I'm not a good botanist, but I can manage to recognise Poppies, I think these are Common Poppies, Papaver rhoeas, and they are a fantastic sight, as you walk from the monument down to Hope Point.
On the way it is worth looking out for a spike of Pyramidal Orchid, Anacamptis pyramidalis, there are a few just about out at the moment. I'm told that this year hasn't been a particularly good year for orchids so it was good to find these in full bloom.
On the other hand, my plant mentor, Phil Chantler, says that Broomrapes have done well. There are certainly a lot of what I think are Common Broomrapes, Orobanche minor, but although this is probably correct thet are a complex group and I know nothing of flower anatomy to check properly. Broomrapes are interesting because they are parasites on the roots of other plants so they lack chlorophyll and hence any green colouration, and their leaves are vestigial. Above-ground stems are produced only for the purpose of flowering and setting seed. The Common or Lesser Broomrapes often uses members of the Dandelion family as hosts.
2 comments:
Your flower and butterfly pictures are just magnificent!
Thank you, I did love the poppies, I sat in the field to get the effect I wanted.
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