Promoting & Enhancing The Natural Beauty of the Sid Valley
Our next plant ID walk will be a gentle walk starting at Weston Car Park, Grammar Lane, Weston. The plan is to start at Weston car park, which is along eastern side of Weston Comb. Then we’ll follow the gentle path above the publicRead More
Leave a comment In 2018/19 the RSPB led a consultation on the future management of Firebeacon Hill near Sidmouth. The site has three compartments: The management plan that emerged from this process aims to create linked areas of lowland heath and wood pasture. This will increase biodiversityRead More
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I have never seen a Greater Celandine flowering in the countryside but I have often seen it in town. The photo here was taken down an alley in Honiton. A member of the poppy family with the typical four petalled flower and hairy stems,Read More
Leave a comment Do you Remember The Winter Freezes of 1962-3 when Boxing Day Snow Lasted Until Mid-March? Or The Snows 0f 1976-1979. They weren’t the only severe winters, we’ve had them since records began as can be seen on various websites that mention severe weather. MaybeRead More
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Selfheal: Botanical name…Prunella vulgaris “Prunella” originally “Brunella” (Latin meaning Brown) from“die braune” German for “the brown one”. Used in German mid 16th century for treatment of infectious, severe throat condition, associated with brown tongues. “vulgaris”…common. “Selfheal” is part of the mint family, although it hasRead More
Leave a comment Red Campion, Botanical name Silene dioica Silene derives from the Greek word “sialon”, which means saliva, in reference to the gummy substance the plant secretes. “Dioica” in Greek means “of two houses”. This refers to the plant having male and female flowers on separateRead More
Leave a comment Dandelion, Botanical name Taraxacum officiale Taraxacum probably comes from ancient Greek “taraxos” meaning “disorder”, and “akos” remedy. Officiale means, in this context, “from the pharmacy”. “Dandelion” comes from French “dent-de-lion”. Translates as “tooth of the lion” because of the toothed leaves. TheRead More
Leave a comment Meadowsweet Botanical name…Filipendula ulmaria Filium “thread”. Pendulus “hanging”. Refers to root tubers hanging off fibrous roots. Ulmaria “elmlike”, referring to the leaves which resemble “Elm” (ulmus) Old Botanical name…Spiraea ulmaria. (see later!) “Meadowsweet” is a member of the rose family, and growsRead More
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I am on my knees again, weeding. This time removing a small primrose plant growing in the gap between the house wall and a concrete path. Why remove a Primrose, voted several years ago as the County Flower for Devon? There are plentyRead More
1 response Ficaria from Latin for “fig” from the appearance of the root tubers. Verna from Latin vernus meaning “spring-like”. Part of large genus “Ranunculus”, which has about 600 species including “Buttercup” and “Marsh Marigold”. I suspect that there was confusion naming this plant. It flowers before “Swallows”Read More
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