Dr Astrid Biddle
@astridbiddle.bsky.social
Joint BSBI and BBS recorder for Hertfordshire.
🌱Celebrating the joy of Botany and Bryology.
❤️Aquatic plants & many other. Scarce Tufted-sedge. Plant ecology. Rivers, ponds & lakes.
🌱Celebrating the joy of Botany and Bryology.
❤️Aquatic plants & many other. Scarce Tufted-sedge. Plant ecology. Rivers, ponds & lakes.
Grass. Agrostis?
January 23, 2026 at 10:39 PM
Grass. Agrostis?
Common Gromwell (Lithospermum officinale) and a thin stick of wintery Wild Liquorice (Astragalus glycyphyllos) on the scrub edge. Identifiable by the woody growth.
Wild Liquorice recorded in 1988.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
Wild Liquorice recorded in 1988.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
January 18, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Common Gromwell (Lithospermum officinale) and a thin stick of wintery Wild Liquorice (Astragalus glycyphyllos) on the scrub edge. Identifiable by the woody growth.
Wild Liquorice recorded in 1988.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
Wild Liquorice recorded in 1988.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social @wildflowerhour.bsky.social
And a new species for me. Didymodon icmadophilus lying in sheets over the clinker. A very uncommonly recorded species. www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/wp-content/u...
January 18, 2026 at 7:39 PM
And a new species for me. Didymodon icmadophilus lying in sheets over the clinker. A very uncommonly recorded species. www.britishbryologicalsociety.org.uk/wp-content/u...
Abietinella abietina, a species widespread in the post-glacial period, served as an apposite reference point, making the comparison thought-provoking.
Oddly, it seems to be loosely attached to the substrate: strands lay unattached within the patches. It seemed as though this aided distribution.
Oddly, it seems to be loosely attached to the substrate: strands lay unattached within the patches. It seemed as though this aided distribution.
January 18, 2026 at 7:36 PM
Abietinella abietina, a species widespread in the post-glacial period, served as an apposite reference point, making the comparison thought-provoking.
Oddly, it seems to be loosely attached to the substrate: strands lay unattached within the patches. It seemed as though this aided distribution.
Oddly, it seems to be loosely attached to the substrate: strands lay unattached within the patches. It seemed as though this aided distribution.
Abietinella abietina
We descended to the railway track, where the clinker retained the characteristics of low-nutrient chalk grassland, with potential to support less competitive species. The skeletal soil over the substrate was easily scuffed, exposing bare ground.
We descended to the railway track, where the clinker retained the characteristics of low-nutrient chalk grassland, with potential to support less competitive species. The skeletal soil over the substrate was easily scuffed, exposing bare ground.
January 18, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Abietinella abietina
We descended to the railway track, where the clinker retained the characteristics of low-nutrient chalk grassland, with potential to support less competitive species. The skeletal soil over the substrate was easily scuffed, exposing bare ground.
We descended to the railway track, where the clinker retained the characteristics of low-nutrient chalk grassland, with potential to support less competitive species. The skeletal soil over the substrate was easily scuffed, exposing bare ground.
Homalothecium lutescens is typical of dry calcareous turf. Shown here with Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium), which was disappearing under the scrub.
Scant amounts of Ctenidium molluscum.
In general, the bryophyte diversity was markedly reduced.
Scant amounts of Ctenidium molluscum.
In general, the bryophyte diversity was markedly reduced.
January 18, 2026 at 7:32 PM
Homalothecium lutescens is typical of dry calcareous turf. Shown here with Common Rock-rose (Helianthemum nummularium), which was disappearing under the scrub.
Scant amounts of Ctenidium molluscum.
In general, the bryophyte diversity was markedly reduced.
Scant amounts of Ctenidium molluscum.
In general, the bryophyte diversity was markedly reduced.
My Nitella dixonii record from Portugal looks good 😀🌿
Not extinct! Last record there in 1938.
Thanks
@nhm-london.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Not extinct! Last record there in 1938.
Thanks
@nhm-london.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
January 18, 2026 at 7:19 PM
My Nitella dixonii record from Portugal looks good 😀🌿
Not extinct! Last record there in 1938.
Thanks
@nhm-london.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Not extinct! Last record there in 1938.
Thanks
@nhm-london.bsky.social @bsbibotany.bsky.social
Thanks to Haley Gladitsch (algae herbarium)
Syntypes: all the original Nitella dixonii specimens everyone argued over in 1911.
Lectotype: the one specimen later picked to stop the arguing (“THIS one means the name”).
Isolectotypes: its siblings from the same collection- important, but not the boss.
Syntypes: all the original Nitella dixonii specimens everyone argued over in 1911.
Lectotype: the one specimen later picked to stop the arguing (“THIS one means the name”).
