Not scarlet

Chris and I had a long day out monitoring a quarry in Suffolk. It was mid-afternoon before I had a chance to check my phone and saw that Boris Johnson had received Royal Assent to prorogue parliament. While this was no great surprise, I still felt so, so angry. How can our parliamentary democracy have come to this? 

I'm not sure that signing petitions has any great effect, but I signed this once I was home - at least it can't do any harm. Though I fear more drastic action will be necessary if this right-wing coup is to be reversed. Whatever happens, it's going to be a bumpy ride.

By way of diversion, I've posted an image of a non-scarlet Scarlet Pimpernel. Although the red form is the most frequent form in the UK, Scarlet Pimpernel has a wide variety of flower colours. The flower of carnea (illustrated) is deep peach, lilacina is lilac; pallida is white; and azurea is blue. The form carnea is relatively local and seems to be most frequent in coastal areas of Cornwall and south-east Ireland, often on sand dunes. It also has quite a few records from north Hampshire where there are many sandy heaths. This may be the first record of this form in Suffolk, growing in a sand quarry.