On the basis of these images:
Clive Stace says “I think that there is very high likelihood that it is V. x intermedium, but without flowers I think it is not possible to determine it with 100% certainty. Your pictures look just like plants of the hybrid I have seen in Derbyshire.”
I think I now have a trip planned for next Spring…..
I had an excellent walk from Orbost Farm, up the Orbost Burn and on to Healabhal Bheag yesterday. Tetrads NG24G & L had their recorded taxon count raised from 12 and 6 to 107 and 173 respectively and a very brief wander into NG24F improved the count there from 12 to 65.
MacLeod’s Table South
Ten species were found that had not been recorded in the 10km square NG24 since before 2000:
Botrychium lunaria Moonwort
Capsella bursa-pastoris Shepherd’s-purse
Diphasiastrum alpinum Alpine Clubmoss
Epilobium hirsutum Great Willowherb
Gentianella campestris Field Gentian
Neottia cordata Lesser Twayblade
Pilosella aurantiaca Fox-and-cubs
Salix pentandra Bay Willow
Saxifraga oppositifolia Purple Saxifrage
Vaccinium vitis-idaea Cowberry
and seven of these had never been localised to a tetrad before.
The preceding post shows Epilobium brunnescens (New Zealand Willowherb) on the south end of Healabhal Bheag, great swathes of it as one finds on the Trotternish Ridge.
Dwarfed Prunellla vulgaris (Selfheal) can look quite exotic once it loses its petals:
Prunella
I had a close encounter with a fox in very fine condition and found this True Lover’s Knot
True Lover’s Knot
drowned in this pool
which as well as the Sparganium angustifolium (Floating Bur-reed) had Large Red Damselfly and another moth that declined to stay still long enough to have its picture taken.
There were Magpie Moths everywhere. Brian says from Carr Brae “we never see [them] here on the mainland any more. Very strange as it used to be very common.”
I may have found Vaccinium x intermedium (V. myrtillus x vitis-idaea) growing with both parents (Bilberry & Cowberry) but I am seeking expert opinion.
with New Zealand Willowherb
A select party from the Skye Botany Group spent a longish day in the Loch Chaluim Chille area today. The loch, which had been Skye’s largest, was drained nearly 200 years ago yielding good arable land but it has now reverted to marsh, with a deep ditch all round it and other ditches cutting across.
We were well pleased to re-find Carex diandra (Lesser Tussock-sedge) in a couple of places – both with good numbers of plants.
There was Salix pentandra (Bay Willow) on the Monkstadt track where it had been previously recorded in 1963 and 1999:
Salix pentandra Note glossy upper leaf surface and serration
This is the first record in VC104 since 1999. Other pre-2000 records clearly need looking for too.
There was Sparganium erectum (Branched Bur-reed) in and close to a drain, also last recorded there in 1999, the triple hybrid Mimulus known as M. x caledonicus (Mimulus guttatus × nummularius × variegatus), Berula erecta (Lesser Water-parsnip) and a very convincingly intermediate hybrid, Salix x multinervis (S. aurita (Eared Willow) x cinerea subsp. oleifolia (Rusty Willow).
We did a lot of good to tetrad counts particularly in the under-recorded tetrad NG36U.
However, we did only half the job and I think the Skye Botany Group may soon return to look at the northern part of this area.
Loch Chaluim Chille
Patricia has managed to find Cephalanthera longifolia (Narrow-leaved Helleborine) at a known site in Sleat where I have looked several times but failed:
Cephalanthera longifolia Photo: P. Shone
If you look in the upper right area of the picture you should also be able to see Ophioglossum vulgatum (Adder’s-tongue) – the first record for the 10 km square NG60.
Jean took this photo of Nuphar lutea (Yellow Water-lily) on Scalpay and caught a Common Blue Damselfly at the same time:
Yellow Water-lily & Damselfly Photo: J Thomas
Jean & Keith found Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort) in Glenbrittle Forest, the first record in NG42 since 1996 and the first one localised to a tetrad:
Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort) Photo: J&K Sadler
Steve is trying to identify a fern from the Skye limestone:
Fern awaiting i.d. Photo: S. Terry
Here on Raasay, Margaret has an infestation of Pine Weevils, probably from logs for the fire:
Pine Weevil Photo: SJB
On Eilean Flodigarry Hilary spotted this parasitic wasp:
and Jeremy has been to see the Arabis alpina (Alpine Rock-cress) in the Cuillins:
Arabis alpina Photo: J. Roberts
and the Woodsia alpina (Alpine Woodsia) on the Trotternish Ridge:
Woodsia alpina Photo: J Roberts
Many thanks to all who sent me these.
