BSBI Botany
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland
Studying, appreciating, recording & conserving our wild plants
Supporting the botanists who care about our wild plants
https://bsbi.org/
#GBRedList
#PlantAtlas2020
#NewYearPlantHunt
#WildFlowerHour
Studying, appreciating, recording & conserving our wild plants
Supporting the botanists who care about our wild plants
https://bsbi.org/
#GBRedList
#PlantAtlas2020
#NewYearPlantHunt
#WildFlowerHour
Pinned
Window now open to apply for a BSBI grant for 2026!
We offer grants for short #WildFlowerID courses (our online course #Identiplant & courses from external providers), and for Plant Study & Research.
Find out which grant is right for you: bsbi.org/learn/grants
We offer grants for short #WildFlowerID courses (our online course #Identiplant & courses from external providers), and for Plant Study & Research.
Find out which grant is right for you: bsbi.org/learn/grants
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Last Saturday was @bsbibotany.bsky.social #BIBConf25 but in 1965 BSBI conference was in Birmingham. Found report in Amnesty bookshop! JL Fyfe of PBI Cambridge talked about Lucerne, Sickle Medick and hybrids 🤗 Alas no references ☹️
#Botany #Medicago
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#Botany #Medicago
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December 4, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Last Saturday was @bsbibotany.bsky.social #BIBConf25 but in 1965 BSBI conference was in Birmingham. Found report in Amnesty bookshop! JL Fyfe of PBI Cambridge talked about Lucerne, Sickle Medick and hybrids 🤗 Alas no references ☹️
#Botany #Medicago
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#Botany #Medicago
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Reposted by BSBI Botany
How amazing is this? The BSBI is offering money for people to engage in plant training or research.
You don't even have to be a member!!
You don't even have to be a member!!
Window now open to apply for a BSBI grant for 2026!
We offer grants for short #WildFlowerID courses (our online course #Identiplant & courses from external providers), and for Plant Study & Research.
Find out which grant is right for you: bsbi.org/learn/grants
We offer grants for short #WildFlowerID courses (our online course #Identiplant & courses from external providers), and for Plant Study & Research.
Find out which grant is right for you: bsbi.org/learn/grants
December 4, 2025 at 7:16 PM
How amazing is this? The BSBI is offering money for people to engage in plant training or research.
You don't even have to be a member!!
You don't even have to be a member!!
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Day 4 is Bog-rosemary. With nodding pink bells and bicoloured, Rosemary-esque leaves, it brightens up autumnal raised bogs a treat!
It reaches the north of its range in central Scotland, where I spent several Sep days refinding old records of this local rarity from the 1980s and 90s #wildflowerhour
It reaches the north of its range in central Scotland, where I spent several Sep days refinding old records of this local rarity from the 1980s and 90s #wildflowerhour
December 4, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Day 4 is Bog-rosemary. With nodding pink bells and bicoloured, Rosemary-esque leaves, it brightens up autumnal raised bogs a treat!
It reaches the north of its range in central Scotland, where I spent several Sep days refinding old records of this local rarity from the 1980s and 90s #wildflowerhour
It reaches the north of its range in central Scotland, where I spent several Sep days refinding old records of this local rarity from the 1980s and 90s #wildflowerhour
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Us urban botanists aren't often put off by inclement weather. An annual tradition is a 1st Dec hunt for wild plants in flower in Deptford, SE London. Here I am in the rain on Mon checking the seed shape of Beaked Hawk's-beard, more usually in flower in London in May. #urbanbotany #urbannature
December 4, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Us urban botanists aren't often put off by inclement weather. An annual tradition is a 1st Dec hunt for wild plants in flower in Deptford, SE London. Here I am in the rain on Mon checking the seed shape of Beaked Hawk's-beard, more usually in flower in London in May. #urbanbotany #urbannature
Reposted by BSBI Botany
One to keep a sharp eye out for whenever you're in north-west Scotland.
Distinguishing Narrow-leaved Marsh-orchid from the hybrids that often accompany this and other members of the genus can be a whole extra challenge though!
Distinguishing Narrow-leaved Marsh-orchid from the hybrids that often accompany this and other members of the genus can be a whole extra challenge though!
Pugsley's Marsh Orchid (or Narrow-leaved Marsh Orchid), Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides, is a British and Irish endemic found in the north and west in calcareous fens and flushes.
