range; and two Nationally Scarce weevils, <i>Sibinia primita</i> and <i>Gronops lunatus</i>, are associated with Pearlwort <i>Sagina </i>spp.<br />
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The whole site is included within the Fletton Quays Opportunity Area and will be developed in the near future. Listed buildings on the site will be protected and enhanced, and it is to be hoped that the same enlightened attitude will be taken to this biodiversity hot-spot, which could provide a colourful and low maintenance area of open space for all the residents of the city to enjoy.<br />
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-64427212363762341982015-06-24T15:00:00.000-07:002015-06-25T15:01:26.893-07:00Orchid Hunting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTA4UE0bcnMEznlEEy1dD7Z0w9F2TVa9tBY9k1eNTPWdCig3D0Y2TvHCbORLdKzJpXs_XpCl5davr-lvTkXM4J9S6qaJ7A6n0PhHGWYaEH-ZQ_4XmsVly7LOCAohdmD-p6drfGFedrOv1/s1600/IMG_9447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeTA4UE0bcnMEznlEEy1dD7Z0w9F2TVa9tBY9k1eNTPWdCig3D0Y2TvHCbORLdKzJpXs_XpCl5davr-lvTkXM4J9S6qaJ7A6n0PhHGWYaEH-ZQ_4XmsVly7LOCAohdmD-p6drfGFedrOv1/s320/IMG_9447.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Chris and I took a couple of hours off this morning to go orchid hunting at a couple of local sites. Our first stop was Southorpe Meadow NR, where a Greater Butterfly Orchid had been reported. We found it quite easily, a bit worse for wear, but now protected by a wire cage. The hay-meadow was looking in very good condition, and there were many other orchids present, including Southern Marsh Orchids, Common Spotted Orchids, Pyramidal Orchids and Bee Orchids. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq95MeO0uCmEZWE_3iGbFnJIBF7aDAdZdzhig80WtdevyuaSQiHzLF5gHemDzbqcmn-D5PXvLF4j_exhxwGoq-w6hZq15IPoJ0bczniVrmyOMTlt-wSTl_rYvR878FB-zdwPIPkWfm_QMh/s1600/IMG_9448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq95MeO0uCmEZWE_3iGbFnJIBF7aDAdZdzhig80WtdevyuaSQiHzLF5gHemDzbqcmn-D5PXvLF4j_exhxwGoq-w6hZq15IPoJ0bczniVrmyOMTlt-wSTl_rYvR878FB-zdwPIPkWfm_QMh/s400/IMG_9448.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greater Butterfly Orchid <i>Platanthera chlorantha</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0u_7h4zxpaPcwWSbxgMy-vpvBdilypWhnV_gFkF9eleoVh1cWgcm-0kjeOAjB19MyU8nOjkmUSkH4JW9Zgygw4HrA_GZ9Oamph5rxCh2Fc7nLNh1URe4f26YEJuvFaRt3am0o-_SWrvP5/s1600/IMG_9445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0u_7h4zxpaPcwWSbxgMy-vpvBdilypWhnV_gFkF9eleoVh1cWgcm-0kjeOAjB19MyU8nOjkmUSkH4JW9Zgygw4HrA_GZ9Oamph5rxCh2Fc7nLNh1URe4f26YEJuvFaRt3am0o-_SWrvP5/s320/IMG_9445.jpg" width="196" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Southern Marsh-orchid <i>Dactylorhiza praetermissa</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxlv8_MPm3Y5_4Bf7jtSIljo4GJ5s_auceXbO4CF8aTYRrBRXTP8UFgQG7PAMg5MXNtiMn4Iz-H6wy1d7jMH6V_El9MmD2u9OS9C2VZytFD5X_aRLF40VI3lq_-xU7UL_e3u-G9GzcwGP/s1600/IMG_9452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaxlv8_MPm3Y5_4Bf7jtSIljo4GJ5s_auceXbO4CF8aTYRrBRXTP8UFgQG7PAMg5MXNtiMn4Iz-H6wy1d7jMH6V_El9MmD2u9OS9C2VZytFD5X_aRLF40VI3lq_-xU7UL_e3u-G9GzcwGP/s320/IMG_9452.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Spotted-orchid <i>Dactylorhiza fuchsii</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisId36RfcG-Cdjuq7HSlbL_xJ1VSeRqBHNyjzqXbbvgLBpSWusd4RXE2BFEQ7U92cjWpssM7dW_hOD85EuxX6Fm1i5K7EWsL8erWZLIcl8eqgCkKENX3tMya_k0Hy2UDkVOmwG1D5ArkL1/s1600/IMG_9455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisId36RfcG-Cdjuq7HSlbL_xJ1VSeRqBHNyjzqXbbvgLBpSWusd4RXE2BFEQ7U92cjWpssM7dW_hOD85EuxX6Fm1i5K7EWsL8erWZLIcl8eqgCkKENX3tMya_k0Hy2UDkVOmwG1D5ArkL1/s320/IMG_9455.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pyramidal Orchid <i>Anacamptis pyramidalis</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyIUvbIjTgRp2RXDtHv6nXbIl-7lK1hqpe3opfJVWEnLJJ53AME9L1QoJGemHQkCJAOl_eOWmNy-CJDuwM0KeN5KAj67Tb1LZnpQQdppD4DuU-LfngPheC0Js5wkmlUHBx4WRY8lvVPS7/s1600/IMG_9456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmyIUvbIjTgRp2RXDtHv6nXbIl-7lK1hqpe3opfJVWEnLJJ53AME9L1QoJGemHQkCJAOl_eOWmNy-CJDuwM0KeN5KAj67Tb1LZnpQQdppD4DuU-LfngPheC0Js5wkmlUHBx4WRY8lvVPS7/s320/IMG_9456.jpg" width="204" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bee orchid <i>Ophrys apifera</i></td></tr>
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<i style="font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Dactylorhiza</i><span style="font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> orchids are very promiscuous and we also found the hybrid between Common Spotted and Southern Marsh Orchid </span><i style="font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Dactylorhiza x grandis</i><span style="font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> and a rather more mysterious form which I suspect is a hybrid between Southern Marsh and Early Marsh Orchid </span><span style="font-family: Roboto, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Dactylorhiza x wintoni, </i>as well as a splendidly deep purple specimen that is probably another hybrid.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPKK2pafx5SCn_SigOjWE8cYdbhiwEoLI-_B_ENlQ6Egkg4Kzh6zKKggfRUmF5Z96QBSn8QQOhHWvtPM_V-Tql3_BJ88_chVqVfY-eb5ZdAGsZTn_ijLqZxkUB7xK0hikBIjWe7PGHB_1/s1600/IMG_9464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhPKK2pafx5SCn_SigOjWE8cYdbhiwEoLI-_B_ENlQ6Egkg4Kzh6zKKggfRUmF5Z96QBSn8QQOhHWvtPM_V-Tql3_BJ88_chVqVfY-eb5ZdAGsZTn_ijLqZxkUB7xK0hikBIjWe7PGHB_1/s320/IMG_9464.jpg" width="259" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mystery orchid - very deep purple, quite large, with unspotted leaves and well-marked loops on lip</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7j3RdoF6-3vm6Y5YUBP3qB6uoSAuE5YWS1gGYLihv05WKGpWMDzlkl_MNC8zZ_ay__1RuZPWY3WaOXVBRPl62wcQCLOdwDfRT4zCmyKb14hchyzUQd7OTkzRFAqghgMGxPCwdSZ5CnPs/s1600/IMG_9454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7j3RdoF6-3vm6Y5YUBP3qB6uoSAuE5YWS1gGYLihv05WKGpWMDzlkl_MNC8zZ_ay__1RuZPWY3WaOXVBRPl62wcQCLOdwDfRT4zCmyKb14hchyzUQd7OTkzRFAqghgMGxPCwdSZ5CnPs/s320/IMG_9454.jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dactylorhiza x grandis</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkzn_N8zNl2orWKCejmTm6eY9gh10Ro0zxU0y3NOb5FtUYc6nddbQOE-OB-pq1_sgeSWXgjEjP3_B-WWj-D391VXNYjXaficTyYYwRngTwR86IZOiudTbrrX1F2t4rgrGFEfqaEIpLU47/s1600/IMG_9467.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkzn_N8zNl2orWKCejmTm6eY9gh10Ro0zxU0y3NOb5FtUYc6nddbQOE-OB-pq1_sgeSWXgjEjP3_B-WWj-D391VXNYjXaficTyYYwRngTwR86IZOiudTbrrX1F2t4rgrGFEfqaEIpLU47/s320/IMG_9467.jpg" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dactylorhiza x wintoni?</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Very narrow flowers of possible <i>D. x wintoni</i></td></tr>
