New plant for the patch?

Walking through the pines at Holme Dunes today I found 4 plants of a Mullein.   They were growing at the eastern end of the pines just to the north of the path, where the dead pines had been cut down.  The plants show characteristics of Moth Mullein Verbascum blattaria and of Twiggy Mullein Verbascum virgatum. I think I will have to return to look at the distribution of simple stalked glandular hairs.

This photo shows the single flower in each bract and also the globular capsule fruits.

 

 

This photo shows the 2 decurrent-fixed anthers and the 3 transverse-fixed anthers and the stamens with purple hairs, but it also shows that the pedicels are shorter than the sepals.



 

 

This photo shows the dark shiny green, toothed leaves.  The lower leaves are narrowed to the base and the upper leaves are stalkless and cordate at base.



 

Agromyza albitarsis on white poplar

Found this mine on white poplar at NWT Holme Dunes in the Paddocks on 9th October 2017. I was unable to put a name to it, but Andy Banthorpe on the UK Leafmines Facebook site thought it was probably this species. I added the photos to i-record and Barry Warrington the National recorder has confirmed the record. NBN suggests few records for this species, and none for Norfolk. Whether this is the case presently I'm not sure, but still a nice find and pretty confident new for the patch!

Valerian Psyllid

  Found the Psyllid Trioza centranthi in Holme-next-the-Sea today. Most information on the line suggests this is quite rare, but increasing in recent years (Naturespot). I first saw it a couple of weeks ago in Dorset, and being apparently found in southern counties I wasn't expecting to find it back here in Norfolk. However in the space of a few days have found it here and Sheringham, and in both intances on the first red valerian I searched! Clearly not that scarce at the moment, just under-recorded!

   Get out and search red valerian and don't forget to i-record your record so the spread can be documented.