Ruptureworts. No wow factor...

Number three in this occasional series of rare plants that I saw/recorded before 2010 features a pair of Herniarias that are high on rarity but low on the wow factor. Both similar, but to identify them it is a case of looking to see if the leaf edges are fringed with hairs or not. Possibly.

After this I'd better take a rare plant break and start blogging about things that I am seeing right here and right now. Maybe even some birds! Now there's a thought...


Fringed Rupturewort (Herniaria ciliolata ssp ciliolata) 26 May 2005 Lizard, Cornwall
Recorded in fewer than 15 different 10x10km grid squares in the British Isles since 1987.
It used to be the case that the hairy leaf edges were enough to clinch this from the next species, although geographical range is enough in all honesty.
Smooth Rupturewort (Herniaria glare) 1 July 2007 Cranwich Heath, Suffolk
Recorded in fewer than 15 different 10x10km grid squares in the British Isles since 1987.
You can see the lack of hairs at the leaf edge compared to the species above. And, if in doubt, call up the geographical range card...

Comments

Gibster said…
Spent a long while at Kynance Cove once, looking for Fringed Rupturewort, with zero success. It still irks me to this day.
17 January 2020 at 19:01
Steve Gale said…
I saw mine at Lizard Point itself Seth, beneath the lighthouse if I remember rightly.
18 January 2020 at 16:21
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