Prunus avium 歐洲甜櫻桃、甜櫻桃、大櫻桃、甜車厘子、車厘子

Common name: Wild Cherry, Gean
Scientific name: Prunus avium 歐洲甜櫻桃、甜櫻桃、大櫻桃、甜車厘子、車厘子
Genus:  Prunus 李屬
Family: Rosaceae 薔薇科, rose family

Origin:  native

Date:  13th April

[158] Suckering deciduous tree to 25 m.

[166] Branch.

[171] Upper trunk. Bark smooth, reddish brown?

[170] Middle trunk.

[168] Lower trunk. Bark peeling now.

[161_1] Leaves 6-15 cm.

[162_1] Leaves glabrous above. Red petioles with pair of reddish glands towards apex.

[163] Underside of the leaf.

[163_1] Enlarged photo above showing thinly pubescent beneath the leaf.

[158] Flowers in umbels of 2-6; base of inflorescence with large persistent green bud-scales.

Showing the inflorescence, the bud scales at the base and the arrangement of leaves. 

[160] Showing the inflorescence, the bud scales at the base and the arrangement of leaves. 

[167] Showing the inflorescence, the bud scales at the base and the arrangement of leaves. 

[157_1] Base of inflorescence with large persistent green bud-scales. Bud-scales (Bs) not leaf-like, at the base of flower stalk (Fk) (vs some bud-scales leaf-like in Pinus cerasus 歐洲酸櫻桃、酸櫻桃、酸車厘子, dwarf cherry)

The following structures could also be seen: Each young leaf (Yl) with a pair of stipules (Se) with glandular-dentate margins. Mature leaves would have pair of reddish glands towards apex in the petiole.

[158_1] Upper surface of bud-scales (Bs) could be seen above. Also, receptacle could be seen constricted at apex (see the above red arrow). (vs receptacle not constricted at apex in Pinus cerasus 歐洲酸櫻桃、酸櫻桃、酸車厘子, dwarf cherry)

[160_1] Showing the relative postions of green flower stalks (Fk), bud scales (Bs), red petiole (Pe) and stipules (Se).

[167_1] Enlarged photo showing the structure of a young leaf (yellow dashed rectangle). A pair of stipules (Se) are present at the base of a young leaf (Yl). Other structures could be seen are: bud scales (Bs), green flower stalk (Fk) and red petiole (Pe).

[157_2] Enlarged photo showing the stipules. They are small, slender structures located at the base of the leaf petiole. They are typically acuminate (tapering to a long point), linear, and possess glandular-dentate (toothed with small glands) margins. These stipules are often deciduous, meaning they fall off early in the season.

[159_1] Flower bowl-shaped.

[154_1] Petals 8-15 mm.

[156_1] Receptacle constricted at apex (see the above blue arrow). (vs receptacle not constricted at apex in Pinus cerasus 歐洲酸櫻桃、酸櫻桃、酸車厘子, dwarf cherry)

[164_1] Petals had fallen off at this later stage of flower.

Aegithalos caudatus 北長尾山雀

Common name: Long-tailed Tit
Scientific name: Aegithalos caudatus 北長尾山雀
Genus: Aegithalos 長尾山雀屬
Family: Aegithalidae 長尾山雀科, the long-tailed tits 長尾山雀 or bushtits 短嘴長尾山雀, 叢山雀 family
Order: Passeriformes 雀形目

Remarks: 

Status: Fairly common resident.

Date: 14th Jan

[007_1] Black and dull pinkish-white. Black stripes beside crown blend into dark back; pink 'shoulders'.

[013_1] Pinkish underparts; long, slim, white-sided black tail.

Larix decidua 歐洲落葉松

Common name: European Larch
Scientific name: Larix decidua 歐洲落葉松
Genus: Larix 落葉松屬
Family: Pinaceae 松科, pine family
Class: Pinopsida 松柏網
Divison: Pinophyta 松柏門

Origin: Neophyte (established after 1500 AD). It is a native to the Alps and Carpathians (喀爾巴阡山脈, it spans across seven countries - Romania, Slovakia 斯洛伐克, Poland, Ukraine, Serbia 塞爾維亞, Czech Republic and Austria). It was introduced to Britian in 1629.

