Alison WildFife

Hi Ken - it’s lichen rather than moss and no, it doesn’t harm the tree. It doesn’t take any nutrients from the tree. It’s an indication of good air quality when you see trees covered like this. Spectacular.

Eucladium verticillatum moss clump

Huge clumps of Whorled Tufa moss, Eucladium verticillatum glowing in the sun at St Monans. Green velvet.

The tiniest of tiny flowers and you have to lift up the leaves to find it - Marsh Pennywort at Tentsmuir today. #wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Holy Grass in full flower was one of the highlights on the BSBI Fife and Kinross walk at Loch Leven on Saturday. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Bee fly on pebbles

A bee-fly sunning itself in my garden today before the next shower came along.

So glad you’ve made the switch!

Too late for #wildflowerhour but today I found my first primroses, celandines, coltsfoot and scurvy grass - the flowery months are here again.

Cryphaea heteromalla moss

So very pleased to find Cryphaea heteromalla in our local wood! (Never seen it in NE Fife before.)

Sheltering under the hedge, Petty Spurge (Euphoria peplus). #wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Ice puddle edge

Some beautiful ice in the field puddles yesterday.

Sunshine brought out some flowers this week. Going clockwise, Hairy Bittercress, Daisy, Prickly Sowthistle, a white Herb Robert, Winter Heliotrope, Gorse, a blurry Common Ramping Fumitory blowing in the wind, and Chickweed. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Ptilium Crista-castrensis moss fronds

It's always worth a detour to see the beautiful Ptilium Crista-castrensis, the Ostrich feather moss, at Tentsmuir.

I think the yellow flower in your first picture is Wood Avens, Geum urbanum. Sounds like you have a great winter project!

Ivy flowers

Ivy flowers are the only picture I can find from this week but I also remember Red Campion, Scentless Mayweed, Field Pansy and Common Knapweed...and lots of Dandelions. #wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Grimmia pulvinata moss cushions frosted down one side.

Half-frosted Grimmia pulvinata cushions, looking like those biscuits which have been dipped in white chocolate.

Bartramia pomiformis moss

A frosty day to be looking at mosses on the north side of Castle Law, Abernethy. Bartramia pomiformis with little icicles.

A bit late but here's some red campion and common knapweed looking lovely this week, for #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Four little splashes of November colour from this week. Red Clover, Cow Parsley, Black Medick and Common Ragwort. Cow Parsley seems to have sprung back into life everywhere I look. #WildflowerHour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

A Perennial Sow-thistle glowing yellow in the sun

A burst of autumn sunshine reflected in the petals of this Perennial Sow-thistle yesterday. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

You bake with Green and Black! Sacrilege! 😉

Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Geranium dissectum flower and leaves

Another field edge discovery this week was Geranium dissectum, Cut-leaved Crane's-bill, still flowering a little bit. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Bugloss flower and leaves

I came across Bugloss at a field edge this week and realised I haven't seen it all summer...better late than never. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Twinflower flowering in Tentsmuir Forest

My #FavouriteFind this year - or at least one of them! was rediscovering the Twinflowers at Tentsmuir Forest. They're now at the edge of the forest after fallen trees were taken down. I still can't believe they're here. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Wrong picture! Corn Spurrey!

Another late entry for #wildflowerhour - a beautiful Field Pansy flowering at the field edge. #Stillflowering @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Late for #wildflowerhour but here's some Garlic Mustard #Stillflowering today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Oak apple

Not a #seedhead but very seasonal - an Oak apple, still green. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social

Spear Thistle seed head

An explosion of white fluffy seeds from the Spear Thistles this week. #Seedheads #wildflowerhour @wildflowerhour.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Maybe the Strawberry tree, Arbutus unedo? Not something I see in parks around here.