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Tag Archives: Groundsel

This week in wildflowers

23 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by sconzani in flowers, nature, spring, wildflowers

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#FloralFriday, British flora, British wildflowers, Colt's-foot, Daisy, dandelion, gorse, Groundsel, Lesser Celandine, Red dead-nettle, Speedwell, Three-cornered garlic, wildflowers

What a week it’s been weather wise! We’ve gone from a generous dumping of snow and temperatures hovering around -5°C last Sunday through occasional rain, sunny periods, UV factors up and down, zephyr winds and mustang gales. Is it spring or isn’t it? Well, I’m seeing increasingly more wildflowers so I guess it must be. Here’s a selection from this week’s wanders.

180323 colt's-foot

Colt’s-foot (Tussilago farfara)

180323 daisy

Daisy (Bellis perennis)

180323 dandelion sp

a type of Dandelion (Taraxacum sp.)

180323 gorse

a type of Gorse (Ulex sp.)

180323 groundsel

Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)

180323 lesser celandine

Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)

180323 red dead nettle

Red dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum)

180323 speedwell

a species of Speedwell (probably Germander) (Veronica sp.)

180323 three-cornered leek

Three-cornered leek (Allium triquetrum)

 

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Pavement plants

11 Sunday Mar 2018

Posted by sconzani in nature, plants, wildflowers

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Tags

#PavementPlants, #WildflowerHour, British flora, Groundsel, Hairy bittercress, Lesser Celandine, plants in pavement, Shepherd's purse, wild plants, wildflowers

This week’s Wildflower Hour challenge was to check out your local pavement for #PavementPlants. As the challenge says: ‘It is amazing how many plants are able to eke out a living where they were never invited. Growing in seemingly inhospitable cracks and crevices, thriving where there is little soil, these tough little plants are often overlooked.’ So, it was eyes down this week as I wandered around Penarth and, though I decided to look just for plants that were flowering and ignore the ubiquitous grasses and mosses, I did manage to find a few little treasures in my local pavements, steps and paths.

180311 pavement plant groundsel

Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris)
I’m sure most people recognise Groundsel when they see it, as it’s very common in areas of disturbed ground. I just learned today that Senecio comes from the Latin for ‘old man’, a reference to the bare ‘scalp’ that remains once the plant’s fluffy white seeds have blown away.

180311 pavement plant hairy bittercress (2)

Hairy bittercress (Cardamine hirsuta)
I was initially confused about which bittercress this was, Hairy or Wavy but my trusty wildflower guide tells me that Hairy has four stamens and Wavy usually has six, so that clinched it. Apparently, this plant is edible, though bitter – hence its name: I think I’ll pass.

180311 pavement plant lesser celandine

Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)
Once known as Pilewort, as it was believed to be a remedy for haemorrhoids, Lesser celandine contains high levels of vitamin C and was also used to prevent scurvy.

180311 pavement plant Shepherd's purse

Shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
This very common wild plant’s common name comes from the purse-like shape of its seed pods.

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About me

sconzani

sconzani

I'm a writer and photographer; researcher and blogger; birder and nature lover; countryside rambler and city strider; volunteer and biodiversity recorder. And I am living proof that Kiwis really can fly.

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Recent blog posts

  • Birding at Dryslwyn and Kidwelly Quay February 18, 2019
  • 49/365 With laser-sharp chants February 18, 2019
  • 48/365 Prints in the mud February 17, 2019
  • 47/365 Cherry blossom February 16, 2019
  • 46/365 Barry Fox February 15, 2019

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