Snippets of Wealth - Saturday 22nd June 2019 - Limestone/Heath Bedstraw/Holly Ferns/Common Vetch/Wild Strawberry

Top: Galium sterneri (Limestone Bedstraw) versus Bottom: Galium saxatile (Heath Bedstraw)
Click over to enlarge

Top: Galium sterneri (Limestone Bedstraw), bottom is Galium saxatile (Heath Bedstraw)
Click over to enlarge

On Hutton Roof we have both Galium sterneri (Limestone Bedstraw) and Galium saxatile (Heath Bedstraw) and although the Galium sterneri (Limestone Bedstraw) is a much rarer plant nationally, here it remains the commoner of the two.  The reasons are the Galium sterneri (Limestone Bedstraw) is found more or less throughout the full 100 hectares of Hutton Roof, whilst the Galium saxatile (Heath Bedstraw) although found in much more larger density and matt forming quantities it remains to be found only in areas of open heathland just like we have got at the Trig Point, Ploverlands and Uberash roughs.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell which are which at first glance and therefore you need to check them close up by using a small hand lens.

You can tell by the shape of the leaf, but the conclusive can be by seeing which way the bristles on the edges of the leaves are pointing eg: Bristles going backwards and point to the stem are Galium sterneri (Limestone Bedstraw), whilst bristles going forwards are Galium saxatile (Heath Bedstraw).  Please enlarge the above photos to see the examples.

Galium saxatile (Heath Bedstraw) (Click over to enlarge)

I had all the regular bird species today including several, Garden Warblers, Willow Warblers, Chiffchaffs, Linnets, Green Woodpecker, also Stonechat in Dalton Crags. Also breeding Redpoll at both Trig Point and also on Uberash. Also Tree Pipits.

Butterfly species were really good today with my first large Fritillaries x2 not sure whether they were Dark Greens or High Browns in Lancelot Clark Storth, also had Large Skippers x2 in Dalton Crags, 2xPainted Ladies in Lancelot, also Speckled Woods and 23 Small Heath and 1 Common Blue, also had Small Pearl Bordered butterflies x2.

On setting out today I wanted to check out the Vicia sativa (Common Vetch) which we have some nice examples within Plain Quarry, they are such a beautiful species but rather short lived in my opinion. 

They are now seeding and have gone into seed pods which you can see in the next photo. 

Vicia sativa (Common vetch)

Photo: 22nd June 2019

Showing going to seed with pods

Wild Strawberries are at their best now especially in Dalton Crags with good yields throughout. I did manage the following photo which shows you just how many can be present in a square metre!

Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberries) at Dalton Crags on 22nd June 2019

Polystitchum lonchitis (Holly Fern) No. 1

Photo: Hutton Roof on 22nd June 2019

Polystitchum lonchitis (Holly Fern) No. 2

Photo: Hutton Roof on 22nd June 2019

Both our precious Polystitchum lonchitis (Holly Ferns) are at their best now and seem to be doing well.  No.1 is by far the stronger specimen, yet No.2 although a far less strong specimen does have the added interest of their being it's cousin the aculeatum growing alongside it and maybe one day a 'Ilyricum' hybrid might just appear closeby....

This is such an interesting frond in my opinion (Click over to enlarge)

especially with the wide gaps between the rows of pinnae

Photo: 22nd June 2019 Hutton Roof.

Arenaria serpyllifolia (Thyme Leaved Sandwort) (Click over to enlarge_

Photo: Hutton Roof on 22nd June 2017

Photo: Hutton Roof on 22nd June 2019