I popped out early today to post a letter, a walk of less than thirty yards, and for curiosity checked out the plants in the close-cut sward. There was Yarrow (Achillea millefolium), White Clover (Trifolium repens), Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris), Field Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), Dove's Foot Cranesbill (Geranium molle), Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), Common Cat's-ear (Hypochoeris radicata), Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens), Lesser Trefoil (Trifolium dubium), Dandelions (Taraxacum spp) and, of course, Daisy (Bellis perennis). Eleven colourful species within a few paces (ok, Ribwort Plantain isn't colourful but you can't have everything). Apart from one plant of Broad-leaved Dock, Rumex obtusifolius, I saw no plants that could be perceived as a potential nuisance.
Anyway, postal duties completed I strolled over to our local pocket park, passing on the way a hedge of Box, Buxus sempervirens, and I took the opportunity to (badly) photograph its curious fruits.
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Box is currently carrying its curious fruits, Stefen Hill, Daventry.
28 July, 2020
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It gives its name to the Buxaceae, a family which, to quote Colin Tudge (Ref. 1) 'has not been easy to place'. Despite lacking latex some taxonomists have seen a link to the Rubber Tree family, the Euphorbiaceae, but that was never satisfactory. It is now seen as allied to the proteas, which on the face of it seems equally odd.
As so often seems to happen, dark clouds obscured the sun as I entered Stefen Hill Pocket Park and the brisk wind carried a few raindrops. But was I deterred? Well, yes, and a few minutes I turned on my heel and, after directing a few choice words in the direction of the Hyades, I headed home.
However, in those precious minutes I took a look at the Honeysuckle, Lonicera periclymenum, as it scrambled through some shrubs. Its scarlet berries were intact, as they are in my own garden. Succulent and tempting they may look, but in our back garden they are ignored and the local blackbirds are instead stripping the fruit from our blueberries.
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Honeysuckle fruits seem to be failing in their attempt to attract birds.
Stefen Hill Pocket Park, 28 July, 2020
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The leaves of the honeysuckle had been mined by Aulagromyza cornigera. This fly, a member of the Agromyzidae, is common enough, but pleasingly was a new species for the pocket park.
Nor was I finished, for a few paces further alone a plant of Common Ragwort, had been mined by another Agromyzid fly, Liriomyza erucifolii. This too was a new record for the site, bringing up the 350 mark. Leaf miners are ideally identified by obtaining the organism responsible, but by carefully examining the plant species, position of the mine, its shape, and the distribution of the frass (poo) many can be determined with accuracy.
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Liriomyza erucifolii mines on ragwort. Stefen Hill Pocket Park.
28 July. 2020
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I netted a few flies too, so my visit wasn't entirely a waste of time, but a reliably warm and sunny day would be welcome (ask the cricketers currently playing in the Third Test). Perhaps tomorrow...
Reference
Tudge, Colin (2005) The Secret Life of Trees Penguin Books (A fascinating book to which I constantly return.)
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