Pics backlog

 

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). Beckington, 15 September 2021.

I'm posting a backlog of late summer pictures. These elegant narrow nettle leaves are late season growth.

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). Beckington, 15 September 2021.

Below, the more normal leaf-shape:

Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica). Beckington, 15 September 2021.

Crack Willow (Salix fragilis). Beckington, 15 September 2021.

On the same theme, the dramatic variation in size between a remaining spring leaf and more recent growth on this Crack Willow.

Ripe fig. Frome, 16 September 2021.

Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis). Nunney, 18 September 2021.

A new niche for Ivy-leaved Toadflax: plastic lawns. 

Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis). Oldford, 15 September 2021.

Meadow Vetchling in the water meadow outside the creamery at Oldford.

Common throughout the British Isles. Also nearly all of Sweden, except the far north (Sw: Gulvial). Also most of Europe and deep into Russia, but absent from most of the Iberian peninsula.

Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis). Oldford, 15 September 2021.

Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis). Oldford, 15 September 2021.

Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis). Oldford, 15 September 2021.

Meadow Vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis). Oldford, 15 September 2021.

My mildly awakening interest in blackberry species .... I'm hoping this one might be Rubus ulmifolius, the only sexual species and the most widespread one. On the basis of commonness, September fruiting, many drupelets in each fruit and excellent flavour. That's probably wrong but, whatever.

Chinese Dogwood (Cornus kousa). Radstock, 8 September 2021.

Chinese Dogwood noticed in Radstock. The compound fruits are edible, apparently.

Chinese Dogwood (Cornus kousa). Radstock, 8 September 2021.

Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paralias). Sand Bay, 12 September 2021.

Common around southern and western coasts of the British Isles, typically on stable dunes. It does not occur in Sweden.

Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paralias). Sand Bay, 12 September 2021.

Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paralias). Sand Bay, 12 September 2021.

A cordgrass islet on the mudflats at Sand Bay.

Shells from Sand Bay, found in shirt pocket the next day.

The last of the sunlight, in Beckington. At 18:45 and 18:46 respectively.

European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Frome, 15 September 2021.

These might soon be poignant pictures. They show a fine ash tree outside Frome College. The Ash is the characteristic tree species of this part of England, but ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) is rife and is killing most of the trees. (It's  thought to be a natural fungus that grows on Asian ash species but is not lethal to them.) Up on the Mendips whole lanes and woods now consist of dead and dying trees. The disease is well established in nearby villages (Nunney, Beckington) but in Frome itself I haven't yet seen many signs. I suppose in a built environment the separation of the trees slows the spread. Apparently about 15% of individuals are resistant, so let's hope this is one of them.

European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Frome, 21 September 2021.

European Ash (Fraxinus excelsior). Frome, 2 November 2021.

A view looking eastwards from the southern edge of Frome. In the distance, Cley Hill and the Longleat ridge.

This might be another poignant pic. There are plans to build 1700 homes here (the euphemistically named Selwood Garden Community). The idea, so I've been told, is to encourage greater use of cars instead of people walking downtown or out into the countryside.

https://stopsgc.org/