Surprising Salad Burnet betters Blueberries

“It looks like disco-ball, smells like a cucumber and is a better antioxidant than blueberries”

I recently came across a Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor) plant and decided to take a closer look at this easy to miss herb. A member of the rose family it has characteristic globular heads that look red-purplish from a distance, like miniature botanical disco balls. But look closer and then closer still (you may need a x10 hand lens) and you will may notice that there are no petals and the striking colour is actually from feathery structures, the stigmas. These are the female flowers. The more subdued male flowers have long stamens replacing the colourful stigmas.

Salad Burnet leaves has long been used as an ingredient in salads, where their slightly bitter taste has a distinct cucumber aroma. Apparently Sir Francis bacon recommended it in the herb garden, whilst Napoleon enjoyed it whilst in exile on St Helena (Mabey, 2007). More recent scientific investigation has however found it to have potentially valuable health benefits. It has long been known that cardiovascular disease is low in Mediterranean areas where plant foods rich in antioxidants make up a considerable portion of the diet, often through the seasonal harvesting of wild plants. Did Napoleon just have a ‘gut’ feeling about this! My wife’s Father and family from the Italian deep south frequently collected wild herbs to supplement their diet, such as wild rocket and dandelion, often through necessity rather than choice. This has been backed up in some recent research by Vanzani, P., Rossetto, M. De Marco, V., et al. (2011), where wild Mediterranean plants used as traditional food were analysed for their antioxidant properties. They were compared against wild and cultivated chicory and blueberry, representing vegetables and fruit amongst the richest in antioxidants ( the “reference plants”) . They found that the antioxidant power of Salad Burnet was “remarkably higher than those of reference plants”.

Little did my wife’s Italian family know that driven by poverty they were forced into some healthy eating options. So maybe I should start selling Mediterranean medicinal herb bags as a cheap alternative to heart drugs and operations.

Mabey, R. (2007) Food for Free. London: HaperCollins
Vanzani, P., Rossetto, M. De Marco, V., et al. (2011) Wild Mediterranean Plants as Traditional Food: A Valuable Source of Antioxidants. Journal of Food Science, 76 (1): 46-51

Cuckoo heralds great (Tit) success

Last year we were disappointed that our homemade nestbox was ignored by the many woodland tits that frequent the Pinfold garden. The box was certainly given the once over by a number of birds and a small amount of material taken in – but no, they were just teasing us! Had we put it too close to the busy birdtable? Was it too large inside? This year we observed the same nervous dilly-dallying of Great Tits (Parus major) around the entrance. I was tempted to rush out and push them in, yelling “you won’t get much better than this”, being proud of my DIY construction. However this year our patience seemed rewarded with a pair looking like they had settled down to nest in the box.

I dared not risk checking the box until I suspected the eggs had hatched with the adults taking live food in for the young. At this point the adults will rarely abandon the nest, and so when this started I felt it reasonable to have a quick peek. Triggered by my inspection the hungriest nestlings craned their scrawny necks up in the hope of food. However a week or so later I noticed a few flies around the nestbox and became anxious that the young had died. I had been concerned that the recent dry weather might have reduced the amount of caterpillars and other food, so that one or more would starve to death. On inspection I found one dead young, which I removed uncovering a bed of tiny fresh fly maggots. Interestingly the adults and other nestlings must have ignored their deceased relative and smelly decomposition. Apparently most garden birds, including tits, do not have well-developed sense of smell (Garden Birds, 2011) – just as well! Anecdotally from the internet it would appear that birds vary in how diligent they are at keeping their nest clean, but adults have been observed removing dead nestlings. Did it starve, or die of another ailment? I was worried that others might die from the same cause. I put more mealworms out on the table.

Fortunately, and with some relief a week later the nestbox was found empty and I assume all the remaining young fledged successfully. Later that same day towards dusk a Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) called from high in a nearby Ash tree. A recent arrival from Africa it was at the start of its reproductive campaign just as our Great Tits completed theirs. If our young tits survive the summer they will face the challenge of an increasingly unpredictable British winter, whilst any new cuckoos the long lonely journey to a distant warm land that they only know about through some marvel of genetic coding. By this winter my family will also have faced a great challenge, migrating to the warmth of Devon and a new life.

