Pyramidal Bugle

I'm blipping this for botanical interest rather than photographic merit. This is Pyramidal bugle (Ajuga pyramidalis), growing high up in the mountains above Kentmere in the Lake District. The weather was not kind to us, low cloud and drizzle which made photography difficult. The Nikon doesn't mix with rain, so I took it out for a couple of minutes only to get a few shots. The picture shows the tiny blue flowers set on a very hairy stem (gathering moisture here), with large leaf-like bracts (with water drops). It's about 15 cm high.

This is one of England's rarest native plants, it grows here in two small areas and nowhere else. It is found in the Scottish Highlands, on a mountain above Moffat, the Hebrides and the Burren in Ireland. In Europe it is not uncommon in the Pyrenees and the Alps. It was first recorded above Kentmere in 1869. In 135 years from then it was only seen four times!

Until 2006 the English population was thought to have been reduced to just two plants, neither of which were flowering. Then Jeremy Roberts, an expert Cumbria botanist with a penchant for mountain plants found the second site not far from the first. This had a lot more plants, with a number flowering well, and this photograph was taken there. Only 3 plants will flower this year. The photo shows one where the flowers are just opening, the smaller flower spike is still developing.

Last year a photograph came to light taken by Derek Ratcliffe in 1958. This shows the first site with several flower spikes. There were then four plants. It seems heavy sheep grazing has taken its toll here and elsewhere, and the plants are looking stressed. It's an interesting conservation challenge to look after and enhance this small population, and at the moment the plants are outside the network of designated wildlife sites.

I took the day off to see this with Simon and Bart. Last year I might have been able to make a case for looking at this in work time, but my new job is wholly unrelated and won't give me many opportunities for fieldwork.

ps Two new species for the 2011 bird list: ring ouzel singing amongst the crags, and a pair of spotted flycatchers doing what flycatchers do next to the Kent below the reservoir. Total now 133 species.