Corncockle Agrostemma githago at perhaps it’s only remaining true archaeophyte location at Ranscombe Farm reserve, Kent
Bonsai Bank, an awesome chalky glade. Ten orchid species seen including hundreds of Lady Orchids, the star species here; Most Ladys were frazzled by the May heatwave but several seen in good flower
Dense-flowered Fumitory Fumaria densiflora on a chalky arable margin at @plantlifeuk.bsky.social Ranscombe Farm reserve. It has deeply toothed almost round sepals and a bract exceeding the pedicel. My final Fumaria species and the fourth new species for me on this Kent trip.
Dropped by Betteshanger to see the 2nd largest GB population of Lizard Orchid Himantoglossum hircinum. A great site to understand the ecology of this species where it can be observed in abundance in extensive wild conditions.
Lovely Rough Poppy Papaver hybridum in species rich chalky arable margins on @plantlifeuk.bsky.social ‘s Ranscombe Farm, Kent
Wonderful chalk slopes in East Kent, spangled with around 100 Late Spider Orchids Ophrys fuciflora
Malling Toadflax Chaenorhinum origanifolium at its locus classicus on limestone walls in West Malling, Kent
Other arable bits about Kent.. Broad-leaved Cudweed Filago pyramidata, Spreading Hedge-parsley Torilis arvensis, Cornflower Centaurea cyanus and Poppy Papaver rhoeas
Alex Prendergast
I'm a bit late for #wildflowerhour as per usual but South Stack Fleawort (Tephroseris integrifolia subsp. maritima) has to be worth a post! I'm sure many a botanist will recognise this view.
This tiny area of central Aberdeen hosts three common members of the genus Senecio: 1) groundsel, 2) Oxford ragwort and 3) narrow-leaved ragwort. Growing with them are intermediaries between 1) & 2) [I think Welsh groundsel] and between 2) and 3) [though the BSBI DDb has no records of the hybrid].
