Field Penny-cress Thlapsi arvense, Field Madder Sherardia arvensis. Quinoa Chenopodium quinoa. South Wonston, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Yellow Bristle-grass Setaria pumila and (I think) Green Bristle-grass Setaria viridis in a game cover crop at South Wonston, Hampshire today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

There's still plenty out there in November. Fresh Dense-flowered Fumitory Fumaria densiflora in a game cover crop at South Wonston, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Cut-leaved Dead-nettle Lamium hybridum and Henbit Dead-nettle Lamium amplexicaule from the last couple of days. Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

My absolute fave. Field Woundwort Stachys arvensis looking all apple-and-blackcurrant in a field margin in the Test Valley, Hampshire yesterday. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A Great Grey Shrike in the New Forest today. Crippling photo from me there, with my inadequate lens 🤣. My eldest's first though, and it showed really well in gorgeous light. Even hovered!

A new Red List for Vascular Plants in Great Britain has just been published - the first update for twenty years 🌿 So what is a Red List, and why does it matter? What does this new report tells us about the state of Britain’s flora?

A zesty sprig of pure summer sunshine today. Wild Parsnip Pastinaca sativa on the local downs near Sparsholt, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A fantastic presentation on some hardcore survey work in the Scottish uplands here. Great to hear from Gus Routledge, who is unfortunately not on Bluesky ☹️, but evidently still doing inspirational field botany alongside @bsbiscotland.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social youtu.be/RZFv8lSfmj8?...

A less pleasant tick today (after seeing the Boat-tailed Grackle). Avon Heath, Dorset.

As I had a day off today, I went to see this mad, perky little bird, a Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major that's turned up at Calshot, Hampshire. Very amusing, tootling around cars, boats, and verges and basically ignoring people. A real character. @hosbirding.bsky.social

Great-tailed Grackle in Southampton. Clearly arrived by ship, fresh in from the US, but I've never seen the issue with that: it's a wild bird that caught a ride for a bit. I can't imagine being sniffy about seeing an American plant in Southampton.

Odds and sods. A ditch full of Shaggy Soldier Galinsoga quadriradiata, Common Fumitory Fumaria officinalis and Dwarf Spurge Euphorbia exigua near home, escapee Snapdragon Antirrhinum majus in the ditch. Hampshire today and yesterday. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

What looks like Rough Bristle-grass Setaria verticillata from a turnip field just near home this afternoon. Central Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Zostera marina on the shore at West Wittering, West Sussex yesterday, showing the reach of the tide. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Some unseasonal flowers today on the beautiful West Sussex coast between Itchenor and the Witterings. Self-heal Prunella vulgaris and Dogwood Cornus sanguinea. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Heath Milkwort Polygala serpyllifolia and Dwarf Gorse Ulex minor. Canada Common, New Forest. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Small Fleabane Pulicaria vulgaris still looking good in the northern New Forest today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Lots more Coral-necklace Illecebrum verticillatum today at Canada Common, New Forest. Growing in damp hollows. The seed, which is abundant, must get blown or washed across the grassland and settle in these irregular features. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Nail Fungus Poronia punctata on Canada Common, New Forest today. Also a decent spread of Psilocybe semilanceata.

This year, it's taken me until late October to see Coral-necklace Illecebrum verticillatum. Here it is on Canada Common, New Forest. It's seemingly a new spot for it. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Growing in a plant container at a New Forest pub, this looks like Hornungia alpina. Not one I've seen used as a bedding plant. Especially odd given it's growing with a variegated Ivy, so clearly not an alpine planter.

Important context for conversations about nature recovery and #wilding. Humans have always been part of #naturalprocesses, our response to the nature crisis must include people. journals.plos.org/plosone/arti...

