[273] Podiceps cristatus, Great Crested Grebe

[273] Podiceps cristatus, Great Crested Grebe

Introduction

Podiceps cristatus, the Great Crested Grebe, is the most common type of Grebe seen in the UK. They are so well adapted to the water that you are very unlikely to see them on land or in flight – but they are not waterfowl.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Clade – Mirandornithes (Flamingoes and Grebes)

Order – Podicipediformes (Grebes)

Family – Podicipedidae (Grebes)

Genus – Podiceps

Scientific Name – Podiceps cristatus

Name

Grebe is an old French word of unknown origin for this bird. It is worth noting that any species called Great may not be the largest but it’s probably one of the largest. Any species called Crested is not necessarily the only species with a crest. In the UK the Great Crested Grebe is a lot bigger than the Little Grebe.

Podiceps comes from Ancient Greek roots meaning vent-foot, because of the location of its legs. Cristatus is Latin for crested.

Grebes

Grebes look as if they might be similar to ducks. They are the same sort of size and live on inland water. But they are not in the order Anseriformes that consists mainly of ducks, geese and swans. Similarly, they are not related to [152] Coots and [157] Moorhens. They form a group of birds that is not clearly linked to other groups.

There are superficial similarities with Divers, (called Loons in America,) sea-dwelling birds that will not appear in this blog. But the similarities may represent convergent evolution, where unrelated groups have evolved to look similar.

DNA analysis and morphological studies suggest that their closest relatives are Flamingoes! These two groups have diverged much in appearance and lifestyle.

Grebes are water dwelling birds that have lobed feet and are excellent swimmers and divers. Their legs, designed for water rather than land, are set so far back that they cannot walk easily without falling over.

Apart from their nests, which may be floating, they keep to the water. They may dive to avoid danger rather than fly away. Young birds are able to swim and dive almost as soon as they are born.

There are about half a dozen species of Grebe sometimes seen in the UK but only two are at all common.

Description

Podiceps cristatus is one of the most attractive birds seen on water. It has a long, slender white-fronted neck. The rear of the head is a tawny orange brown, becoming darker at the neck. its cheeks are white and the head has a flat black top, often displayed or windswept as a crest. The pointed bill is a metallic dark or pinkish colour leading to a striking red eye. Its dark grey back may have a mottled appearance.

When swimming it can be so low in the water that some or all of the back is submerged.

Male and female birds are identical.

The winter plumage loses the coloured parts of the head, which becomes almost all white. The crest disappears leaving a smaller flat top to the head.

They feed mainly on fish obtained by diving, but will also eat small invertebrates and amphibians.

They are monogamous and will reform their pair bonds each year in a mating display, which is like synchronized dancing on the water. They build a nest by the water’s edge and generally only ever leave the water for the nest.

Very young birds have a distinctive appearance with black-and-white stripes on their bodies. From an early age they are carried on the backs of a parent who teaches them by diving.

As they grow the stripes disappear and they turn to the normal winter plumage.

Habitat and use

The summer range of this bird covers almost all of Eurasia except the Arctic North. In the extreme west of its range, including the UK, it is generally resident, but for the rest of its range it moves south in winter – to several locations including South Africa and Australia. That’s what the books say but our local pair disappears every winter.

In Victorian times this bird was almost hunted to extinction in the UK for its head feathers, which were used for ladies’ hats and other clothing.  The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) was established in 1889 to protect this species and [122] Little Egrets and other foreign species.

Other Notes

Since I took up birdwatching about fifteen years ago, I have always regarded the Great Crested Grebe as relatively common. Our local park has two lakes and a pair of Grebes are there every summer raising one or two broods of chicks. I think they are territorial and I see them on other ornamental lakes – but never more than a single pair on each lake.

See also

[335] The Little Grebe is the only other Grebe you are likely to see. It is, unsurprisingly, much smaller than Podiceps cristatus.

[272] Platalea leucorodia, Spoonbill

[272] Platalea leucorodia, Spoonbill

Introduction

For most people today, Platalea leucorodia, the Spoonbill, is either unknown or an exotic wading bird that only arrived in the UK this century and is beginning to establish small breeding populations. It was actually a widespread breeding species in south-east England until about 1700, so its recent re-establishment is not entirely due to Global Warming and Climate Change.

It may be called the Eurasian Spoonbill or Common Spoonbill to distinguish it from the five other species of Platalea.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Pelecaniformes

Suborder – Ardei (Herons and others)

Family – Threskiornithidae (Ibises and Spoonbills)

Subfamily – Plataleinae (Spoonbills, just Platalea)

Genus – Platalea

Scientific Name – Platalea leucorodia

Name

Platalea, from Latin, means broad and leucorodia comes from the Ancient Greek name of the bird, which comes from leuko-erodios meaning white-heron.

Description

Platalea leucorodia is a large, long-legged wading bird, almost completely white. Its legs are black and its bill is very long, flat and mostly black. The end if the bill opens to a flat circular spoon shape, coloured yellow to orange.

In the breeding season it has a small crest and a yellow patch on its breast.

They tend to breed in groups and can be migratory.

They feed on very small vertebrates or invertebrates and sweep through the water with their beaks to find their prey.

Habitat and use

The Spoonbill has a patchy distribution across Europe and through Asia.

It had been widespread through south-east England until about 1700, when it became locally extinct.

From the Early Twenty-first Century, it was sighted as an isolated visitor to the UK and in 2010 a breeding colony started in Norfolk. It is a wetland bird and needs islands in wetland environments for breeding.

Other Notes

I wanted to include this bird but it is not a bird that I have been able to approach for close pictures. Since about twenty years ago they have been occasional single visitors to Slimbridge and other wetland sites, where they may stay for weeks. Now there are wetland areas where they breed in increasingly large groups but they stay well away from watching humans.

See also

There is a recent trend, probably die to climate change, for new birds to be seen in England.

In [122] Little Egret I looked both the Cattle Egret and the Great White Egret as newcomers. We also have occasional Plegadis falcinellus, Glossy Ibis and this year marks the first breeding pair of Ciconia Ciconia, White Storks.

[271] Plantago lanceolata, Ribwort Plantain

[271] Plantago lanceolata, Ribwort Plantain

Plantago major, Greater Plantain

Introduction

Plantago lanceolata, Ribwort Plantain, and Plantago major, Greater Plantain, are two similar species of common and widespread wild plants generally considered as weeds.