Though, as Plant Atlas states, there are possible challenges to its endemic status...
share.google/agVCHeLwm59D...
Though, as Plant Atlas states, there are possible challenges to its endemic status...
share.google/agVCHeLwm59D...
December 4, 2025 at 7:27 PM
One to keep a sharp eye out for whenever you're in north-west Scotland.
Distinguishing Narrow-leaved Marsh-orchid from the hybrids that often accompany this and other members of the genus can be a whole extra challenge though!
Distinguishing Narrow-leaved Marsh-orchid from the hybrids that often accompany this and other members of the genus can be a whole extra challenge though!
Reposted by BSBI Botany
More Field Woundwort in the shelter of a young apricot tree.. #Wildflowerhour #WildflowerAllotment
November 30, 2025 at 9:06 PM
More Field Woundwort in the shelter of a young apricot tree.. #Wildflowerhour #WildflowerAllotment
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Winter is THE best time for spotting evergreen ferns, clubmosses etc. Don't stop botanising just because plants are no longer in flower. Unless there is snow-cover you can still collect useful records even in a place previously well-recorded by excellent botanists!!
Saw this patch of interrupted clubmoss from a track at Potarch, South Aberdeenshire, I've walked along many times before. I normally visit in summer, so will blame the leaves on the trees then for not having spotted it previously. An interesting setting, in birch woodland at just ca 95 m altitude.
December 2, 2025 at 6:36 PM
Winter is THE best time for spotting evergreen ferns, clubmosses etc. Don't stop botanising just because plants are no longer in flower. Unless there is snow-cover you can still collect useful records even in a place previously well-recorded by excellent botanists!!
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Like all of our orchid tours, from day one of Mariposa's inception, our flagship #OrchidsOfRhodes tour generates a donation to help support @bsbibotany.bsky.social's invaluable conservation work. It's important to us, and we know it's important to our guests too.
mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
December 4, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Like all of our orchid tours, from day one of Mariposa's inception, our flagship #OrchidsOfRhodes tour generates a donation to help support @bsbibotany.bsky.social's invaluable conservation work. It's important to us, and we know it's important to our guests too.
mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
mariposanature.com/tours/botani...
Reposted by BSBI Botany
I promised listeners of my BSBI talk last night that I'd post a picture of an endemic orchid today. This is Epipactis sancta, the Lindisfarne Helleborine.
This orchid is only found on Lindisfarne, just off the Northumberland coast, and nowhere else on Earth.
This orchid is only found on Lindisfarne, just off the Northumberland coast, and nowhere else on Earth.
December 4, 2025 at 9:03 AM
I promised listeners of my BSBI talk last night that I'd post a picture of an endemic orchid today. This is Epipactis sancta, the Lindisfarne Helleborine.
This orchid is only found on Lindisfarne, just off the Northumberland coast, and nowhere else on Earth.
This orchid is only found on Lindisfarne, just off the Northumberland coast, and nowhere else on Earth.
Reposted by BSBI Botany
I like this idea.
For December #SquareOfTheMonth we are highlighting 1km squares with zero modern records! Can you help update the species list for these squares?
SO4114 Llantilio Crossenny #Monmouthshire
SS9690 Gilfach Goch #RhonddaCynonTaf
Gwent: www.sewbrec.org.uk/sqothm/197
Glam: www.sewbrec.org.uk/sqothm/196
SO4114 Llantilio Crossenny #Monmouthshire
SS9690 Gilfach Goch #RhonddaCynonTaf
Gwent: www.sewbrec.org.uk/sqothm/197
Glam: www.sewbrec.org.uk/sqothm/196
December 3, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I like this idea.
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Day 3 of my Botanical Advent Calendar - the gorgeous Alpine Speedwell, pinpricks of vivid blue in flushed grassland high in the mountains that get the heart racing #wildflowerhour
This was a new site for this species in the Grey Corries, Lochaber - lots still to learn about our Scottish flora!
This was a new site for this species in the Grey Corries, Lochaber - lots still to learn about our Scottish flora!
December 3, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Day 3 of my Botanical Advent Calendar - the gorgeous Alpine Speedwell, pinpricks of vivid blue in flushed grassland high in the mountains that get the heart racing #wildflowerhour
This was a new site for this species in the Grey Corries, Lochaber - lots still to learn about our Scottish flora!