Garden Birds [Website accessed 26/5/11]. http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/information/smell.htm

There’s a bug in my bed!

There were a lot of stories last year about bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) infesting New York. These parasitic insects are however rarely seen, attacking their victims at night whilst asleep. However my wife was recently tidying one of our daughter’s beds, when she was rather shocked to find a rather larger dead bug under her pillow – a Cockchafer or Maybug (Melolontha melolontha). How it got there is quite a mystery and we are just grateful that our daughter did not find it, or she may never sleep there again (she still does not know). Her room is not called the ‘Den’ for nothing, and it certainly attracts a mixture of wildlife. I have been called to save her several times, including an invasion of gigantic slugs and spiders (so you would led to believe).

The ‘chafers’, characterised physically by the exposed tips of their abdomen are actually fairly harmful insects, both as adult and even more so as larvae, causing damage to trees and crops (Chinery, 1977). They also are known to have mass outbreaks every 30-40 years, creating even greater economic losses to a wide range of crops - This has prompted research into control methods, including trying to exploit the Cockchafers alcoholic tendencies – It would appear that the males are attracted to naturally occurring green alcohols from the leaves of tree leaves such as Beech and Oak (Reinecke, et al., 2002). However despite their voracious appetite and size (up to 35mm) they are quite harmless to us – it is just quite a shock when they crash into our human lives, drawn in by the lure of incandescent light.

Chinery, M (1977) A Field Guide to the Insects of Northern Britain. 2nd ed. Collins: London
Reinecke, A., Ruther, J., Tolasch, T., Francke, W. and Hilker, M. (2002) Alcoholism in cockchafers: orientation of male Melolontha melolontha towards green leaf alcohols. Naturwissenschaften, 89 (6):265-269

Miss Barberry

I recently received an email alert from a local friend, Mary, informing that she had been out looking for some Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) – “it is amazing! A huge bush about 8 ft high. ... full of bright yellow hanging flowers. Don't miss it!”

Well if that isn’t a call to botanical action...! I noted from Mary’s description of the location that it should be on my running route. So putting on my trainers I headed out in some anticipation, and despite not wearing my glasses I was confident that it would be easy one to spot. Two circuits of the lane yielded nothing, as did another run past the next day having double checked the location. On the third attempt I found it – how did I miss it? I consider myself fairly observant and have an eye for new plants & flowers, which raises the question how many botanical wonders go unseen. The flowers are arranged in dropping spikes each characterised by five yellow perianth whorls (sepals & petals). Also of note are the three-pronged spines, sharply toothed leaves and elongated bright red fruits.

It turns out that Barberry is amazing in other ways. It has been an important source of material for herbal healing for over 2,500 years (Arayne, et al., 2007). Modern science has found over twenty alkaloids with medical importance from different parts of the plant, whilst homeopaths use it for kidney pain and removal of stones (Arayne, et al., 2007). The plant is mainly used nowadays for gallbladder ailments, but it has also been noted for its use as an antiseptic (bark & root), for jaundice, rheumatism (flowers & stem bark) and much more (PFAF) ....but sadly not the improvement of eyesight. Well at least I should have no trouble spotting the bright red berries.

Arayne, M.S, Sultana, N. and Bahadur, S.S (2007) The berberis story: Berberis vulgaris in therapeutics. Pak J Pharm Sci, 20(1):83-92.
Plants for a Future (PFAF) (www.pfaf.org)

Bonky tit!

