Dog Violet

This is a Dog Violet (Viola conspersa) and one of those finds that you nearly miss altogether. Actually i nearly stepped on it. I found it among a patch of Ash regeneration and it was in a solitary clump.

Dog violet are a type of plant which fertilizes it self which can explain why i found this one on its own. Also Violet species are a good source of early nectar of butterflies and a host for their larve. For more information about this plant or any other woodland plant here is a good site to look at.

Buds and Catkins

Buds and catkins are the sexual part of a tree and are very important for sexual reproduction .Buds are a collection of cells where flowers or leaves grow from. They are also important features on trees to help us identify the tree. The above picture is of a bud on a Ash tree (Fraxinus excelsior)

This is a catkin and they differ from buds because they are unisexual and are pollinated by wind or sometimes by insects. This catkin is from a Crack Willow (Salix fragilis).