Tuesday 19 January 2016

Botanising in Suffolk and Norfolk

Back in early September we spent a couple of days botanising in Suffolk and Norfolk and although we thought it may be a bit too late for many our target plants to be in flower almost all of them were (some only just!). I saw 21 new species most of which are shown here.



Hoary Mullein - Verbascum pulverulentum
An East Anglian specialty often seen along roadsides.


This one was a monster at around 9ft high if the bent over top was upright. 
It had collapsed under its own weight because the stem had become fasciated near the top.
In hindsight I should have stood next to it in a photo so its immense size was more obvious.
It looks a bit like a triffid!


This is the faciated top which was so bulky it collapsed.

On a road verge in a village near Bury St. Edmunds we were very lucky to find a couple of  very late flowers spikes of Crested Cow-wheat just about hanging on.




Crested Cow-wheat - Melampyrum cristatum

In the unusual surroundings of an industrial estate we saw the rare plant Field Wormwood where it is protected in a small nature reserve. It isn't much to look at though....
 


Field Wormwood - Artemisia campestris

That certainly can't be said of Maiden Pink though.. 





Maiden Pink - Dianthus deltoides

Or for that matter the absolutely stunning flower spikes of Sand Lucerne which is a hybrid of Sickle Medick and Alfalfa. I've never seen so many colours in a single flower spike.







Sand Lucerne - Medicago sativa subsp. varia

A few more Breckland plants, some only just hanging on and others in full flower ...


 
Proliferous Pink - Petrorhagia prolifera


 
And Spanish Catchfly - Silene otites


White Melilot - Melilotus albus 
Not a new plant but looking good in the evening sun.


Eyebright - Euphrasia sp.



Birdsfoot - Ornithopus perpusillus 


Smooth Rupturewort Herniaria glabra




Annual Knawel - Scleranthus annuus



Perennial Knawel - Scleranthus perennis

 

Spiked Speedwell - Veronica spicata subsp. spicata


On our way up to the North Norfolk Coast we stopped at Foulden Common where we saw...


 Large Thyme - Thymus pulegioides


Spiny Restharrow - Ononis spinosa

On the north coast we went to Burnham Overy Dunes to look for the rare Jersey Cudweed, it certainly took some finding but after about three hours searching a massive area with very little to go on we eventually stumbled upon it. On the way out to the dunes we also saw some lovely Larkspur in a variety of colours.




Larkspur - Consolida ajacis





Jersey Cudweed - Gnaphalium luteoalbum


Sea WormwoodArtemisia maritima 

Finally we went along the coast to Beeston Common to see Grass-of-Parnassus. Unfortunately photos were difficult as it was almost dark by the time we got there. I got a couple I liked though.



Grass-of-Parnassus - Parnassia palustris

3 comments:

David Bryant said...

Absolutely fantastic post, Karen!

Unknown said...

Brilliant. I enjoy the botannical slant of your blog. Many species crop up that I have never even heard of.

Karen Woolley said...

Thanks David. I love Norfolk!:-)

Thanks Andrew... Let me guess.. Smooth rupturewort?