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David

Hawkbits

Hawkbits

A few cultivated (or escapee) hawkbits were growing on a lawn which was being taken over by wild ones.

The wild plant has yellow flowers, one to a stem. Cultivated varieties tend to the orange. They are sometimes, as here, yellow towards the centre of the flower, may have smaller flowers and more than one per stem.

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David

Ear fungus on a dead bough

Ear fungus

This velvety-textured fungus can be seen growing at pretty much any time of year. The trees they prefer are elders, as here.

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David

Valerian flowering

Valerian flowering

This medicinal herb has been used as a sedative for at least a couple of thousand years.

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David

Some blackening waxcaps

Blackening waxcap

Blackening waxcaps are small mushrooms which change colour from an ocherous yellow to black. The process has just begun on the first fungus.

Blackening waxcap

These are somewhat further down the road.

Blackening waxcap

Blackening waxcap

From here, the toadstools are well on the way to complete blackening.

Blackening waxcap

They are small enough to be half-hidden in short grass, as are other waxcaps.

Blackening waxcap

These were in the lawn of flats near to West Park.

Blackening waxcap

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David

Zebra spider on a leaf

Zebra spider on a leaf

They don’t trap their prey in a web. Instead, they hunt by stalking and leaping.

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David

Interestingly-shaped flower

Interestingly-shaped flower

On one of the plants being grown in the Conservatory, Bantock House.