Isolectotypes: its siblings from the same collection- important, but not the boss.
January 18, 2026 at 7:11 PM
Thanks to Haley Gladitsch (algae herbarium)
Syntypes: all the original Nitella dixonii specimens everyone argued over in 1911.
Lectotype: the one specimen later picked to stop the arguing (“THIS one means the name”).
Isolectotypes: its siblings from the same collection- important, but not the boss.
Syntypes: all the original Nitella dixonii specimens everyone argued over in 1911.
Lectotype: the one specimen later picked to stop the arguing (“THIS one means the name”).
Isolectotypes: its siblings from the same collection- important, but not the boss.
It's Stoke Common, and a photo for illustrative purposes.
January 18, 2026 at 3:36 PM
It's Stoke Common, and a photo for illustrative purposes.
An interesting paper.#
January 16, 2026 at 7:26 PM
An interesting paper.#
Not all dandelions are apomictic. Taraxacum platycarpum is sexually reproducing and self-incompatible, so population structure depends on genetics and pollination.
January 16, 2026 at 7:25 PM
Not all dandelions are apomictic. Taraxacum platycarpum is sexually reproducing and self-incompatible, so population structure depends on genetics and pollination.
That's lovely- thanks for showing.
I wonder if there was an aquatic plants one too?
I wonder if there was an aquatic plants one too?
January 12, 2026 at 9:08 PM
That's lovely- thanks for showing.
I wonder if there was an aquatic plants one too?
I wonder if there was an aquatic plants one too?
I'm visiting the algae herbarium this week, so I shall have a look!
January 12, 2026 at 8:19 AM
I'm visiting the algae herbarium this week, so I shall have a look!
I had the sand dunes one too, but Hertfordshire was so far from the sea that I found that more difficult to relate to.
I would love to have copies of all the posters now.
I would love to have copies of all the posters now.
January 11, 2026 at 10:22 PM
I had the sand dunes one too, but Hertfordshire was so far from the sea that I found that more difficult to relate to.
I would love to have copies of all the posters now.
I would love to have copies of all the posters now.
I found myself wondering whether this path might once have served as a drovers’ route, linking mudplant populations through the steady movement of livestock bound for London. Thinking this week about Starfruit.
January 10, 2026 at 10:03 PM
I found myself wondering whether this path might once have served as a drovers’ route, linking mudplant populations through the steady movement of livestock bound for London. Thinking this week about Starfruit.
Surprised to see so much Leucobryum sp. at Farnham Common (leaf sections next time). Joined by Diplophyllum albicans- I rarely see this in Herts, so very nice! But so common nationally. An unplanned journey, but very welcomed & neatly concluded with a warming Indian breakfast at a café near Burnham.
January 10, 2026 at 10:03 PM
Surprised to see so much Leucobryum sp. at Farnham Common (leaf sections next time). Joined by Diplophyllum albicans- I rarely see this in Herts, so very nice! But so common nationally. An unplanned journey, but very welcomed & neatly concluded with a warming Indian breakfast at a café near Burnham.
Dendrotelma - knotholes (!) in boundary coppiced Beech. Considering the closeness of the population of Codonoblepharon forsteri (Knothole Moss) I wondered if it might lurk at the edge of Farnham Common. Any space was covered by the more competitive Brachythecium.
January 10, 2026 at 10:02 PM
Dendrotelma - knotholes (!) in boundary coppiced Beech. Considering the closeness of the population of Codonoblepharon forsteri (Knothole Moss) I wondered if it might lurk at the edge of Farnham Common. Any space was covered by the more competitive Brachythecium.
Large areas of standing water now sealed beneath clear ice.
The ice was translucent, a window into a submerged world. From beneath it bubbles rose from submerged Lesser Spearwort (Ranunculus flammula), its rosettes with leaves widely spread beneath the ice.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
The ice was translucent, a window into a submerged world. From beneath it bubbles rose from submerged Lesser Spearwort (Ranunculus flammula), its rosettes with leaves widely spread beneath the ice.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
January 10, 2026 at 9:42 PM
Large areas of standing water now sealed beneath clear ice.
The ice was translucent, a window into a submerged world. From beneath it bubbles rose from submerged Lesser Spearwort (Ranunculus flammula), its rosettes with leaves widely spread beneath the ice.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
The ice was translucent, a window into a submerged world. From beneath it bubbles rose from submerged Lesser Spearwort (Ranunculus flammula), its rosettes with leaves widely spread beneath the ice.
@bsbibotany.bsky.social
A slightly lower pH? Bladder Sedge is interesting as that came up strongly at the resurrected ghost pond at Colney Heath.
January 9, 2026 at 10:47 PM
A slightly lower pH? Bladder Sedge is interesting as that came up strongly at the resurrected ghost pond at Colney Heath.