Thursday 1 October 2015

Botanizing Around Charlton Mackrell, Somerset and My Dream Wildflower

Back in mid July we spent a few hours botanizing around the Charlton Mackrell area of Somerset. We had a few target plants which we managed to see but the one I wanted most of all was Blue Pimpernel, a sub-species of the very common Scarlet Pimpernel. It really is a flower 'to die for', well I think so. After looking for it and failing last year (mainly because I found out I was looking in the wrong field) I was so stunned to find it this year that I was momentarily rendered speechless, I was just standing there pointing and gibbering. Sad I know. And if that wasn't enough we spotted a beautiful pale pink form too, almost as nice as the blue but not quite!


 Wild Liquorice - Astragalus glycyphyllos



has subtle flowers ....

... and very striking 'in yer face' seed pods.



Field Garlic - Allium oleraceum 


Sharp-leaved FluellenKickxia elatine


One of about seven plants of Blue Pimpernel we found in a single arable field



Blue Pimpernel - Anagallis arvensis ssp. foemina
 (This is blue pimpernel and not the blue form of scarlet pimpernel which looks almost exactly the same I even took a couple of petals home to examine under the microscope to be sure)



 Pink form of Scarlet Pimpernel  - Anagallis arvensis

And a couple of butterflies..


Peacock


Essex Skipper 

3 comments:

Wilma said...

That blue pimpernel is something to behold, Karen! Super photos all 'round.

Karen Woolley said...

Thanks Wilma :-)

David Bryant said...

Stunning, beautiful images! Love the wild licorice!