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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

A sad pub crawl around the hometown this afternoon. These were once the best pubs in town, now five of six are boarded up. A relief to find The Carps still going and much the same - they served me when I was 14 and still very good for a pint

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

This www.researchgate.net/profile/Ruth... seems to suggest biennial habit is the base state and annual habit is indeed recessive and therefore might have been selected for in some lines escaped from cultivation

researchgate.net

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Excellent, I have plenty of biennial seed so we can swap:)

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Ah, I was just reading your blog www.jeremybartlett.co.uk/2012/02/21/h... & about to ask if they’re still going. I collected biennial seed today & would like to grow them side by side if you have spare seeds. Not sure which bit was used tho presumed leaves in which case biennial might be preferred

jeremybartlett.co.uk

Henbane, Hyoscyamus niger | Jeremy Bartlett's LET IT GROW blog

There are some plants that you read about and long to see. They may be beautiful, fascinating or rare. Henbane, Hyoscyamus niger, is all three of these.

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Some lovely large cabbagey rosettes of Henbane Hyoscyamus niger on the NW Norfolk coast today. This population seems to be habitually biennial.

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Absolutely! Pertaining to these wrinkles

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I’d semi wondered why they were called Bur-marigolds until I walked through them in my favourite jumper:( Clever tho, as their combination of beauty, interest and aggressive adherence has now transported them across the country. We’re all unknowing slaves to Bidens bidding

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Paul Fletcher @paul-fletcher.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Late for #WildflowerHour, Sea Aster, Tripolium pannonicum and #SeedHeads of Suaeda maritima, Hordeum marinum and Atriplex pedunculata at the last's only known UK site.

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

New plant for me during a mostly sunny autumn week in Norfolk. Asarina procumbens (Trailing Snapdragon) on a church near Cromer, looking splendid. I have failed to find it a few times before e.g. Llandudno. Thanks @bramblebotanist.bsky.social for gen #wildflowerhour

Asarina procumbens looking very happy and flowering well having come through the summer heat and drought on a church wall

Asarina procumbens closer view of the flowers

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Tasteless Water-pepper was a new plant for me yesterday (species 106!) In poached ephemeral wetland beside the Thames. #Wildflowerhour

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Chiltern Gentian Gentianella germanica at Homefield Wood yesterday. Almost dipped it but @ghostofdatura.bsky.social found us a pristine one after several amarella false alarms. Wedge-shaped ‘wibbly’ corolla tube and trianglular leaves split it from Autumn Gentian #wildflowerhour

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Passiflora caerulea is a recordable weed in and around my garden. I still find it extraordinary that such an exotic looking thing is not just hardy but almost invasive in the right conditions

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

They’re both about.. Essex is certainly the place to be for Lesser Calamint tho

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Calamint Clinopodium ascendens flowering regrowth on an Essex road verge today

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Ben @benrl.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

BBC University challenge picture round on plant illustrations taken from original ‘Scouting for Boys’ book. One word answer required. They got the Oak on second guess but none of others. I am always in awe of these students knowledge -but is this an example of ‘Plant Awareness Disparity’?

Simple line drawing of Oak tree and a leaf with lobed edge

Line drawing of a tall narrow tree and leaf. Correct answer was given as Aspen. Looks like a Lombardy Poplar to me

Ash leaf with opposite pinnate compound leaves

Line drawing of Elm tree and leaf with serrate edge and asymmetrical base

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BSBI Scotland @bsbiscotland.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

On a rare trip south, I was thrilled to be given a tour of the Cotoneasters of Cherry Hinton by #BSBIViceCountyRecorder Lucy Wilson! Learnt so much about this intimidating group of non-native shrubs (see alt-text), and actually looking forward to my next encounter with a weird one for a change 😂

Photo collage of Cotoneasters in Cherry Hinton chalk pits - four rows of three photos, described from top to bottom (each row left to right):
C. lacteus (Late), C. bradyi (Brady's), C. insculptus (Engraved)
C. salicifolius (Willow-leaved), C. x watereri (Waterer's), C. amoenus (Beautiful)
C. dammeri (Bearberry), C. divaricatus (Spreading), C. x suecicus (Swedish)
C. hjelmqvistii (Hjelmqvist's), C. simonsii (Himalayan), C. sternianus (Stern's)

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Whilst walking into the city today I noticed a Dandelion with swellings in the flower-stem. These galls turned out to be fungal, with the causer presumably Protomyces pachydermus.

A section of green Dandelion flower stalk, showing several swellings, one of which has started turning purple.

A section through one of the galls, showing that there is no cavity inside.

Some round fungal cells alongst the gall structures.

A close-up of some of the round fungal cells.

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Tristan Norton @trisnorton.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Quiz Time. Seeds of a native British species (though these are from Continental stock), found on chalk in Southern England.

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The Species Recovery Trust @speciesrecovery.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Meet the rare plant that needs chaos... A thread for #SpeciesOfTheWeek ⤵️

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Ian Parsons @ianparsons.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Sometimes at auction you find some real gems... Dartmoor Auctions next weekend, Lot 1035. Pitminster near you @iand777.bsky.social ? @brigitstrawbridge.bsky.social @nicwilson.bsky.social @markavery.bsky.social Tempting...

