On the walk back, after the unsuccessful trip for Marsh Pea, stumbling across one of my favourite plants, as the first time I have ever seen it really lifted my mood! This is the Large-Flowered Hemp-Nettle, a fast declining arable weed which is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, having lost 48% of it's sites in the UK in the last 50 years. this is due to pesticides, stopping it growing after a field has been ploughed, that is the only time it can germinate. The switching of Spring to Autumn Ploughing has greatly affected this plant too, it can't germinate in Autumn. Luckily, there was a lot around so at least a few acres of East Yorkshire farmland remains traditional. It probably is my favourite plant.
A beautiful plant and flower - so very sad about the decline in arable weeds but good to see it survives in one area.
ReplyDeleteYes quite, the story is the same across the board for many Arable Weeds, I really hope that measures are introduced to stop this happening and at least have a good, diverse population of arable weeds retained in some areas
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