Woodlands.co.uk

Blog - Flora & Fauna

Tannins, tea and trees

Tannins, tea and trees

by Chris, 12 January, 2018, 1 comments

We come across tannins in various foods and drinks.   They contribute to the taste of a cup of tea, a mug of coffee or a glass of wine.  Tannins contribute an astringent taste - a sensation of “dryness” in the mouth. Tannins are molecules made by plants - they are complex polyphenols built from several phenolic molecules.   A phenol is  made from a hexagon-shaped carbon ring with one or more hydroxyl groups (-OH) attached to it (see diagram). They are generally water-soluble molecules and they can combine with proteins, cellulose, pectins etc.  Tannins are generally stored in the vacuole of plant cells (as are various oils, resins, crystals of calcium oxalate etc).  Collectively, these materials are sometimes referred to as ergastic substances. Read more...
The Monthly Mushroom : Happy New Ear! (Auricularia auricula-judae)

The Monthly Mushroom : Happy New Ear! (Auricularia auricula-judae)

by Jasper Sharp, 5 January, 2018, 1 comments

One can only imagine what our ancient forebears must have thought when they first came across the fleshy, shell-like flaps of Auricularia auricula-judae protruding grotesquely from forest branches. We do know, however, that by the time of Francis Bacon’s Sylva Sylvarum, or a Naturall Historie in Ten Centuries (1627), this gelatinous fungal specimen had already acquired its own name and mythology. He described it as “an excrescence, called jew’s-ear, that groweth upon the roots, and the lower parts of the bodies of trees, especially of Elder and Ashes. It hath a strange propertie: for in warm weather it swelleth and openeth extremely. It is not green, but of a duskie brown colour.” Read more...
A problem with mistletoe ?

A problem with mistletoe ?

by Lewis, 2 January, 2018, 1 comments

When you look around this week, you might see suspended from the ceiling or a light fitment - a rather sad and shrivelled piece of mistletoe.  Mistletoe is well known for its connection to Christmas, in particular for the custom of “kissing underneath the mistletoe”.  The mistletoe has separate male and female plants; it is DIOECIOUS.  It follows that the male plants will not produce berries and they have no commercial value - as they do not yield berry-laden sprigs for Christmas decorations.  This use of mistletoe may be rooted in festive legends of 'fertility and life giving powers'. Read more...
Helping Hands for Hedgehogs

Helping Hands for Hedgehogs

by Chris, 1 January, 2018, 1 comments

Hedgehog numbers have declined in recent years, perhaps by as much as 50% in areas such as East Anglia.  Though they are not doing well anywhere (with the possible exception of Uist  in the Hebrides), there is a suggestion that urban hedgehogs are doing somewhat better than their country cousins.  Read more...
Trees for Christmas.

Trees for Christmas.

by Lewis, 19 December, 2017, 5 comments

Each year, a variety of conifers are sold as Christmas trees, for example, the Norway Spruce Picea abies Silver Fir Abies alba  Nordmann Fir Abies normanniana Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris and in North America Douglas Fir Pseudotuga menziesii  and Balsam Fir Abies balsamea. Read more...
The Monthly Mushroom: Enoki in the UK – The Velvet Shank

The Monthly Mushroom: Enoki in the UK – The Velvet Shank

by Jasper Sharp, 11 December, 2017, 0 comments

Mushrooms come in many shapes, colours and sizes, that much we all know. It is these aspects that provide really the only way for the amateur mycologist, who doesn’t have access to sophisticated DNA sequencing techniques or microscopes to look at the tiny differentiating details of the spores, to go about the troublesome business of identifying their finds.    However, neophytes embarking on their first steps into the fascinating world of mycology quickly discover two things. The first is that the forms of the fungal fruiting bodies are never fixed. They begin initially when the hyphal cells first fuse to form a tiny primordium, described poetically by Eugenia Bone in Mycophilia as “a dense little nubbin of preformed mushroom that (in many cases) contains all its cells”. Read more...
Ancient Oak Trees in the Countryside

Ancient Oak Trees in the Countryside

by Lewis, 4 December, 2017, 3 comments

In recent years, countryside oaks have been subject to a survey (co-ordinated by the Woodland trust - working with the Ancient Tree Forum, the Tree Register and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.   This survey has identified some 1200 previously unknown veteran oak trees. In consequence, the total number of veteran / ancient oaks in England now stands at 3400. Approximately four fifths of these trees are estimated as being between 400 and 600 years old, and a tenth date back some 600 to 800 years - and a few may be a thousand years old.  England is ‘rich’ in terms of its ancient or veteran Oaks - the whole of continental Europe has only two thousand such trees (approximately); most of which are in Sweden. Read more...
Trees and streams

Trees and streams

by Chris, 27 November, 2017, 0 comments

There are some 240,000 miles of streams and rivers throughout the UK.  Streams and rivers are sensitive habitats in terms of climate change, with cold water species being particularly at risk.  Researchers (Stephen Thomas) at Cardiff University have recorded significant reductions in insect numbers in the Rivers Wye, and Tywi, and indeed one local extinction -  these are associated with our changing climate. Trees clearly offer shade to rivers and streams and this is important in mitigating the effects of high temperatures. As water warms so the level of dissolved oxygen falls. However, trees also help the resilience of these freshwater systems Read more...

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Wild Flower Guide

Badger
Read our guide to wild flowers of woodland and hedgerow

Topics

Tags