It’s been a difficult few weeks. Each day around dawn a fluttering and scratching begins against the bedroom window continuing throughout the day. The giant moth-like muted sounds are strangely able to pierce sleep and their irregularity ensures no sustained slumber. It all started over two weeks ago at a different window - The Magnolia branch outside the annexe building provided a convenient platform for a Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus) to seemingly launch an attack on its window reflection. At first we were amused and fascinated by the behaviour assuming that it was searching for spiders and other insects around the window frames. Friends staying in the annexe over following days were the first to suffer from the unwonted early alarm call, but we dismissed it as a passing ornithological whim. The pile of droppings beneath indicated a more zealous prolonged cause. What made it extend its attack on other fenestration foes can only be conjecture, but in the following days the kitchen and my bedroom windows fell under a sustained attack, reminiscent of scenes from Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’. Finally, and perhaps more understandable, the car side-mirrors were drawn into the illusory battleground of this tiny two-winged bandit. The cumulative sleep deprivation rapidly induced less lovable inclinations to the blue fluff-ball! I began to ponder what I would do if I could get it in my hands. You will be pleased to know that a calmer wife has since found a solution, by covering the window with an externally hanging towel and taking away the bird’s attack trigger.

Apparently the size of an ostrich brain is the size of a pea. So how big can a Blue Tit’s be? How amazing that this tiny accumulation of nervous tissue can trigger such exaggerated behaviour, with such dramatic consequences on my life. The RSPB website (http://www.rspb.org.uk/) comments that “there is no apparent reason to what triggers an individual bird suddenly to start this behaviour, and it cannot be predicted how intense it will be and how long it will go on for.” Clearly we were at the start of the breeding season and I can only assume that this particular individual bird was shot with an unusual amount of hormones to fuel such a marathon assault.

Now I’m off for a nap!

A Stitch ahead of time

What a contrast the woodland and hedgerow flora is compared to last year. In spring 2010 after a protracted winter, all the wild flowers seemed reluctant to get going, and botanists wondered if some species would ever arrive and chase away the snowdrops. This year with such a warm spring, everything seems to be racing ahead of time and I’ve been dashing about trying to catch things before they’ve been and gone. The starlight blooms of Wood Anemones' (Anemone nemorosa) (see image) and sunny displays of Colt’s-foot (Tussilago farfara) are more or less finished locally. In the news there have been stories of Bluebells in flower a good two weeks earlier than normal, mirrored by the first shimmer of a blue blaze in the Pinfold garden. However it was the sight this week of hedgerow bottoms turning creamy white with the early flush of Greater Stitchwort (Stellaria holostea) that for me confirmed the speed of spring this year (see image). This is about a month earlier than last year. There have been many reports that global warming is creating a trend in the UK for earlier springtime. Although we may welcome this ‘bonus’ warmth and sunshine, scientists are concerned about the long term impact on species and whether or not they can adapt quickly enough to such change. One example of the complexity that might arise is whether plant pollinators, such as insects, can adapt their timings (phenology or life-cycle) in parallel with each other. If one depends on the other or they have a mutual reliance, then getting out of ‘synch’ may result in their local decline or extinction. Hegland, et al (2009) found some evidence that the onset of flowering and first appearance of pollinators did occur in parallel as temperature increased, but stressed that other studies had shown some timing mismatches. As climate change really takes a hold we may well find that there are winners and losers in the British countryside, with those able to evolve faster than others.

Hegland, S.J., Nielsen, A., Lazaro, A., Bjerknes, A. and Totland, O. (2009) How does climate warming affect plant-pollinator interactions? Ecology Letters, 12 (2): 184-195

Corpse flower almost pales into insignificance

We were walking in the Lakes last weekend near Ambleside and took a footpath leading up to Rydal Mount for the second time. This time I was more botanically focussed as we planned an easier stroll to compensate for the previous days strenuous mountain challenge of the ‘Fairfield round’. I noticed from some distance under some trees by a stream what initially looked like old dried bracken stems. But something encouraged me to go over and take a closer look. I was glad that I did, because it was indeed a collection of the parasitic Toothworts (Lathraea squamaria), closely related to the broomrapes. Quite the most ugly and beautiful plants I have seen, emerging from leaf litter like gigantic stout and anaemic caterpillars. I assume its name is derived from the white tooth-like leaves. It is less commonly known as Corpse Flower, maybe due to its deathly pallor or because in the past it was believed to feed off buried bodies – the latter is indeed not too far from the truth as it does tap the roots of their host plant, mainly Hazel and Elm (Rose, 2006), drawing off nutritious high sugar carbohydrates with pad –like suckers. The paleness is due to it having no chlorophyll as it has no need to photosynthesise.

