On the 4th day of the Norwegian Seed Savers weekend (6th May 2019), the traditional spring walk along the Homla river and canyon was on the programme with the hope to find ostrich ferns at the right stage to pick. In the cooler parts near the river, it was too early and too late away from the river. Nevertheless, everyone who wanted to picked a few fiddleheads!
It was as usual a magical walk which took some of us 8 hours to complete….as there was so much to see and enjoy!
Thanks to all the participants who also provided pictures: Berit Børte (third time participant), new steering commitee member Bernhard Askedalen, Elin Mar (from Røst), Inger Line Skurdal Ødegård, Meg Anderson and Tina Lambert!
Ostrich Fern Paradise:
New tractor road at the start of the trail!
New viewpoint and boardwalk replacing the slippery and eroded path down to the waterfall
Fern roots
Bernhard Askedalen tells us about the ecology of Symrebeger or Anemone cup (Dumontinia tuberosa), parasitic on wood anemone (hvitveis)
Symrebeger or Anemone cup (Dumontinia tuberosa) is parasitic on wood anemone (hvitveis)
Symrebeger or Anemone cup (Dumontinia tuberosa) is parasitic on wood anemone (hvitveis)
Alternative leaved golden saxifrage / maigull
Rumex spp.
Rumex spp.
Grynløpekule /Deer truffle or Common False Truffle….favourite food of wild boar! I spotted this in the middle of the eroded path!!
A red variant of Rumex acetosa…I must dig a bit and see if it retains its red colour in cultivation
Sitka (sitkagran) needles
Magical as usual ostrich fern paradise!
Magical as usual ostrich fern paradise!
There are many other edibles growing alongside the ostrich fern in this spot including Stachys sylvatica (hedge woundwort / skogsvinerot) edible rhizomes (but hardly worth the effort!
…and alternative leaved golden saxifrage / maigull
On 8th March 2019 I walked along the River Itchen in Hampshire between Shawford and Eastleigh, mostly along the old canal tow path:
River Itchen, Shawford, UK
River Itchen, Shawford, UK
Mute swans
Teasel (Dipsacus) field
Misteltoe
Common polypody (Polypodium vulgare)…called sisselrot here in Norway, the roots were eaten as a candy by children in the past!
Asplenium scolopendrium (Hart’s tongue fern)
Primrose (Primula vulgaris)
?
Dandelion
Sarcoscypha coccinea (?) (scarlet elf cup)
Ground elder (Aegopodium) with ivy
Duckweed (Lemna spp.)?
Duckweed (Lemna spp.)?
Cow parsley (?) already in flower
Not to be confused with this one, Hemlock water dropwort (Oenanthe crocata), the most poisonous plant in the UK!
Old man’s beard (Clematis vitalba)…the shoots are a favourite cooked vegetable in Italy in the spring
…and a video of a large population of Elfin cups (Sarcoscypha coccinea)?
And now some pictures taken on 10th March from the Monks Brook, a stream behind my parents’ house in Chandlers Ford where a lot of foragables were already available (a full two months before our area in Norway!), starting with a video ending with Helleborus foetidus.
Allium ursinum (ramsons)
Allium ursinum (ramsons)
Nettles (Urtica dioica) and cleavers (Galium aparine)
Nettles (Urtica dioica) and cleavers (Galium aparine)
Nearby was a shop selling a myriad of wasabi products! Let me know if you can translate any of the signs in the album! At the bottom are a few pictures from a popular nearby walk, the Kawazu Seven Falls.
Wasabi shop
We did a small hike along the Kawazu Seven Falls trail:
On my last morning in Wicklow, Orlaith took me on a spectacular wild drive over the Wicklow mountains through the Sally Gap pass stopping off to look down on lough Tay, locally called the Guinness lake!
During my stay in Mertola, we did two short walks along the river. The first pictures are from near the town centre, the second group from Canais do Guadiana where we were joined by a local producer of essential oils, who showed us some of the plants they use. There’s a great little video of the area and plants on the producer’s website: http://dalenguadiana.pt
Vitor Menas and Fernando Garcia run the business and Fernando joined us on the walk and showed us around the workshop in the village.