This was a new site for this species in the Grey Corries, Lochaber - lots still to learn about our Scottish flora!
Window now open to apply for a BSBI grant for 2026!
We offer grants for short #WildFlowerID courses (our online course #Identiplant & courses from external providers), and for Plant Study & Research.
Find out which grant is right for you: bsbi.org/learn/grants
We offer grants for short #WildFlowerID courses (our online course #Identiplant & courses from external providers), and for Plant Study & Research.
Find out which grant is right for you: bsbi.org/learn/grants
December 4, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Window now open to apply for a BSBI grant for 2026!
We offer grants for short #WildFlowerID courses (our online course #Identiplant & courses from external providers), and for Plant Study & Research.
Find out which grant is right for you: bsbi.org/learn/grants
We offer grants for short #WildFlowerID courses (our online course #Identiplant & courses from external providers), and for Plant Study & Research.
Find out which grant is right for you: bsbi.org/learn/grants
Reposted by BSBI Botany
White Ramping-fumitory, Fumaria capreolata, in #Cambridge #BotanicGarden today. Degged or dappled with dew. Gerard Manley Hopkins would have known. Not common in the (vice-)county!
@cubotanicgarden.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
@cubotanicgarden.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
December 3, 2025 at 9:19 PM
White Ramping-fumitory, Fumaria capreolata, in #Cambridge #BotanicGarden today. Degged or dappled with dew. Gerard Manley Hopkins would have known. Not common in the (vice-)county!
@cubotanicgarden.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
@cubotanicgarden.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Reposted by BSBI Botany
I chipped in, then searched for the book illustrated. Turns out it's FLORA BEDFORDIENSIS: Comprehending such plants as grow wild in the county of Bedford, arranged according to the system of Linnæus, with occasional remarks, by Charles Abbot 1798.
Read it here: archive.org/details/flor...
Read it here: archive.org/details/flor...
Flora Bedfordiensis, : comprehending such plants as grow wild in the county of Bedford, arranged according to the system of Linnæus, with occasional remarks : Abbot, Charles, 1761-1817 : Free Download...
Authors quoted (p. ix-x)
archive.org
December 2, 2025 at 7:47 PM
I chipped in, then searched for the book illustrated. Turns out it's FLORA BEDFORDIENSIS: Comprehending such plants as grow wild in the county of Bedford, arranged according to the system of Linnæus, with occasional remarks, by Charles Abbot 1798.
Read it here: archive.org/details/flor...
Read it here: archive.org/details/flor...
There are still some spaces available for tonight's Winter Talk! It's at 7.30pm with @bsbicountries.bsky.social about his book 'Endemic' - more about the book here: bsbi.org/blog/2025/09...
Tonight's online talk is here so book your free space:
bsbi.org/take-part/ev...
Tonight's online talk is here so book your free space:
bsbi.org/take-part/ev...
December 3, 2025 at 12:23 PM
There are still some spaces available for tonight's Winter Talk! It's at 7.30pm with @bsbicountries.bsky.social about his book 'Endemic' - more about the book here: bsbi.org/blog/2025/09...
Tonight's online talk is here so book your free space:
bsbi.org/take-part/ev...
Tonight's online talk is here so book your free space:
bsbi.org/take-part/ev...
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Help @bsbibotany.bsky.social reach their target to unlock the Plants of the Past by supporting this important campaign!
Help us unlock the Plants of the Past, by supporting volunteers to digitise decades of paper records & inform C21st science!
@biggive.bsky.social
From #GivingTuesday to 9 Dec, we have £10K in matched funds to unlock: every donation, however small, will be doubled:
donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
@biggive.bsky.social
From #GivingTuesday to 9 Dec, we have £10K in matched funds to unlock: every donation, however small, will be doubled:
donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
Unlocking the Plants of the Past – Big Give
Decades of botanical observations of our vital wild plants are trapped in paper records and archives - through the efforts …
donate.biggive.org
December 2, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Help @bsbibotany.bsky.social reach their target to unlock the Plants of the Past by supporting this important campaign!
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Fantastically worthwhile cause - nearly halfway to target, now, too :)
Can you help us with conserve plants through a donation towards digitising historic plant records?
