My absolute favourite plant of 2025 was Opposite-leaved Pondweed Groenlandia densa, a plant that has dropped off the cliff. I found it in November in the River Ems catchment, the first record since Queen Victoria's Jubilee. She was delighted, as you can see. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

My penultimate post for this 2025 botanical review. Almost saving the best (IMO) to last with a duo of delicious docks. A September trip north to Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire to see Marsh Dock Rumex palustris and Golden Dock Rumex maritimus in all their glory. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

As September 2025 moved us inexorably towards autumn, the Glassworts of Hayling Island came into their own. Taxonomically nightmarish, no-one's really sure what's going on. Anyway, until further notice, here's Glaucous Glasswort Salicornia obscura. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Late August 2025, a trip to East Anglia, and some regional specialities over a friend-and-family-filled weekend. Panicled Willowherb Epilobium brachycarpum, Hog's Fennel Peucedanum officinale, and Lesser Calamint Clinopodium nepeta. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

2025 was the time of Strawberry Clover Trifolium fragiferum in SE Hampshire. I found it, often in magnificent abundance, at many sites and mostly in urban environments. It's a lovely little thing and always cheers me. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Before I wrap up this 2025 review with late summer/autumn finds, here's to letting grassland express itself. A sea of Chamomile Chamaemelum nobile and new-to-site Dwarf Gorse Ulex minor was the late July work reward here in Purbrook, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

The last August 2025 highlight from Aberdeenshire. Water Lobelia (Lobelia dortmanna) is a plant of oligotrophic waterbodies, here in the margins of Loch Callater. A gloomy, windy afternoon visit brightened no end by these delights. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

August 2025, Aberdeenshire coast, NE Scotland. Not many people would get excited about a Dead-nettle I guess, but I do. Northern Dead-nettle Lamium confertum in an arable margin at Troup Head RSPB reserve. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

August 2025, Aberdeenshire. A day out looking at some beautiful plants. Marsh Saxifrage Saxifraga hirculus, Large-flowered Hemp-nettle Galeopsis speciosa, Hairy Stonecrop Sedum villosum, Purple Ramping-fumitory Fumaria purpurea. Just 😍😍😍😍. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Early August 2025 and two very cool montane grasses on the slopes below Glas Maol, in the Aberdeenshire/Angus borderlands. Alpine Foxtail Alopecurus magellanicus and Alpine Cat's-tail Phleum alpinum. I had a very pleasant day in their company. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

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By late July 2025 it was off to our happy place of Aberdeenshire and I succumbed to Sedge-itis again. Traipsing mountain slopes and coastal saltmarsh yielded three new species. Mountain Bog-sedge Carex rariflora, Russet Sedge Carex saxatilis, and Curved Sedge Carex maritima. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

In late July 2025 I received word from a friend of his discovery of Field Eryngo Eryngium campestre on the edge of Winchester, Hampshire. Probably arrived via a car tyre with continental origins, but fab nonetheless. Formerly more widespread but now a true national rarity. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

July 2025 continues. One of two standout personal discoveries this year. Confirmed Broad-leaved Cudweed Filago pyramidata from a site in North Hampshire. A very rare plant, but perhaps lurking out there? Four or more bisexual florets the clincher. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A few more flowery favourites from the Swiss Alps in early July 2025. Northern Dragonhead Dracocephalum ruyschiana, Dark Rampion Phyteuma nigrum, Strawberry Goosefoot Blitum capitatum, and Carthusian Pink Dianthus carthusianum. Back to the UK for the rest of this 2025 retrospective.

It's turning out to be quite the mothy evening while we celebrate the solstice. Just found a Buttoned Snout in the house. Central Hampshire. #teammoth

Early July 2025 in the Swiss Alps. Vanilla Orchids Gymnadenia rhellicani were abundant in all the Alpine meadows: countless thousands of raspberry pom-poms.

Merry Mothmas #teammoth

Houseleeks were a spectacular sight in the Swiss Alps. Here are Cobweb Houseleek Sempervivum arachnoideum and Wulfen's Houseleek Sempervivum wulfenii.

By early July 2025 I was off piste in the beautiful botanical wonderland of SE Switzerland. Among the many showy treasures I saw there, I don't think there was much to rival the subtle beauty of this Brown Clover Trifolium badium. As common as it was, it always made me stop to look.

Another early June 2025 find was Henbane Hyoscyamus niger, here in north Hampshire. Another arable specialist and consequently not at all common in these times of efficient ground preparation. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

As the June 2025 heat intensified I was out looking at arable habitats in Hampshire. Annual Knawel Scleranthus annuus was last recorded at this site in 2013, so it was great to find it still persisting. Not a common plant at all now. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

By early June 2025 it was time to explore the dark art of Sedgology. Here are Dotted Sedge Carex punctata, Bog Sedge Carex limosa, Slender Sedge Carex lasiocarpa, and Soft-leaved Sedge Carex montana, all in Hampshire's New Forest. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

By the last day of May 2025 I was out in the extraordinary New Forest looking at heathland orchids. Early Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza incarnata var pulchella in pink and ivory, plus the first of the Lesser Butterfly Orchids Platanthera bifolia. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