Many of the two hundred species of Plantago are also called Plantains. Plantago lanceolata is also known as Narrowleaf Plantain, English Plantain, Ribleaf, Buckthorn and about twenty other common names. Plantago major is also known as Common Plantain, Broadleaf Plantain and a few other common names.

They should not be confused with the Plantains that are types of bananas, (cultivars of the Musa genus,) or with Plane trees (the genus Platanus,) previously sometimes known as Plaintains.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Lamiales

Family – Plantaginaceae

Tribe – Plantaginae

Genus – Plantago

Scientific Names – Plantago lanceolata, Plantago major

Cultivars are available for both species.

Name

In classical Latin the word plantago was used for some species of the genus Plantago, derived from planta, ‘sole of the foot’ because of its flat nature. The English Plantain comes from cognate roots.

Lanceolata means shaped like a lance and, of course, major means greater.

(The banana-like plantain is not cognate and gets its name from a native South American name.)

Plantago major

I am starting with Plantago major, because it is more common and widespread as a garden weed, more well-known and the typical, defining type of Plantain.

To most people it’s a common garden weed, especially a lawn weed, and most people would call it just a plantain.

It’s a very low growing plant with a rosette of almost circular leaves with long petioles (stalks that connect the leaves to the stems.) The leaf has about half a dozen distinct veins across its length.

Each plant has several short stems, each with a long spike of very small flowers. The flowers are inconspicuous, greenish brown with purple stamens, becoming equally inconspicuous tiny green fruits.

It is found over most of Europe and much of Asia. In the UK it is widespread and very common, often as a weed in any open land – including gardens and pavements.

Its flat nature enables it to survive well in well-mown or well-trodden grass.

It has cultivated varieties, some with purple or variegated leaves.

Plantago lanceolata

Plantago lanceolata is common and widespread over Eurasia including the whole of the UK. Its leaves are longer and thinner than Plantago major and are pointed at both ends, something like [173] Bristly Ox-tongue in shape but not in texture. Leaves have marked longitudinal veins that give the plant its name and they may be held almost vertically.

The flower stalk can be quite tall. Many tiny flowers gradually open along the long, thin inflorescence. They are insignificant and brown with prominent white stamens.

Ribwort Plantain grows almost anywhere, doing well in disturbed areas like roadside verges and open grassland. It can grow tall on unmown grass but can adapt in mown areas to a flatter form.

Rather surprisingly, both species are available in cultivated varieties.

Other Notes

Long before I started this blog, I was aware of Plantago major as a weed in lawns that kept flat and was difficult to eradicate. I have only discovered Plantago lanciolata recently but now I see it perhaps more often on my walks. This may be because it is more erect and visible. It is certainly more evident when in flower.

[270] Pistacia chinensis, Chinese Pistache

[270] Pistacia chinensis, Chinese Pistache

Introduction

Pistacia chinensis, the Chinese Pistache, is a tree cultivated, sometimes as a street tree, with attractive Autumn leaves and fruit.

It is a close relative of Pistacia vera, the Pistachio, which produces cultivated nuts, also called pistachios. Pistacia chinensis is also called the Chinese Pistachio or Chinese Mastic.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Sapindales

Family – Anacardiaceae

Subfamily – Anacardioideae

Genus – Pistacia

Scientific Name – Pistacia chinensis

Name

Pistache and pistachio come via French and Italian from the Latin pistacium, which comes via Ancient Greek from Persian/ Iranian origins. While the Latin word for the nut was the neuter pistacium, the tree had the feminine name pistacia, which is now the genus name.

It is called Chinese because it comes from China but there is always some uncertainty and it has the synonyms Pistacia formosana and Pistacia philipinensis.

The word mastic (or mastic tree) was originally used for Pistacia lentiscus.

Description

It is hard to describe this species as anything other than an ordinary looking tree. I have found two recently including one by Cheltenham Town Hall and without my identification app I would not have noticed them. When the app came up with Chinese Pistache, I thought it was wrong. (The app does make mistakes.)

Its leaves turn red in autumn as other deciduous trees but before that, it produces spectacular fruits that are bright red before they dry and fade to a brown colour.

Habitat and use

Pistacia chinensis is native to parts of China.

It is cultivated in parks and gardens and also as a street tree.

See also

Pistacia vera, the Pistachio, is the source of the familiar pistachio nuts. Most production comes from the USA and Iran.

Anacardium occidentale, the Cashew, is a close relative from which cashew nuts and cashew apples are cultivated. Most production comes from the Ivory Coast and India.

[269] Pinus sylvestris, Scots Pine

[269] Pinus sylvestris, Scots Pine

Introduction

Pinus sylvestris, Scots Pine, is a coniferous tree still found wild in parts of Scotland and cultivated elsewhere in Britain in parks and gardens.

In the US, Pinus sylvestris is known as the Scotch Pine and it also has the names European Red Pine and Baltic Pine

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Pinopsida (Conifers)

Order – Pinales

Family – Pinaceae

Subfamily – Pinoideae (Just Pines)

Genus – Pinus (Pines)

Subgenus – Pinus

Section – Pinus

Subsection – Pinus

Scientific Name – Pinus sylvestris

Name

This is not the place to go into the peculiarities of British English (and Scottish English) that leave us with three words to describe things relating to Scotland – Scots, Scotch and Scottish.

The common name pine comes from the Latin pinus from older roots meaning sap, juice or resin. Until the Nineteenth Century Pine trees used to be called Firs. Sylvestris means to do with forests, woods or trees!

Description

Like most conifers, the Scots Pine is an evergreen tree with needle shaped leaves. It is a tall, erect tree, growing to about thirty metres in height.

Trees bear both male and female cones. Male cones are small and are present just long enough to shed their pollen. Female cones take two to three years to develop.

Habitat and use

Pinus sylvestris is native to Northern parts of Eurasia. It spread across Britain about 20 000 years ago when the ice sheets melted and now has extensive areas in parts of Scotland. It survives well in soils that are too poor for other tree species.

It is available as a cultivated tree and several cultivars are available.

Several species of Pine trees are used extensively for timber. Pine trees are also the source of turpentine. Some Pine trees are now sold as alternative form of Christmas Tree to the more familiar [266] Norway Spruce.

Other Notes

That’s another conifer done. Because they don’t have exciting flowers, they are almost the same as each other at first glance. If you walk past a coniferous tree, you probably won’t know if it’s a Pine, a Spruce, a Fir, a Larch, a Cedar, a Cypress or a Juniper.