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We then headed out to Barnack Hills and Holes where there were sweeps of Fragrant Orchids. Chris had wanted to see Man Orchid and I managed to find one that was still flowering, though most were long over. However, the highlight was finding three Frog Orchids, two of which were extremely tiny. The other botanists examining them rather gave away their location! So within 10 miles of home we'd managed to see 10 different orchid taxa within the space of two hours - not bad at all!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwWh-RCEjJGo458JLMRuCsJniTiclloc0qJAq3-YDeHhFguhAmrcVCAg0gdHHkkdOoOnuokZCs7QiL5e6MvVCo2Ih92lhITVK08ly2O110FMZNJs4cqmK4po_-MxMk94-EnTDmU7xG088/s1600/P1000991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggwWh-RCEjJGo458JLMRuCsJniTiclloc0qJAq3-YDeHhFguhAmrcVCAg0gdHHkkdOoOnuokZCs7QiL5e6MvVCo2Ih92lhITVK08ly2O110FMZNJs4cqmK4po_-MxMk94-EnTDmU7xG088/s320/P1000991.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A slope covered with Fragrant Orchids <i>Gymnadenia conopsea</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fragrant Orchid <i>Gymnadenia conopsea</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdf1Ggp3ocCZiBnkireOYWGfYYYCKUO6_P33yy8FkCKszlkCQ6aZrFhPY-1TOlPDIeBI0Rogvbm2jLroBkMZviweFB7-Q7eCLZwZKv7rDmRwLrS9md7jdAf_CfrthxwZTjyuqFSr_GfAg/s1600/IMG_9495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdf1Ggp3ocCZiBnkireOYWGfYYYCKUO6_P33yy8FkCKszlkCQ6aZrFhPY-1TOlPDIeBI0Rogvbm2jLroBkMZviweFB7-Q7eCLZwZKv7rDmRwLrS9md7jdAf_CfrthxwZTjyuqFSr_GfAg/s320/IMG_9495.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very tiny Frog Orchid <i>Coeloglossum viride</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAU0dNair9LqIp7boUsDp7GSKPAqYof9hhtpgekvvgoAJy2cYEBa73HaU4mOa4X9VEDbqOJtxKJhU6TxHF-rQVpck6N4WkCvvvpLJKfQzqT17j_aAxIiX58kSR6A3Ac0G01pLqcPNYy7h-/s1600/IMG_9502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAU0dNair9LqIp7boUsDp7GSKPAqYof9hhtpgekvvgoAJy2cYEBa73HaU4mOa4X9VEDbqOJtxKJhU6TxHF-rQVpck6N4WkCvvvpLJKfQzqT17j_aAxIiX58kSR6A3Ac0G01pLqcPNYy7h-/s320/IMG_9502.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The largest Frog Orchid, about 12cm in height</td></tr>
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sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-83160587287640605362015-02-25T14:54:00.000-08:002015-02-25T15:03:11.414-08:00Galanthophilia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Snowdrops are still in flower and it's a good time to record them from your local area. The most frequent species naturalised locally is Snowdrop <i>Galanthus nivalis</i>, which can be recognised by its entirely glaucous (blue-green) leaves which are flat and less than 1cm in width. The inner tepals have a green patch at the apex only. This is the species that is so abundant in Old Sulehay Forest and at Orton Woods.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2d6kyJ5Xp1Z9LFY9AJCdL02wdH6BvG4KNEfPUKRC2LCQCzs5bHZ191VqPEXiqtGP8wtrHuHjfoY5XheXbRzQJaWqb53WJtHA5ieN3hvHnaUnhcqMBMuhLGPmckfM319dZ4m4XI-Lvctv/s1600/IMG_5646-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2d6kyJ5Xp1Z9LFY9AJCdL02wdH6BvG4KNEfPUKRC2LCQCzs5bHZ191VqPEXiqtGP8wtrHuHjfoY5XheXbRzQJaWqb53WJtHA5ieN3hvHnaUnhcqMBMuhLGPmckfM319dZ4m4XI-Lvctv/s1600/IMG_5646-Edit.jpg" height="276" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>G.nivalis</i> in Old Sulehay Forest</td></tr>
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Quite often the double form 'flore pleno' can be found. This is present in Thorpe Wood NR and in many churchyards.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97KxJBddOco_1wGNaEfS3BYn6G58BSn2DMeq2uV_q-plSHgD3_UOhYsMAl5Xwq7LEdIni3N7rz7UN9pBPhZuMu1H_TUP7syXIXPuLIK7swAcyuLg0vLV93-ugqSTPtOxCKrRjiNnnpow2/s1600/IMG_9237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97KxJBddOco_1wGNaEfS3BYn6G58BSn2DMeq2uV_q-plSHgD3_UOhYsMAl5Xwq7LEdIni3N7rz7UN9pBPhZuMu1H_TUP7syXIXPuLIK7swAcyuLg0vLV93-ugqSTPtOxCKrRjiNnnpow2/s1600/IMG_9237.JPG" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>G.nivalis</i> 'Flore Pleno' in Thorpe Wood</td></tr>
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There are three other species that may be found occasionally in our area, most frequently in churchyards and cemeteries where they may originally have been planted. All three can be found in St. Botolph's Churchyard at Longthorpe.<br />
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The most distinctive perhaps is Woronow's Snowdrop <i>Galanthus woronowii,</i> as it is the only snowdrop that has a clear green leaf with no trace of glaucous colouration. Like <i>G. nivalis</i>, this species only has a green patch at the tip of the inner tepal. This appears to be fully naturalised in Longthorpe Churchyard, and I have also seen much smaller groups in several Lincolnshire churchyards this spring.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Kz0OUbNyBph1r_iik6MotoCdP34L1p2iUgg6RsUane-9BhT73k42TaZ37plEuCkQvfJRRrJnkxjJxZw0bouaN1tdZIpUTKE7QE-PFzp0ElzXe2zs-CZ3jHPNf-2FOikKKt_7u10D-pDe/s1600/IMG_5750.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Kz0OUbNyBph1r_iik6MotoCdP34L1p2iUgg6RsUane-9BhT73k42TaZ37plEuCkQvfJRRrJnkxjJxZw0bouaN1tdZIpUTKE7QE-PFzp0ElzXe2zs-CZ3jHPNf-2FOikKKt_7u10D-pDe/s1600/IMG_5750.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>G.woronowii</i> well established in Longthorpe Churchyard</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eJIXhA0N69BUDPd-l0_enBcrSJN1b8FoM-EdyhEb4Dl7bxy2qTtVTP1V2NahAeO4ZhWj5UmT1HB7y9kixsedzPirtNcQw3wg5arPUtExGTPXPEFudYjgbLrfA8aGMAkHqzs2ylMzQv1_/s1600/IMG_5686.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3eJIXhA0N69BUDPd-l0_enBcrSJN1b8FoM-EdyhEb4Dl7bxy2qTtVTP1V2NahAeO4ZhWj5UmT1HB7y9kixsedzPirtNcQw3wg5arPUtExGTPXPEFudYjgbLrfA8aGMAkHqzs2ylMzQv1_/s1600/IMG_5686.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsb4WJewvNKEY8ajY4DuRfmX0m0u1bOZEESnPqc7AbBGmZ_xmz8-vsm8mv1kJSUT2s9ilYZNN9SVqWOUgvJTktNuipSUzgnwLgU5RYtJRO8kXrxeq3cebGK3wUMQ8XyfzY20VLRHVdAMAB/s1600/IMG_5694.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsb4WJewvNKEY8ajY4DuRfmX0m0u1bOZEESnPqc7AbBGmZ_xmz8-vsm8mv1kJSUT2s9ilYZNN9SVqWOUgvJTktNuipSUzgnwLgU5RYtJRO8kXrxeq3cebGK3wUMQ8XyfzY20VLRHVdAMAB/s1600/IMG_5694.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers of <i>G.woronowii</i></td></tr>
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Greater Snowdrop <i>Galanthus elwesii</i> has very glaucous leaves, but at least one will be more than 1.5cm wide after flowering, the leaves have their margins rolled when they are young and have a hooded apex. This species can have green patches at either just the apex, or at the base and apex of the inner tepals. I've never seen this species in large numbers, but it is occasionally present at low frequency in populations of <i>G.nivalis</i>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpAGBYmIpFu3i6Kt7NFiES-nYZdFmKAf7DhKlV8rhmT9uTGcrXCsSwk_UBx60eWqmK3aSAIrTmvy3gDDaM8xYoXYt87MbF-C-_TGSjbl2tni3iK7KG9vIyZTbEhR48eZQksgOntWC0qll/s1600/IMG_5753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicpAGBYmIpFu3i6Kt7NFiES-nYZdFmKAf7DhKlV8rhmT9uTGcrXCsSwk_UBx60eWqmK3aSAIrTmvy3gDDaM8xYoXYt87MbF-C-_TGSjbl2tni3iK7KG9vIyZTbEhR48eZQksgOntWC0qll/s1600/IMG_5753.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>G.elwesii</i> in Longthorpe Churchyard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtjtO1nnrGyYPa4VsNQgYtkcPQ0TUWWX4Wa_j8vNuss1ZiOLkFqlpf2LYZKqe-5PtxHLn-PRl-hIADs2Gw7EgSPLJ7SKMSNRh6oMAWn-FnUJvHMTLwTn7fHi3VX_-UTmyRP87r1er4Xqs/s1600/IMG_5752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBtjtO1nnrGyYPa4VsNQgYtkcPQ0TUWWX4Wa_j8vNuss1ZiOLkFqlpf2LYZKqe-5PtxHLn-PRl-hIADs2Gw7EgSPLJ7SKMSNRh6oMAWn-FnUJvHMTLwTn7fHi3VX_-UTmyRP87r1er4Xqs/s1600/IMG_5752.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>G.elwesii</i></td></tr>
