Two Tiny Gems

Slender Parsley-piert, Aphanes australis.  Joyden's Wood, 27 April 2015

Joyden's Wood is a very pleasant and varied environment.  You can walk through the woods, past an area of heath, or examine the very short grass in what is known as the Picnic Area.  There, you can find several tiny plants, two of which I have not seen anywhere else.  This is not because they are rare, but because you have to look hard to spot them!  The mosses in this photo will give you an idea of the scale. 

This green plant, Slender Parsley-piert, has flowers which are also green, helping its disguise.  In the top photo, it is in full bloom.  But it is widespread here, which helps it to be seen.

Slender Parsley-piert, Aphanes australis.  Joyden's Wood, 27 April 2015

Here's an enlarged picture with flowers at the centre.  The lobes surrounding the flowers are oblong, distinguishing this from Alphanes arvensis, Parsley-piert without the slender, which has triangular lobes. 

This plant is widespread in the Picnic Area, but there is another which seems to be a lot less prolific.

Bird's-foot, Ornithopus perpusillus.  Joyden's Wood, 12 May 2015.

You might think this Bird's-foot, having a coloured flower, would be easier to spot, but the whole rosette is only 3 cm across and the flowers are about 2mm each, so in fact you have to get down on your knees to be sure they are there at all.

Bird's-foot, Ornithopus perpusillus.  Joyden's Wood, 12 May 2015.

The plant is named after the appearance of the seed pods, which will be along later.  It is a lot less common than the Slender Parsley-piert, but still has 44 known sites in Kent, for those prepared to get down and look.