[268] Pieris napi, Green-veined White

[268] Pieris napi, Green-veined White

Introduction

Pieris napi, the Green-veined White is a very common butterfly, similar to [267] the Large White and Small White but with a marked vein-like structure on the under wings.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Family – Pieridae

Subfamily – Pierinae (Whites and Yellows)

Tribe – Pierini

Genus – Pieris

Scientific Name – Pieris napi

Name

[057] Rapeseed is Brassica napus, which is all you need to add to the section about Names for the two species yesterday. (Latin purists will recognize that the masculine napus becomes napi in the genitive, as the feminine brassica and rapa became brassicae and rapae.)

Description

From the top, this butterfly is very similar to the other Whites but the undersides of its wings show the ‘green veins’ that give it its name. Dark scales – from a dirty green colour to brown or almost black – show against the background of the pale yellow or green wings.

It feeds on many of the wild species of Brassicaceae, such as Hedge Mustard, Garlic Mustard, Water Cress, Charlock, Wild Cabbage, Wild Radish and Cuckooflower. (There are too many such species for easy identification and I haven’t been able to include them specifically in these blogs.)

Habitat

Pieris napi is widespread and common across Eurasia and North Africa. In Britain it is even more widespread than the Large White and Small White, including all of Scotland in its range. It is found in hedgerows, forest edges and anywhere with grass.

[267] Pieris brassicae, Large White

[267] Pieris brassicae and Pieris rapae, Cabbage White

Introduction

Informally, Pieris brassicae and Pieris rapae are both sometimes called Cabbage White butterflies and most of the general population do not distinguish between the two species. Although one is larger than the other, close inspection may be needed to tell them apart. I will treat them together.

Pieris brassicae, the Large White, Large Cabbage White, Cabbage White or Cabbage Butterfly, is a common and widespread, mostly white butterfly.

Pieris rapae, the Small White, Small Cabbage White, Cabbage White or Cabbage Butterfly, is also a common and widespread, mostly white butterfly, with very similar markings. In some countries where it is non-native and invasive, the larval form is called the Imported Cabbageworm.

More of the usual warnings. There is a plant genus also called Pieris. This duplication is allowed and does happen. There is another genus of butterflies, Pierella, that retains Pieris as a synonym. [It was named Pieris until it was discovered that the name had already been used for another butterfly.]

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Family – Pieridae

Subfamily – Pierinae (Whites and Yellows)

Tribe – Pierini

Genus – Pieris

Scientific Names – Pieris brassicae, Pieris rapae

Names

Pieris comes from the city of Pieria, home of the mythological Muses of Ancient Greece. (Don’t ask why!)

Both species are widely regarded as agricultural pests because the caterpillars eat cabbages and other species of Brassicaca. Brassica rapa is the Turnip. Hence Pieris brassicae and Pieris rapae. See [057] Rape. (The species epithets take genitive endings, so brassicae means ‘of brassica’ and rapae means ‘of rapa.’)

Description

Pieris brassicae adult butterflies are mostly white with a dark tip on the forewings. Females have two black spots on the forewings and the hindwings are pale yellow. Males are significantly smaller.

Pieris rapae differs in being slightly smaller. The dark tip to the wing is less extensive and males may have a single dark spot.

Everything else about these two butterflies is similar.

The larvae have five instar stages, feeding on wild or cultivated Rape, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts and other members of the family Brassicaceae. There are two or sometimes three generations each year.

In many places both species are considered pests because of its the damage they can do to crops. In countries like India, they are estimated to reduce crop production by up to 40%.

Habitat

Pieris brassicae is common throughout Europe, Northern Africa and Asia. The resident UK population is normally increased with migrations from Europe. It is less common to the North of Scotland than the rest of Britain. They are found in open country and especially farms and vegetable gardens.

Pieris rapae has a similar natural distribution. It was introduced to Quebec around 1860 and has spread across most of North America and via Hawaii to New Zealand and parts of Australia.

Other Notes

These two species are among the most common British butterflies. It is easy to spot one but much more difficult to decide which species it is.

You will understand that the Large White butterfly is not often confused with the Large White breed of [328] Pig.

See also

[268] The Green-veined White, coming tomorrow is relatively easy to distinguish from these two species.

[266] Picea abies, Norway Spruce

[266] Picea abies, Norway Spruce

Introduction

Picea abies, the Norway Spruce, is widely known in the UK as the traditional Christmas Tree. It is not common as a cultivated tree but sometimes the used Christmas Tree may be planted outside, perhaps with the intention of re-use next year.

The other species of Picea are also known as Spruce. Some of them can be used as ornamental trees. The species are so similar that some others are also now sold as Christmas Trees.

Picea abies is also known as the European Spruce.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Pinopsida (Conifers)

Order – Pinales (All extant Conifers)

Family – Pinaceae (Pines and others)

Subfamily – Piceoidea

Genus – Picea

Scientific Name – Picea abies

It has about 150 scientific synonyms, including various species of Abies (Fir), Pinus (Pine), and Picea (Spruce).

Name

The Middle English Spruce came from Pruce, the geographical are now known as Prussia. From the Fourteenth Century, spruce was a general term for commodities brought to England by Hanseatic merchants.

Picea comes from the Latin picea, used for [269] the Scotch Pine. Picea comes from pix, cognate with what we now call pitch, the tar-like resin that can come from trees.

Abies is the genus name for Fir Trees, close relatives of Cedars, and the name is the Latin for a Fir Tree, coming from Ancient Greek. You will have noticed that I haven’t included fir trees, which could have come in on 1 January.

[The Romans were probably just as confused with common names as I am. Picea could mean the Scots Pine or a Spruce tree. Scots Pines used to be called Scots Firs.]

Description

Picea abies is the familiar Christmas Tree of Britain. We may only see trees of up to two or three metres but they can grow quickly and easily to twenty metres and eventually to fifty or sixty metres.

While all conifers are tall, generally evergreen trees with needle-shaped leaves and cones instead of flowers; you will have noticed that I don’t get excited at having to describe how the species differ from each other. I won’t do it for the Spruces,

One aspect of the Norway Spruce that makes it useful for holding decorations and small presents is that the main branches come out almost horizontally from the main trunk. It tends to grow in a neat, conical shape.

Other species of Spruce in the European group are geographically separate and tend to hybridize easily. There are other species found in North America and Asia, mostly in mountainous areas.

