Whilst Out Walking at Easter
5 April : Easter Sunday
This is a particularly damp and dismal Easter - there are only very small patches of ice and snow on the ground now and day temperatures are more often a little on the positive side. All of which encourages rain. We have Bach’s splendid Easter Oratorio to listen to. Anyway, despite the gloom, it is gradually becoming more spring-like by the day and the ice on the river is becoming thinner and will be gone shortly.
It’s unlikely to happen this April, but last year we had the first Sanguinaria flowers opening less than a week from now, so there is hope … though not forgetting that two years before that on the same date we had heavy freezing rain. The Brown-headed Cowbird returned on Good Friday and brought a mate with him - she didn’t stick around to have her portrait taken.
Noticing Nature No. 26 : Purple Pasqueflower for Easter
Continuing the Noticing Nature series I was searching around for an interesting native species of plant or animal that is associated with Easter in Canada. Rabbits were considered a few weeks ago, so they are not an option. None of the classical traditional Easter species seem to be native over here and I was rather wallowing in indecision until a light went on in my head! Of course, the aptly named Purple Pasqueflower (Pulsatilla patens) … what could be better? It’s a prairie plant from the flat parts such as Manitoba, but it is also grown in many corners of the world as a specimen garden plant.
The name, of course, derives from “Pâques” (French for Easter). While not really an Easter symbol in Canada, it’s one of the few native plants that, nominally at least, flowers more or less around the Easter period. Conveniently in our cold corner it is still one of the earliest wildflowers to open, albeit it is always seen here after Easter, perhaps not for a few weeks. Near enough though for our purposes. I’ll take what we can get. The plant exploits the brief window when soil moisture is high and competition from other plants is minimal.
Purple Pasqueflower is a low-growing perennial with silky, hairy, fern-like basal leaves. They have a single, bell-shaped flower on a silky-covered stalk. Sepals are typically blue-violet but can appear yellow or white.
Later they develop a fruit with feathery plumes for wind dispersal - somewhat similar to dandelion seeds. Ideally they do best in dry, sunny locations and open forest clearings and are found from flatlands up up to 11,500 feet in some regions. In gardens they work well in rock and crevice plantings. Soil needs to be well drained, they do not tolerate wet conditions. Vulnerable to late spring frosts. Considered rare or uncommon in many parts of its range and habitat loss from agriculture and development threatens populations
There’s been some taxonomic reshuffling in this genus. Some sources still refer to it under Anemone patens even though the genus was split, moving many species like this one to Pulsatilla.
Sources:
Eggs are an Easter staple - here’s an interesting account concerning the biology and especially the colouring of birds eggs.
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/the-beauty-and-biology-of-egg-color/
What do they call those little blue flowers … ?
Hard to believe just now, looking out at the brown and soggy waste that passes as our garden after the snows finally melted, but it won’t be too many weeks until things green up and Forget-me-nots are all over the place. Apparently, that common name is of comparatively recent origin and nothing like the rather more apposite name they had for centuries - blame the Victorians. Read all about this “fascinating” subject in this article - and enjoy some delightful artwork in the process.
We need more Taxonomists
Yes, we do.
Quote:
As taxonomy is less taught this discovery and learning is hampered by the lack of taxonomists. This was laid bare by a recent survey about taxonomy in nearly 100 countries. Half of the surveyed countries had less than 10 plant taxonomists. This is a problem, because even though as Jane Logan, in The Guardian, mentions ‘taxonomy has been made immeasurably easier with the advent of computers, but they cannot substitute legwork of finding samples in the first place.’ Someone still needs to go out there and find the plants and that is best done by a trained taxonomist.
That was quoted from this article, which is a fine read from a most interesting Substack that I have recently come across:
A Scrumptious Cake for Easter
In his weekly newsletter from The OLD Bookshop Café on Good Friday my friend shared a recipe for a non-traditional but quite wonderful cake to celebrate Easter - full of butter and fruits. You can find the RECIPE at the foot of the latest edition from the café - follow this link:
Un-Conservation
Thus far in my Substack career I have avoided using the words Trump and Oil Industry … but I thought I should draw this to the attention of readers, in particular those living south of the border who may be able to make their voices heard, just in case the media down there has somehow forgotten to mention this. Click this screen-shot to know more.
The Trump administration has removed protections for the endangered Rice’s whale, citing national security concerns. This decision, made by the “God Squad” committee, exempts the oil and gas industry from endangered species laws in the Gulf of Mexico. This move could lead to the extinction of the Rice’s whale, a species already critically endangered and facing threats from oil drilling and ship traffic. Hegseth, the spawn of the devil chap, is involved. No surprise there.
Great post. I wonder how much taxonomy can be done by AI nowadays? I work as a customs broker and HTS codes can now be determined by AI. A concerning thought I believe, and I agree that we need trained taxnomists.
The note atvtge end about Rice's whales made me immeasurably sad. I don't know how we will be judged sfter God made us the custodians of all creation.