THe River Guadiana near Mertola
Old mill on the river below Mertola
The first plant was a surprise edible, Epazote, Chenopodium ambrosioides, introduced from Mexico! Ambrósia-do-México
Our guide Nuno Roxo introduced us to a local plant man, who produces essential oils in a small village, Corte Sines in the hills near Mertola. He took us to a location near the river (Guadiana) where they harvest herbs for their business. These are the main herbs they use: Cistus ladanifer Lavandula stoechas, pedunculata and viridis, Rosmarinus officinalis Thymus mastichina Fueniculum vulgare Helichrysum stoechas Eucalyptus globulus Mentha pulegium Ruta graveolens
Mentha pulegium, pennycress
Daucus carota, wild carrot
Nuno Roxo told us that he acted as guide for visiting birdwatchers
Pistacia lentiscus, alfostigueiro
Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary / alecrim)
Juniperus turbinata
…and just as we approached the river a Golden Eagle flew right overhead!
Verebascum sinuatus
Rumex pulcher subsp. woodsii?
Apium nodiflorum
Silybum marianum seedlings…excellent greens when the plants are young and thornless
On the morning of my permaveggies course in Mértola, we did a wild walk into the Bombeira do Guadiana Biodiversity Station where information signs have been put up along a 1km trail informing about the rich local flora and fauna. There were many knowledgeable people in the group so that we managed to identify most of the plants we saw. Following recent rains there were many new shoots but few flowers….but we were lucky to see two species of Asparagus in flower!
Marta Cortegano gives an introduction before the walk
We found our first wild asparagus quite quickly
We had visited the evening before with Nuno Roxo and he showed us two species, only one of which he harvested.
We found a few shoots by digging around the base of the plant but at this time they are unpleasantly bitter.
Asparagus albus is Nuno’s preferred species for the edible shoots
Wild artichoke / alcachofra-de-são-joão (Cynara humilis) – has been used traditionally in Mediterranean countries – both peeled basal leaves and “artichokes”
Rumex pulcher subsp woodsii (coenha)
Colchicum?
Phlomis purpurea
Helichrysum stoechas
Wild olives
Discussing how to tell the four local oak species apart
Opuntia
NB!!! It resembles an Angelica, but seems to be Thapsia transtagana…a genus known as Deadly Carrots!!
Filming from all angles
Oxalis
Opuntia
?
?
Asparagus albus
Asphodelus ramosus distalis flowering out of season
The Portuguese water dog!
What was this? Daphne?
?
Cupressus?
Cupressus?
Arum shoots
Mértola
A wild almond
View of the Guadiana River…I was told that tides reached this far upstream
Cormorants on the river…there were also white and grey herons
Asparagus in old worker’s garden
View of Mértola
Puffball
The Guadiana river (we sadly had to turn back before we reached the river, but botanised on other days along the river.
Fennel / fiolho, funcho, erva-doce
There were many shoots of what I assume were Asphodelus
Wild asparagus and Mértola
Wild asparagus and Mértola
Wild almond covered in nuts
Portuguese Water Dog
This looks like Rumex but I’m not sure…
Pistacia lentiscus
There were four species of Lavandula here: stoechas, viridis, pedunculata and multifida
Lavandula multifida, only found in the Serra da Arrábida, just south of Lisbon and in Mértola!
Pyrus bourgaeana
Marrubium vulgare (marroio-branco)
Eucalyptus
Dianthus crassipes?
Cebola-albarrã / sea squill (Drimia maritima)?
Opuntias covered in fruit on the other side of the river
An album of pictures of plants and views at Magoito just north of Lisbon on a short botanising visit with Fernanda Botelho!
First, two videos showing the cliff habitat of Crithmum maritimum!
Crithmum gutteratus?
Crithmum
Helichrysum stoechas
Plantago coronopus
Full of sunbathers in summer, we were alone with the gulls
Sea daffodil (narciso-das-areias): Pancratium maritimum with Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus edulis)
Sea daffodil (narciso-das-areias): Pancratium maritimum with Hottentot Fig (Carpobrotus edulis)
On my recent quick visit to my parents in Hampshire, UK, we did a walk from St Cross to Winchester along the River Itchen with Mum (89) and Dad (93) followed by a walk up St Catharine’s Hill on my own to do the mizmaze ;)
Video of Winchester from St. Catharine’s Hill:
Gingko tree at St Cross
Hayricks (scythed meadows)
Hayricks are good habitat for Kestrels (tårnfalk)
Kestrel tree and St Catharine’s Hill
Kestrel (tårnfalk)
Hogweed
Water forgetmenot
Watercress
Bulrushes (cattails)
Water mint and watercress
Gunnera in a Winchester park
Walnut tree
Walnuts (I already have Sorbus aria from Winchester in my garden and it’s proved hardy, so I’ll try Winchester walnut too)
Walnut
The mizmaze (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizmaze)