December 2, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Fantastically worthwhile cause - nearly halfway to target, now, too :)
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Saw this patch of interrupted clubmoss from a track at Potarch, South Aberdeenshire, I've walked along many times before. I normally visit in summer, so will blame the leaves on the trees then for not having spotted it previously. An interesting setting, in birch woodland at just ca 95 m altitude.
December 2, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Saw this patch of interrupted clubmoss from a track at Potarch, South Aberdeenshire, I've walked along many times before. I normally visit in summer, so will blame the leaves on the trees then for not having spotted it previously. An interesting setting, in birch woodland at just ca 95 m altitude.
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Can you help us with conserve plants through a donation towards digitising historic plant records?
December 2, 2025 at 4:47 PM
Can you help us with conserve plants through a donation towards digitising historic plant records?
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Mounting specimens this evening & found a not so helpful note from field season me ‘NFN?’ - an abbreviation well known in medical situations here but in this case indicating ‘New for Norfolk’.. Rubus permundus, well away from it’s Surrey stronghold. #wildflowerhour
November 30, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Mounting specimens this evening & found a not so helpful note from field season me ‘NFN?’ - an abbreviation well known in medical situations here but in this case indicating ‘New for Norfolk’.. Rubus permundus, well away from it’s Surrey stronghold. #wildflowerhour
Reposted by BSBI Botany
A bit late for #wildflowerhour Red and White valerian in Wicklow Town
November 30, 2025 at 9:25 PM
A bit late for #wildflowerhour Red and White valerian in Wicklow Town
Reposted by BSBI Botany
This month I'm sharing my Botanical Advent Calendar - a plant a day til Xmas, which have helped make my 2025 an amazing year botanically!
As I'm a day late kicking off, here are two species of samphire at Aberlady Bay - Yellow Glasswort and Purple Glasswort. Guess which is which! #wildflowerhour
As I'm a day late kicking off, here are two species of samphire at Aberlady Bay - Yellow Glasswort and Purple Glasswort. Guess which is which! #wildflowerhour
December 2, 2025 at 1:40 PM
This month I'm sharing my Botanical Advent Calendar - a plant a day til Xmas, which have helped make my 2025 an amazing year botanically!
As I'm a day late kicking off, here are two species of samphire at Aberlady Bay - Yellow Glasswort and Purple Glasswort. Guess which is which! #wildflowerhour
As I'm a day late kicking off, here are two species of samphire at Aberlady Bay - Yellow Glasswort and Purple Glasswort. Guess which is which! #wildflowerhour
Reposted by BSBI Botany
Goodness gracious me, knock me over with a Lathyrus nissolia - it's barely five and a half hours into Day 1 of #ChristmasChallenge and we've already raised over £8,300 towards this project!
That's phenomenal - thank you to all donors so far - maybe we'll raise over target for this great project!
That's phenomenal - thank you to all donors so far - maybe we'll raise over target for this great project!
Help us unlock the Plants of the Past, by supporting volunteers to digitise decades of paper records & inform C21st science!
@biggive.bsky.social
From #GivingTuesday to 9 Dec, we have £10K in matched funds to unlock: every donation, however small, will be doubled:
donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
@biggive.bsky.social
From #GivingTuesday to 9 Dec, we have £10K in matched funds to unlock: every donation, however small, will be doubled:
donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...
Unlocking the Plants of the Past – Big Give
Decades of botanical observations of our vital wild plants are trapped in paper records and archives - through the efforts …
donate.biggive.org
December 2, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Goodness gracious me, knock me over with a Lathyrus nissolia - it's barely five and a half hours into Day 1 of #ChristmasChallenge and we've already raised over £8,300 towards this project!
That's phenomenal - thank you to all donors so far - maybe we'll raise over target for this great project!
That's phenomenal - thank you to all donors so far - maybe we'll raise over target for this great project!
Reposted by BSBI Botany
There is something triffid-like and sinister about Mullein rosettes in winter. I often forget that I have Poland & Clement 2020 The Vegetative Key to the British Flora. But it's jolly useful in winter. This keys out as Verbascum thapsus, Great Mullein, probably! @bsbibotany.bsky.social
December 2, 2025 at 6:02 PM
There is something triffid-like and sinister about Mullein rosettes in winter. I often forget that I have Poland & Clement 2020 The Vegetative Key to the British Flora. But it's jolly useful in winter. This keys out as Verbascum thapsus, Great Mullein, probably! @bsbibotany.bsky.social