Habitat and use

The Norway Spruce is native to Norway, Sweden, Finland, western Russia and parts of central Europe. It is introduced and naturalised over north-west Europe including all of the UK.

It is by far the most common tree used as a Christmas Tree in the UK although other species are used. They are either very young saplings or the tops cut from larger trees.

All species of Spruce are used for their timber and in the production of paper.

The Norway Spruce is widely cultivated in parks and gardens and cultivars are available. They can live for 300 years in their natural environment but survive for less time in naturalized areas.

See also

Picea omorika, the Serbian Spruce, is now sometimes sold as a Christmas Tree. Its native range is a small area of about 150 acres in Serbia.

[265] Pica pica, Magpie

[265] Pica pica, Magpie

Introduction

Pica pica, the Magpie, is a common and widespread bird in the Crow family that is a bit more colourful than Corvus species ([098] Crow and [099] Rook,) but not as good-looking as [159] the Jay. 

It is also known as Common Magpie or Eurasian Magpie to distinguish it from other species in the genus Pica.

Other closely related genera have similar looking birds usually called magpies or magpie-jays.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Passeriformes

Family – Corvidae (Crows, Jays, Magpies and others)

Tribe – Corvinae

Genus – Pica

Scientific Name – Pica

Pica pica pica is the subspecies seen in the UK

Name

The history of the word Magpie is interesting. They were originally called just Pies, from old Indo-European roots meaning pointed (either from the bill or the long tail.)

In the Sixteenth Century the prefix Mag- was added. From an old shortened form of the name Margaret, it meant women in general and was an allusion to their call sound – like the idle chattering of a woman. If you have ever heard a Magpie, you will appreciate that this was not a compliment to womankind!

You can compare the names of [088] the Jackdaw and perhaps [135] the Robin, which have also changed over the centuries.

The word ‘pied’ for other birds with black-and-white plumage dates from about 1550. We have seen [231] the Pied Wagtail. This usage extends to other animals such as [021] the Small Magpie (Moth).

The classical Latin name for the bird was pica, which is cognate with picus, the Latin for a woodpecker. (See [115] Great Spotted Woodpecker.)

As I have mentioned before, animals are allowed to repeat the genus name as a species epithet but plants are not.

Description

Pica Pica is generally considered to have six geographically defined subspecies, with some overlap. For most of Europe we have the nominate subspecies Pica pica pica.

It’s more or less a black-and-white version of typical members of the Crow family, with a long tail. Its head, back and legs are black, with a chunky black bill. The shoulders and belly are pure white. The sides and tail appear black at a distance but have various iridescent shades of dark green, turquoise, blue or purple.

Its long straight tail is slightly longer than the rest of its body.

As for many birds the male is slightly larger than the female but both sexes are essentially similar.

They are omnivorous and will eat young birds and eggs, small mammals, carrion, insects, acorns, grains and other vegetation.

Its call is a rasping ratchet sound, not as harsh as that of the Jay.

Habitat

The Common Magpie is found over all of Europe and central and eastern Asia, with several geographically distinct subspecies. (The Black-billed Magpie, Pica hudsonia, found in northwest North America, is almost identical and sometimes considered a subspecies of Pica pica.)

Pica pica prefers open countryside but they are not so wary of humans as other members of the Crow family. They are much more likely to be seen in towns and even visiting domestic gardens. They don’t generally visit bird feeders.

Other Notes

• There are many superstitions associated with Magpies. There is a tradition of predicting fortune by how many are seen according to a rhyme that may start: ‘One for sorrow; Two for joy; Three for a girl; Four for a boy …’ But there are local variations in the words, and sometimes similar rhymes have been associated with Crows and Jackdaws. There are also still many people who like to greet a single Magpie with an incantation like ‘Good Morning Mr Magpie,’ to ward off ill-luck. Again, there are many local variations.
• They are not gregarious like Rooks and will often be seen singly or as a pair. It is also common to see a family group with a pair obviously looking after three or four younger birds. The juvenile birds look similar with somewhat shorter tails.
• The Magpie is probably the most intelligent species of bird and could be the most intelligent non-mammal species of animals. Other Corvids also do well in tests and experiments on their intelligence.

See also

The closest relative of the Magpie is the Jay.

[264] Physocarpus opulifolius, Ninebark

[264] Physocarpus opulifolius, Ninebark

Introduction

Physocarpus opulifolius, Ninebark, is a deciduous shrub cultivated in Britain as an ornamental shrub, often as a hedge.

Other species of Physocarpus are also called Ninebarks and Physocarpus opulifolius may be called Common, Eastern or Atlantic Ninebark. When sold as a garden plant it is generally called Physocarpus opulifolius in a number of varieties and cultivars.

Hydrangea radiata, the Silverleaf Hydrangea or Snowy Hydrangea is sometimes also called Ninebark.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Rosales

Family – Rosaceae

Subfamily – Amygdaloideae

Tribe – Neillieae

Genus – Physocarpus

Scientific Name – Physocarpus opulifolius

Cultivars are available.

Name

Ninebark refers to the peeling bark of some mature branches. (See text below.).

Physo-carpus is Latinized Greek for bladder-fruit from the shape of some species. Opulus is the Latin for a type of Maple tree so opuli-folius must mean that its leaves are shaped like [002] Maples.

Description

Physocarpus opilifolius is a small, bushy shrub.

Its leaves are lobed and serrated.

Its small five-petalled flowers grow in a tight, almost flat inflorescence called a corymb. They are from white to light pink. Fruits are small, dry papery pods.

The bark can peel off in thin papery strips, curling up in the shape of a ‘9’

Habitat and use

Physocarpus opilifolius has two similar forms found in rocky locations in the USA.

It can be grown to control erosion on river banks. Several cultivated varieties have been bred with various foliage colourings.

It is suitable for use as a hedge.

Other Notes

I have only seen this plant as a hedge where its dense format makes it impossible to see the bark that gives it its name.

[263] Phyllostachys aurea, Fishpole Bamboo

[263] Phyllostachys aurea, Fishpole Bamboo

Introduction

Phyllostachys aurea, Fishpole Bamboo (or Fish-pole Bamboo), is a species of bamboo commonly planted in gardens and parks, sometimes trimmed into the form of a hedge.

It has other common names including Golden Bamboo and Yellow Bamboo.

