Fritilean Ceann-nathrach / Snake’s head fritillary

Bha e riamh na iongnadh dhomh mar a chruthaicheas nàdar lus ball-breacte mar chlàr-tàileisg – chan eil mi eòlach air fear sam bith ach an fhritilean cheann-nathrach. Chunnaic mi a’ chiad uair e ann an dath-uisge le Charles Rennie Mackinosh https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/264445809339397836/ , agus is esan aon de na lusan as roghnaiche leam o sin a-mach. Cheannaich mi poit bheag dhiubh trì bliadhna air ais agus chuir mi ann an tuba sa ghàrradh iad. Bho ach còig no sìa cinn, dh’fhàs iad (gun chùram sònraichte) gu 17 san eadar-àm, cuid dhiubh air an sìolachadh ann am badan eile.

Rinn mi beagan rannsachaidh. Leis gun robh mi a’ creidsinn gur e lus ainneamh deòranta a bh’ ann, chuir e iongnadh orm faighinn a-mach gur e diùlnach faichean-feòir Bhreatainn a bh’ ann. Bhiodh e ri fhaicinn fad is farsaing gu sònraichte ann an Sasainn a deas, m.e. ri taobh an Thames, agus rachadh a reic le clann ann an sràidean Lunnainn.

Sgaoilidh an lus tro a shìol, mura bi an fhaiche air a buain aig àm blàthachaidh, agus tro a mheacanan. ‘S fheàrr leis talamh tais. Le trìall nan dòighean-tuathanasachd traidiseanta agus treabhadh nan seann fhaichean, rud a mhilleas na meacanan, tha e air fàs fada nas ainneimhe. Gu fortanach tha làraichean ann a-nis ann an Sasainn a deas, fo dhìon Urras an Fhiadh-bheatha, ann an tearmannan nàdair ionadail, m.e Clattinger Farm agus North Meadow Cricklade, agus bha caraid agam an sin a chuir dealbhan thugam.

Bha mi a’ smaoineachadh cuideachd nach biodh lus mar sin freagarrach dhan aimsir againne cho fada gu tuath, taobh a-muigh a’ ghàrraidh co-dhiù, ach bha mi fada ceàrr a-rithist. Tha e na fhlùr oifigeil de mhòr-roinn Uppland, anns an t-Suain, agus fàsaidh e gu soirbheachail taobh a-muigh Uppsala air Faiche an Rìgh, far an d’fhuair e ainm Suaineach, kungsängslilja. https://linnaeusuppsala.com/the-snakes-head/  Mar sin tha mi beò an dòchas gun urrainn dhaibh a bhith air an stèidheachadh, latha air choireigin, ann an Ros an Ear torrach againn cuideachd.  Nach eil ùidh sam bith aig tuathanaich no buidhnean coimhearsnachd ann am faiche-fheòir thraidiseanta?

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It has always fascinated me how nature can produce a checked plant – the snake’s head fritillary is the only one I have come across.  I first saw it in a reproduction of a Charles Rennie Mackintosh water-colour https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/264445809339397836/, and it has been a favourite ever since. 3 years ago I bought a small pot of it and planted it in a tub in my garden. From 5 or 6 heads, it has now (without special care) grown to 17, several seeded into other tubs.

I did a wee bit of research into it.  Having always thought of it as a rare, exotic plant, I was surprised to find it was for centuries a stalwart of British hay-meadows. It was particularly widespread in southern England, for example by the Thames, and would be sold by children in the streets of London.

The plants spreads via its seeds, if the meadow is left unmown in the flowering period, and its bulbs. It prefers damp ground. With the demise of traditional farming methods and the ploughing up of the old meadows, which destroys the bulbs, it has become much rarer. Fortunately some sites in southern England are now protected by the Wildlife Trust in local nature reserves, e.g. Clattinger Farm, and North Meadow Cricklade, and a friend of mine who has been there has sent me photos.

I had also thought it would not be suited to our northern climate, outside a garden anyway, but I was far wrong again. I learnt that it is actually the national flower of the province Uppland in Sweden, and grows successfully on the King’s Meadow outside Uppsala, hence its Swedish name kungsängslilja :  https://linnaeusuppsala.com/the-snakes-head/  So I live in hope that it can maybe one day also be established in our fertile Easter Ross – any farmers or community groups interested in a traditional hay meadow?

Dealbhan fhaichean (1,3) le ©JDatchens, le tàing, an fheadhainn eile leam fhìn / meadow photos (1,3) by  ©JDatchens, with thanks, otherwise my own