More highlights from 2025. The old forefinger came in handy a few times this year, usually as a scale. Micro botany on the beach at Sinah Common, Hayling Island, Hampshire with Little-Robin Geranium purpureum ssp. forsteri and Sand Cat's-tail Phleum arenarium. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

2025 continues. By mid-May the local chalk woods are the haunt of orchids. Fly Orchid Ophrys insectifera in the Meon Valley, and Bird's-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis and White Helleborine Cephalanthera damasonium around the village, ten minutes from the door. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Back in Blighty 2025, and there's nowhere else I'd rather be than in an English woodland in early May. Green, fresh and full of wonders and promise. Herb-Paris (Paris quadrifolia) is scarce here in Hampshire, but if you know where to look... @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Croatia in spring 2025 was full of botanical delights, too many to choose from really. Yellow Alyssum (Alyssum alyssoides) and this very cute Parentucellia latifolia were standouts though. Unexpected finds in ordinary places, in this case road verges.

2025 highlights continued. Springtime in Dalmatia, and a chance to see a plethora of lovely orchid species. Four new species in early April: the endemic Ophrys flavicans, Four-spotted Orchid Orchis quadripunctata, Toothed Orchid Neottia tridentata, and Few-flowered Orchid Orchis pauciflora.

By early April I'd skipped the UK for the (slightly) warmer climes of Dalmatia. As ever, southern Europe is a cornucopia of botanical delights. Ground-pine Ajuga chamaepitys was very common, covering lawns, roadsides, hillsides and even walls. Dreamy plant 😍

Another 2025 botanical highlight was Early Sand-grass Mibora minima, again on a beautiful Welsh beach in February, this time on Ynys Môn. Did Roman sandals trample Mibora when they attacked the Britons in 60CE? @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Time for a 2025 botanical retrospective, UK and elsewhere. It hasn't felt like a classic year, but on reflection it's been incredible. It started early, with my first Hutchinsia Hornungia petraea on a wild Welsh beach in February. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Actually, looks like this is not Hydrocotyle ranunculoides but possibly H. verticillata, a plant not seemingly recorded in Britain or Ireland before. Why did I not take a sample?

I went to WWT Arundel today, ostensibly on a punt to see if Holly-leaved Naiad was visible. It wasn't, but I did see masses of Floating Pennywort Hydrocotyle ranunculoides which is a worry. Also a Stonewort Chara sp. in the Hawaiian Goose inclosure, unidentified. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Chirping on about the reintroduction of Cottonweed to Hayling Island, Hampshire on a local TV channel. This is a project conceived and realised by Natural England and the Rare British Plant Nursery. I'm just helping to big it up! @bramblebotanist.bsky.social www.facebook.com/share/v/17Tm...

Amazing opportunity. If I was 30 years younger...

Hampshire LNRS available here: www.hants.gov.uk/landplanning...

Very pleased to be at the launch of the Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Hampshire today. Huuuge amount of work went into this over 2.5 years, so hats off to the @hantsconnect.bsky.social LNRS team, @hantsbic.bsky.social staff, and all the many contributors. 👏👏👏 Now for action!

@bramblebotanist.bsky.social 👏

@bsbibotany.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Opposite-leaved Pondweed Groenlandia densa by the River Ems, Hampshire. Although not flowering, the last time this species was recorded on the Ems -1887- Queen Victoria had just been celebrating her Golden Jubilee. @bsbibotany.bsky.social #wildflowerhour

Just a few Winter Heliotrope Petasites pyrenaicus for #wildflowerhour this week. Emsworth, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Interesting entomological news from Winchester, Hampshire. Cicada barbara, four individuals, confirmed from sonograms. Midwife Toad also apparently at large in one of the suburbs too! @hantsbic.bsky.social

Opposite-leaved Pondweed Groenlandia densa just inside the vc11 boundary nr Emsworth, Hampshire today. First record for the River Ems corridor since 1887 it seems. Loads in a large garden pond linked to an Ems tributary and chalk springs. Woop-woop! @bsbibotany.bsky.social @hantsbic.bsky.social

Never get these figures for my posts on Cudweeds. 😶

More beautiful orchids from NW Sicily in April 2019 (those days before we'd ever heard of Covid). Ophrys bombyliflora, Ophrys tenthredinifera, Ophrys x fernandii, Orchis papilionacea. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

Sorting out old photos, including these from Easter 2019 in Sicily (which was colder than the UK!). Orchis brancifortii, Orchis italica, Neotinea lactea, Serapias vomeracea all from the stupendously rich turf between Trapani and Zingaro, NW Sicily. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

A few of the c.200 Cottonweed Otanthus maritimus now planted on the SE Hampshire coast, perfectly adapted to tough out the worst of the winter weather. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Niger Guizotia abyssinica was an interesting find in a layby in Upton, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Common Ramping-fumitory Fumaria muralis found today in Braishfield, Hampshire. A tricksy group indeed: a few flowers with notably oblong sepals reminiscent of Purple Ramping-fumitory F. purpurea. @bsbibotany.bsky.social