All grasses in the tribe Bambusoideae are called bamboos, as are many genera that have recently been moved out of this subfamily.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Clade – Monocots

Order – Poales

Family – Poaceae

Subfamily – Bambusoideae (Bamboo)

Tribe – Arundinarieae (Single subtribe)

Subtribe – Arundinariinae (Temperate woody bamboos)

Genus – Phyllostachys

Scientific Name – Phyllostachys aurea

Name

The derivation of ‘bamboo’ is uncertain but it probably comes via Dutch or Portuguese from Malay bamboo.

When I was young, we sometimes went fishing in the local river. We used a net held in a circle of metal that was fixed to the end of a piece of bamboo. The same bamboo is used in gardening to support small growing plants or for cheap fencing. Of course, this is not the only species used for fishpoles.

The Latinized genus Bambusa and higher-level taxonomic name are derived from the modern English name. Phyllo-stachys from Ancient Greek roots, means leaf-ear (in the sense of an ear of corn or other grain) and relates to its flowers, so it could apply to any bamboo! Aurea means golden. In Britain it may not look golden or yellow.

Description

There are over a thousand species of bamboo and to the layman they are just large grasses. Of course, technically the obvious characteristics are ‘the presence of bracteate, indeterminate inflorescences, “pseudospikelets”, and flowers with three lodicules, six stamens, and three stigmata.’ They come from tropical or sub-tropical climates and their canes have many uses.

Fishpole Bamboo is a typical species of bamboo normally growing to three or four metres in height. It can form clumps that are quite bushy in appearance. There is not much else that I can say about it.

Its other names are derived from the fact that canes can turn yellow and eventually orange-gold in bright sunlight, but those that I have seen have been just green.

Habitat and use

Phyllostachys aurea is native to parts of China.

It is widely cultivated in gardens and is suited to use as a (tall) hedge. Several cultivars are available, many of which are selected to exaggerate the yellow colouring. It is so much the most common cultivated species that it is often described as Bamboo aurea in horticulture.

Other Notes

I have been surprised to see this so much in gardens. Most of my pictures come from a local street pavement.

See also

Other species of Phyllostachys and other types of bamboo may be cultivated for garden use. You may also see them in public ornamental parks.

I had expected to find Sugarcane (Saccharum officinalis and related species) to be a bamboo but it isn’t. Sugar is a distantly related type of grass that is closer to [364] Maize (known in the USA as corn.)

[262] Phyllopertha horticola, Garden Chafer

[262] Phyllopertha horticola, Garden Chafer

Hoplia philanthus, Welsh Chafer

Introduction

Phyllopertha horticola, the Garden Chafer, and Hoplia philanthus, the Welsh Chafer, are two related species of Scarab beetles.

Many of the species within the family Scarabaeidae are called Chafers, sometimes Flower Chafers, Rose Chafers or Leaf Chafers, but the group also includes June Beetles (or May Beetles,) dung beetles and others.

Phyllopertha horticola may also be called the Garden Foliage Beetle

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Class – Insects

Order – Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder – Polyphaga

Infraorder – Scarabaeiformia

Superfamily – Scarabaeoidea

Family – Scarabaeidae

Subfamily – Rutelinae (Leaf Chafers)

Tribes – (Uncertain)

Genus – Phyllopertha; Hoplia

Scientific Name -Phyllopertha horticola; Hoplia philanthus

There are so many changes that I can’t give an agreed taxonomy below the family level. Many of the subfamilies of Scarabaeidae have been elevated to family level or demoted to tribe level without universal agreement. The subfamily Rutelinae is sometimes considered a separate family, Rutelidae.

Name

Beetle comes via Middle English from Germanic roots, as a diminutive of bite. Chafer also comes via Middle English from Germanic roots, meaning some kinds of beetle.

The ancient Greek phyllon means leaf. Horticola, of course, means garden.

Hoplia may come from Greek roots, meaning heavily armed. Phil-anthos means loves-flower.

Description

There are about a hundred families of beetles (out of about two hundred) with representatives found in the UK. The Scarab Beetles, Scarabaeidae, may contain about 30 000 species, if we include some taxonomic groups that have been or will be split off, then less than a hundred of these species are found in the UK and of these about ten or twenty are leaf chafers, Rutelinae or Rutelidae.

I will not attempt to go into the anatomical differences that define the families of beetles or lower groups, or even the genera and species. You can use the links below to see all the blog entries in the Beetle Category.

• Phyllopertha horticola is the only species of Phyllopertha found in the UK.

Its elytra are chestnut brown with hairy edges. The head and thorax are a very dark green with dotted indentations. Antennae are short with three-pronged ends.

Eggs are laid in the soil. The larvae feed on grass, cereal and clover roots, without doing significant damage. They overwinter in the larval stage. In March, after a short period they pupate. Adults may emerge in large numbers and are often seen on the foliage of [358] Viburnum or [103] Hawthorn or other trees or shrubs. Adult Garden Chafers eat leaves and can be pests on roses or fruit trees.

• Hoplia philanthus is the only species of Hoplia found in the UK.

It looks very similar to Phyllopertha species until you look closely at the end of its legs. (The hind legs have a single claw where Phyllopertha have two.) The elytra are brown and hairy. The head and thorax are dotted but black (in comparison to the dark green of the Garden Chafer.)

Eggs are laid in the ground and larvae feed on fine roots. They overwinter as larvae, pupate around May and the adults live for a short while in summer. The adults eat flowers and leaves such as [304] Rose, [306] Bramble, [051] Birch and [142] Beech trees.

Habitat

The Garden Chafer has a sporadic distribution across central and northern Europe. It is common across Britain, especially the west. It likes parks and grassland.

The Welsh Chafer has a sporadic distribution across central and western Europe. It is fairly common in Wales and parts of West England. It likes scrubland and open grass, especially hills and mountains.

Other Notes

The Welsh Chafer shown above seemed to be trying out its wings to learn to fly. It was photographed in Wales at the top of a mountain.

See also

You may see many other species of beetles. I haven’t necessarily selected the most common ones, just the ones I have seen.

[261] Phragmites australis, Reed

[261] Phragmites australis, Reed

Introduction

The (Common) Reed is a type of tall grass associated with wetlands with a very wide distribution. It may be called Phragmites australis, but it has well over a hundred scientific synonyms.

The word Reed is used for several grass-like species in the order Poales, not all of which are in the grass family Poaceae. This includes [349] Reed-mace, also called Bulrush or Cattail.

