Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Nature notes
Having occasion to repot an aspidistra cutting, discovered that underneath works on much the same lines as nettles or couch grass. That is to say there is a single rhizome (I think that is the proper term for a rooty thing of this sort) with a single terminal leaf. Previous leaves at about 1 inch intervals back along the rhizome. No leaf buds visible. Presumably, when the terminal leaf is big enough or old enough, the rhizone breaks out of the base of the leaf (bottom right in the picture), resumes its forward march (from left to right in the picture) and raises a new leaf bud in its own good time. Lots of fleshy roots springing direct from the rhizome and not branching. Arrangements which account for the slow progress of the cutting.Those particularly interested should trot along to the botanical garden on Tenerife where the things are used as ground cover under the trees. Presumably a bit more vigorous in the sub tropical climate there. Does not appear to be a web site for this splendid garden although plenty visible with Mr G. Ask for 'jardin botanico tenerife'.
Water lilly doing much better this year, already having reached the three leaf stage, albeit red and small. Hopefully it will be stronger this second year of its stay with us.
Lilly of the valley in flower underneath the nearby hawthorn tree. Not too many of them yet but hopefully they will spread.
And, following the negative report of 8th April, pleased to report now that our cuckoo pints (arum maculatum) (not to be confused with virgo immaculata) are indeed in flower, as were those in Dorset a couple of weeks ago. Flowers a bit puny compared with those in Dorset but perhaps they will get bigger as the years roll on, provided I suppose, that we don't crop them for their sago.
Moving into the larder, more problems with livestock in the dried vegetables. Last time it was small black bugs in the elderly pearl barley, on this occasion it was what looked like the same small black bugs in the lentils - which had not been in our jar for all that long. Lentils looked fine in the jar but by the time they had been turned into soup, black flecks over the surface. Need a microscope to be sure that the black flecks were insects but it seems quite likely. Presumably the eggs are laid in the immature, soft lentils while still in the pod and they hatch at their convenience some time later.
BH was already going to complain to Mr S. about a small lump of a porous stone in one of his packets of lentils - maybe a square centimetre in area and quite thin, with a lentil embedded on one side - but we can't be sure that the bugs came from the same packet. She is thinking about whether to bundle the stone and the bugs into one complaint.
# posted by Jim @ 1:43 AM 
