Friday, March 29, 2019

Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) and Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)



Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry and Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)

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Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry


Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) The flower
Photo: March 2019 - Dalton Crags

The flower petals appear more divisioned with sepals clearly showing through. The petals are usually in a heart shape and each clearly notched

Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) The leaf
Photo: March 2019 - Dalton Crags

Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) Shows flowers well
Photo: 7th April 2010

Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) shows good leaf pattern
Photo: 7th April 2010 


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Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) - flower
Plain Quarry, Dalton Crags 28th April 2020


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) - flower


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) - flowers
Photo: taken May 19th 2018 - Hutton Roof


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) - leaves
Photo: 28th March 2019 - Holme Park Fell (Farleton side)

(Dalton Crags 9th May 2020) Just starting to go through the Crags and I always try and take note of how the "Wild Strawberry" plants are doing. It's a site I can best describe as the base of a fallen over tree with all its old dead roots dangling in the air and resting on a soily bed above limestone.  The whole area over time as come alive with vegetation, including both Barren and Wild Strawberry, and I use this example to show the comparisons side by side wild strawberries.  But today I was more interested on two accounts of the Wild Strawberry, because for one I had not noticed such large leaves before and these would have measurered up to 8cm (3"), and that each flower had slight variations to the edges of the petals, really interesting and worthy of more study, but no time today I must get on and spend my "hour" wisely and productively. Here below gives a good account of the variations in the petal edges.


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Photo: Leaf Size and Petal edge variant profiles within the same colony

Dalton Crags 9th May 2020

Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) showing the early onset of going into fruiting mode!


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Dalton Crags, Hutton Roof on 1st May 2019

From this photo (above) you start to see the bulging centres, the fruit is normally from early June in these parts but could well be earlier this year!


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) Click over to enlarge

Photo: Dalton Crags, Hutton Roof on 1st May 2019


 Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Dalton Crags, Hutton Roof on 1st May 2019

Also I have noted over the past few days that beside the bulging centres forming the fruit, the petals of the plant curl over and form a tight envelope protecting the centre as you can see above and below. 


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) Click over to enlarge
Photo: Dalton Crags, Hutton Roof on 1st May 2019

Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Photo: 4th June 2020 - Lower Dalton Crags - Fruit



Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Photo: 16th June 2016 - Lower Dalton Crags - Fruit


 Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Photo: 16th June 2016 - Lower Dalton Crags - Leaves and Fruit


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Photo: 16th June 2016 - Lower Dalton Crags - Leaves and Fruit


 Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Photo: 16th June 2016 - Lower Dalton Crags - Leaves and Fruit


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Photo: 16th June 2016 - Lower Dalton Crags - Leaves and Fruit carpeting

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Warton Crag (early date! 22nd May)

Also it was great to see the Wild Strawberries were out, but only in one small localised spot (see photos)


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) (Click over to enlarge)
Photo: Warton Crag 22nd May 2019

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 Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
out now on Dalton Crags best in one week from now 7th June 2019


 Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
out now on Dalton Crags best in one week from now 7th June 2019


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)

out now on Dalton Crags best in one week from now 7th June 2019

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Wild Strawberries are at their best now especially in Dalton Crags with good yields throughout. I did manage the following photo which shows you just how many can be present in a square metre!


Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberries) at Dalton Crags on 22nd June 2019


Differences between
 (top) Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) and (bottom) Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) 

Top photo: Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) Bottom photo: Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry)
Photos March 2019 - Top photo: Holme Park Fell and Bottom photo: Dalton Crags


This photo (above) is to show the differences in relation by their leaves between Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) and Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry).

There are several differences which I have found with the leaf eg: Fragaria (Wild) is more a straightforward leaf which is notched throughout at roughly the same dimensions with a slightly narrower central notch forming the head or pinnacle, and you may also note that usually the notch ends also finish in a direction pointing to ten two the hour or ten past the hour, yet in comparison the Potentilla (Barren) may have less notches, and its notch ends will generally point directly above to the 12 o clock position, but this is not always the case.  Also in regards to Potentilla (Barren) The notches arrangements alter considerably at the head of the leaf whereby it becomes more of a "flattenened top" look eg: their are two levelled sized notches (like a set of ears point up) notches and in between them is a much smaller notch. That is regular but does not always apply.  Also both leaves are hairy, but you may note that in the Potentilla (Barren) the leaf is far more hairy (best seen from the photo above).

  Top photo: Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) bottom photo: Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry)
Photos: Top March 2019 Bottom May 19th 2018 - 

This photo (above) is to show the differences in relation by their flowers between Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) and Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) 

The flower petals appear more divisioned in Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) with the sepals clearly showing through. In the same species the petals are usually formed in a heart shape and each petal clearly notched

Also you will note that in the Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) there are dark veins running vertical down the white petals, you do not get this with the Potentilla.

Friday 5th April 2019 - Dalton Crags


Please click over the above photo to enlarge and then you can clearly see the differences.