Taxonomy

Kingdom Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Poales

Family – Poaceae

Subfamily – Arundinoideae

Tribe – Molinieae

Suntribe – Moliniinae

Genus – Phragmites

Scientific Name – Phragmites australis

It has many scientific synonyms.

Name

The Middle English word reed for any tall grass growing near water is of unknown origin. It has come to have several other meanings such as the mouthpiece pf a musical instrument or the straw used for thatching.

Phragmites is its name in Latin coming from Ancient Greek. Australis means southern – probably from the place it was first identified.

Description

Unless you look closely, Reeds are just very tall, ordinary looking grass. In many places they are two to three metres tall and they can reach a height of four metres.

Flowers that come in late summer form a dark purple inflorescence.

Habitat and use

Phragmites australis is found over Eurasia and North America, although the American subspecies is sometimes assigned to species status.

It grows in or near water and can form extensive reed beds by spreading with horizontal runners

The other three species of Phragmites have limited geographical distributions.

See also

You will have seen lots of other posts about species of grass.

[260] Photinia x fraseri, Red-tip Photinia

[260] Photinia x fraseri, Red Tip Photinia

Introduction

Photinia x fraseri, Red Tip Photinia is a hybrid species widely cultivated as a hedge plant with leaves that are crimson red when they emerge in spring.

It is a hybrid between Photinia glabra, Japanese Photinia, and Photinia serratifolia, Chinese (or Taiwanese) Photinia.

Species of Photinia are sometimes called Christmas Berries, but it won’t surprise you that so are several other unrelated species.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Rosales

Family – Rosaceae

Genus – Photinia

Scientific Name – Photinia x fraseri, which is actually Photinia glabra x Photinia serratifolia

Several cultivars are available.

Name

Photinia comes from the Ancient Greek photeinos meaning shiny, from its glossy leaves. The Latin glabra means smooth; and serrati-folia means having serrated leaves.

The hybrid was first produced at Fraser nurseries in Birmingham, Alabama, USA in the 1940s, presumably named after one of many people called Fraser.

As for many cultivated plants, its common name is the same as the scientific name of its genus.

Description

Photinia species are closely related to [101-102] Cotoneasters, [103] Hawthorns, and [286] Firethorns. They are typically large shrubs or small trees. Both the parent species of this hybrid are very similar. They come from eastern Asia.

Photinia x fraseri can grow to a tree of about five metres but it is almost always cultivated as a hedge plant.

It is a compact evergreen shrub with glossy dark green leaves. Every year in Spring the newly emerging leaves and the stalks that hold them are a vivid red colour.

I produces lots of small white flowers and small black fruits.

Habitat and use

In the UK this is very much a cultivated ornamental plant. Its origins are from Asia.

I have seen specimens that become small trees but it almost always a hedge plant. It’s usually allowed to develop a thick covering of attractive red leaves before being trimmed back to a rectangular hedge but this is not normally extended to letting them flower.

Other Notes

This is one the most attractive hedge plants available. As well as its spring colour, it is evergreen and dense enough to form a barrier hedge.

See also

Most Hedge plants are essentially similar.

[259] Phormium tenax, New Zealand Flax

[259] Phormium tenax, New Zealand Flax

Introduction

You won’t be surprised if I describe Phormium tenax, New Zealand Flax, as a typical monocot! Until it flowers, it is a circle of spear-like leaves. If it does flower, the flower spike is impressive for its size.

In New Zealand it is just called Flax and it may also be called New Zealand Hemp. Its Maori name is Harakeke.

It is not a relative of Linum usitassimum, Common Flax, the widely used domesticated plant but derives its name from similar usage.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Clade – Monocots

Order – Asparagales

Family – Asphodelaceae

Subfamily – Hemerocallidoideae

Genus – Phormium

Scientific Name – Phormium tenax

It has many cultivated varieties.

Name

Phormium is New Latin, from Greek phormion, a ‘small mat’, a diminutive of phormos ‘mat’ or ‘basket for carrying corn’ from pherein to ‘carry.’ Tenax, from Latin tenere, to hold, means clinging or tenacious. Both come from its use to make ropes and textiles. Flax and hemp also derive from its uses.

Description

Phormium tenax is a typical monocot. It forms a clump of long pointed leaves about two metres long.

The flowering shoot grows to four or five metres with impressive red flowers.

The fertilized flowers produce seed pods.

Habitat and use

New Zealand Flax is native to New Zealand and Norfolk Island – a small island Australian Territory located roughly between New Zealand and mainland Australia.

The leaves used to be used widely used by Maoris to make textiles and baskets. In the Nineteenth Century they were used to make string and rope for export.

New Zealand Flax is now a popular garden plant especially in coastal areas. It comes in cultivars with leaves of red, pink, bronze, green or striped colours. They are grown primarily for their attractive leaves. The flowers, when they do appear, are relatively short-lived but impressive. Varieties produce red or yellow flowers.

Other Notes

I suspect that this is a plant that owes its popularity to Global Warming. Like [093] the New Zealand Cabbage Tree and Yucca species. Warmer weather makes it more likely to survive and flourish and to produce its flower spikes.

See also

There is only one other species of Phormium, Phormium colensoi, like a smaller version of Phormium tenax and also native to parts of New Zealand. It is also cultivated as an ornamental plant in various cultivars.

[258] Pholcus phalangioides, Cellar Spider

[258] Pholcus phalangiodes, Cellar Spider

Introduction

Pholcus phalangioides, the Cellar Spider, is a long-legged spider native to Asia but now commonly seen in houses in Britain. To some people it is a welcome visitor as it is good at catching and eating other spiders and arthropods.

It may also be called the Long-bodied Cellar Spider, Skull Spider, Daddy Long-legs Spider or just Daddy Long-legs.

This is a classic example of the ambiguity of common names. The name Daddy Long-legs (or Longlegs) is variously used around the World. In the UK it normally means Craneflies – see [235] Nephrotoma and [342] Tipula. In general, in can also be used for Harvestmen, Opiliones, an order of eight-legged arachnids that are not classified as Spiders, or any spider in the family Pholcidae. In biology it can refer to Stylidium divaricatum, a triggerplant found in Western Australia.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Arthropods

Subphylum – Chelicerata (Arachnids and Sea Spiders)

Class – Arachnida (Eight-legged – Spiders, Harvestmen and others)

Order – Araneae (Spiders)

Suborder – Opisthothelae (All spiders except one extant family)

Infraorder – Araneomorphae (Spiders excluding Tarantulas)

Family – Pholcidae

Genus – Pholcus

Scientific Name – Pholcus phalangioides

Name

Most houses today don’t have cellars but this species prefers darkly lit corners. While all the various organisms called Daddy Longlegs are not taxonomically linked, they are similar and they do have long legs!

