Thursday, 29 August 2019

Snippets of Wealth - Thursday 29th August 2019 - Hutton Roof - Westmorlandii etc





I set my agenda today to go up high on the local fells and check out scores of hazel bushes intermingled on the beautiful once seabed and now a limestone pavement. Compact stunted Hazels bushes spewing out their triploid white/green kernals before the squirrels had chance to get them, but I was'nt interested in the nuts, I wanted to check out these dark places at the base of the trees just to see if they bore any surprises! 

It was only a few weeks ago that just by chance I was looking at a beautiful helleborine orchid lying in the shadows of one of these small hazels when I found something really special, so special of a orchid I just had to give it a name and immediately called it Westmorlandii.  After all we were standing in what was old Westmorland so why not! I needed a working name to be able to refer to such a wonder.....

It turned out to be so special it is a mystery, a plant that has almost defied recognition, although we do think we know part of its make-up. Without doubt it is a orchid of the Epipactis family, of which we think it may be a phyllanthes or more commonly called a Green flowered helleborine.  But it stops at that for now!  to be able to nail it and get a clear defination on what type of phyllanthes is it! we need lots of reliable morphological study, but this is usually very very expensive, but in some instances it can be necessary to establish more detail and of course so important for the future nomenclature of this rare plant. 

On my way up to the Fell I just got that special feeling today with that wandering mind (set) that I felt compelled I had to pen a ditty or two which I hope you like........


"That's beautiful!
It's all beautiful.
Do you get that warm, comfortable feeling...
These multitudal woods are all crevices of the unknown, yet wonders which just keep on giving. 
Like pockets filled with wealth spread to last to yonder eventide
Instead of birdsong, I can only hear wind,
Albeit howling out more like the flowing tides.
Shut your eyes and take it all in and in and in and out and out and out and in and in and in."

"Whit,whit,whit,whit,whit,whit,whit,whit
Are you a Willow wren or are you a chiff!
With lots of winge about you,
But the most welcome winge today 
Thanks you little beauty"

I wrote as I walked through this short tracked wood
My thoughts to words to book, were I stood
Let my mind distinctly bind natures sounds
Where all is perfect with no second class
Your always sure of the best