Doug Shepherd's photos with the keyword: Closeup

The Fly agaric mushroom on the left has already been visited by some unknown creature(s) of the forest floor, it must have tasted good! The one on the right (shown in the background of 1st picture) is still in the process of breaking through the carpet of larch needles, leaves and twigs; and has yet to be ttied. Mythology and symbolism Fly agaric has a long history of use in religious ceremonies, particularly in Asia. For over 4,000 years it was the ingredient in a sacred and hallucinogenic ritual drink called 'soma' in India and Iran; while the Siberian shamans would give it out as a gift in late December. This toadstool has turned up in many fairy tale stories and features in the story of Alice in Wonderland when she is given some fly agaric to eat. Uses of Fly agaric Fly agaric is poisonous and infamous for its psychoactive and hallucinogenic properties; but, reports of human deaths are extremely rare. It was traditionally used as an insecticide. The cap was broken up and sprinkled into saucers of milk. It's known to contain ibotenic acid, which both attracts and kills flies – which gave it its name.

Common in Great Britain and Ireland, Broom was considered a sign of plenty when it bore many flowers. However a traditional rhyme from Sussex warns: "Sweep the house with blossomed broom in May/sweep the head of the household away." Broom was also used in a decorated bundle of broom at weddings in place of rosemary when that was scarce, and its strong smell was said to be able to tame wild horses and dogs. In Italy, the shrub was burnt to stop witches. Broom plants typically grow to 1–3 m (3.3–9.8 ft) tall, rarely to 4 m (13 ft), with main stems up to 5 cm (2.0 in) thick, rarely 10 cm (3.9 in). Stems are ridged and green. The shrubs have green shoots with small deciduous trifoliate leaves 5–15 mm long, and in spring and summer are covered in profuse golden yellow flowers 20–30 mm from top to bottom and 15–20 mm wide. Broom contains scoparin, which is a diuretic. The plant also is used as a cathartic and as a cardiac stimulant, which is credited to the presence of sparteine. A decoction (the boiling of plant material) or infusion of broom can be used to treat dropsy due to its diuretic action. An ointment can be made from the flowers to treat gout. Do not try any of the above at home!

Bidens ferulifolia - slightly damp after light rain

Growing in a crop of beans

Burdock plant hooked burrs

There a number of 'wild' lilac trees scatter around a small area of Wykeham Forest.

Best enlarged

Best enlarged This is part of a wire fence tensioner device fitted on top of a stone wall, possibly to raise the height of the barrier and prevent red deer present in the area from jumping over the wall. On the other hand, as it was mounted on the wall surrounding the playground of the Glen Etive school house, it may have been put in place to prevent the children absconding at playtime;-))))

Best enlarged