Pholcus is Latinized from Greek pholkos, bow-legged. The species epithet comes from Phalangioidea, a superfamily of Harvestmen, named from its type genus Phalangium. The Latin phalangium, meaning a type of spider, comes from Ancient Greek phalangion, a diminutive of phalanx, a battle array.

Description

For a spider, the body of Pholcus phalangioides is not particularly large. In homes in Britain these spiders may be less obvious than [131] the Giant House Spider or the False Widow Spiders, Steatoda.

Their legs are much longer and thinner than other spiders that you may find in the UK. Typically, the body is about eight millimetres in length, with a leg span of about 50 mm.

Females are slightly larger than males. I think this next picture was a male spider tentatively approaching a female.

Their webs are small and untidy and they will often leave the web to hunt for prey, particularly other spiders.

They may live close to others of the same species, even merging their webs a little. But in times of need both males and females may resort to cannibalism.

Habitat and use

Pholcus phalangioides is native to subtropical Asia but has spread to most of the World, where it is found almost exclusively in houses – generally in quiet, darkly lit corners.

Other Notes

Here is a Cellar Spider and its prey, photographed in my home.

The unfortunate victim is a Volucella pellucens, a close relative of [361] the Hornet Mimic Hoverfly

See also

Not closely related, but sharing the name Daddy Longlegs are the Harvestmen, Opiliones.

Taxonomically they are more closely related to mites than to spiders and scorpions, but superficially they have the same appearance with eight very long, thin legs. Whereas spiders have two body segments, generally called the cephalothorax and abdomen (but more accurately the prosoma and opisthosoma,) harvestmen appear to have just one. (There are still two segments but they are joined in an oval shape with no apparent ‘waist.’)

• Leiobunum rotundum is common and widespread throughout Britain and may be found in any undergrowth or vegetation.

• Platybunus triangularis (or Paraplatybunus triangularis or Rilaena triangularis) is another common UK species found generally in forests or among ferns.

• Dicranopalpus ramosus, originally found in Morocco, spread into and across Europe from about 1950. By 2000 it has spread as far North as Scotland. It may be found in England resting on garden walls.

[257] Phlomis fruticosa, Jerusalem Sage

[257] Phlomis fruticosa, Jerusalem Sage

Introduction

Phlomis fruticosa, Jerusalem Sage, is an ornamental plant with sage-like leaves and spectacular yellow flowers, sometimes grown in the form of a hedge.

It is a close relative of the genus Salvia, most species of which are generally called Sage. [In horticultural contexts it is common to refer to both Phlomis and Salvia by their scientific genus names.]

Some other species of Phlomis may be called Jerusalem Sage, including some species formerly in Phlomis now moved to Phlomoides.

There is another plant, Salvia hierosolymitana, also called Jerusalem Sage.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Lamiales

Family – Lamiaceae

Subfamily – Lamioideae

Genus – Phlomis

Scientific Name – Phlomis fruticosa

Name

Salvia has been used since Roman times to describe the Common Sage plant, derived from salvere, ‘to be healthy.’ The English word sage comes via Old French from the Latin.

Sage is also used for related plants, especially those with similar grey-green leaves.

I don’t, think the Jerusalem Sage is native to the area of Jerusalem but presumably at some time it was thought to have originated there.

Phlomis is the Ancient Greek name for this plant, possibly from the Greek for ‘flame’ – as the leaves may have been used for lamp wicks.

As we have seen for [114] Dasiphora fruticosa, Shrubby Cinquefoil, the Latin fruticosa means shrubby and has nothing to do with fruit.

Description

Jerusalem Sage is a small evergreen shrub with elongated, finely wrinkled grey-green leaves covered in fine hairs.

Its dark yellow tubular flowers grow in whorls. (A whorl is a botanical structure surrounding the stem.) Each stem may support whorls on its length as well as the top.

Habitat and use

Phlomis fruticosa is native to the region of the eastern Mediterranean.

It is widely grown as an ornamental plant, sometimes in the form of a hedge.

See also

The family Lamiaceae includes many plants called Mint, [193] Deadnettle or Sage – including [199] Lavender and many culinary herbs such as Basil, Rosemary, Mint, Sage, Savory, Marjoram, Oregano and Thyme.

[256] Phasianus colchicus, Pheasant

[256] Phasianus colchicus, Pheasant

Introduction

Phasianus colchicus, the (Common) Pheasant, is a widespread and common gamebird that has been bred for hundreds of years for shooting and is now naturalised and, in places, can be semi-tame.

Other birds in the family Phasianidae are also called Pheasants. There is only one other species of Phasianus, which is sometimes considered as a subspecies of Phasianus colchicus.

In Europe and many countries where it is naturalized Phasianus colchicus is simply called the Pheasant, but in the USA, it may be called the Ring-necked Pheasant. (Not all subspecies have the ring neck.)

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Galliformes (Gamebirds)

Family – Phasianidae (Pheasants, Partridges, Junglefowl, Turkeys Peafowl and others)

Genus – Phasianus

Scientific Name – Phasianus colchicus

Name

Colchicus relates to Colchis, the Latin name for an area to the East of the Black Sea now in Georgia. Similarly, Phasianus relates to Phasis the ancient name of the main river of western Georgia, now called the Rioni. Both must have been places that someone once associated with this bird for some reason. 

Pheasant is cognate with Phasianus.

Description

We have met other gamebirds such as [015] Partridges and [253] the Peacock.

The Pheasant is the most widespread and ancient of our introduced gamebirds. In Britain and in many other countries large numbers are commercially bred each year to be shot.

They are large birds and when disturbed in the countryside they may attempt to run away rather than fly. They can fly short distances and sometimes fly up into trees.

Phasianus colchicus is sexually dimorphic and, as with most birds, the male is the more colourful. He has to show off his looks to attract females. Most of his body is a spectacular mottled brown pattern – a mixture of dark brown, light brown, cream and golden orange (sometimes with some coppery red tones.) His long, tapering tail is light brown coloured and longer than the rest of his body.

