Your best find of the season

[IanS]

Thought I'd start a new thread to discover what you all consider to be your best find of the season so far! For me it was a couple of species of orchid (no surprises there then) plus a broomrape.

First off I found the narrow leaved marsh orchid at two Norfolk sites this year and was very pleased to have found this rare plant. I have also been lucky enough to stumble upon the white form of Pyramidal orchid and also a single white common spotted orchid.

The most surprising find for me so far though was to come across a common broomrape a week ago. It was growing in some clover by the side of a field just a short walk from where I was staying in Oxford. I have never seen a broomrape before outside of Cambridge Botanical Gardens (fabulous place well worth visiting when you are in Cambridge). I was so surprised I almost dropped my camera!

So over to you lot! What have you found?

[Meta menardi]

Originally Posted by IanS

Thought I'd start a new thread to discover what you all consider to be your best find of the season so far! For me it was a couple of species of orchid (no surprises there then) plus a broomrape.

First off I found the narrow leaved marsh orchid at two Norfolk sites this year and was very pleased to have found this rare plant. I have also been lucky enough to stumble upon the white form of Pyramidal orchid and also a single white common spotted orchid.

The most surprising find for me so far though was to come across a common broomrape a week ago. It was growing in some clover by the side of a field just a short walk from where I was staying in Oxford. I have never seen a broomrape before outside of Cambridge Botanical Gardens (fabulous place well worth visiting when you are in Cambridge). I was so surprised I almost dropped my camera!

So over to you lot! What have you found?

What Broomrape was it? As I am sure you know, they are parasitic on a very narrow range of plants for each species, so there is always a clue from the plants around it. I "found " them a few years ago, I have only seen Knapweed Broomrape I think, but I find them fascinating.

In terms of what I have found this season, the answer is very little, I am waiting for it to start. Un-ending swathes of green foliage, all flattened by rain and wind is about all we have. Supposed to be fine tomorrow, so out with the camera and away.

[IanS]

hi
It was the common broomrape, Orobanche minor.
hope you find something tomorrow then!

[wildherbalian85]

No prizes for guessing my best finds of the season

[aeshna5]

Speaking of broomrapes, I was on jury service a couple of weeks back, went on a lunchtime stroll + there along the Great West Road opposite Osterly Station were over 100 mainly spent flowerheads in a totally artificial habitat amongst low pruned Brachyglottis (formerly Senecio) "Sunshine". This garden shrub was the only other species present, so the broomrape must have been parasitising them.

In my local country park there is a small strip where I've found a lot of interesting aliens- some are quite common, others less so + include:

Linaria purpurea
Lychnis coronaria
Verbascum blattaria
Hesperis matronalis
Lunaria annua
Pilosella aurantiaca
Meconopsis cambrica
Campanula persicifolia
Lamium maculatum
Anthirrhinum majus
Aquilegia vulgaris cv
Muscari armenaicum

[rscott74]

Mine's not really new - just reappearing. Last year I found Nettle-leaved Bellflower nearby which was unusual in this area. I've visited the location a few times this year and although not yet in flower they are growing well and in good numbers and will produce a nice display in a few weeks I hope.

[leifus]

Bee orchid!!!!

[leifus]

mind you i did like the flowering rush i found today

[IanS]

I'm yet to find a flowering rush, so you are one up on me! Love Bee Orchids. Found a few this year but all seem much smaller than last for some reason.

[jhewitt15]

the best plants this year:
green hellebore
dark red helleborine
ladys slipper orchid
(we found a hybrid of northern marsh orchid and puglseys marsh orchid)
small white orchid
frog orchid
gtr butterfly orchid
lesser butterfly orchid
green flowered helleborine
spring and summer snowflakes

[leifus]

wow were did you see the ladys slipper? how easy is it to see them and where is the best place?

[IanS]

Originally Posted by jhewitt15

the best plants this year:
green hellebore
dark red helleborine
ladys slipper orchid
(we found a hybrid of northern marsh orchid and puglseys marsh orchid)
small white orchid
frog orchid
gtr butterfly orchid
lesser butterfly orchid
green flowered helleborine
spring and summer snowflakes

Wow great finds there. Only seen 1 of that lot before. As a matter of interest was the small white orchid the dense flowered orchid neotinea maculata? Did you see this in Ireland or Isle of Man? Did you find the snowflakes in the Thames area or else where? Are the green helleborines just coming out now???

[IanS]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Speaking of broomrapes, I was on jury service a couple of weeks back, went on a lunchtime stroll + there along the Great West Road opposite Osterly Station were over 100 mainly spent flowerheads in a totally artificial habitat amongst low pruned Brachyglottis (formerly Senecio) "Sunshine". This garden shrub was the only other species present, so the broomrape must have been parasitising them.