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The last species is perhaps the rarest, and in some ways can be the trickiest to identify. Pleated Snowdrop <i>Galanthus plicatus</i> has glaucous leaves, but the margins are folded under at least along most of the length, especially when young. Although this sounds a relatively easy character it can be quite tricky to notice. The leaves are also supposed to have a paler central band on the upper side. Like <i>G. elwesii</i>, the inner tepals can be marked with green either just at the tip (subsp. <i>plicatus</i>) or at the apex and base (subsp. <i>byzantinus</i>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnxpPa5_04ITBrNOHmmoPGANB3uqf5lRjvdNQDsUzY9NZDrZaLMwf3bfovZfTHzdL6vByKDgYYNkEcTHuuplnCoQJtPlciqWNVG4NEpJRE15Gpe09nclaV-fRkMFH4lbJ80b6nSPaTMoz/s1600/IMG_5756.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnxpPa5_04ITBrNOHmmoPGANB3uqf5lRjvdNQDsUzY9NZDrZaLMwf3bfovZfTHzdL6vByKDgYYNkEcTHuuplnCoQJtPlciqWNVG4NEpJRE15Gpe09nclaV-fRkMFH4lbJ80b6nSPaTMoz/s1600/IMG_5756.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>G.plicatus</i> in Longthorpe Churchyard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFz2UhI42b4D-3iZFWQJd3kW_OTJeC4pyzMFsxpvaViJ4_ywCFWnoizR0cERINSNGR-F9HsYfxqpfe2Od3NtPZRPouevyVoThTfV0j8OvgPeTUySA_lq1guCBvabNqCTJICVjqgLKhyphenhyphenBS/s1600/IMG_5690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglFz2UhI42b4D-3iZFWQJd3kW_OTJeC4pyzMFsxpvaViJ4_ywCFWnoizR0cERINSNGR-F9HsYfxqpfe2Od3NtPZRPouevyVoThTfV0j8OvgPeTUySA_lq1guCBvabNqCTJICVjqgLKhyphenhyphenBS/s1600/IMG_5690.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>G.plicatus </i>subsp. <i>plicatus</i></td></tr>
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Do have a closer look at your local snowdrops in the next couple of weeks and see if you can spot some of the less frequent species. Of course, like many plants, they will hybridise, but that's another story...sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-2466941054043825452014-08-12T05:43:00.001-07:002014-08-12T05:43:30.591-07:00Hybrid thistleHaving finished writing a long report, I was in need of some fresh air, so pottered off to Castor Hanglands. I wasn't really botanising, just trying to clear my head, but I then spotted a thistle that looked odd. The flower structure was like <i>Cirsium arvense</i>, but a somewhat deeper and redder shade of purple than usual, and the stem was partially winged. It was growing close to a patch of <i>C.arvense</i>, but there was also a very typical <i>C.palustre</i> growing close by.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winged stem</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reddish-purple flowers</td></tr>
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The intermediate features fit the hybrid between <i>C.arvense </i>and <i>C.palustre,</i> which goes by the snappy name of <i>C. x celakovskianum</i>. It seems to be a fairly rare cross, and doesn't seem to have been recorded from VC32 before, though I don't suppose many people look that hard at thistles!sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-62935986336792329702014-08-12T05:21:00.000-07:002014-08-12T05:21:06.977-07:00False grass-poly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been very engrossed in report writing, so field time has been limited. Nevertheless I was surprised to find a plant I didn't recognise at all on a quick dog-walk to Ferry Meadows. It was growing in a shady area along the old route of the A47. At first glance I thought it might be a weird purple loosestrife <i>Lythrum salicaria</i>, but there were only one or two flowers in each axil. In Stace it keys out to false grass-poly <i>Lythrum junceum</i>, a casual bird-seed alien, though I have to say it was an unusually robust specimen. Certainly people do scatter bird seed close-by, and this could be the source. It seems to be only the second record for VC32!sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-46364179173425449392014-08-02T09:21:00.001-07:002014-08-02T09:21:49.820-07:00A multitude of mulleinsRecently I've been working on some land close to the East Coast mainline, which is one of the richest sites I know for mulleins. These can be rather puzzling, as like many taxa, they hybridise freely. So far I've recorded at least nine taxa, although only eight this year. These include:<br />
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<u>Great mullein<i> Verbascum thapsus</i></u><br />
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This is by far the commonest species, and has the anthers of the two lower stamens asymmetrical, branched hairs, decurrent leaves and a capitate stigma. All the hairs on the anthers are white and it normally has an unbranched inflorescence.<br />
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<u>Dark mullein <i>Verbascum nigrum</i></u><br />
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Once again the flowering stem is usually simple or sparsely branched but the anthers are all reniform and symmetrical, many hairs on the filaments are violet, there are several flowers per node and each pedicel has two small bracteoles, the pedicels are of variable length and the bases of the leaves are cordate.<br />
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<i><u>Verbascum x semialbum (V. thapsus x V.nigrum)</u></i><br />
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This is by far the commonest hybrid in the genus and is quite frequent where both parents occur. All anthers are reniform and symmetrical, and usually the upper 3 filaments have violet hairs and the lower 2 white hairs, though there can also be a rather more random mix.<br />
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<u>Hoary mullein <i>Verbascum pulverulentum</i></u><br />
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A local species of East Anglia, whose spectacular branched inflorescences can often be seen on road verges, particularly along the A14 in Suffolk and the A47 round Norwich. The anthers are all reniform and symmetrical, and the filaments have dense white hairs. The leaves are are mealy and the hairs gradually rub off (they're also very irritant!). This one is pretty unmistakable.<br />
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<i><u>Verbascum x mixtum (V.nigrum x V.pulverulentum)</u></i><br />
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A rare hybrid with the spectacularly branched inflorescence of <i>V.pulverulentum</i>, but with a mix of purple and white hairs on the filaments of the anthers, which are all reniform. The leaves are softly hairy, with some purple colouration along the main vein.<br />
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<u>Caucasian mullein <i>Verbascum pyramidatum</i></u><br />
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Superficially quite similar to <i>V. x mixtum </i>in the branched inflorescence and presence of violet hairs on the filament. However, there is only one flower per node in the axil of the bract, with no bracteoles and the leaves have a very different texture, being rather crinkled.<br />
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<u>Twiggy mullein <i>Verbascum virgatum</i></u><br />
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This is possibly native in the west country, but is a fairly frequent casual of waste places elsewhere. The anthers are asymmetrical, the stem has glandular hairs for the whole of its length and the inflorescence is usually simple with yellow flowers and violet hairs on the filaments. The main characters separating it from moth mullein <i>V.blattaria</i> are that there are usually more than one flower per node in the lower part of the inflorescence and the pedicels are mostly shorter than the calyx.<br />
