Originally published on Photoblog by Gethin Thomas NOVEMBER. 02, 2020
[89-365] 2nd. November 2020- Much confusion this morning as my fern map has an error in it. When I planted all the ferns back in the Spring I was pretty sure I would lose track of which was which as they all have complex names and I have planted so many, so I drew a little map. But today I couldn't identify this one on the map because I had it down as the Northern Maidenhair which I knew was not correct.
Luckily in the deep dark recesses of my brain I remembered the name Button Fern from when I bought it, because the small leaves are very round and button like, so when I Googled Button Fern there it was.
Pellaea rotundifolia, the button fern, is a species of fern endemic to New Zealand, where it grows in scrub and forests. It is also a popular garden plant and house plant, tolerating low temperatures but not freezing. Genus name comes from the Greek word pellaios meaning dark in reference to the dark coloured stalks. The Latin specific epithet rotundifolia means “round-leaved”
These plants are in a group also called Cliff Brakes. They predominate in cliff-like, rocky, dry locations.
The word for the day is Rotund.
Rotund- A lovely word that somehow describes itself in sound.
Round in shape; rounded: ripe, rotund fruit. plump; fat. full-toned or sonorous: rotund speeches.
I like the idea of a rotund speech, I've never heard it used in that context. Is it only rotund people that can make rotund speeches? I somehow can't imagine a stick shaped person being capable of making a rotund speech. I'm thinking of Churchill or someone of that ilk.
Ilk is an underused word. It's one of those words again that start to sound weirder and weirder the more you say them.
Secondary word of the day. Ilk- a type of person or thing similar to one already referred to. And this is a first archaic Scottish. It is worth saying that if you have ever heard of it, there is no connection with the song "On Ilkla Moor Baht 'at".
I am staggered that having heard the song so many times I always wondered what on earth it meant and didn't find out until now. It is Yorkshire dialect (which I knew) and Ilkley Moor is a place (which I also knew), quite a bleak place and the words mean "On Ilkley Moor Without a Hat" which given there is a song about it indicates it probably isn't the best idea. According to tradition, the words were composed by members of a church choir on an outing to Ilkley Moor near Ilkley, West Yorkshire.
The song tells of a lover courting the object of his affections, Mary Jane, on Ilkley Moor without a hat (baht 'at). The singer chides the lover for his lack of headwear – for in the cold winds of Ilkley Moor this will mean his death from exposure. This will in turn result in his burial, the eating of his corpse by worms, the eating of the worms by ducks and finally the eating of the ducks by the singers.
It's a cheery little number. Lyrics in Yorkshire dialect
Wheear 'ast tha bin sin' ah saw thee, ah saw thee? On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at Wheear 'ast tha bin sin' ah saw thee, ah saw thee? Wheear 'ast tha bin sin' ah saw thee? On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at On Ilkla Mooar baht 'at Tha's been a cooartin' Mary Jane Tha's bahn' to catch thy deeath o' cowd Then us'll ha' to bury thee Then t'worms'll come an' eyt thee oop Then t'ducks'll come an' eyt up t'worms Then us'll go an' eyt up t'ducks Then us'll all ha' etten thee That's wheear we get us ooan back
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