A few rare arable plants from the allotment: Darnel Lolium temulentum, Thorow-wax Bupleurum rotundifolium, Corn Cleavers Galium tricornutum and Shepherds Needle Scandix pecten-veneris #WildflowerHour

The spectacular Rubus incurvatus from the #NorfolkFloraGroup bramble & elm workshop at Ringland yesterday. Another for the list Jo Parmenter 💚 over 25% of the Norfolk bramble flora seen! #wildflowerhour

The sole native Fen Ragwort Senecio paludosus in its roadside ditch near Soham. Hopefully to be a little less lonely soon. #wildflowerhour

Some pretty epic bramble primocanes seen today: bristly Rubus echioides, blood red ‘aff coccinatus’, coral-orange cantabrigensis and the small orange prickles of poliodes

Beautiful extensive grassland restoration in west Norfolk with #NorfolkFloraGroup Basil-thyme Clinopodium acinos and Catmint Nepeta cataria highlights #WildflowerHour

Look! Natural England is appointing new members to its Science Advisory Committee (Deadline 12 noon Fri 23 Aug). NESAC provides advice & assurance, while steering & challenging Natural England on the integrity and relevance of its science & evidence. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a23b41… 🧵

Lovely things from yesterday’s #NorfolkFloraGroup jaunt to Shropham. Achillea ptarmica Sneezwort, Mentha pulegium Pennyroyal (uprightform), Oenothera cambrica Small-flowered Evening Primrose and Rubus leucostachys a VC1st #Wildflowerhour

Seeking views on a campaign to eliminate the words ‘common’ & ‘weed’ from official names in GB flora. I think they’re unhelpful & increasingly inaccurate. I dislike using them. We’ve plenty of other traditional names to choose from in many cases. ‘Weed’ could = ‘wort’ BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland

Finally, the Ivy-leaved Duckweed (Lemna trisulca) fruit was ripe at Fir & Pond Wood, Herts. Squeezed the single seed out of the fruit case, & initially shiny & wet but dried, I could see 14 ribs clearly. 0.8 mm long. Not recorded fruiting in the UK before (as far as I know).

An excellent week in the field in the Netherlands studying autecology of Senecio paludosus Fen Ragwort/Moeraskruiskruid. Lots of ideas of how to help it in GB. Thanks Bastiaan Brak for your help!

The inglorious 12th tomorrow. Left is a driven grouse moor. A completely devastated landscape. On the right an alternative vision. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 🌳

Oak-leaved Goosefoot Chenopodium glaucum in baked mud & paving sets by Kettlemere NL this week. I’d only seen one plant before, now I’ve seen thousands! #WildflowerHour #wildflowerhourNL

Beautifully flowery pasture beside the River IJssel at Zwolle with Achillea ptarmica, Inula britannica (new to me!) and Senecio paludosus. Eryngium campestre on the bank above. #wildflowerhour #wildflowerhourNL

White Waterlily Nymphaea alba in beautiful ditches at Weerribben NP NL, and an interesting style of wind pump #wildflowerhour #wildflowerhourNL

What do swifts eat 2024? 20 random droppings were sent for analysis of contents. This is just a snap shot in their lives and where they go to feed. A dropped bolus was also sent #apusapus #commonswift #actionforswifts #swiftconservation #saveourswifts northernirelandswifts.com/analysis2024.h…

2024 UK - Get in there! The Ghost #Orchid (Epipogium aphyllum) is one of our rarest species, and one that doesn’t need an introduction. After 30 years of searching I’m beyond delighted to have chanced upon one European Orchids & Wildflowers Mariposa Nature Tours BSBI: Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland #wildflowerhour

Many thanks to Alex Prendergast for a great workshop on eyebrights with #NorfolkFloraGroup this Saturday. Other favourites for this week include red-tipped cudweed, field wormwood, spiked speedwell, maiden pink and autumn gentian #wildflowerhour