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<u>White mullein <i>Verbascum lychnitis</i></u><br />
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A rare species of southern England, which is also occasionally established on brownfield sites. The anthers are reniform and all the hairs on the filaments are white. The flowers are normally white (although they can be yellow) and the inflorescence is usually branched although it may be feebly so in stunted specimens.<br />
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-64998425026178210582014-07-21T07:02:00.000-07:002014-07-21T07:02:51.505-07:00Pain-free nettles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you're by a river bank or in a fen, keep a look out for stinging nettles with particularly long, narrow leaves. And then if you're feeling brave, try brushing your hand against them. The chances are you won't be stung, as this leaf shape is very characteristic of <i>Urtica dioica</i> subsp. <i>galeopsifolia</i>, the stingless nettle.</div>
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The classic locality for this subspecies is Wicken Fen, but it occurs more widely in damp habitats. The images above were taken on the bank of the River Nene at The Boardwalks LNR, where it occurs alongside the normal painful nettle, as well as with some intermediates.<br />
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If you examine the leaves closely you'll find that there are scarcely any stinging hairs, but instead there is an indumentum of dense simple hairs. The lowest flowering branches are at nodes 13-22 and it flowers from mid-July onwards, about a month later than common nettle. </div>
<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-50957301977703376522014-06-28T14:24:00.000-07:002014-06-29T14:49:59.912-07:00The Local PatchSpent a few hours today recording in my local tetrad TL19U, visiting Thorpe Hall Grounds, Holywell Fish Ponds and several local streets. Lots of interesting finds, taking my total to somewhere over 370 species. Highlights so far include:<br />
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A good population of bee orchid <i>Ophrys apifera</i> at Thorpe Hall, with more scattered records from Thorpe Meadows<br />
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A single pyramidal orchid <i>Anacamptis pyramidalis</i> at Thorpe Hall</div>
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A strong population of salsify <i>Tragopogon porrifolius</i> in rough grassland at Thorpe Hall<br />
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A few plants of spring beauty <i>Claytonia perfoliata</i> in secondary woodland at Thorpe Hall<br />
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A small population of motherwort<i> Leonurus cardiaca</i> at Thorpe Hall</div>
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Moth mullein <i>Verbascum blattaria</i> at Thorpe Hall<br />
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Deadly nightshade <i>Atropa belladonna</i> in an area of secondary woodland at Thorpe Hall</div>
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A strong population of black mullein <i>Verbascum nigrum</i> on disturbed ground (possibly archaeological diggings) at Holywell Fish Ponds, growing not far from a very large population of whorled water-milfoil <i>Myriophyllum verticillatum</i> in one of the ponds.<br />
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Several bushes of the hybrid <i>Salix x smithiana (S. viminalis x S.caprea) </i>at Holywell Fish Ponds, only known from nine other sites in VC32</div>
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A single bush of white barberry <i>Berberis candidula </i>naturalised in a shrubby area of Holywell Fish ponds - possibly new to VC32</div>
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A good population of creeping bellflower <i>Campanula rapunculoides</i> in an area of waste ground in Netherton - possibly a new record for VC32</div>
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A good population of Balkan spurge <i>Euphorbia oblongata</i> (another possible new VC record) in the same area of waste ground, where there was also cotton thistle <i>Onopordum acanthium</i> and large-flowered evening-primrose <i>Oenothera glazioviana.</i></div>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-89935332895340117582014-06-25T14:09:00.000-07:002014-06-29T14:22:51.836-07:00Swaddywell PitI followed Bob's advice and headed off to Swaddywell Pit this morning to see the spectacular display of pyramidal orchid <i>Anacamptis pyramidalis</i> - well worth a visit and very close to the car-park if you're short of time!<br />
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Lots of other interesting species flowering too including lots of lesser centaury <i>Centaurium pulchellum </i>and brookweed <i>Samolus valerandi</i> in a damp area of compacted clay.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hckkOJI2zi-2StSW2-QsnUTYQU0_e4ciXtqubwfu2k2NMtQTylBrFxnjBpCY0sVapFI2TZ5Rb2echR4lQe0ZzUjCg1uC1g2dbxfU6IyoUwoYZAysTc_oNkzRJb9-q9kqh3zrRARDOSr_/s1600/IMG_0514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hckkOJI2zi-2StSW2-QsnUTYQU0_e4ciXtqubwfu2k2NMtQTylBrFxnjBpCY0sVapFI2TZ5Rb2echR4lQe0ZzUjCg1uC1g2dbxfU6IyoUwoYZAysTc_oNkzRJb9-q9kqh3zrRARDOSr_/s1600/IMG_0514.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Centaurium pulchellum</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Samolus valerandi</i></td></tr>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-31015862170962888502014-06-18T14:45:00.000-07:002014-07-10T15:02:43.356-07:00Grimsthorpe ParkThe South Lincolnshire Flora Group had an excellent afternoon recording the parkland of the Grimsthorpe Estate. There were many good records, including Pale Sedge <i>Carex pallescens</i> and Grey Sedge <i>Carex divulsa </i>subsp. <i>divulsa</i>, both growing along bracken fringed paths, rather than their more usual woodland ride habitat. Both species are very local in South Lincolnshire.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhne-OOAoLM_IsQT4mlpu7PMKw_OG2i7oktkI5SpMeZITWaF_uLcm7iFddHQ5MSuHc2Fuhwgn9K9B6QdON5qCxPlhGk4rBF1Q-Buj3UR4AwsmXIG9AzZyBmbO3I2Waw9bDDLCG424wNDHDR/s1600/IMG_2373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhne-OOAoLM_IsQT4mlpu7PMKw_OG2i7oktkI5SpMeZITWaF_uLcm7iFddHQ5MSuHc2Fuhwgn9K9B6QdON5qCxPlhGk4rBF1Q-Buj3UR4AwsmXIG9AzZyBmbO3I2Waw9bDDLCG424wNDHDR/s1600/IMG_2373.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Carex pallescens</i></td></tr>
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A small group of us stayed on to record around the Stew Ponds, and on our way dropped in at Elsea Pit to see the Early Gentian <i>Gentianella anglica</i>, which seems to have had a good year. This endemic species is rather like Autumn Gentian <i>Gentianella amarella</i>, but flowers considerably earlier and the distance between the two uppermost leaf pairs is 40% or more than the height of the plant.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gentianella anglica</i></td></tr>
