Bird's-foot Trefoil and Red Clover

Bird's-foot trefoil with red clover just two more of the wayside flowers by the road to Newburgh North Fife. Incidentally Red clover has a wide use in natural medicines. To look deeper.

Bird's-foot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus, common name, Eggs and Bacon.

Scentless Mayweed North Fife

Scentless Mayweed (Matricaria perforata) of the daisy family grows widespread on cultivated land and margins.

A stand of Mayweed in a field of nearly ripe barley, Brunton North Fife.

Hedge Parsley

Hedge Parsley today at Flisk North Fife, Full moon, maybe that's why these beetles were in imperative mating mode as they feasted on the nectar.

More beetles on parsley, maybe it's an aphrodisiac.

Scottish Thistle

Thistle flower, Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare) with quite formidable protection. The thistle has been the national emblem of Scotland since the reign of Alexander III (1249–1286) and was used on silver coins issued by James III in 1470. It is the symbol of the Order of the Thistle, a high chivalric order of Scotland. It is found in many Scottish symbols and as the name of several Scottish football clubs. The thistle, crowned with the Scottish crown, is the symbol of seven of the eight Scottish Police Forces (the exception being the Northern Constabulary). The thistle is also the emblem of Encyclopædia Britannica, which originated in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Yarrow

Yarrow
Achillea Millefolium

Yarrows can be planted to combat soil erosion due to the plant's resistance to drought.
The herb is purported to be a diaphoretic, astringent, tonic, stimulant and mild aromatic. It contains isovaleric acid, salicylic acid, asparagin, sterols, flavonoids, bitters, tannins, and coumarins. The plant also has a long history as a powerful 'healing herb' used topically for wounds, cuts and abrasions. The genus name Achillea is derived from mythical Greek character, Achilles, who reportedly carried it with his army to treat battle wounds. This medicinal action is also reflected in some of the common names mentioned below, such as Staunchweed and Soldier's Woundwort.

The stalks of yarrow are dried and used as a randomising agent in I Ching divination.

In the Middle Ages, yarrow was part of a herbal mixture known as gruit used in the flavouring of beer prior to the use of hops.

Old folk names for yarrow include arrowroot, bad man's plaything, carpenter's weed, death flower, devil's nettle, eerie, field hops, gearwe, hundred leaved grass, knight's milefoil, knyghten, milefolium, milfoil, millefoil, noble yarrow, nosebleed, old man's mustard, old man's pepper, sanguinary, seven year's love, snake's grass, soldier, soldier's woundwort, stanch weed, thousand seal, woundwort, yarroway, yerw.

The English name yarrow comes from the Saxon (Old English) word gearwe, which is related to both the Dutch word gerw and the Old High German word garawa.

Yarrow has also been used as a food, and was very popular as a vegetable in the seventeenth century. The younger leaves are said to be a pleasant leaf vegetable when cooked as spinach, or in a soup. Yarrow is sweet with a slight bitter taste. The leaves can also be dried and used as a herb in cooking.

White Yarrow.Achillea Millefolium.

Woodland flowers in North Fife

The forest pathways are punctuated with wonderful displays of wild flowers, grasses, and foliage along the way. To me these flowers are forget-me-nots, I am happy to be corrected in name but it's unlikely I will forget them.