Have you ever wanted to know more about preserving plant specimens? Maybe for your own reference, or so you can share plants with experts for identification?
The BSBI is here for you! We have a webinar next week - 28th April, 7pm, completely free!
Book here: www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
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This class redirects our rage at scapegoats. To resist its lies is to resist its power.
Really enjoyed #DandiFest'26, a great learning experience and collected ca. 50 new (micro)species vice country records spread across North Essex and South Essex.
The leaf shape? It does seem to be very variable. The lovely clear green does seem to be characteristic though
Ooh lovely! Could you let me know a W3W? I’ll be there sooon:)
Oh, I assumed it would be in NL. As it is scarce but widespread in SE England and thought it would be similar there. If it’s in Belgium, it is likely to be in NL too
Yes, most Erythrosperma have red fruit. And I’m not aware of red fruit in other sections
Assuming this is in Ireland then yes, aesculosum is the only real contender. Would be good to see leaves to confirm. Such a fantastic dandelion!
Mousetail, Mysurus minimus, by a well trampled gate in Dorset this morning #wildflowerhour
Large yellow flowers with trees in the background
Lots of dandelions! Lovely to see 🌼🌼🌼
#wildflowerhour #SundayYellow #Yorkshire
White brassica flowers
Garlic Mustard, Jack-in-the-hedge 🌱
#WildflowerHour #CabbageFamily #bloomscrolling #UKWildflowers
Spotting a few Cuckoo flowers is easy; finding a sea of them feels like magic—just right for this week’s #CabbageFamily challenge #WildflowerHour
Neither did I, several times. Even on big plants like this the heads are small though.
The closest is Taraxacum retzii which has pinkish petioles and long buds. Send some pics?
Some lovely mature Wild Service Trees Sorbus torminalis seen on day 3 of #DandiFest’26 at Pound Wood, Essex
We’ve seen the rare Taraxacum wallonicum on most sites visited on #DandiFest’26 in Essex. This impressive specimen a street weed seen nr the pub in Maldon. Erythrosperma with pollen, white petioles recurved bracts & neat clear mid-green leaves. A ‘Channel endemic’ in SE England & the Low Countries
Unfortunately the same cant be said of another nearby meadow we both know with Ks of GWOs & ‘other’ orchids
LNS & Wildlife Trust managed:)
Non-Dandelion highlights of #DandiFest’26 Day 2 in Essex: A wonky (indetermined) elm with ripe fruit, Pink Shepherds Purse Capsella rubella as a street weed in Tollesbury and 60-70K Green-winged Orchids Anacamptis morio in a nearby meadow
Day 2 of @bsbibotany.bsky.social #DandiFest’26 Taraxacum chloroticum, found at Tiptree Heath. Section Taraxacum, Group Stenacra. It is characteristically green and colourless with trilobate end lobes and narrow twisted bracts #DandelionOfTheDay
Quality over quantity on Day 2 of @bsbibotany.bsky.social #DandiFest’26 The rare Taraxacum retzii was seen several times on coastal banks, a new habitat for it. A larger Erythrosperma with pinkish petioles, grey reflexed bracts and long buds #DandelionOfTheDay
We can expect some overlap with named species but most likely narrow endemics. Norfolk will have endemics too. No names yet - c.5yrs off. If you find it in collectable quantity press some (including the most basal shrivelled leaves) and you might get one named after you:)
I’ll add London to the list! We need to do Cairngorms & Cornwall as priorities but London is a bit more accessible. Ok, I’ll suggest it to the group. Keep an eye open for dandi-rich spots in a range of habitats
#DandiFest’26 begins today!!! A full house of 20 @bsbibotany.bsky.social Taraxacologists of all levels meeting in Essex for a long weekend of dandelion recording.. stay tuned to see what we find..
Corydalis solida Bird-in-a-Bush in a South Norfolk wood. It’s tuber apparently a painkiller, antibacterial, hallucinogenic and sedative (oh and poisonous) - quite a useful little woodland herb! #wildflowerhour
Daffodil Garlic Allium neapolitanum at a new Suffolk location. Seems to be getting about? Pretty tho.
Happy to point you in the right direction if you’re ever in Breckland in April
Vicia lathroides Spring Vetch in Breckland today
Codson Hill, Breckland today for Veronica verna Spring Speedwell. Found by the thousand in open U1c across an acidic sandy slope. Some lovely bushy plants, others smaller than their own flowers!
Bank holiday botany and beers about Bognor. Sea Mouse-ear Cerastium diffusum spectacular among the garden escapes on shingle #wildflowerhour