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We were almost running out of time, so our visit to the southern edge of the Stew Ponds was rather brief, but it was very pleasing to find a large population of Round-fruited Rush <i>Juncus compressus</i>, which is a much declined species (GB RedList near Threatened) and appears to be a new record for the estate.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ioDe_oAY8RBWC01PI7VqlnlRdxQjo1QgeHgfr3edJPDhiSVeB3L1cZI_xlhkMgRaBNFElDT3XGYtXxmfixVSClwC7q9zKRUhkbEsIKfBQMhklrPs9BRMGRsy50_idnWFHD7ipcyx-tH6/s1600/IMG_0355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ioDe_oAY8RBWC01PI7VqlnlRdxQjo1QgeHgfr3edJPDhiSVeB3L1cZI_xlhkMgRaBNFElDT3XGYtXxmfixVSClwC7q9zKRUhkbEsIKfBQMhklrPs9BRMGRsy50_idnWFHD7ipcyx-tH6/s1600/IMG_0355.jpg" height="640" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Juncus compressus</i></td></tr>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-78199953000482342702014-06-10T15:02:00.002-07:002014-06-10T15:03:22.397-07:00Grass vetchling galore<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.172800064086914px;">I spent a long day on a site in Hertfordshire. The highlight of the visit was finding an extraordinarily large population of grass vetchling </span><i style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.172800064086914px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Lathyrus nissolia</i><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.172800064086914px;">, which is one of my favourite species. The intensely bright pink flowers are unmistakable, but the foliage is so grass-like that this species is almost impossible to record when it's not flowering. I'm amazed I managed to get a decent image, as there was a strong breeze blowing all day! This very southern species favours disturbed habitats, particularly on calcareous clay, and seems to have spread recently, possibly because it is sometimes included in commercial seed mixes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.172800064086914px;">It was also good to see a very good population of wood speedwell </span><i style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.172800064086914px;">Veronica montana</i><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.172800064086914px;"> in the ancient woodlands. This species is easy to identify when the pale lilac flowers are visible, but can sometimes be overlooked as germander speedwell <i>Veronica chamaedrys </i>when it's in the vegetative state. However, the latter species normally has two lines of hairs on the stems, while <i>V.montana </i>has the hairs evenly distributed around the stem.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: 16.172800064086914px;"><br /></span></span>sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-9349108127875236902014-06-08T10:47:00.000-07:002014-06-29T11:08:27.230-07:00Skillington<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I finally felt well enough to risk a trip to one of my Lincolnshire priority tetrads. I chose Skillington, as there seemed to be a rather nice Drove Road along the county boundary, that I suspected might have some good calcareous grassland. It had rained heavily the day before, and when I finally arrived my heart sank as it was fringed with scrub and the centre of the track was deeply rutted with deep muddy puddles. Nevertheless, I persisted and a little way along the track there were some good areas of grassland, with locally frequent woolly thistle <i>Cirsium eriophorum</i> and a suite of other calcicoles including upright brome <i>Bromopsis erecta</i>, salad burnet <i>Poterium sanguisorba</i>, bird's-foot-trefoil <i>Lotus corniculatus</i>, burnet saxifrage <i>Pimpinella saxifraga</i>, greater knapweed <i>Centaurea scabiosa </i>and a small population of rock-rose <i>Helianthemum nummularium</i>. There was also a lot of common knapweed <i>Centaurea nigra</i>, as well as some unusually slender forms with cut leaves. Unfortunately they weren't in flower, but the shape of the phyllaries on the bud seemed a good match for chalk knapweed <i>Centaurea debeauxii,</i> which would be a first record for VC53. A return visit will be required!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Helianthemum nummularium</i></td></tr>
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Eventually I was stopped in my tracks by a very deep puddle, so I turned back, recorded a stretch of roadside verge and then had a walk around the village, which added a lot of garden escapes and other usual village denizens. A white Geranium had me puzzled, but in the end I managed to identify it as a white form of hedgerow crane's-bill <i>Geranium pyrenaicum</i>, which had escaped from a nearby garden. There was also a very fine display of purple crane's-bill <i>Geranium x magnificum</i> along a road bak.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Geranium pyrenaicum</i> ' Alba' or 'Snow in Summer'</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7zdPV7ppy9vopjWSPm16FNIhzS2EIrg1gy6r5Pqo3O7Nj6ZY1twWdvRYUimLdLlHvDQglapPlt2zTznquUmECQDQO3JQcs2lnCGyq2qSGt1ZOKstb8ITLQJe80R0IGze-hFulKegbV16/s1600/IMG_0188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj7zdPV7ppy9vopjWSPm16FNIhzS2EIrg1gy6r5Pqo3O7Nj6ZY1twWdvRYUimLdLlHvDQglapPlt2zTznquUmECQDQO3JQcs2lnCGyq2qSGt1ZOKstb8ITLQJe80R0IGze-hFulKegbV16/s1600/IMG_0188.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Geranium x magnificum</i></td></tr>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-85151548070838071682014-05-30T01:24:00.001-07:002015-02-07T06:45:27.321-08:00King's Dyke NRWhile Pete led the annual bug-hunt, I concentrated on recording the plants and although I only covered a small part of the reserve I found plenty of interest. The summer-parched soils of the reserve support a good range of tiny annuals, including very large populations of <i>Filago vulgaris, Valerianella locusta </i>and <i>Myosotis discolor</i>. Other more local species of similar conditions include <i>Torilis nodosa</i> and <i>Ranunculus parviflorus</i>, which I've not seen there previously.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCGFUmoR-o8hix9enTQqV72MA1bEfwOvG4PgI5cFfkD9oodgUSI8L4tt1rV4Bv1yNIU4cSlFdyA4JagV6TFkFPhMV5aLnoNWGVa_9vh8eJKrQ0vvQ1g0X147e_zp379mo7V4GFrGTnCy5/s1600/IMG_0250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTCGFUmoR-o8hix9enTQqV72MA1bEfwOvG4PgI5cFfkD9oodgUSI8L4tt1rV4Bv1yNIU4cSlFdyA4JagV6TFkFPhMV5aLnoNWGVa_9vh8eJKrQ0vvQ1g0X147e_zp379mo7V4GFrGTnCy5/s1600/IMG_0250.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Torilis nodosa</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5s7bFPLh4nJR4GpPLd3JtxYCF6d5Y4EmLihUr9HmO_aBM-uM3YKzCt212ZnheUQVajutuZtIScGTNCOYCV1_eRouhcSAPv9uwTiPk64H63oK1VjHFbS9YVk7G8L6Y2s-w0Au7rgm4Cv2/s1600/IMG_0252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5s7bFPLh4nJR4GpPLd3JtxYCF6d5Y4EmLihUr9HmO_aBM-uM3YKzCt212ZnheUQVajutuZtIScGTNCOYCV1_eRouhcSAPv9uwTiPk64H63oK1VjHFbS9YVk7G8L6Y2s-w0Au7rgm4Cv2/s1600/IMG_0252.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Valerianella locusta</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3SJwlCeUWPqKcqH-MTpPbbH6bgq_-XUrK9eBADgqqP3hCO6ZKGKhjIm5nDwvBDRv39UtrX0viB8o6-yM7N0yprwg8ciHsdyyL1a_xevlmFh5cKTHMOzWsFBub-xVvJnTCG-Crll80eXg/s1600/IMG_0253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3SJwlCeUWPqKcqH-MTpPbbH6bgq_-XUrK9eBADgqqP3hCO6ZKGKhjIm5nDwvBDRv39UtrX0viB8o6-yM7N0yprwg8ciHsdyyL1a_xevlmFh5cKTHMOzWsFBub-xVvJnTCG-Crll80eXg/s1600/IMG_0253.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Myosotis discolor</i></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EuFOs3fkQ9YcjnDRL7uTD1-OTK03lwTKePqqhtbZlDX3WmPS083sgHdw76EVEmFLEV8i1hGsoBe_KiG6hCtx2Fqi38g_fch03aWS59BTWHPcAevPz8-QIqkCxV-CndR6MLXQwLCiVOJW/s1600/IMG_0259.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1EuFOs3fkQ9YcjnDRL7uTD1-OTK03lwTKePqqhtbZlDX3WmPS083sgHdw76EVEmFLEV8i1hGsoBe_KiG6hCtx2Fqi38g_fch03aWS59BTWHPcAevPz8-QIqkCxV-CndR6MLXQwLCiVOJW/s1600/IMG_0259.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ranunculus parviflorus</i></td></tr>