His head is even more colourful, bright blue or blue-green with white bill and neck rim and bright red cheek flaps.

Female birds (and juveniles of both sexes) are a similar shape but smaller and duller mottled brown all over without the colourful heads.

 (There are several subspecies with different colour variations. The description above applies to the birds normally seen in the UK.)

Habitat and use

It is estimated that about 50 million Pheasants are released each year to be shot and perhaps 5-10 million survive in the off-season. There may be a small sustaining population of wild birds but their numbers are difficult to estimate.

Many Pheasants are kept as show animals and this leads to many colour variations with hybridization between subspecies (and possibly the other Phasianus species.)

Other Notes

You can often see Pheasants in the countryside or when driving down country roads but it is impossible to determine whether they are recently released or wild. While those that have been hunted mat be averse to humans, some become familiar enough to come to country areas where there are bird feeders.

See also

Gallus gallus, the Red Junglefowl, is a related bird in the order Galliformes – perhaps best known for its domesticated version, the Chicken. Approximately fifty thousand million of these are bred every year.

[255] Phalacrocorax carbo, Cormorant

[255] Phalacrocorax carbo, Cormorant

Introduction

About forty species of cormorants are recognized worldwide although their division into genera is uncertain. We only have two species in the UK, the first two species to be named and these are generally just called the Cormorant and the Shag. All the other species have the word cormorant or shag in their name. (The distinction between the two is vague but Shags tend to be smaller than Cormorants.)

Phalacrocorax carbo, the (Common) Cormorant or Great Cormorant, is fairly common and widespread inland on or near lakes. Its other geographical subspecies have other names in India, Australia and New Zealand.

Phalacrocorax aristotelis, the (European) Shag, is less common and is seen only on or very near the sea.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Animals

Phylum – Chordates

Class – Aves (Birds)

Order – Suliformes

Family – Phalacrocoracidae

Genus – Phalacrocorax

Scientific Name – Phalacrocorax carbo, Phalacrocorax aristotelis

Name

The Latinised Greek phalacrocorax, from phalakros-korax, means bald crow and carbo is the Latin for charcoal.

Cormorant came to English via French from the Mediaeval Latin Corvus marinus, meaning sea-raven. The name Shag may come from the shaggy nature of its crest.

The Shag’s species epithet comes from the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC.) As with many species named after a person, there is probably no particular reason for the association.

Description

Phalacrocorax carbo is more or less the largest species of Cormorant but it varies considerably in size. In winter it is almost black all over apart from a white bill and white cheeks with a yellow patch. Their eyes are a distinctive turquoise.

They are very distinctive in flight with the legs, body, neck and head making a horizontal straight line.

In breeding plumage much of the front of the bird is white.

They feed on fish caught by swimming underwater.

They are often seen with their wings held outspread to dry them. Unlike most birds, cormorants do not have waterproof wings. (The usual waterproofing method traps air in the feathers and makes the bird too buoyant to dive deeply.)

Habitat

The Cormorant is a rare breeding bird in Britain in the summer but is a common and widespread winter visitor. It likes wetland sites especially lakes including ornamental lakes in urban areas. You may see them in the sea. The only Cormorants I have ever seen that were not on water were either on protected islands in lakes or in trees (or other perches) above water.

Phalacrocorax carbo has scattered summer, winter and year-round resident areas including northwest Europe; India and the Far East; Eastern Africa; Australia and New Zealand; and the East coast of the USA. Studies suggest that it may be a paraphyletic collection of subspecies.

Other Notes

The Cormorant is even more difficult to photograph than [273] the Great Crested Grebe because of their diving habits. If you see one on a lake you may have about two seconds to find it in your camera, zoom, focus and take a picture. When it dives you have to wait for about thirty seconds until it reappears many metres away from where you are looking.

See also

Phalacrocorax aristotelis, the Shag, is not easy to distinguish from a Cormorant at a distance but you are unlikely to get close to one. They are smaller and slimmer with a more rounded head. Breeding adults may show a small crest and have a greenish tinge to their feathers.

They are found at sea around the coasts of the British Isles, Western Iceland, Norway and Finland, the Iberian Peninsular and the Mediterranean. They breed on rocky cliffs and unpopulated islands round the coast. You are less likely to see one breeding than [149] the Puffin or the other sea birds listed in that blog.

[230] Gannet is the only other British bird in the order Suliformes.

[254] Pentaglossis sempervivens, Green Alkanet

[254] Pentaglossis sempervivens, Green Alkanet

Introduction

Pentaglossis sempervivens, Green Alkanet, is a common evergreen wildflower with small, pretty blue flowers. It may also be called Evergreen Bugloss or just Alkanet.

Confusingly, several related species may be called Alkanet. Alkanna tinctoria and other species of Alkanna are Alkanet. Anchusa officinalis may be called Alkanet or Common Bugloss. Lithospermum arvense is Bastard Alkanet; Anchusa barrelieri is False Alkanet; Anchusa ochreleuca is Yellow Alkanet. All of these are from the same family as Pentaglossis.

Taxonomy

Kingdom – Plants

Division – Vascular Plants

Class – Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Order – Boraginales

Family – Boraginaceae

Genus – Pentaglossis

Scientific Name – Pentaglossis sempervivens

Name

Alkanet is derived via Middle English from Arabic al-hinna so is cognate with henna. The dye henna comes from an unrelated species but the species originally named as Alkanet, Alkanna tinctoria, was probably so named because of its use as a dye.

See [121] Viper’s Bugloss for the derivation of bugloss. (It’s not bug loss!)

Penta-glossis means five-tongues and semper-vivens means always-alive (evergreen.)

Description

Green Alkanet is a low-growing, spreading, evergreen perennial plant with large dark green leaves

Stems, leaves and buds are hairy in appearance.

Its small blue flowers emerge in Spring and early Summer.

Habitat

Green Alkanet is native to Western Europe but it is considered an introduced species in the British Isles. It was introduced into gardens before 1700 and was already recorded in the wild by the early Eighteenth Century. It is now commonly seen in hedgerows throughout most of England and Wales and some parts of Scotland.

It can be planted as an ornamental plant but is more likely to be seen as an invasive weed. It spreads from a deep tap-root and by self-seeding.

Other Notes

It’s hard to see this as introduced because it is so common in the wild. It may be more evident as a wildflower because of its blue flowers.

See also

I have seen the flowers described as like [233] Forget-me-nots and they are quite similar.