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Hmm.. I guess keep an eye on it and see if its progeny are as small. Seems small arvensis is likely and I’ve seen similarly sized arvensis on my sandy allotment

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Is it in sandy coastal habitats? It is mostly in dunes here. Was the entire population as small as this one?

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Limonium intercedens found by a colleague at Colne Point last week. A new species for Essex.

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This is the ‘Grandfather Tree’, a Yew grove comprised of a single phoenix tree self layered for five generations. The youngest finger-wide stems left of pic, the oldest a dead hulk on the right probably saw aurochs and druids

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Some of the awesome ancient Yew Taxus baccata trees at Kingley Vale NNR. Impossible to age but a millennium seems possible. Far from the dark and poisoned habitat I imagined - light open woodland reminiscent of both Caledonian Pinewood and Australian eucalypt groves

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Moira O'Donnell @naturelark.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

No purple colouration at all on the florets of this very attractive Carline Thistle, Carlina vulgaris, at Dungeness last Monday. #WildflowerHour

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Kat Newbert @ghostofdatura.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Dianthus carthusianorum, Carthusian pink on the edge of an olive grove in Tuscany.

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

A vast amount of Chenopodium hybridum Maple-leaved Goosefoot in a south Norfolk field while checking on an old Henbane record. I’d only seen a single plant before, now I’ve seen tens of thousands! Refound the Henbane too:) #wildflowerhour

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Patchy acid grassland, open swards, track edge communities, puddle communities, terricolous lichens, local scarce brambles, wood edge transitions, heathers..

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

If it was under a gorse bush there will be thousands of seeds waiting to pop up with any disturbance, but if regular, yeah maybe

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

The wildlife trust at west winch have effectively shifted small areas post-burn from gorse to more interesting communities by hand pulling the small gorse seedlings.. intensive work for a few seasons but may be fun for a regular volunteer group

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Jo Parmenter @jo-the-botanist.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Apols to those looking forward to it, but this year's #NNNS 'Introduction to Wildflowers' being held at Roydon Common 1030-1330 tomorrow is unfortunately going to be led by me rather than Bob L, who just let me know that he's indisposed. On the plus side, the amazing Richard Carter will be there :)

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

bsbi.org/take-part/ac... A date for your diary: The #NorfolkFloraGroup New Year Plant Hunt pub crawl will be on 2nd January 2027! Improvements made to this year’s inaugural attempt - more pubs, more beers and hopefully a few more plants too

bsbi.org

Group Hunts and events

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

To exclude people and cars due to the risk of rock falls apparently. Seems a bit OTT

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

It certainly takes some scrambling to get around that fence! I noticed some sections of cliff had been removed presumably to stop them falling but damaging the plants in the process

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Plantlife @plantlifeuk.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

The UK’s largest citizen science fungi survey, #WaxcapWatch, is back!🍄 It’s really easy to take part. Just head out to a grassy spot and record any waxcaps and grassland fungi you find. Join today 👉 www.plantlife.org.uk/waxcapwatch/

Two red fungi growing amongst some grass. The title reads 'Join the UK's largest citizen science fungi survey'

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John Martin @pilning.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Late picking #favouriteplant of the year for #wildflowerhour but this is right up there. I believe it is Utricularia australis with that flat lip that turns up a little at the edges. In ditches at Canada Farm on Somerset Levels during the excellent Dipterists Forum week in July. Native plant✅!

Utricularia australis, a bladderwort, flowering in a ditch on the Somerset levels. A

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

And only a few minutes wander from the road. I must go back and do the site properly though.. if there are treats like that and Alchemilla scirula at the foot of the slope there must be further wonders on slopes above

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Kat Newbert @ghostofdatura.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

On holiday in Tuscany and Erigeron bonariensis is abundant on the road verges, they have wine glass shaped inflorescences (very fitting for the region) and purple tipped phyllaries. #wildflowerhour

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Lots of #FavouritePlant s to choose from this year, mainly things seen botanising with the wonderful @ghostofdatura.bsky.social Days adventuring together and seeking rare plants were some of my bestest of days. Names on alt #wildflowerhour

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Some York Groundsel Senecio eboracensis plants appear to have weathered the drought above ground, & are now in full flower. Good plants currently opposite York Station, convenient for the travelling botanist #wildflowerhour A #FavouritePlant of mine, having been involved in its de-extinction

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

@jo-the-botanist.bsky.social @ians4ad.bsky.social and I had very narrow-leaved Bolboschoenus at Halvergate Marshes, Norfolk a few weeks back. Not noted it before. Perhaps a response to the hot weather??

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Kat Newbert @ghostofdatura.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

An the weirdest thing I found today was Bolboschoenus maritimus with extremely long inflorescences. Anyone know why its growing like this? #wildflowerhour

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

I’ll be staring at my lava lamp and considering the above

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Large Copper Lycaena dispar batavus caterpillars grown from eggs from the illegally released Dudley population. The largest look like they may be attempting a third generation, a result of inadvertent & intentional selection during 100 years of captivity of a univoltine wild species

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Ah, thank you! I think my conception of the magma as a swirling mixing homogenised liquid is perhaps too energetic. Local influence from nearby subduction makes sense:)

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Alex Prendergast @bramblebotanist.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

How interesting.. I shall renew my effort to find someone growing Lucerne in the east this year

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