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The
bluebell is a very familiar plant
to anyone who has walked in Tottington
Wood in the springtime. Indeed
it is so familiar that it has
been totally neglected in previous
issues of The Woodlander, although
the wood is renowned as a Bluebell
Wood. The name “Bluebell”
is traditional in Sussex, but
in Scotland our Bluebell is known
as “Hyacinth”, and
what the Scots call a “Bluebell”
we Southern folk would know as
a “Harebell” (Campanula
rotundifolia). To further compound
the issue of identification the
Latin name has also changed, and
the bluebell is sometimes known
as Hyacinthoides non-scriptus.
With so much confusion I am beginning
to see why nobody has written
an article about our commonest
plant before!
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Although
the bluebell is common in our
wood it is a plant in decline.
With the clearance of so much
woodland, particularly in the
last fifty years, the natural
habitat of the bluebell has reduced.
It is now a protected species
under European Law, and it is
an offence to pick any part of
the plant. Some authorities suggest
picking as little as one leaf
can result in the loss of the
bulb. Certainly trampling has
a disastrous effect on the plant.
Despite the relative decline
British bluebells account for
more than a quarter of the world
population of the flower. It is
a native of the European lands
with an Atlantic coastline; extending
from Portugal to the Netherlands.
It is not known in the Mediterranean
region, and was totally unknown
to the early Greek and Roman botanists.
There is a slightly larger variety
(often cultivated for horticultural
purposes) called the Spanish Bluebell
(Endymion hispanicus), which as
its name suggests originates from
the South of the region. |
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| Endymion
non-scriptus – A short hairless
carpeting perennial of woods and
hedgerow. The leaves arise directly
from the bulb, are glossy green
with hooded tips. Flowers appear
between April and June; they are
arranged along one side of a drooping
spike. Generally the flowers are
azure blue, elongated bell shaped,
fragrant; although white and pink
varieties do occur. (Height 30cm.) |
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Bluebells contain
glycosides which make every part
of the plant poisonous, although
badgers have been known to eat
the bulbs. If fed to cattle they
act as a milk suppressant. Unfortunately
they produce lush leaves just
at the time when meadows are set
aside for the hay crop, and they
prove tempting to a hungry cow.
More recently there is some evidence
that they may contain substances
that could be useful in suppressing
the AIDS virus entry into human
cells. |
The
first recorded reference to the
Bluebell comes from William Turner
in 1548, when it is known as Crowtoes.
Interestingly it had different
names in the North and South of
the country even then. |
'The commune Hyacinthus
is muche in Englande aboot
Syon and Shene and it is
called English Crowtoes,
and in the North partes
Crowtees. Some use the rootes
for glue.' |
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The reference to
glue indicates one of the two
main uses for the plant in bygone
days. Traditionally the glue was
used for binding books, and considered
to be a very strong paper adhesive.
There is also archaeological evidence,
dating back as far as the Bronze
Age that arrows were fletched
using bluebell glue to fix the
feathers to the shaft. The other
major use was for laundry starch
particularly for ruffs, collars
and cuffs.
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So if you are fortunate enough to walk through the wood this season,
when the air is scented with bluebells, and the wood floor is carpeted in blue as far as the eye can see,
remember that you are being privileged to a rare sight, and also remember that without the work of
Tottington Woodlanders that very sight would be threatened with extinction.
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Bibliography:-
Fitter R. et al. (1993), Collins Pocket Guide – Wild Flowers of Britain & Northern Europe: Harper Collins.
Howkins C. (1994), A Dairymaids Flora: Howkins
C. Middleton B. http://www.vic.org.uk/pro/rangerview/may.html
Phillips R. (1977), Wild Flowers
of Britain: Pan.
http://www.nfucountryside.org.uk/news/apr00/april29.htm
Rose F. (1981), The Wild Flower Key – British Isles – N.W. Europe: Warne.
- Malcolm Knight
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