Firethorn (Pyracantha) berries beside the Wharf in early September
During my monthly walk around the Wharf (old East Bute Dock) in Cardiff Bay on September 4 I was surprised to find how far advanced Autumn was, with many seeds and berries on both the wild plants and cultivated shrubs. Here are some of the pictures I took…
I think these beauties are seeds of broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)…
…a longer view
Great willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum)
Willowherb seed pods from above – I think this one is rose bay willowherb or fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium)
I think this gorgeous thing is a seed-head of the wild carrot (Daucus carota)…
…a longer view
Seed heads of ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)…
…some of which were open
One of those ‘dandelion-type plants’
I have seen a lot of this lately, but it’s not native – I think it may be horseweed or Canadian fleabane (Erigeron canadensis or Conyza canadensis)
Hoverfly on hemp agrimony (Eupatorium cannabinum)
The smaller wild flowers had gone unnoticed over the summer, but the shepherd’s purse with its heart-shaped seed pods endures (Capsella bursa-pastoris)
There were several of these fungi in a clump…
…one had been turned over and I think the spongy underside means it’s a bolete
I thought this was an interesting fungus, too, then realised it was half-buried polystyrene
Rose hips
A bigger rose hip
Unripe brambles – the ripe blackberries have probably been stripped already by the birds
Bunches of ash keys (Fraxinus excelsior)
Holm oak acorns
I also saw plenty of flowers and autumn leaves on my circuit of the Wharf, but I will save those for another day…
That pesky polystyrene gets everywhere!
My favourite picture here is that of the Shepherd’s Purse, thay have always fascinated me.
I also love shepherd’s purse but have trouble getting it in focus with my everyday compact camera, as it is so thin and “weedy” that its presence hardly registers as far as the lens is concerned.
All the best 🙂
Great post. Your Polystyrene Fungus made me grin!! Spot on with the Rosebay Willow Herb id. Along the A40 big stands of it are changing colour and the foliage is now bronze, deep firey pink, amber, with a little green and lots of powderpuff seeds being spread about.
Thanks.
I have always loved rose bay willow herb – so pretty for a “weed”. My favourite pictures of it were in this blog post about Sutton Bank in Yorkshire…
All the best 🙂
Gorgeous photos Pat. The seed of the wild carrot brought to mind The Day of the Triffids …
Thanks.
I know exactly what you mean!
All the best 🙂