This example I found this morning (5th April 2019) at the bottom of a fallen decaying tree stump and it clearly shows to the left of the red line Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) and to the right of the red line Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry). This growing close together is seen on a regular basis. 

The obvious differences are:
1) The only flowering plants today are Barren Strawberry - shown above on the left (05/04/19)

2) The leaves of the Barren Strawberry (on the left) look much smaller in size than the Wild Strawberry

3) Leaves of the Barren Strawberry are more of a blue/green colour whereby the Wild Strawberry are more true green.

Potentilla sterilis (Barren Strawberry) and Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry) to its right side 
On a ledge of a limestone rockface at The Rakes, Hutton Roof on 16th April 2019
Gives a good photo of the differences in flower


Thursday, March 21, 2019

Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemone)



It is seen plentiful in the woodland areas especially and sometimes intermingled with Sweet Woodruff and Bluebells.  Occasionally you may even be lucky enough to spot it on the open pavements were it has established itself in shallow grykes. And what a spectacular sight it can be just like the photos I have taken below.

 Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemone)
Photo: 7th April 2019 Slape Lane, Burton In Kendal

 Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemone)
Photo: 5th May 2018 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)

Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemone)
Photo: 5th May 2018 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)
"It has the look of a flowered guitar" - obviously A nem -(ber) One

 Anemone nemorosa (Wood Anemone)
Photo: 5th May 2018 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)

Below are some early May 2021 showing variant colourings

















Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid)



January 2nd and 3rd 2019 (below)


Early Purple Orchid rosettes found on January 2nd (right column) and also on
January 3rd (left column) - found on Hutton Roof - Lancelot and Burton (Cumbria Wildlife)
Rosette size: approx 1" in all cases - Click over to enlarge

March 3rd 2019 (below)

Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid) - Click over to enlarge
Photo: 4th March 2019 - Lancelot Clark Storth (CWT)

These were all taken today 4th March 2019 within a area of 10ft diameter and show several Early Purple Orchid rosettes at their current stage.  The spotted leaf one showing the 50p is about 4" in diameter and most of the others are between 3" and 4"

8th April 2019 (Below)


These are some examples of the progress on 8th April 2019 (Silverdale)

Heavily marked leaves


Early Purple Orchid leaves - Click over to enlarge
Photo: The Lots Silverdale on 8th April 2019

2018 (below)

Some of our lighter EPO specimens (Click over to enlarge)
Top L to R: Albino (Hutton Roof), Light specimen (Hutton Roof), Light Specimen (Hutton Roof), Light Specimen (Hutton Roof).  Bottom L to R: 50/50 mix (Hutton Roof), Light Specimen (Warton Crag), Albino (The Lots, Silverdale), Light Specimen (Hutton Roof)
Photos between 2015 and 2018.


Wednesday 9th May 2018 - Hutton Roof 

A very special Early Purple Orchid - Light phase with a bonus of dewdrops (Click over to enlarge)

Early Purple Orchid



10th May 2018 - Burton Fell and Lancelot Clark Storth (Cumbria Wildlife)

Another beautiful Early Purple Orchid variant: "Magenta with white" found today 10th May 2018
Our regular year in year out EPO variant: "Albino" pair
 have come through again OK, sadly the day after
 taking this photograph the beauties were taken down by Brown Hares.

A straight forward EPO with unmarked leaves

Saturday 12th May 2018 - Dalton Crags, Lancelot Clark Storth, Burton Fell 

EPO - variant White with Pink Flush (Click over to enlarge)















Holme Stinted Pastures - 14th May 2018 (14 photos)


















Burton Fell - Hutton Roof - 16th May 2018 (Below) (8 beautiful specimens)














Dalton South East - Thursday 17th May 2018



Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid)

Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid)

Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid)

Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid)


Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid)


Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid)
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Specimen EPO "pure Albino flowerhead" Lancelot

2017 photos

Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid) (Click over to enlarge)
Specimen EPO - pure albino flowerhead - Lancelot
Photo: 6th May 2017

Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid) (Click over to enlarge)
Specimen EPO - pure albino flowerhead - Lancelot
Photo: 6th May 2017

2018 photos


Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid) (Click over to enlarge)
Specimen EPO - pure albino flowerhead - Lancelot
Photo: 5th May 2018

This photo was taken on 5th May 2018.  It is a very strong plant which comes up usually with two flowerheads.  Although we have several plants which shows a large percentage of white/cream
 features, this particular specimen is the only 100% white flowers on Hutton Roof.

Orchis mascula (Early Purple Orchid) (Click over to enlarge)
Specimen EPO - pure albino flowerhead - Lancelot
Photo: 10th May 2018

This photo above shows the mature plant taken on 10th May 2018. Sadly the day after this photo was taken, the plant was taken down by
Brown Hare which seems to be coming a regular thing. 

2019 photos


Orchis mascula var: albino (Early Purple Orchid - albino)
Photo: 10th April 2019 - Lancelot Clark Storth