Underground it would appear no less curious, with an extensive network of stems with white fleshy leaves, no longer light dependent – according to Studnika (1981) these much reduced leaves have cavities lined with enzyme-synthesising glands that they may use to repel or absorb small soil organisms - This physiological ability is similar to the mechanism of some carnivorous plants, but appears poorly understood. However Studnika (1981) goes on to suggest an alternative explanation, that “the main work of the glands is to eliminate surplus water....this is essential to enable the plant to absorb constantly new supplies of nutrition...in most plants water is evaporated from the stomata, but plants growing in a very damp atmosphere often eliminate water in drops by means of glands like the Toothwort.”

It would appear that this plant is worthy of further research.

Rose,F (2006) The Wild Flower Key – How to identify wild flowers trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland. London: Penguin Books Ltd

Studnika, M (1981) The problem of carnivory in the Common Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria). Carnivorous Plant Newsletter [http://www.carnivorousplants.org/cpn/articles/CPNv11n1p17_20.pdf]

Frogs hop into spring

It often surprises me how seemingly unfussy frogs are with their spawning grounds. I have seen them in road ditches in Scotland and even taking to an old ceramic toilet buried and filled in a previous garden of mine. On the corner of our village road is a rather sad, shallow pond – or more accurately a large muddy puddle choked with leaf detritus, rubbish and even occasionally the odd fridge. Earlier this month however, ‘Top Town Pond’, as it is called locally(1), was choked by something very different and far more welcome - by frogs making their annual frenzied return and all the more obvious in the few inches of water.

So what makes them choose what seems at face value to be a less than attractive location for their spring romance and productivity? The first evidence that I have noted is that there are always small fish present, even in the height of summer when you might expect this pond to dry out. According to locals the pond is fed by continually by a spring from the nearby Dumble, “a stream which has formed a deep wide channel in the clay that is quite out of proportion to the amount of water normally carried”(1). So although the pond more than halves in volume in hot weather, it never completely dries out making it a safe haven for tadpoles to complete their aquatic life cycle. Another factor is the age of the pond - Many amphibians are loyal to their birthplace, potentially using a number of sensory mechanisms to return each year, such as; odours of ponds, landmarks, the positions of sun, moon and stars, and the earth's magnetic field (2). This pond has certainly been there for a long term, and indeed perhaps its presence determined the location of the Pinfold itself as in times past it served to quench the thirst of stray cattle that would be temporarily placed there awaiting their owners to reclaim them(1). Of course the dramatic decline in ponds over recent decades has meant that our amphibians have had to become less fussy – why else would they use my old toilet!

The pond has now returned to relative calm whilst the clumps of abandoned jellied eggs slowly warm in the rising spring temperatures. In a few weeks however the shallow waters will be churning again to movement of black tadpole shoals overshadowing the resident minnows.

(1) The Westhorpe Dumble Heritage Trail (see http://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/ppimageupload/Image81741.PDF) (2) Sinsch, U. (1990) Migration and orientation in anuran amphibians. Ethology Ecology & Evolution, 2 (1): 65 - 79

Blackcap warming to English winters

During a recent visit to my parents in Ledbury, Herefordshire, I was delighted to see the distinctive Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla) frequently feeding from their birdtable. This warbler is probably the easiest to identify with distinctive skull caps, black in males and a chestnut brown in females. Like many other warblers, the Blackcap is a summer migrant to Britain. However since the 1960’s it has been increasingly seen staying over during the winter, particularly in southern England - I have never seen this species where I live in Nottinghamshire. Why have a growing proportion of Blackcaps decided not to migrate during the harsher winter conditions?

Migration clearly requires a high cost to the ‘traveller’, in terms of energy and ‘in-flight’ hazards. If the benefits of staying put over winter outweigh those of migration, you might predict that some would be tempted to stay. It would appear that the Blackcap with more eclectic tastes than other warblers more reliant on insects, has taken advantage of the growing bounty found on English birdtables. It has also been proposed that it is also a good example of how some wildlife is responding to climate change and warmer British winters, which might well lead eventually to complete residency as temperatures continue to rise (Pulido & Berthold). So, although many households welcome this addition to their gardens in winter, its increasing presence may also be a warning signal of continued climate change and less welcome impacts on other wildlife.

