In Dr M’s survey of online plant ID aids he has already taken a look at the SAPS key to trees and shrubs from Cambridge University. Here Dr M has a look at an interactive key to 88 species of trees and shrubs from the Natural History Museum key to Nature project.
Question: How many native conifers are there in Britain (conifer = seed plants bearing cones rather than flowers)?
Dr M is particularly fond of the University of Reading campus which extends over 123 ha of grassland, open water and woodland. Known as Whiteknights Park, it is home to over 400 species of native plants and many more planted and naturalised and is an ideal setting for Dr M’s teaching of plant identification and vegetation survey methods.
Spring came late this year, jostling with glorious summer (while it lasted). Now, as temperatures drop and nights draw in, autumn makes its way centre-stage. Summer’s legacy of sunshine (recall the heatwave?) seems rather fruitful in our countryside and a host of blackberries has now given way to a myriad acorns (2013 is looking like a mast year for oaks), haws (Hawthorn berries) and
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Following Dr M’s recent post on the “Arb Boys” continuing professional development training session on common tree and shrub identification, you can now watch the video of the proceedings entitled “these are a few of our favourite leaves”
On Monday Dr M attended a continuing professional development training session on trees and shrubs ID for ecology staff given by our resident Arboriculturalist trio Rob, James and Luke: AKA The Arb Boys!