In my local country park there is a small strip where I've found a lot of interesting aliens- some are quite common, others less so + include:

Linaria purpurea
Lychnis coronaria
Verbascum blattaria
Hesperis matronalis
Lunaria annua
Pilosella aurantiaca
Meconopsis cambrica
Campanula persicifolia
Lamium maculatum
Anthirrhinum majus
Aquilegia vulgaris cv
Muscari armenaicum

Interesting to hear that broomrapes can parasitise other non-native species. Is this a common occurrence? Lots of aliens there too. I dont seem to come across them very often, well not knowingly anyway!

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

Speaking of broomrapes, I was on jury service a couple of weeks back, went on a lunchtime stroll + there along the Great West Road opposite Osterly Station were over 100 mainly spent flowerheads in a totally artificial habitat amongst low pruned Brachyglottis (formerly Senecio) "Sunshine". This garden shrub was the only other species present, so the broomrape must have been parasitising them.

Brachyglottis 'Sunshine' seems to be an increasingly frequent host for Common Broomrape. I usually look for it whenever I see the Brachyglottis planted.

[jhewitt15]

Originally Posted by IanS

Wow great finds there. Only seen 1 of that lot before. As a matter of interest was the small white orchid the dense flowered orchid neotinea maculata? Did you see this in Ireland or Isle of Man? Did you find the snowflakes in the Thames area or else where? Are the green helleborines just coming out now???

the ladys slipper was at Silverdale. You can walk right up to it and photograph it.

there is a site at Grass Wood in Grassington, but you need a telescope to see it.

The small white orchid was once called the white frog orchid. Its a scottish orchid and is found all over the north. We found it a Little Aspey in Cumbria.

I found the snowflakes in my local park. In a woody bit. The spring snowflake could have been native but the summer snowflake is definitely planted. I also saw summer snowflake in a wood next to Blackpool Zoo.

the green helleborine is just in bud now. but they hardly ever open. I think its called clystagamous.

[jhewitt15]

just recently we went to Warton Crag and found skullcap. we took a photo of it and forgot about it. We have only just realised that its BASIL THYME a rarity in the north!

[leifus]

[quote=jhewitt15;305665]the ladys slipper was at Silverdale. You can walk right up to it and photograph it.

there is a site at Grass Wood in Grassington, but you need a telescope to see it.QUOTE]

thanks. we often visit grassington when we are up there and silverdale can be a joint visit with the RSPB reserve Leighton Moss where we saw bitterns last year. Thanks again I'll be taking plenty of photos of it next may then!!!!!!!!!!

[Gill Catton]

I was going too say Marsh Fritillary but I knew they were there and went looking so that doesn't count. So that makes Volucella zonaria without a doubt best find this year.

[JennyS]

At the moment I think my best find is the patch of Frog Orchids I came across today!
Very unexpected as there don't seem to be any recent records for SW Ireland .......

[PeterJL]

I ran a meeting for the WFS in May and the idea was to see the Snowdon Lily. went all the way up to the base of Snowdon and it wasn't there this year so I changed the venue to Cwm Idwal.

We found the usual stuff: Thalictrum alpinum, Saxifraga cespitosa, S. hypnoides and stellaris also Subularia aquatica but the real find came before the meeting.

The parking is so difficult at Cwm Idwal that you need to get there before 9.30 and so a few of us went for hunt round the outlet to Llyn Ogwen before the meeting started at 10.30.

We found a beautiful and different looking hawkweed. It had glaucous leaves with ciliate edges and purple spots. I rang up Tim Rich and he said from the description it was fairly certainly the rare Hieracium carneddorum a North Wales endemic.

Pity my friend picked it!

[jhewitt15]

will they still be out because I'm going to Snowdonia on Sunday for 5 days.

what plants should I look out for and how do I tell this endemic hawkweed from a common one?

[PeterJL]

I'm not sure how long they last but we saw this one on June 1st so the answer is probably not but I can describe where this one is exactly but since it's a triple R and an endemic probably I'd rather not put the site on public display.


At Cwm Idwal you should be able to find the Subularia aquatica and Lobelia dortamanna and at this time of year Saxifraga cespitosa will be completely finished but Saxifraga nivalis will be out.

Contact me on simethis at yahoo dot co dot uk.

[lizard orchid]

The best finds for me while recording for the forthcoming Rare Plant Register of Northamptonshire this year
was refinding Lesser Snapdragon which was thought extinct and Corn Mignonette , a new record which I have been told is the second current record in the UK at present but I will check up on this to make sure.
Also it was great to see my habitat management on the Shepherds Needle site paid off with 100 plants showing this year. Sadly we only have three sites for this species here in Northants.

Brian Laney Botanist Northants.

[leifus]

I think bog orchids now

[IanS]

I too am please with finding the bog orchid (I suspect we found the same lot in the New Forest - DH). But I am now very pleased to have found green, violet and a very strange white and pink version So they are my best finds!