I guess it won’t be long before the Blackcap will start to turn up more frequently at birdtables in the Midlands and further North.

Pulido, F. and Berthold, P. (2010) Current selection for lower migratory activity will drive the evolution of residency in a migratory bird population. PNAS, 107 (16): 7341-7346

This antisocial poisonous plant clone is not for sale

I took a stroll in our local woodland yesterday and was surprised to see how much had changed in a couple of weeks. Everywhere new green vegetation is pushing through as the snowdrops fade. Most notable are the Lord’s and Ladies (Arum maculatum) and Dog’s Mercury (Mercurialis perennis). Interestingly both of these species are reputed to be poisonous to animals, perhaps defending themselves as early emergers from the onslaught of grazing. However for Dog’s Mercury the evidence appears limited and contradictory. Watson (1998) describes suspected poisoning in cows, but such reports are rare and there are reports of animals happily grazing on the plants such as Muntjac deer. Interestingly it is also used in remedies for medicinal purposes, such as the ointment, ‘Wound-Care’, used to help accelerate wound healing (Weleda, 2009).

Dog’s Mercury is dioecious (=two forms) with clearly different male and female plants, in particular the floral parts (the plants in the image are male, showing catkin like spikes emerging from leaf axils - Rose, 2006). However this species expands mainly asexually by vegetative propagation, with rhizomes extending underground and sending up frequent aerial shoots. This produces large single sex clonal stands which appear to remain quite distinct, rather than mixing with adjacent ones (Wilson, 1968 – cited in Jefferson, 2008). Have a look and observe that most patches are distinctly male or female. Improved light conditions (such as canopy openings in woodlands) appear to favour male plants (Vandepitte, 2009b) which may exaggerate their separation from females.

Although it is a widespread and common plant in woods and shady places, its distribution appears to be limited by a strong affinity to ancient woods in Britain (Peterken & Game, 1981). There is also evidence of local declines through factors such as increasing deer browsing (Hall, et al. 2004), coppicing and other disturbance that opens up woodland canopies, bringing increased competition from other plant species. So with poor mobility and growing threats, it is probably declining gradually in parallel with the loss of older and precious ancient woodland (Grimes et al, 2007). So please look again at this apparent modest plant and see it as an indicator of the health and heritage of our woodlands which should not be put up for sale to the highest bidder.

Hall, J.E., Kirby, K.J & Whitbread, A.M. (revised 2004) National vegetation classification field guide to woodland. Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
Grime, J.P., Hodgson, J.G. & Hunt, R. (2007) Comparative Plant Ecology: A Functional Approach to Common British Species, 2nd ed. Colvend, UK: Castlepoint Press.
Jefferson, R.G. (2008) Biological flora of the British Isles: Mercurialis perennis L. Journal of Ecology, 96: 386-412
Peterken, G.F. and Game, M. (1981) Historical Factors Affecting the Distribution of Mercurialis perennis in Central Lincolnshire. Journal of Ecology, 69 (3): 781-796.
Rose,F (2006) The Wild Flower Key – How to identify wild flowers trees and shrubs in Britain and Ireland. London: Penguin Books Ltd
Vandepitte, K., Roldán-Ruiz, I., Leus, L., Jacquemyn, H. and Honnay, O. (2009b) Canopy closure shapes clonal diversity and fine-scale genetic structure in the dioecious understorey perennial Mercurialis perennis. Journal of Ecology, 97:404–414
Watson, P.J. (1998) Suspected dog’s mercury (Mercurialis perennis) poisoning in cattle. Veterinary Record, 142 (5): 116–117.
Wilson, J.F. (1968) The control of density in some woodland plants. PhD Thesis, University of Lancaster, Lancaster, UK.
Weleda (2009) Wound-Care [online]. http://usa.weleda.com/our-products/shop/wound-care.aspx [Accessed December 17th 2009]