Is this Slender Thistle?

[Mele]

Evening
I found lovely albino herb Robert in Worcestershire a few weeks back, actually tracked it down after reading Edwin Lees' account of an excursion to Knapp and Papermill near Alfrick Pound in 1854. I more or less retraced his footsteps. He'd found white herb Robert in the same (of course I am guessing but the right wood anyway!) place 150 years before. I don't see white herb Robert often so it was weird to think these white plants or a colony of them has survived in one place for so long. And they were unusual enough for him to note it at the time.

I've checked my photos of white marsh and no purple on it.
Mel

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Mele

Evening
I found lovely albino herb Robert in Worcestershire a few weeks back, actually tracked it down after reading Edwin Lees' account of an excursion to Knapp and Papermill near Alfrick Pound in 1854. I more or less retraced his footsteps. He'd found white herb Robert in the same (of course I am guessing but the right wood anyway!) place 150 years before. I don't see white herb Robert often so it was weird to think these white plants or a colony of them has survived in one place for so long. And they were unusual enough for him to note it at the time.

I've checked my photos of white marsh and no purple on it.
Mel

I've got some white Herb Robert in my garden- never planted by me + I do find it attractive. The other place I've noted it is in an area of Barnes common.

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I've got some white Herb Robert in my garden- never planted by me + I do find it attractive. The other place I've noted it is in an area of Barnes common.

Aeshna5, a couple of questions: do your white plants have any anthocyanin? Have they ever crossed with the normal kind, and if so, were the resulting plants all intermediate, or did they show they show a range between the two?
Dorts.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Dorts

Aeshna5, a couple of questions: do your white plants have any anthocyanin? Have they ever crossed with the normal kind, and if so, were the resulting plants all intermediate, or did they show they show a range between the two?
Dorts.

I have both the normal + white flowering forms + I've never noticed any intermediates. We've been here c15 years + both types have always been around.

On the white flowers there's no obvious sign of any pigment.

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by aeshna5

I have both the normal + white flowering forms + I've never noticed any intermediates. We've been here c15 years + both types have always been around.

On the white flowers there's no obvious sign of any pigment.

Thanks for that aeshna5. I think, as I have for many years now, that there is a good case for most white Herb Robert to be classed as a sub species and not as just 'one-off' albino plants.

There is certainly an opportunity for someone to do more work on this.
Dorts.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Dorts

Thanks for that aeshna5. I think, as I have for many years now, that there is a good case for most white Herb Robert to be classed as a sub species and not as just 'one-off' albino plants.

There is certainly an opportunity for someone to do more work on this.
Dorts.

I hadn't really thought about this before, but you raise an interesting point here!