This blog may help people explore some of the 'hidden' issues involved in certain media treatments of environmental and scientific issues. Using personal digital images, it's also intended to emphasise seasonal (and other) changes in natural history of the Swansea (South Wales) area. The material should help participants in field-based modules and people generally interested in the natural world. The views are wholly those of the author.
Saturday, 2 April 2022
Giant Orchids in the UK?
The UK already has an array of wild orchid species (see above). Giant orchids (Himatoglossum robertianum) have now been found flowering 'for the first time' in Oxfordshire (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/apr/01/giant-orchids-found-growing-wild-in-uk-for-first-time). Giant orchids are impressive plants, being about 1 metre in height. Oxfordshire is also hundreds of miles north of the Giant orchid's established Mediterranean range. Although the Giant orchid might well be a viable and welcome addition to the English flora, its presence in Oxfordshire is likely to be the result of 'guerilla gardening' (someone scattering seeds in a 'wild' location or simply throwing out house plants). Very little of the UK's flora is not currently invaded by alien species. Some of these aliens can be very problematical (e.g. Himalayan balsam, Japanese knotweed and Rhododendron).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Sandwich Island Saga 37. Water, Water Everywhere?
The Hawaiian Islands are very dependent on aquifers for freshwater. Their current status is Very Dry. There isn't sufficient rainfall an...
-
It should hardly be called a study. A Which comparison looked at levels of nitrogen dioxide and small particulates (PM 2.5s) in 5 Londo...
-
Europe has a city congestion problem. In 2023, London was the most gridlocked location, closely followed by Paris and Dublin. In that year...
-
It's necessary, where possible, to replace diesel and petrol-fueled vehicles by electrical equivalents. Electric vehicles (EVs) don...
No comments:
Post a Comment