Spread our wings a little today, and headed to the Thames Esturary and the RSPB reserve at Cliffe Pools. This is proper Dickens Country, the North Kent marshes and its industrial heritage in full measure.
As soon as we got out onto the path I noticed that the Bristly Oxtongue, Picris echioides, actually wasn't - and it turned out to be that species' fairly close relative, the Hawkweed Oxtongue, Picris hieracioides. This is a species likely to be native to the British Isles, relatively common in the South East but rarer elsewhere, at least according to Stace. It has been introduced widely to other parts of the world such as North America, Australia and New Zealand.
This is a plant I haven't been aware of seeing around before, but that could be because its a relatively late flowerer - I'll have to check back on some of the other areas of disturbed or marginal ground where I've seen the very common echioides, to see whether there is some hieracioides mixed amongst it! They did seem to be well intermixed at Cliffe, with hieracioides being by far the commoner seen there today. Oddly enough it turns out that hieracioides is thought to be native, while echioides may be a quite successful introduced species from Southern Europe.
I am fairly sure I've got the identification right - however in all the descriptions I look at there are no textual references to the quite often seen orangey outside of the outer floret ligules.
As soon as we got out onto the path I noticed that the Bristly Oxtongue, Picris echioides, actually wasn't - and it turned out to be that species' fairly close relative, the Hawkweed Oxtongue, Picris hieracioides. This is a species likely to be native to the British Isles, relatively common in the South East but rarer elsewhere, at least according to Stace. It has been introduced widely to other parts of the world such as North America, Australia and New Zealand.
This is a plant I haven't been aware of seeing around before, but that could be because its a relatively late flowerer - I'll have to check back on some of the other areas of disturbed or marginal ground where I've seen the very common echioides, to see whether there is some hieracioides mixed amongst it! They did seem to be well intermixed at Cliffe, with hieracioides being by far the commoner seen there today. Oddly enough it turns out that hieracioides is thought to be native, while echioides may be a quite successful introduced species from Southern Europe.
I am fairly sure I've got the identification right - however in all the descriptions I look at there are no textual references to the quite often seen orangey outside of the outer floret ligules.
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