plastic container with seedheads of Yellow Rattle lying on uncut meadow, grass browning and affected by rust fungus at this point in the year.

There is usually a lot of Meadow Vetchling and Tufted Vetch flowering at this point. We have been slowly seeding someYellow Rattle and gather in the seedheads rather than let it drop o/w seeds don't find bare earth. #Hemiparasites

Hemiparasite news: Red Bartsia is widespread, dotted about
at Coney Banks Chatham. Yellow Rattle (now at seed stage) is concentrated in two open areas that get a late summer cut. Was the YR introduced, the RB part of the established flora? #hemiparasites #KentWildlife #grassland #wildflowerhour

It is an obligate stem #hemiparasite, living in the branches of trees. A hemiparasite is a #parasiticplant under natural conditions, but photosynthetic to some degree. #Hemiparasites may obtain only water and mineral nutrients from the host plant. Pics by @alicegcummings