Tristan Norton

What looks like Rough Bristle-grass Setaria verticillata from a turnip field just near home this afternoon. Central Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Zostera marina on the shore at West Wittering, West Sussex yesterday, showing the reach of the tide. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Some unseasonal flowers today on the beautiful West Sussex coast between Itchenor and the Witterings. Self-heal Prunella vulgaris and Dogwood Cornus sanguinea. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Heath Milkwort Polygala serpyllifolia and Dwarf Gorse Ulex minor. Canada Common, New Forest. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Small Fleabane Pulicaria vulgaris still looking good in the northern New Forest today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Lots more Coral-necklace Illecebrum verticillatum today at Canada Common, New Forest. Growing in damp hollows. The seed, which is abundant, must get blown or washed across the grassland and settle in these irregular features. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Nail Fungus Poronia punctata on Canada Common, New Forest today. Also a decent spread of
Psilocybe semilanceata.

This year, it's taken me until late October to see Coral-necklace Illecebrum verticillatum. Here it is on Canada Common, New Forest. It's seemingly a new spot for it. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Growing in a plant container at a New Forest pub, this looks like Hornungia alpina. Not one I've seen used as a bedding plant. Especially odd given it's growing with a variegated Ivy, so clearly not an alpine planter.

On the ecological impact of prehistoric hunter-gatherers in Europe: Early Holocene (Mesolithic) and Last Interglacial (Neanderthal) foragers compared Recent studies have highlighted evidence of human impact on landscapes dating back to the Late Pleistocene–long before the advent of agriculture. Quantifying the extent of vegetation transformations b...

Important context for conversations about nature recovery and #wilding. Humans have always been part of #naturalprocesses, our response to the nature crisis must include people.
journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Fruits of Marsh Dock Rumex palustris (L) and Golden Dock Rumex maritimus. The pale inflated tubercles are clearly an adaptation for seed dispersal in wet habitats. Are the spines just hooked enough for snagging in fur? @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Side-by-side comparison of Marsh Dock Rumex palustris (L) and Golden Dock Rumex maritimus.

Distinct whorls of flowers on palustris; maritimus is more like a spiky sausage.

@bsbibotany.bsky.social

A near-mythical plant for a Hampshire botanist. Golden Dock Rumex maritimus, plentiful around the margins of this little village pond at Haddenham, west Buckinghamshire. Fantastic to see this lovely Dock in its pomp. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Loads of the fantastic Marsh Dock Rumex palustris seen today at Port Meadow, Oxford. I completely missed the MASSIVE population in one wet ditch the other week 😅. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A surprise Ploughman's Spikenard Inula conyzae spotted through a chain link fence at St John's College Sports Ground, Oxford. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

I actually found some Creeping Marshwort Helosciadum repens on Port Meadow, Oxford today! Actually, it stood out like a sore thumb. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Mudwort Limosella aquatica in flower. In truly dreadful conditions this morning, I managed to locate a single flowering plant amongst the thousands at Port Meadow, Oxford. @bsbibotany.bsky.social. Thankful for my new wellies 🙌

A first encounter with Pseudofumaria alba today, on the streets of Summertown, Oxford. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

What looks to my eye like Spergularia marina (Lesser Sea-spurrey) rather than Sand-spurrey S. rubra. In sodden mud on Port Meadow, Oxford today. No recent records of any Spergularia species nearby on the @bsbibotany.bsky.social database.

Tolkien (a man who'd known existential trauma) knew that hope is the answer, and expressed it through Gandalf: 'Despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not. I have no counsel to give to those that despair'.

Yup. Plenty to be concerned about and grumpy with, but crikey we should be thankful every day. Historical perspective is a great pin pricker for 21st Century indulgent whinging!

Misery upon misery. We don't know how lucky we are.

This is a story I'd like to know more about. Must've been some carrot.

The Sorcerer from Kenfig last night. Finally got up the courage to remove it from the pot (after some others had seen it). As far as I know, fourth British record and first for Wales. Thanks to everyone for moral support during my meltdown. But, what a moth! #TeamMoth

M Zuiko 60mm. It's v v good. I've heard good things about the 90mm.

Triggering me 🤣

Now, for some reason, I don't find that problematic.

Or do I? If this silly nonsense continues...

Indeed. Ironically, the remnants of the old Oyster Beds are now probably the single largest seabird breeding site (BH Gull, Common Tern) on the south coast. Incredible site.

Fascinating history of Oyster exploitation on Hayling Island here. Periods of boom brought to an ignominious end through ill-placed drainage and the deaths of several persons, the Dean of Winchester included. haylingu3a.org/the-oyster-i...