It cost less than £100 but this Sony makes me begin to comprehend what these bird and photography buffs get out of it. These little fellows were half way down the garden and photographed through the kitchen window.
House Sparrows
I was supposed to be on Canna today but it is just as well that I didn’t set off for Mallaig yesterday as this morning’s ferry to Canna and the rest of the Small Isles was cancelled. We are having a storm.
On the bright side, I was able to attend Nick Fairweather’s book launch last night instead. Exploring Raasay details twenty walking routes on Raasay.
Exploring Raasay
It is available from Raasay Stores and from the publishers Thirsty Books here
The SWT expedition yesterday was on probably the best day of the year so far weather-wise. I was able to do some good in the under-recorded 10 km square NG63 adding 10 new taxa:
Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens (Maidenhair Spleenwort) – only new at the subspecies level
Cirsium heterophyllum (Melancholy Thistle) (This one was found by Bill & Deirdre)
Conopodium majus (Pignut)
Cystopteris fragilis (Brittle Bladder-fern)
Fraxinus excelsior (Ash)
Gymnadenia borealis (Heath Fragrant-orchid)
Gymnadenia borealis
Juncus bufonius (Toad Rush)
Melampyrum pratense (Common Cow-wheat)
Melampyrum as an epiphyte!
Silene dioica (Red Campion)
Rosa caesia subsp. vosagiaca (Glaucous Dog-rose)
Quite a few more plants were recorded for the first time in NG63 since before 2000 (often long before 2000) e.g. Allium ursinum (Ramsons), Chrysosplenium oppositifolium (Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage), Dryopteris filix-mas (Male-fern), Epilobium montanum (Broad-leaved Willowherb), Epilobium palustre (Marsh Willowherb), Pedicularis palustris (Marsh Lousewort), Polystichum aculeatum (Hard Shield-fern) and Selaginella selaginoides (Lesser Clubmoss).
Nick made two new county records of bryophytes: the hornwort Anthoceros punctatus on wet soil in Scalpay House garden and the leafy liverwort Calypogeia suecica on a decorticated rotten log.
I also enriched the list for tetrad NG62J, but pressing on…..
There were two places where the Holcus mollis (Creeping Soft-grass) was infected by the gall-causing fungus Epichloë clarkii:
Epichloë clarkii
This is a “choke” fungus that prevents flowering. Kew has no recent collection from Scotland so I am sending them a specimen.
I saw my first Carex smut of the year – the relatively common Anthracoidea karii on Carex echinata (Star Sedge) and the intertidal pools at one point had the alien seaweed Codium fragile:
Codium fragile “Green Sea Fingers”
Part of the shore with cliffs and caves had a nice collection of ferns including Asplenium scolopendrium (Hart’s-tongue), Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens (Maidenhair Spleenwort), Hymenophyllum wilsonii (Wilson’s Filmy-fern), Osmunda regalis (Royal Fern) and Polystichum aculeatum (Hard Shield-fern).
Osmunda regalis on Scalpay
Jean, Marie, Bill & Deirdre found the Nuphar lutea (Yellow Water-lily) doing well at its known site and Jean has a nice picture of a flower with Enallagma cyathigerum (Common Blue Damselfly) on it. Other damsels and dragons were seen including Pyrrhosoma nymphula (Large Red Damselfly, Cordulegaster boltonii (Golden-ringed Dragonfly) and Aeshna juncea (Common Hawker)
A couple of adders had been seen the previous two days on the path that I walked but I missed them. David and Jeanette saw a common lizard and toads (or at least, toad tadpoles).
Arrived today. Ah…. that’s better……
Map-winged Swift
Brimstone
Flame Carpet (Thanks Elizabeth)
Marbled Carpet sp.
Plants of Skye, Raasay & The Small Isles 