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A couple of species of orchid were also flowering, <i>Dactylorhiza incarnata</i> and <i>Ophrys apifera</i>, both growing near the edge of the lake, the latter just beyond the pond dipping platform.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvC81D9mpXfjzSAEKNy9l8j8GrWpl7LVYGmnUfmy9HOjtz7tAjbBNTX_K7p_5hHk5WHZ6LGbyoM-dUZ3j7RyawBiv9rlTKg1r-xIKZyZljQJCqhDpNNZEQsdB6VNc9_G89oTikNAkCs6s/s1600/IMG_0263.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIvC81D9mpXfjzSAEKNy9l8j8GrWpl7LVYGmnUfmy9HOjtz7tAjbBNTX_K7p_5hHk5WHZ6LGbyoM-dUZ3j7RyawBiv9rlTKg1r-xIKZyZljQJCqhDpNNZEQsdB6VNc9_G89oTikNAkCs6s/s1600/IMG_0263.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dactylorhiza incarnata</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzycakM2pnR7k7_2B76uUGOS10wiat48pt5NQooW0drf_JT6OI8qiSo4AaPQykbRs6e_07EoUzQYxhVwynQo9F7VssGyrr1hwbu0sAhXpjxNnV5hT90ubH0HVbU782W5uN8jMH76T2yE7/s1600/IMG_0279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPzycakM2pnR7k7_2B76uUGOS10wiat48pt5NQooW0drf_JT6OI8qiSo4AaPQykbRs6e_07EoUzQYxhVwynQo9F7VssGyrr1hwbu0sAhXpjxNnV5hT90ubH0HVbU782W5uN8jMH76T2yE7/s1600/IMG_0279.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ophrys apifera</i></td></tr>
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However, the most unusual species was found growing abundantly in the lawn behind the Hanson offices, which is actually remarkably species-rich. At first I just couldn't place the blue starry flowers, but eventually I remembered that it looked like a <i>Pratia</i> sp., which I grew many years ago. After consulting various reference books it turned out to be Matted Lobelia <i>Pratia pedunculata, </i>a native of New Zealand<i> </i>which may well be a new record for VC29.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wSfnpFrPs3c6f9gQlGR9sSOYxelDCR7FgM6xxuzLGmauG4RR8uwnaI9t5chZHoG8U6dqDkzJ3xJgj5yrHAPQlTe-VVI2Et9YeXwCxkISelJWd3__cCIDKDL0NaUbJBg9BgJc1_EMiLiB/s1600/IMG_0246.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7wSfnpFrPs3c6f9gQlGR9sSOYxelDCR7FgM6xxuzLGmauG4RR8uwnaI9t5chZHoG8U6dqDkzJ3xJgj5yrHAPQlTe-VVI2Et9YeXwCxkISelJWd3__cCIDKDL0NaUbJBg9BgJc1_EMiLiB/s1600/IMG_0246.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lawn lobelia <i>Pratia angulata</i>, naturalised in mown grassland</td></tr>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-35830004841838220272014-05-30T00:38:00.000-07:002014-05-30T00:38:28.267-07:00Southey Wood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm still not travelling too far, thanks to the sciatica, so today Rosie and I had a walk round Southey Wood. I used to visit this a lot, but haven't been recently, so I was interested to see what I could find. It's a very rich site, with both ancient woodland and unimproved grassland on calcareous and acid soils, and I recorded 176 species in about an hour and a half, just from the paths. Highlights of the visit were:<br />
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Lots of <i>Galium odoratum,</i> at several locations<br />
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<i>Carex pallescens</i> at a couple of different places on the rides. This is a very occasional species, usually found on damp rides in ancient woodlands locally.<br />
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<i>Ornithogalum umbellatum</i>, on a ride edge. I have recorded this before from a different part of the wood. It is considered to be non-native in Northamptonshire, although in both cases at Southey Wood it was growing among semi-natural vegetation with no other apparent introductions.<br />
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<i>Sanicula europaea</i>, a local species of dry calcareous woodland, with one extensive patch growing near the car-park.<br />
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<i>Aquilegia vulgaris</i>, in the car-park, most likely an introduction but self-seeding and apparently well established.<br />
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Other species of note include lots of <i>Astragalus glycyphyllos</i> and locally frequent <i>Oxalis acetosella</i> on the more acid soils. Definitely a site to revisit later in the season!sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-36846383472854212922014-05-29T10:24:00.000-07:002014-06-30T11:18:52.950-07:00Annual clovers at Ferry MeadowsThe sandy lake edges at Ferry Meadows must be one of the best places locally for annual clovers. I've already written about <i>Trifolium micranthum</i> on the west bank of Overton Lake. Today this area also supported sheets of knotted clover <i>Trifolium striatum</i>, as well as one or two white-flowered clovers that appeared similar to rough clover <i>T.scabrum</i>, but that I suspect are actually an albino form of <i>T.striatum</i>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Trifolium striatum</i></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJn5zKifKoDSmXWmzg0nMXLp-IFn40E0_1eKgV2xaPgzz90i51AZ0PohmeS5UMXP5QeHGFIwwepP5ceztl2ksormW0N4FedyFsGpB28ZZcwxvz0sL932qHJ_QDrWc_aHsBa6e9wO6r_21/s1600/IMG_0020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjJn5zKifKoDSmXWmzg0nMXLp-IFn40E0_1eKgV2xaPgzz90i51AZ0PohmeS5UMXP5QeHGFIwwepP5ceztl2ksormW0N4FedyFsGpB28ZZcwxvz0sL932qHJ_QDrWc_aHsBa6e9wO6r_21/s1600/IMG_0020.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlj2I6C_HYt0IIlBeioC5sCZDeh-BjHsBezQzOouZAJkcVj-2E2Bo9dVfMUUMgf-NJYBBdARLlxv6FCgVUqqaulKkPkLHkJ0QYhVJ90Ql2QoVfnbwWCKuAuM8pdJOJEJ9Eo3L4n1kRiz7P/s1600/IMG_0021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlj2I6C_HYt0IIlBeioC5sCZDeh-BjHsBezQzOouZAJkcVj-2E2Bo9dVfMUUMgf-NJYBBdARLlxv6FCgVUqqaulKkPkLHkJ0QYhVJ90Ql2QoVfnbwWCKuAuM8pdJOJEJ9Eo3L4n1kRiz7P/s1600/IMG_0021.jpg" height="287" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Albino Trifolium striatum?</i></td></tr>
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Even more exciting is a large population of bird's-foot clover <i>Trifolium ornithopodiodes</i> growing in very short goose-trampled turf on damp sandy soil along the south bank of Lynch Lake. This has been growing in the area for over twenty years, but somehow never seems to have been included in the Huntingdonshire records, despite me informing the previous BSBI recorder. It's very difficult to photograph, as the flowers are quite tiny, and normally occur in 1-4 flowered racemes. This winter annual is most freqiuent round the coast, but may get overlooked as it can be almost impossible to see!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AjzZqM-pj_lC866oDr57NwghE8d3vcD1-jyu1toQsrMcd1mtlCBeDpT-CisdGnG7ZDafCYZ_vfH91jD2ZvAPaBW51BKgUS5G-sHUwIG-PQSCrCv6TWTiVxFTTXCIUqs4mzxxoowq3Ql_/s1600/IMG_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AjzZqM-pj_lC866oDr57NwghE8d3vcD1-jyu1toQsrMcd1mtlCBeDpT-CisdGnG7ZDafCYZ_vfH91jD2ZvAPaBW51BKgUS5G-sHUwIG-PQSCrCv6TWTiVxFTTXCIUqs4mzxxoowq3Ql_/s1600/IMG_0009.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Trifolium ornithopodioides</i></td></tr>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-88070845017225157472014-05-21T23:52:00.000-07:002014-05-30T00:17:18.413-07:00Castor HanglandsIt was such a lovely day that I had to get out, so I visited Castor Hanglands in preparation for a grass identification day that I'm leading on 24th June. It's an ideal location, as there's arable, neutral grassland, calcareous grassland, wetland and woodland all in a compact area, and I'm confident we'll be able to find a good range of species to identify.<br />
