Maidenhair Fern Asplenium capillus-veneris everywhere in Ortigia and Syracuse, Sicily today. Walls, pavements, tombs, ancient quarries, and restaurant basements.

Some masterful statuary in Ortigia, Sicily today. Cherubic bottom, wingéd John Peel-o-like, Triton and baby riding a sea beast, and an odd lion.

Ground-pine Ajuga chamaepitys. Always a favourite. Syracuse. Sicily today.

Hoary Stock Matthiola incana and Three-horned Stock Matthiola tricuspidata. Ortigia, Sicily.

Silene noctua, Mediterranean Catchfly, was a new one for me today. A very handsome plant. Syracuse, Sicily.

Easy Peasy in Syracuse, Sicily today. Bladder Vetch Tripodion tetraphyllum and Hairy Yellow Vetch Vicia hybrida.

Small Restharrow Ononis reclinata adorning the walls of the Roman amphitheatre at Syracuse, Sicily this afternoon. Botanical royalty.

What I think is Fumaria gaillardotti, a new Fumitory species for me. Marina di Modica, Sicily.

Clover magic from Marina di Modica, Sicily. Wooly Clover Trifolium tomentosum, Reversed Clover Trifolium resupinatum, Starry Clover Trifolium stellatum.

Anacamptis longicornu is a very common species here on Sicily. It's closely related to our familiar Green-winged Orchid A. morio and considered a subspecies by some. A wonderful plant. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

An Ophrys sphegodes type is as far as I'm sensibly committing with this thing from Monte Lauro, Sicily today. Various 'species' have been described but that's above my pay grade. Ophrys garganica is one of several options. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

Ophrys tenthredinifera/grandiflora from Monte Lauro, Sicily this afternoon. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

Pink Butterfly Orchid Anacamptis papilionacea. Just a few examples seen on Monte Lauro, Sicily today but managing to glow in the rain nonetheless. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

A rather soggy Mirror Orchid Ophrys speculum still managing to shine on Monte Lauro, Sicily this afternoon. I was shivering by this point so full props to my camera lens 🙌. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

Bumblebee Orchid Ophrys bombyliflora. A decent little patch found in the turf at Monte Lauro, Sicily. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

Some absolutely stunning Milky Orchids Neotinea lactea amongst the grassland and woodland at Monte Lauro, Sicily today. 5°C though! Brr. @europeanorchids.bsky.social

Broomrapes of the World, published by Kew, out now. Years of fieldwork, collaboration, observation and passion went into these 600 pages. We hope it will inspire others to enjoy these beautiful plants:

Evening beers, wine etc with what we think is a Tropical House Cricket, which sings when flustered. SE Sicily, with @hannahfluck.bsky.social

My long awaited knitted jumper of Fumitories, made by @hannahfluck.bsky.social. Just the thing fir keeping a Fumaria hunter warm 👌. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

The very distinctive sickly green colouration and open, messy inflorescence of Early Meadow-grass Poa infirma. Hayling Island, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Shepherd's Cress Teesdalia nudicaulis on the vegetated dunes of Hayling Island, Hampshire today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Today, I've been bitten by a dog (in a SSSI), met a dowser (fascinating conversation), and seen my first Green-winged Orchid Anacamptis morio of the year. A pretty wild Wednesday all-in-all. @ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Early Dog-violet Viola reichenbachiana and Barren Strawberry Potentilla sterilis. Two early spring species from a road verge in Hampshire's Test Valley. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

A beautiful spray of Wild Tulips Tulipa sylvestris on a Wiltshire verge. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Asarabacca, Asarum europaeum, growing on a little lane in Wiltshire. The flowers aren't much to look at and are usually hidden beneath the kidney shaped leaves. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Early Spider Orchid Ophrys sphegodes at Durlston, Dorset this morning. Always a treat to see orchids by the sea. A good few dozen seen, but many thousands on the way over the next few weeks. @ukorchids.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Garden pots and gravel with Woad (have waited two years for this one), Cut-leaved Germander (most certainly NOT annual as overwintered), Italian Catchfly (gone bonkers), and Cottonweed (overwintered as cutting and now well rooted).

Britain's Dandelions now available from Summerfield Books www.summerfieldbooks.com/product/brit... #dandelions #taraxacum #botany

Some better images of New Zealand Bittercress Cardamine corymbosa in my parents' Essex garden. As far as Bittercresses go it's a lovely one! @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Awful phone photos of New Zealand Bittercress Cardamine corymbosa from my parents' garden in Essex, where it's frequent. First record for vice county 19 North Essex, apparently. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Crosswort Cruciata laevipes in St Stephen's churchyard, Sparsholt, Hampshire. I'm not actually sure what the pale structures at the leaf tips are. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Moschatel Adoxa moschatellina from a local woodland on Monday this week. Central Hampshire. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Perfoliate Penny-cress Microthlapsi perfoliatum from the Cotswolds earlier this week. A remarkable display this early in the year. Growing on a section of classic Cotswold stone wall. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Hairy Violet Viola hirta. Found on tiptop chalk grassland at Broughton, Hampshire. A blousy Viola with rounded sepals. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social

East Anglian botanists: is this plant what it looks like, and something you're familiar with? Found in Hampshire this week (not by me). @jo-the-botanist.bsky.social @bramblebotanist.bsky.social

Blinks Montia fontana, and some sawfly-nibbled Spotted Medick Medicago arabica. Havant, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Cottonweed Achillea maritima - reintroduced to Hayling Island, Hampshire - has toughed out the winter winds and sandblasting. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Top plant hunter & #BSBICountyRecorder @trisnorton.bsky.social found Opposite-leaved Pondweed in the River Ems catchment: first find in the area since 1887! More about the plant: plantatlas2020.org/atlas/2cd4p9... Tristan tells the full story: bsbi.org/about/news/l... @theriverstrust.bsky.social

Stopped by on my way home from a meeting to see Small Goosegrass Galium murale in Port Solent, Hampshire today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium alternifolium in West Berkshire today. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Perfoliate (Cotswold) Penny-cress Microthlapsi perforatum aplenty today! Only dropped by in the hope of seeing leaves and ended up with a real treat. Gloucestershire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Upper (L) and lower leaf surfaces of Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta (L) and Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Yellow Star-of-Bethlehem Gagea lutea out in force in a Gloucestershire woodland today. About a fortnight earlier than I've seen them previously, so very glad I took a punt. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Very interesting! Thank you @beccyscottuk.bsky.social theconversation.com/the-black-de...

The beautiful Slender Speedwell Veronica filiformis scrambling over the graves at St Stephen's, Sparsholt, Hampshire. Speed-you-well seems a perfect floral sentiment. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Sea Thrift Armeria maritima getting to the spring party early. Hayling Island, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

Yelp! Mediterranean Gull madness at Hayling Island's incredible Oyster Beds. Most of the UK breeding population nests in Langstone Harbour, and hundreds of birds gather for courtship and general gullness at the Oyster Beds. It's quite the sight at the moment. @hosbirding.bsky.social

Continuing the 'spectacular' theme, here's Early Meadow-grass Poa infirma on Hayling Island. Once a rarity restricted to the SW of England, it's now quite widespread and a guaranteed find here in coastal Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

The spectacular blooms of Lesser Chickweed Stellaria pallida 😅. Firmly in the niche botany bracket. Hayling Island, Hampshire. @bsbibotany.bsky.social

300 year old Canary Island Dragon Tree Dracaena draco at Los Realejos has fallen 😢