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Post by faith on Oct 3, 2015 8:30:02 GMT
 Nothing like such a good photograph as ayjay's, I'm afraid, but these tiny trees caused me a good deal of head scratching yesterday. At first I thought it was an optical illusion and that the berries had fallen from the tree above (which is indeed a rowan) and got stuck on top of seedlings. But no, the berries are firmly and naturally attached right at the apex of the seedlings. Then I thought, perhaps they are not actually rowan berries – the leaves are a bit irregular for rowan leaves – but no, the berries were identical to those on the tree. I have never before seen berries – or any fruit, for that matter – on such baby trees. Any suggestions? |
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Post by John Pappus on Oct 3, 2015 10:35:43 GMT
Another fascinating plant(lette?) What on Earth goes on? They have obviously in common their apparent origins from an existing mature root? This is an interesting phenomenon, the tiny but perfectly-formed 'micro-version' of what is presumably the parent plant adjacent... I'm going to keep an eye-out for these from now on! Great picture & post.  |
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Post by aeshna5 on Oct 3, 2015 19:56:37 GMT
Think it's Actaea rubra which isn't our native Baneberry.
Mature plants + not baby trees as perhaps you'd expect!
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Post by faith on Oct 3, 2015 20:19:26 GMT
I must say that looks a very good match, with both the berries and the leaves. There is only one snag: this was in the wild, nowhere near any gardens or cultivation of any kind, though near roads. Well actually two snags, or perhaps three, because Stace doesn't mention it even as an occasional alien, and it doesn't appear on any distribution map for anywhere in the UK. I have got quite a few first vc records over the years, but first UK? I hardly think so. However, I will go back and look again as there is definitely something odd here. In fact, isn't it rather odd for a mature plant, one old enough to have berries on, to be just a few inches high? More suggestions welcome!
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Post by aeshna5 on Oct 4, 2015 5:07:47 GMT
Well it does occur as a garden plant + birds can fly some distance from gardens before they poo. I'll be surprised if it turns out to be something other than an Actaea sp, though can't see any other than rubra that look likes this.Stace doesn't cover every alien species but haven't looked up any maps.
Also the fact it's growing at the base of a tree conditions are likely to be stressed so unlikely to reach it's full potential growth wise.
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Post by alf1951 on Oct 4, 2015 5:10:23 GMT
I don't find anything "odd" about aeshna's suggestion. This plant, which grows easily from seed or pieces of root, has been in cultivation in UK for years. Unfortunately all sorts of "escapees" are common in the wild now and it may well got to the location you found it in soil or garden waste someone has previously dumped there. Its maximum height is 50cm - and that only after a few years. The RHS recommend it for "wildflower gardens".
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Post by faith on Oct 4, 2015 9:04:14 GMT
Clement & Foster have this apparently under the synonym A.erythrocarpa (though not in my area) and the RHS makes the two of them synonyms of A.spicata (though Stace does not) so you may both well be right. Not being a gardener myself, I am not at all familiar with it. I will certainly go back and check as it would be an interesting record whatever the facts of its nomenclature. By the way, far be it from me to imply that aeshna makes 'odd' suggestions! I found the plant odd, not the commentator.
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