Fruits of Marsh Dock Rumex palustris (L) and Golden Dock Rumex maritimus. The pale inflated tubercles are clearly an adaptation for seed dispersal in wet habitats. Are the spines just hooked enough for snagging in fur? @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Side-by-side comparison of Marsh Dock Rumex palustris (L) and Golden Dock Rumex maritimus. Distinct whorls of flowers on palustris; maritimus is more like a spiky sausage. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A near-mythical plant for a Hampshire botanist. Golden Dock Rumex maritimus, plentiful around the margins of this little village pond at Haddenham, west Buckinghamshire. Fantastic to see this lovely Dock in its pomp. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Loads of the fantastic Marsh Dock Rumex palustris seen today at Port Meadow, Oxford. I completely missed the MASSIVE population in one wet ditch the other week 😅. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A surprise Ploughman's Spikenard Inula conyzae spotted through a chain link fence at St John's College Sports Ground, Oxford. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

I actually found some Creeping Marshwort Helosciadum repens on Port Meadow, Oxford today! Actually, it stood out like a sore thumb. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Mudwort Limosella aquatica in flower. In truly dreadful conditions this morning, I managed to locate a single flowering plant amongst the thousands at Port Meadow, Oxford. @bsbibotany.bsky.social. Thankful for my new wellies 🙌

A first encounter with Pseudofumaria alba today, on the streets of Summertown, Oxford. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

What looks to my eye like Spergularia marina (Lesser Sea-spurrey) rather than Sand-spurrey S. rubra. In sodden mud on Port Meadow, Oxford today. No recent records of any Spergularia species nearby on the @bsbibotany.bsky.social database.

The Sorcerer from Kenfig last night. Finally got up the courage to remove it from the pot (after some others had seen it). As far as I know, fourth British record and first for Wales. Thanks to everyone for moral support during my meltdown. But, what a moth! #TeamMoth

Update, possibly the worst yet: Someone just referred, on a public forum, to Cock's-foot (Dactylis glomerata) as 'Dacky glom'.

Henbit Dead-nettle Lamium amplexicaule on a patch of disturbed ground at Winchester FC stadium today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Peak Field Woundwort Stachys arvensis time in my best local spot in Hampshire's Test Valley. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @hantsbic.bsky.social

Lots of lovely rayed Common Knapweed Centaurea nigra and plenty of Pepper-saxifrage Silaum silaus, many turning a beautiful autumn red. North Hinksey, Oxford yesterday. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

The mega rare Creeping Marshwort Helosciadum repens from North Hinksey, Oxford today. Great to see it doing so well there. I couldn't find it on Port Meadow, but that's a huge area! @bsbibotany.bsky.social

My main reason for visiting the beautiful Port Meadow, Oxford, was to see Marsh Dock Rumex palustris. This species doesn't occur in Hampshire (one record, from 1928), so a special trip was needed. Very pleased, it's a lovely thing. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A trip up the road to Port Meadow, Oxford today. Stumbled on the marvellous Mudwort Limosella aquatica: easily hundreds, likely thousands. Also, might the orange blob in the last image be a fungal growth? @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Hello Bluesky - The 'Supporting Local Recording Fund' for Hampshire is OPEN. Get up to £350 to train, run wildlife recording activities or even buy equipment! Deadline, 31st January 2026. More information here: www.hants.gov.uk/landplanning... #BiologicalRecording #Ecology

Weasel's Snout Misopates orontium has been the plant of the weekend in Hampshire. Found in a Winchester allotment and arable nr Nursling. @bsbibotany.bsky.social ##wildflowerhour

What looks like Maple-leaved Goosefoot Chenopodiastrum hybridum, growing in a Winchester allotment today. I've only seen it once before, but this looked unusual. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Field Penny-cress Thlapsi arvense at Highcliffe community allotments in Winchester, Hampshire today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Dense-flowered Fumitory Fumaria densiflora and Common Fumitory Fumaria officinalis in full flow in a delightfully weedy bed at a Winchester allotment site today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Some planted but spreading oddities at a Winchester allotment today. A Lycium species, likely L. chinense (Goji), and Reseda odorata.

@naturelark.bsky.social You may notice that I've nabbed your wonderful Scots word 'fankle' for an article on Fumaria.

The latest edition of Flora News, the newsletter of the Hampshire Flora Group, is now available for FREE. As packed with botanical interest as Hampshire is packed with amazing plants! @bsbibotany.bsky.social hantsplants.uk/floranews.php

Shiny Glasswort Salicornia emerici, Gutner Point, Hayling Island, Hampshire. Not a lot found today, but to be honest, I could've seen loads 😅. Salicornias are anything but straightforward. @bsbibotany.bsky.social