A lot of botany for the time of year

So a bit of a pictorial summary...

The hottest day of the year so far saw myself and Paul, the BSBI Welsh Officer having a very pleasant walk near Abergwesyn. It was not a botanically rich landscape at all but, with Paul to spot things I wouldn't dream of naming with certainty, we managed a list of 104 records.

We got to 494m at Pen Carreg-dan.


The view

And on the way back Cae Pwll y Bo Reserve was looking all tidy and trim ready for splendid Globeflower display (I am sure) later (soon) this year.

Then yesterday the group went to The Byddwn Reserve for a morning recording the early plants there and around. Right by the gate was this unusual Primrose.

Primrose, Briallen Fair or Primula vulgaris forma caulescens

The Celandines were abundant in the reserve (as well as road verges all about the county).

Lesser Celandine, Llygad Ebrill or Ficaria verna (Ranunculus ficaria)

And Cowslips at their best.

Cowslip, Briallen Fair or Primula veris

In the afternoon we called in a Llangorse to re-find the Alternate-leaved Golden Saxifrage previously recorded there. My hunch where to look was right (again!) and we saw it within a few metres of stepping off the path into this wet woodland by the shore of the lake.

This may be my best picture yet of the two side-by-side. Opposite-leaved on the left.

And I finish off with an Artichoke Gall from the Byddwn.

Yellow Gall Midge, Artichoke Gall (Yew) or Taxomyia taxi (I think!)