Date: 22nd March (female cone in Lake District) & 6th April (male and female cone in Peak District)

[075542] A deciduous tree to 45 m. (vs to 35 m in Larix kaempferi 日本落葉松, Japanese Larch) 

[075803] Tree trunks.

[042] Tree trunk.

[045] Flowering female cones are seen with leaf buds now. Very young male cones are very inconspicuous and difficult to see.

[043] Mature female cones of last year can also be seen.

[036_1] A leaf bud with leaves ready to emerge.

[053_1] (taken on 6th April)

Mature leaves in dense clusters of up to 50 on short lateral shoots.

[054_1] (taken on 6th April)

Mature leaves: needles to 30 mm long, <1 mm wide, underside with pale greenish stripes on either side of midrib. (vs leaves undersides with conspicuous whitish lines on either side of midrib in Larix kaempferi 日本落葉松, Japanese Larch)

[642] (taken on 6th April)

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[040_1] Very young male cones.

[040_2] Enlarged photo above showing the bracts of the male cone.

[041_2] Top view of a very young male cone.

[051_1] (taken on 6th April)

Position of male cones with leaves on the branch.

[046_1] (taken on 6th April)
Male cone.

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[035_1] A female cone (flowering cone - the "larch rose" stage) with several leaf buds around.

[037_1] Lateral view of the female cone showing the bracts. The crimson-red bracts (bract scales 苞鱗^) are longer than the seed scales 種鱗 (ovouliferous scales 珠鱗 --could not be seen in the above photo) and clearly visible now.

[047_2] (taken on 6th April)

Later female cones with leaves underneath start growing.

[047_1] (taken on 6th April) It is a monoecious 雌雄同株 plant with both male and female cones producing on the same plant. Leaves are also developing at the same time now.

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[038_1] Mature female cone.

[039_1] Mature female cones oval, 20-40 mm long x 20-25 mm wide, bracts* not recurved at tip. (vs Mature female cones more spherical, about 30 mm long x 25 mm wide, bracts recurved at tips in Larix kaempferi 日本落葉松, Japanese Larch)

[*These bracts are woody ovuliferous scales 珠鱗 that are different from the bract scales 苞鱗^ appeared in young female cone.]

Psittacula krameri 紅領綠鸚鵡、玫瑰環頸鸚鵡、環頸鸚鵡、月輪鸚鵡、印度紅領鸚鵡

Common name: Ring-necked Parakeet
Scientific name: Psittacula krameri 紅領綠鸚鵡、玫瑰環頸鸚鵡、環頸鸚鵡、月輪鸚鵡、印度紅領鸚鵡
Genus: Psittacula 鸚鵡屬
Family: Psittaculidae 舊世界鸚鵡科, Old World parrots
Order: Order: Psittaciformes 鸚形目

Remarks:

Status: Scarce, locally common introduced resident. It is native in Africa and the Indian Subcontinent.

Date: 13th Dec 

[100_1]

[094_1]

[098_1]

Periparus ater 煤山雀

Common name: Coal Tit
Scientific name: Periparus ater 煤山雀
Genus: Periparus 煤山雀屬
Family: Paridae 山雀科, the tits 山雀, chickadees 北美山雀* and titmice* family
Order: Passeriformes 雀形目

Remarks: *chickadees and titmice are native to North America.

Status: Common, widespread resident.

Date: 29th Aug

Parus major 歐亞大山雀, 大山雀

Common name: Great Tit
Scientific name: Parus major 歐亞大山雀, 大山雀
Genus: Parus 山雀屬
Family: Paridae 山雀科, the tits 山雀, chickadees 北美山雀* and titmice* family

Order: Passeriformes 雀形目

Remarks: *chickadees and titmice are native to North America.

Status: Common, widespread resident.

Date: 14th Jan & 29th Aug 

[024] Black head with oval white cheek. Pale yellow or buffish-yellow beneath.

[030] Green above with bluer wings and white wingbar.

[029] Black stripe down centre of belly. It is a male as the black stripe widens between legs. (vs black narrows towards legs)