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As I walked round I also recorded the wider flora. It's an excellent time for recording sedges. most of which are flowering now. The marsh had lots of <i>Carex disticha</i>, as well as <i>C. panicea</i> and <i>C. distans</i>. All of these are very local, being largely confined to unimproved grassland. Around Peterborough <i>C. disticha</i> also occurs in alluvial meadows, but the latter two species are largely confined to damp calcareous grassland, often with springs or seepages.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9k9WNDbB2J6YO1Lkju6QJnvAf0_-Pi1AoMQaiyAf9Eq6-FDL0rfOBSLtckbXGMQflvZw4kxkiRIU72M5Lot9fHwH5HZsgKb0Rhh8ASTZXI2HYH4Waxf_6N_BlkHJ-ycnuaQDanvysijPC/s1600/IMG_9858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9k9WNDbB2J6YO1Lkju6QJnvAf0_-Pi1AoMQaiyAf9Eq6-FDL0rfOBSLtckbXGMQflvZw4kxkiRIU72M5Lot9fHwH5HZsgKb0Rhh8ASTZXI2HYH4Waxf_6N_BlkHJ-ycnuaQDanvysijPC/s1600/IMG_9858.jpg" height="400" width="201" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Carex panicea</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjnVngUtmvBCjdhSvkArxQT1bYj2_3ws4O14Ky8cC-hDWKj6zmrckaPAlquD1ChNjVzCPSkSgOoOFQQc5fYtjbrR38VH6NTA-rmpPumNuLxY3VoG1PduZyUIEiRmpfyREAFUEcWyuc6jJ/s1600/IMG_9860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHjnVngUtmvBCjdhSvkArxQT1bYj2_3ws4O14Ky8cC-hDWKj6zmrckaPAlquD1ChNjVzCPSkSgOoOFQQc5fYtjbrR38VH6NTA-rmpPumNuLxY3VoG1PduZyUIEiRmpfyREAFUEcWyuc6jJ/s1600/IMG_9860.jpg" height="256" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Carex disticha</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZ6lVjTJ0NhJ2WPNr5pFGrOJ16R9vqk9Jp5FTxSybPcT4cDDTZQGMYP3WTGUlS344Yn9QEsA9nE_IR2Liy1gK_AjGatqzjiR_IzNLBD6rE_NEM3s3DDHtkG6Q58rg2i2TGJEnhlfWcDKT/s1600/IMG_9869.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMZ6lVjTJ0NhJ2WPNr5pFGrOJ16R9vqk9Jp5FTxSybPcT4cDDTZQGMYP3WTGUlS344Yn9QEsA9nE_IR2Liy1gK_AjGatqzjiR_IzNLBD6rE_NEM3s3DDHtkG6Q58rg2i2TGJEnhlfWcDKT/s1600/IMG_9869.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Carex distans</i></td></tr>
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The marsh orchids were also coming into bloom. There were some <i>Dactylorhiza incarnata </i>subsp. <i>incarnata</i>, but most appeared to be hybrids. I find these very difficult to identify, particularly where there are more than two possible parents. At least some looked as though they might be <i>D. x kerneriorum</i> (<i>D. fuchsii x D.incarnata</i>), as they had rather pink flower with folded back lips and heavily spotted leaves, but they could be another taxon! Sedges are so much easier!!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqha36xaBBbowboiOY9z7iamJF6zVvJU9TWSlB15LydUpl58g5iuZcjq_-TOw6VqHve03pIk82DAeN2XTQ0i_okzUvho8FwxcU4MH-l2Xdpog9UC3XNp9Gzo6a8X97pMcfXvV8KWIQeVU/s1600/IMG_9861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBqha36xaBBbowboiOY9z7iamJF6zVvJU9TWSlB15LydUpl58g5iuZcjq_-TOw6VqHve03pIk82DAeN2XTQ0i_okzUvho8FwxcU4MH-l2Xdpog9UC3XNp9Gzo6a8X97pMcfXvV8KWIQeVU/s1600/IMG_9861.jpg" height="400" width="333" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unsure about this one!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuAbUprXZjfzz74RLti0K6QY1iClP8KtqFcaEswGdVJYkY_-8od6u5owWovTXZHPvY4kSZW83xAG5O2U3EcsO2k8Zz-zuiY5Dqc3_ciGMEz6YaS_NwhOHOmuqANKmfGOdtqifKE-3nQX0/s1600/IMG_9865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnuAbUprXZjfzz74RLti0K6QY1iClP8KtqFcaEswGdVJYkY_-8od6u5owWovTXZHPvY4kSZW83xAG5O2U3EcsO2k8Zz-zuiY5Dqc3_ciGMEz6YaS_NwhOHOmuqANKmfGOdtqifKE-3nQX0/s1600/IMG_9865.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Possible <i>Dactylorhiza x kerneriorum</i></td></tr>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-49632890825391802792014-05-20T18:00:00.000-07:002014-05-27T06:11:49.912-07:00Well away from home...After a severe bout of sciatica on Sunday, I decided to stay close to home and went for a short walk through Thorpe Meadows and along the bank of the River Nene. I wasn't really botanising, but this rather showy geranium caught my eye.<br />
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There's a great deal of Meadow Crane's-bill <i>Geranium pratense </i>along that stretch of the river, but this was clearly different and reminded me of Wood Crane's-bill <i>G.sylvaticum</i>, which is very much a northern species that I've seen in Scotland and Northumberland. This provisional identification was confirmed when I got home and consulted Stace. It's apparently the first record for V.C.32, and is well out of its native range, so presumably has arrived through human intervention, though it's in a semi-natural area well away from any dwellings. </div>
<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-32106291829725774722014-05-17T10:24:00.000-07:002014-05-17T10:24:17.109-07:00Hay meadow treasuresThis morning I took a group from Rutland Natural History Society on a walk round a couple of hotspots in the Nene Valley. We started at Castor Station, where we looked at the riverside vegetation, enjoyed seeing plenty of Banded Demoiselles (it's going to be a bumper year for this species), found a freshly emerged Scarce Chaser and spent some time looking at various fish and invertebrates that Pete had collected from the river, including some baby Spined Loach.<br />
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The botanical highlights came in the second part of the morning, when we visited part of Castor Flood Meadows SSSI which is owned by the Nene Park Trust. This unimproved hay-field proved to be a real gem, with all the species that you might expect - S<i>anguisorba officinalis, Silene flos-cuculi, Filipendula vulgaris, Ophiuoglossum vulgatum, Silaum silaus, Carex disticha</i> - the list could go on.<br />
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However, there were three star species. On the slightly drier ground at the western end there was a good population of Meadow Saxifrage <i>Saxifraga granulata</i>, at one of its very few Peterborough sites. It is now more frequent in churchyards and cemeteries than in old meadows. In the dampest part of the field we found two areas of Tubular Water-dropwort <i>Oenanthe fistulosa</i>, a much declined species which is now classified as Vulnerable in the UK RedList.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim38PgqPx__Bx2iGiJENovfvzpiHS9SfoIMV4C7mlbHHDHMDT7kbPROLPYo0OT_nT-jFSwvaFafO2Kzo9pOkT2n1v8jFwIkUhEwgH3UIiTZuL5tXTvz2r2G4BYFy4Q9TJStcoPucifTE-Y/s1600/IMG_9746.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim38PgqPx__Bx2iGiJENovfvzpiHS9SfoIMV4C7mlbHHDHMDT7kbPROLPYo0OT_nT-jFSwvaFafO2Kzo9pOkT2n1v8jFwIkUhEwgH3UIiTZuL5tXTvz2r2G4BYFy4Q9TJStcoPucifTE-Y/s1600/IMG_9746.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Saxifraga granulata</i></td></tr>
