Rattle

Lesser Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor)

Most of what's in the garden either pre-dates our arrival or has been planted in one of the developing flower beds. An exception is our burgeoning colony of Lesser Yellow Rattle (Rhinanthus minor). We sprinkled seeds of that native species onto one of the rank, grassy banks along the edge of the property, in the hopes that it will eventually help to suppress the vigorous, tussocky grass growing there. This handsome flower is one of the so-called "broomrapes"— semi-parasitic plants that get some of their nutrients by tapping into the roots of their neighbours. Lesser Yellow Rattle photosynthesizes, using its green leaves to convert the sun's energy like other green plants do. But its roots also seek out and tap into the roots of its most vigorous neighbours (typically grasses), and that will help us to control the grass without having to spray herbicides or mow regularly. And that should help us to improve the bank's biodiversity.

Lesser Yellow Rattle is a widespread annual in sunny areas of grassland and farmland across the British Isles; it's also native to much of Europe, northern North America and western Asia. It germinates in early March, pushes strongly serrated leaves from black-spotted stems that can rise to nearly half a metre (18 inches) in height, and blooms between May and September. Its yellow, tube-like flowers extend from fat green calyxes (the pale green structures in the photo above), and are particularly favoured by bumblebees. After the flowers have been pollinated and fade away, tiny seeds develop in the now-brown calyxes. These seeds give the plant its common name, because they rattle around in their casings when the plant is brushed against. The plant also serves as the larval food source for a couple of rare moths, neither of which we've seen here yet. With any luck, maybe someday, the moths will follow.