Thursday 28 May 2020

Settle Wildflowers - Day 34 - Yellow 6 - More Limestone Specialities

Following on from yesterday, other plants high up on south facing cliffs and in shallow soil on limestone can include: (e.g. at Plantlife's Winskill  Stones)
1. - Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria) and
2. - Rockrose - (Helianthemum nummularium)


1. Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria)







2. - Rockrose - (Helianthemum nummularium)

Rockrose - and note the shells of the Heath Snail, Helix itala

Rockrose is host for the caterpillars of the rare Northern Brown Argus Butterfly.  The Settle area is the most southern location for this butterfly in the UK


Not too sure what to add for a third plant . 
I  used up Horse-shoe Vetch yesterday  which was a possibility. Or I could add a leafy Hawkweed - Hieracium sp. and and admit I did not know exactly which species.. or better dig out my Yorkshire Hawkweeds book 
Or I could include Bulbous Buttercup; Or Tormentil. 
Or I could wish for the rare Alpine Cinquefoil. This, according to the BSBI Map, has been found within my walks radius of Settle, and which could grow on limestone cliffs.. but if it does grow near here, I don't know the location. 
Or I can put in a couple of yellow lichens:

Or I can just leave it as a two species Day. Yes - for now I'll just  I'll just do that. 



No comments: