James Harding-Morris
@bsbicountries.bsky.social
BSBI Countries Manager. Supporting our network of recorders across Britain and Ireland and working to engage people with plants through education and recording.
We've had nearly 300 bookings for our talk on the Clubmosses of Britain and Ireland by Fred Rumsey next Tuesday evening (2nd December) and there's still places left!
Book now for free (though donations towards our work are appreciated): share.google/lQL6JQ7E9SEQ...
Book now for free (though donations towards our work are appreciated): share.google/lQL6JQ7E9SEQ...
November 28, 2025 at 9:19 AM
We've had nearly 300 bookings for our talk on the Clubmosses of Britain and Ireland by Fred Rumsey next Tuesday evening (2nd December) and there's still places left!
Book now for free (though donations towards our work are appreciated): share.google/lQL6JQ7E9SEQ...
Book now for free (though donations towards our work are appreciated): share.google/lQL6JQ7E9SEQ...
A game that's not particularly fun to play is spotting obvious mistakes in coverage of biodiversity and environmental topics.
For example, this header image is of the blue-headed subspecies of Yellow Wagtail which doesn't breed in Britain.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
@bbcnewslive.bsky.social
For example, this header image is of the blue-headed subspecies of Yellow Wagtail which doesn't breed in Britain.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
@bbcnewslive.bsky.social
The species at risk of extinction in Wales named in first of its kind report
Species in Peril identifies thousands of at-risk species in Wales based on geographical restriction.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 1:05 PM
A game that's not particularly fun to play is spotting obvious mistakes in coverage of biodiversity and environmental topics.
For example, this header image is of the blue-headed subspecies of Yellow Wagtail which doesn't breed in Britain.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
@bbcnewslive.bsky.social
For example, this header image is of the blue-headed subspecies of Yellow Wagtail which doesn't breed in Britain.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
@bbcnewslive.bsky.social
Reposted by James Harding-Morris
From conservation heroes to the birds that haunt our place names and incredible dinosaur artwork - discover books you'll go wild for.
And the best part? You can get up to 40% off in the Bloomsbury Christmas sale right now!
And the best part? You can get up to 40% off in the Bloomsbury Christmas sale right now!
November 25, 2025 at 6:49 PM
From conservation heroes to the birds that haunt our place names and incredible dinosaur artwork - discover books you'll go wild for.
And the best part? You can get up to 40% off in the Bloomsbury Christmas sale right now!
And the best part? You can get up to 40% off in the Bloomsbury Christmas sale right now!
There were a few species I wrote about in Endemic whose precise locations I needed to swear to keep secret.
One of these was the location of one of the last wild Great Orme Berries, Cotoneaster cambricus. There are only *six* truly wild plants left on the planet, all on the Great Orme.
One of these was the location of one of the last wild Great Orme Berries, Cotoneaster cambricus. There are only *six* truly wild plants left on the planet, all on the Great Orme.
November 23, 2025 at 11:43 AM
There were a few species I wrote about in Endemic whose precise locations I needed to swear to keep secret.
One of these was the location of one of the last wild Great Orme Berries, Cotoneaster cambricus. There are only *six* truly wild plants left on the planet, all on the Great Orme.
One of these was the location of one of the last wild Great Orme Berries, Cotoneaster cambricus. There are only *six* truly wild plants left on the planet, all on the Great Orme.
There are a lot of sources online that say Shetland is home to the endemic species Edmondston's Chickweed.
This is not the case - instead the island of Unst is the only global site for Cerastium nigrescens var. nigrescens, an endemic *variety* of the Artic Mouse-ear.
This is not the case - instead the island of Unst is the only global site for Cerastium nigrescens var. nigrescens, an endemic *variety* of the Artic Mouse-ear.
November 22, 2025 at 12:08 PM
There are a lot of sources online that say Shetland is home to the endemic species Edmondston's Chickweed.
This is not the case - instead the island of Unst is the only global site for Cerastium nigrescens var. nigrescens, an endemic *variety* of the Artic Mouse-ear.
This is not the case - instead the island of Unst is the only global site for Cerastium nigrescens var. nigrescens, an endemic *variety* of the Artic Mouse-ear.
Looking for a botanical webinar to brighten up a dark winter evening? We've got loads of them!
25th November - 10 years of the National Plant Monitoring Scheme
2nd December - Clubmosses of Ireland and Britain
9th December - Plant ID apps: how useful are they?
Book here: bsbi.org/take-part/pr...
25th November - 10 years of the National Plant Monitoring Scheme
2nd December - Clubmosses of Ireland and Britain
9th December - Plant ID apps: how useful are they?
Book here: bsbi.org/take-part/pr...
Webinars
bsbi.org
November 21, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Looking for a botanical webinar to brighten up a dark winter evening? We've got loads of them!
25th November - 10 years of the National Plant Monitoring Scheme
2nd December - Clubmosses of Ireland and Britain
9th December - Plant ID apps: how useful are they?
Book here: bsbi.org/take-part/pr...
25th November - 10 years of the National Plant Monitoring Scheme
2nd December - Clubmosses of Ireland and Britain
9th December - Plant ID apps: how useful are they?
Book here: bsbi.org/take-part/pr...
I saw these quite large earthstars yesterday - Geastrum coronatum? @lukaslarge.bsky.social
November 14, 2025 at 8:25 PM
I saw these quite large earthstars yesterday - Geastrum coronatum? @lukaslarge.bsky.social
English Whitebeam, Sorbus anglica, on top, with those wide, rounded, lobed leaves.
Grey-leaved Whitebeam, Sorbus porrigentiformis, on the bottom with those pinched, swept-forward leaves.
English Whitebeam is a British and Irish endemic, Grey-leaved is a British endemic.
Grey-leaved Whitebeam, Sorbus porrigentiformis, on the bottom with those pinched, swept-forward leaves.
English Whitebeam is a British and Irish endemic, Grey-leaved is a British endemic.
November 14, 2025 at 8:25 AM
English Whitebeam, Sorbus anglica, on top, with those wide, rounded, lobed leaves.
Grey-leaved Whitebeam, Sorbus porrigentiformis, on the bottom with those pinched, swept-forward leaves.
English Whitebeam is a British and Irish endemic, Grey-leaved is a British endemic.
Grey-leaved Whitebeam, Sorbus porrigentiformis, on the bottom with those pinched, swept-forward leaves.
English Whitebeam is a British and Irish endemic, Grey-leaved is a British endemic.
On Monday 17th November we have a webinar from our @npwsireland.bsky.social-funded Targeted Aquatic Plants Project.
This webinar, from the fantastic Nick Stewart, is about the identification of non-native aquatic plants.
Interested? Book yourself a ticket here: www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
This webinar, from the fantastic Nick Stewart, is about the identification of non-native aquatic plants.
Interested? Book yourself a ticket here: www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
November 11, 2025 at 8:53 PM
On Monday 17th November we have a webinar from our @npwsireland.bsky.social-funded Targeted Aquatic Plants Project.
This webinar, from the fantastic Nick Stewart, is about the identification of non-native aquatic plants.
Interested? Book yourself a ticket here: www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
This webinar, from the fantastic Nick Stewart, is about the identification of non-native aquatic plants.
Interested? Book yourself a ticket here: www.tickettailor.com/events/botan...
I was walking through the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens last weekend when I spotted an utterly unmistakable leaf on the ground.
Catacol Whitebeam! Arguably one of the rarest trees on Earth.
Catacol Whitebeam! Arguably one of the rarest trees on Earth.
November 9, 2025 at 1:27 PM
I was walking through the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens last weekend when I spotted an utterly unmistakable leaf on the ground.
Catacol Whitebeam! Arguably one of the rarest trees on Earth.
Catacol Whitebeam! Arguably one of the rarest trees on Earth.
Over the winter, our Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Project is running a series of webinars on Tuesday evenings. This week we had the amazing Mark Duffell explaining the etymology of scientific names.
Who knew that 'galeobdolon', the specific name of Yellow Archangel, means weasel-scented?
Who knew that 'galeobdolon', the specific name of Yellow Archangel, means weasel-scented?
November 8, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Over the winter, our Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Project is running a series of webinars on Tuesday evenings. This week we had the amazing Mark Duffell explaining the etymology of scientific names.
Who knew that 'galeobdolon', the specific name of Yellow Archangel, means weasel-scented?
Who knew that 'galeobdolon', the specific name of Yellow Archangel, means weasel-scented?
A new Red List for Vascular Plants in Great Britain has just been published - the first update for twenty years 🌿
So what is a Red List, and why does it matter? What does this new report tells us about the state of Britain’s flora?
So what is a Red List, and why does it matter? What does this new report tells us about the state of Britain’s flora?
November 7, 2025 at 12:43 PM
A new Red List for Vascular Plants in Great Britain has just been published - the first update for twenty years 🌿
So what is a Red List, and why does it matter? What does this new report tells us about the state of Britain’s flora?
So what is a Red List, and why does it matter? What does this new report tells us about the state of Britain’s flora?
Reposted by James Harding-Morris
Britain supports a variety of species found nowhere else on Earth. But many of these are seldom celebrated and in some cases barely known, writes James Harding-Morris:
In search of Britain's endemic wildlife
Britain supports a wide variety of species found nowhere else on Earth. But many of these are seldom celebrated and in some cases barely known. James Harding-Morris, who has just written a new book, 'Endemic', looks in greater detail at our special wildlife.
bit.ly
November 1, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Britain supports a variety of species found nowhere else on Earth. But many of these are seldom celebrated and in some cases barely known, writes James Harding-Morris:
In April 1948, in a cave in Devon, a tiny, blind shrimp was found in a cave - a species that had never been seen before. It was named Niphargus glenniei, the British Cave Shrimp, and in the years since it has never been seen anywhere outside of Devon and Cornwall; a species endemic to Britain.
October 21, 2025 at 8:18 PM
In April 1948, in a cave in Devon, a tiny, blind shrimp was found in a cave - a species that had never been seen before. It was named Niphargus glenniei, the British Cave Shrimp, and in the years since it has never been seen anywhere outside of Devon and Cornwall; a species endemic to Britain.
Over the past couple of months I've repeated in various talks that 11 of our endemic plant species have gone extinct.
I was delighted to read in the most recent BSBI News that one of these, the Glenridding Hawkweed, last seen in 1953, has been rediscovered!!
📷: Mark Lynes
I was delighted to read in the most recent BSBI News that one of these, the Glenridding Hawkweed, last seen in 1953, has been rediscovered!!
📷: Mark Lynes
October 20, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Over the past couple of months I've repeated in various talks that 11 of our endemic plant species have gone extinct.
I was delighted to read in the most recent BSBI News that one of these, the Glenridding Hawkweed, last seen in 1953, has been rediscovered!!
📷: Mark Lynes
I was delighted to read in the most recent BSBI News that one of these, the Glenridding Hawkweed, last seen in 1953, has been rediscovered!!
📷: Mark Lynes
I'm honoured to have had a positive review from Mark!
Sunday book review - Endemic by @bsbicountries.bsky.social
Publisher: @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social @chiffchat.bsky.social
Review: markavery.info/2025/10/19/s...
'Great book!'
@bsbibotany.bsky.social #buglife #Lundy #coleoptera #stonefly #fungi @ianparsons.bsky.social #cambridge #york #ragwort
Publisher: @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social @chiffchat.bsky.social
Review: markavery.info/2025/10/19/s...
'Great book!'
@bsbibotany.bsky.social #buglife #Lundy #coleoptera #stonefly #fungi @ianparsons.bsky.social #cambridge #york #ragwort
October 19, 2025 at 5:31 PM
I'm honoured to have had a positive review from Mark!
Reposted by James Harding-Morris
Join us online tomorrow to celebrate 10 years of the National Plant Monitoring scheme. Hear from the volunteers who take part. Talks 11-4pm (or pick & mix). Booking link below. Looking forward to celebrating 10 years amongst the wildflowers with you! #NPMS10 @bsbibotany.bsky.social
October 17, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Join us online tomorrow to celebrate 10 years of the National Plant Monitoring scheme. Hear from the volunteers who take part. Talks 11-4pm (or pick & mix). Booking link below. Looking forward to celebrating 10 years amongst the wildflowers with you! #NPMS10 @bsbibotany.bsky.social
I'm delighted that we have a whole range of talks from our Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Project taking place this winter on Tuesday evenings.
Want to learn more about conifers? Rushes? Clubmosses? Hawthorns? Plant Pathogenic Fungi? ROBOTS??
See them all here:
bsbi.org/botanical-sk...
Want to learn more about conifers? Rushes? Clubmosses? Hawthorns? Plant Pathogenic Fungi? ROBOTS??
See them all here:
bsbi.org/botanical-sk...
Botanical Skills Webinars – Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland
bsbi.org
October 14, 2025 at 1:30 PM
I'm delighted that we have a whole range of talks from our Northern Ireland Botanical Skills Project taking place this winter on Tuesday evenings.
Want to learn more about conifers? Rushes? Clubmosses? Hawthorns? Plant Pathogenic Fungi? ROBOTS??
See them all here:
bsbi.org/botanical-sk...
Want to learn more about conifers? Rushes? Clubmosses? Hawthorns? Plant Pathogenic Fungi? ROBOTS??
See them all here:
bsbi.org/botanical-sk...
Two similar endemic whitebeams. On the left is Round-leaved Whitebeam, on the right is Twin Cliffs Whitebeam.
Described in 2009, the Twin Cliffs Whitebeam was named Sorbus eminentoides, which means, basically, 'looks like Round-leaved Whitebeam' - whose scientific name is Sorbus eminens.
Described in 2009, the Twin Cliffs Whitebeam was named Sorbus eminentoides, which means, basically, 'looks like Round-leaved Whitebeam' - whose scientific name is Sorbus eminens.
October 11, 2025 at 7:12 AM
Two similar endemic whitebeams. On the left is Round-leaved Whitebeam, on the right is Twin Cliffs Whitebeam.
Described in 2009, the Twin Cliffs Whitebeam was named Sorbus eminentoides, which means, basically, 'looks like Round-leaved Whitebeam' - whose scientific name is Sorbus eminens.
Described in 2009, the Twin Cliffs Whitebeam was named Sorbus eminentoides, which means, basically, 'looks like Round-leaved Whitebeam' - whose scientific name is Sorbus eminens.
The Little Whirlpool Ramshorn Snail - one of a series of photographs I commissioned whilst working on the Back from the Brink project so that people could actually *see* some of our most threatened and beautiful species.
📷: Alex Hyde/Back from the Brink
📷: Alex Hyde/Back from the Brink
October 10, 2025 at 6:45 AM
The Little Whirlpool Ramshorn Snail - one of a series of photographs I commissioned whilst working on the Back from the Brink project so that people could actually *see* some of our most threatened and beautiful species.
📷: Alex Hyde/Back from the Brink
📷: Alex Hyde/Back from the Brink
I was in York today so obviously had to have a quick look for York Groundsel. No luck with that, but did find this weird looking thing...
October 6, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I was in York today so obviously had to have a quick look for York Groundsel. No luck with that, but did find this weird looking thing...
Britain has no endemic species of butterfly, but we do have a few unique subspecies.
This is the endemic subspecies of the Silver-studded Blue found on the Great Orme, Plebejus argus ssp. caernensis, what I call the 'Orme Blue'.
Check out those gorgeous silver-studs 😍
This is the endemic subspecies of the Silver-studded Blue found on the Great Orme, Plebejus argus ssp. caernensis, what I call the 'Orme Blue'.
Check out those gorgeous silver-studs 😍
October 4, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Britain has no endemic species of butterfly, but we do have a few unique subspecies.
This is the endemic subspecies of the Silver-studded Blue found on the Great Orme, Plebejus argus ssp. caernensis, what I call the 'Orme Blue'.
Check out those gorgeous silver-studs 😍
This is the endemic subspecies of the Silver-studded Blue found on the Great Orme, Plebejus argus ssp. caernensis, what I call the 'Orme Blue'.
Check out those gorgeous silver-studs 😍
Reposted by James Harding-Morris
Excited to get my copy of Endemic by @bsbicountries.bsky.social today. Not because *ahem* I'm in the chapter on Interrupted Brome, but because of the many other spp & subsp to explore - some of which (like Great Orme's Graylings) I realise I've already seen without realising their significance.
September 24, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Excited to get my copy of Endemic by @bsbicountries.bsky.social today. Not because *ahem* I'm in the chapter on Interrupted Brome, but because of the many other spp & subsp to explore - some of which (like Great Orme's Graylings) I realise I've already seen without realising their significance.
Two endemic Welsh whitebeams, both with Rowan ancestry.
Top is Ley's Whitebeam, Sorbus leyana, which has 9 remaining wild trees. Plant Atlas: share.google/INMlwgNZvgI7...
Bottom is Least Whitebeam, Sorbus minima, which has a wild population of over 700. Plant Atlas: share.google/E4VQ14l0PvKL...
Top is Ley's Whitebeam, Sorbus leyana, which has 9 remaining wild trees. Plant Atlas: share.google/INMlwgNZvgI7...
Bottom is Least Whitebeam, Sorbus minima, which has a wild population of over 700. Plant Atlas: share.google/E4VQ14l0PvKL...
October 1, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Two endemic Welsh whitebeams, both with Rowan ancestry.
Top is Ley's Whitebeam, Sorbus leyana, which has 9 remaining wild trees. Plant Atlas: share.google/INMlwgNZvgI7...
Bottom is Least Whitebeam, Sorbus minima, which has a wild population of over 700. Plant Atlas: share.google/E4VQ14l0PvKL...
Top is Ley's Whitebeam, Sorbus leyana, which has 9 remaining wild trees. Plant Atlas: share.google/INMlwgNZvgI7...
Bottom is Least Whitebeam, Sorbus minima, which has a wild population of over 700. Plant Atlas: share.google/E4VQ14l0PvKL...
Reposted by James Harding-Morris
On Saturday, we held a Northern Ireland Recorders Meeting in the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre. From far and wide, recorders came to learn about willow identification and hybrids, then roamed the site, willow-hunting. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @mikekally.bsky.social
September 29, 2025 at 6:12 AM
On Saturday, we held a Northern Ireland Recorders Meeting in the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre. From far and wide, recorders came to learn about willow identification and hybrids, then roamed the site, willow-hunting. @bsbibotany.bsky.social @mikekally.bsky.social