Tufted Vetch in the fenceline

Tufted Vetch (Vicia cracca) was a common plant in the fields and hedgerows of our previous smallholding in Wales. It is an important plant as, being a member of the pea family, it fixes nitrogen into the ground which helps the fertility of the soil.

The first photo, shown above, is of some flower heads and leaves of a plant that was growing along a wire fence. The fence was quite overgrown with different grasses and wild flowers and herbs. This plant was hanging away from most of the growth. You can see the pea-like tendrils that it uses to support itself.

The second photograph shown below shows one of the seed pods. If it wasn't for the size (it is quite small), you could easily believe it was a pea pod.



The third image shows an old flower head. The top has the remains of the old flowers as they die away. Lower down is the new seed pods that are just forming. In fact you can see the outline of the young seeds as they are developing in some of the pods. The remains of the flower are still clinging to the end of the pod.



Like many of the close-up photos that I tike, I find great interest in the detail. It is not all pretty, some of it is quote messy looking, but that is nature in the wild!

More of these images can be seen in the Environment Gallery.

Technical details:
Camera: Canon EOS350D
Lens: An older Canon 100mm Macro
Exposure: Typically 1/250 @ f8
Settings: ISO200, AWB