Chris Dixon

Curator, British and Irish seed plants, NHM; maker of MAKAQueS, multiaccess plant key; BSBI recorder in E. Gloucs.; author of A Guide to Britain's Rarest Plants

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

Botanical highlight of the week: the first record of wall bedstraw (Galium parisiense) in VC23, Oxfordshire. Only slightly embarrassed by how close it is to my house, and how many times I must have walked past it without noticing... 🤭

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

Yesterday's botanical highlight was undoubtedly a (known) population of at least 15 stems of Hypopitys monotropa, yellow bird's-nest, in a small Cotswold woodland.

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

Allium paradoxum, few-flowered garlic, is an invasive species from the Caucasus; I had recorded a few plants near this site in Oxford before, but now I think I've found the mother lode! It's not easy to spot when it's not "flowering", so now's definitely the time to look for it.

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: spotted spurge, Euphorbia maculata, a prostrate annual alien particularly found in plant nurseries. https://t.co/BeUBQXLqpv

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

@BSBIbotany Yes, that would be great; thanks!

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

Rare Plant Register for VC33 is ± ready to go online! (252 pp; inc. maps, etc.) I am also considering a limited print run to sell on at cost price. Could anyone interested in buying a copy please let me know so that I can estimate numbers. More takers = lower price! @BSBIbotany

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed), a very odd ruderal North American member of the Asteraceae, with separate (tiny) male and female capitula https://t.co/zb2K39OLQP

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: golden dock, Rumex maritimus, which is not especially maritime, but is rather golden https://t.co/zIuDDn3BDH

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: floating pennywort, Hydrocotyle ranunculoides, an invasive aquatic plant from North America that is only too well naturalised on a number of our waterways https://t.co/gwoNsewpyj

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: shrubby osier (Salix × fruticosa), a rare hybrid between two common species: eared willow (S. aurita) and osier (S. viminalis) https://t.co/Ds2BL7mnQ4

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide, an overlooked rose: Rosa squarrosa (R. canina 'Dumales'; "glandular dog-rose"), a widespread species that has not always been separated from R. canina s.l. https://t.co/eNcwOPFOPM

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: cowbane, Cicuta virosa, a tall umbellifer of water margins, especially in the northern half of Ireland, the Cheshire–Shropshire plain and the Norfolk Broads https://t.co/Trnv3jvPQy

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: fine-leaved water-dropwort (Oenanthe aquatica), a perennial herb of water margins, especially around cattle https://t.co/dSMcH6lhK7

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: brown bent, Agrostis vinealis (Poaceae), a common and widespread grass of heaths https://t.co/zJOwCJYvpX

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

Struggling to ID this orchid found at Minera Quarry (VC50) last weekend. I thought it was a hybrid with the abundant Gymnadenia conopsea (s.l.) there, but can't find a good fit. Any suggestions?

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

@meteorquake I'm sure you're right; I was working without a proper flora. Looks like I need a trip to the Isles of Scilly (or New Zealand) to see the real thing!

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

@OlgaKry13645825 There are a few records from Stroud, the earliest from Clive in 2018, but updates are always welcome!

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: water bent, Polypogon viridis, an invasive pavement grass that is already abundant in SE England, and is spreading across the country. https://t.co/IxbuyPfsNS

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

A nice in-situ comparison of the two maritime spurges: the taller Euphorbia paralias (upper right) and the shorter, redder E. portlandica (lower left). Murlough NNR, Co. Down.

[Chris Dixon @MAKAQueS_keys]

New to the Pictorial Guide: eastern rocket, Sisymbrium orientale (Brassicaceae), a common non-native urban weed https://t.co/MjfndtPOMp