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I was also delighted to see that the population of Early Marsh-orchid <i>Dactylorhiza incarnata </i>was still present (having last surveyed it over 10 years ago) and seems to be having a good year. Pete counted at least 100 spikes before he gave up. A number of the spikes were the classic pale flesh-pink of <i>D.incarnata </i>subsp.<i> incarnata</i>, but a much larger proportion were a deep pink, and key out to <i>D. incarnata</i> subsp. <i>pulchella</i>, which is supposed to occur on more acid soils, although it can occasionally occur in neutral marshes and fens, and recently has been found as a coloniser of fly-ash tips in the Lee Valley, Hertfordshire. Stace considers that the majority of the subspecies of <i>D.incarnata</i> would be better considered as varieties - so who knows?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KiLSqs-OG4w9ibTtTWKcqzhWq2xpNf1Xsfbv8oW9lWAdkjsquCt3l7mHu7liS6xf_aVUmT0fUqCr1jgs9ln_mZsytPDgJbrsoBbD5M87KxXRav7vSK7G6skFhIeWhIUpv5isFnEgYMur/s1600/IMG_9740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KiLSqs-OG4w9ibTtTWKcqzhWq2xpNf1Xsfbv8oW9lWAdkjsquCt3l7mHu7liS6xf_aVUmT0fUqCr1jgs9ln_mZsytPDgJbrsoBbD5M87KxXRav7vSK7G6skFhIeWhIUpv5isFnEgYMur/s1600/IMG_9740.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dactylorhiza incarnata </i>subsp. <i>incarnata</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGtGv8zHPw_Mi23Hu3Y33_70mYDiFu-PgsEzE0nWNcwSm7gG51zjMxPgMI1_gY0x5j3oF7cjIBg3fmVEokflpAOu8VRXaT_FgJ_Qx2iKMc7S8b3cGC8vpqHWFjt5-iwBVlpiFyT0jkJPH/s1600/IMG_9742.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTGtGv8zHPw_Mi23Hu3Y33_70mYDiFu-PgsEzE0nWNcwSm7gG51zjMxPgMI1_gY0x5j3oF7cjIBg3fmVEokflpAOu8VRXaT_FgJ_Qx2iKMc7S8b3cGC8vpqHWFjt5-iwBVlpiFyT0jkJPH/s1600/IMG_9742.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Dactylorhiza incarnata </i>subsp. <i>pulchella</i></td></tr>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-5042018920010975042014-05-17T10:01:00.002-07:002014-05-17T10:01:50.095-07:00Slender trefoil at Ferry MeadowsLast week I had a stroll round part of Ferry Meadows Country Park. There has been a lot of wildflower seeding in places, and at the moment there is a truly magnificent display of Red Campion <i>Silene dioica</i> , in a number of different shades, as well as at least one plant of the hybrid with White Campion, <i>Silene x hampeana.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Silene dioica</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Silene x hampeana</i></td></tr>
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However, what I was really interested in was the flora of the gravelly areas. Rabbit diggings to the west of the car-park were fringed with a halo of Common Stork'sbill <i>Erodium cicutarium</i>, while the sandy areas on the west bank of Overton Lake had sheets of both Lesser Trefoil <i>Trifolium dubium</i> and it's much less common relative Slender Trefoil <i>Trifolium micranthum</i>. This latter species is pretty rare locally, being far more restricted to free-draining sandy soils than <i>T.dubium</i>. It may well be overlooked, but when the two grow together it is clearly different, forming a lower, denser mat of smaller leaves and the flower-heads consistently having tiny flowers with fewer than ten flowers in a raceme, often only two or three. This is one to look out for at Tallington Pits I think!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flowers of T<i>rifolium micranthum</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dense mat of <i>T. micranthum</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Erodium cicutarium</i></td></tr>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-65099886546274853812014-05-13T14:15:00.001-07:002014-05-13T14:15:49.817-07:00Annual geraniumsNow is probably the best time of year to record small annual geraniums. We have quite a good range locally - these five are perhaps the trickiest to identify.<br />
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<i>Geranium molle</i> has small, bright pink or almost whitish flowers with ten anthers. The leaves are dissected less than half-way and it has both silky long and short hairs on the petiole and peduncle. It's common almost everywhere.<br />
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<i>Geranium pusillum</i> has rather duller, more mauvish-pink flowers, with only five anthers and the hairs on the stems are all short. The leaves are somewhat more dissected than <i>G. molle</i>, but not as deeply cut as <i>G.dissectum</i>. It particularly seems to like areas which are summer droughted and is locally frequent especially in brownfield sites. It is often under-recorded, being mistaken for<i> G. molle.</i></div>
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<i>G.dissectum</i> usually has small, bright pink flowers (the photograph above is of an unusually pale form) and has deeply-dissected leaves. It usually has a mix of short and long eglandular hairs. It is surprisingly variable and can be difficult to identify vegetatively, but is frequent to abundant in a variety of disturbed and grassy places, and is often a weed of arable fields</div>
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<i>Geranium columbinum</i> is probably the rarest locally, and is superficially similar to G.dissectum, but it has even more dissected leaves and short stiff eglandular hairs. Most pedicels are more than 2.5cm long, giving it the English name of long-stalked crane's-bill. It occurs regularly at Bedford Purlieus and has also been recorded recently from Castor. It normally grows on limestone soils.</div>
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<i>Geranium rotundifolium </i>seems to be turning up all over the place at the moment. A large patch has recently appeared on a route that I've walked regularly for about fifteen years. The petals are rounded at the apex. it has glandular hairs and the leaves often have red spots in the sinuses and at the ends of the lobes. It normally grows in bare stony places that are parched in summer.</div>
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<br />sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2634475133512082466.post-19277977358325799672014-05-07T07:49:00.003-07:002014-05-07T07:49:57.657-07:00Large BittercressI was relieved to see that the colony of <i>Cardamine amara </i>(Large Bittercress) in Bluebell Wood is doing well this year, as I hadn't recorded it for the past few years. This is a rare species in both Northamptonshire (VC32) and South Lincolnshire (VC53), and in the latter vice-county it is most frequent in TF00, with a number of records for the Stamford area, although most are quite old. It was most recently recorded in 2012 from Uffington Park, and there are also older records from Greatford, Thurlby Fen and Stoke Rochford. When flowering, it's easy to identify - the blackish-purple anthers and white petals distinguish it from <i>C.pratensis</i>. It is much more restricted to streamsides, marshes and flushes - at Bluebell Wood it only grows in one small seepage area, among <i>Iris pseudacorus.</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09005193834897508114noreply@blogger.com0