Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon) is an ancient woodland indicator species. This drawing by Sarah Simblet is one of a series created for The New Sylva that will illustrate some of our most beautiful and iconic woodland plant life.
A giant alder catkin (2)
In a recent post we wrote about Sarah Simblet’s work in progress, drawing an enlarged alder catkin (see post). Here is a sneak preview of the finished drawing. Far right of the photograph of the drawing (out of focus) is the female flower of Alnus glutinosa.
A giant alder catkin
Spring is fast approaching and our attention is beginning to shift to emerging tree flowers. Among the first to appear are the many wind-pollinated species. Trees such as birches, hazel, oaks and willows have beautiful pendulous male catkins, or inflorescences, containing many scaly bracts (flowers) in place of petals seen on many insect-pollinated plants. Another… Read More
A microscopic view
Sarah Simblet has been making the most of the cold weather, retreating indoors to illustrate some of nature’s tiny hidden wonders using a microscope. Exploring the collection of materials at the University of Oxford’s Herbarium, Sarah found a cross-section of a female cone from a Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris. The photos here show just how… Read More
Bluebell drive-by
A drive-by through an English woodland with bluebells in full bloom Read More
