Dim syniadau am anrhegion i’r plant eleni? Mae digon o ysbrydoliaeth yng nghasgliadau’r Amgueddfa. Bydd rhai o’r eitemau yma’n cael eu harddangos yn orielau newydd Sain Ffagan Amgueddfa Werin Cymru yn hydref 2018.

Peiriant gwnïo tegan

Rhif caffael: F82.51.63

Oes rhywun yn y teulu’n dwlu ar wnïo? Margaret Eckley o Sili oedd perchennog y tegan hyfryd hwn. Byddai wedi chawrae ag ef yn y 1930au. Mae’n cael ei droi â llaw ac yn addurn arno mae llun o’r Hugan Fach Goch. Mae llyfr cyfarwyddiadau ganddo hefyd.

 

Set o filwyr bychan

Rhif caffael: 56.313.134 – 154

Beth am hen ffefryn? O Aberhonddu y daw’r set hon o filwyr tegan. Wnaethon nhw fartiso yr holl ffordd? Cawsant eu rhoi i’r Amgueddfa yn y 1950au, a bydden nhw wedi cael eu defnyddio gan blant y rhoddwr a gafodd eu geni yn y 1890au.

 

Tractor tegan Corgi

Rhif caffael: F00.27.9

Mae ceir bach Corgi yn boblogaidd o hyd. Plant o Gaerdydd fyddai wedi chwaraeâ’r tractor hwn yn y 1950au a’r 1960au.

 

Dol gwisg Gymreig

Rhif caffael: 30.316

Ganol y 19eg ganrif byddai plant wedi chwarae â’r ddol Gymreig hon. Mae’n rhaid ei bod hi wedi cael ei thrysori – roedd hi yn nheulu’r rhoddwr am 80 mlynedd. I weld mwy o ddoliau Cymreig ewch i wefan Casgliad y Werin Cymru.

 

LEGO Nadolig

Rhif caffael: 2000.194/1

Fyddai hi ddim yn Nadolig heb LEGO! Dyma sïon corn a’i sled a gynhyrchwyd yn ffatri LEGO yn Wrecsam.

Dyw’r gwrthrychau ddim i’w gweld ar hyn o bryd, ond byddan nhw ar y wefan yn fuan, ynghyd â nifer o’n casgliadau Celf, Archaeoleg, Diwydiannol, Cymdeithasol a Diwylliannol. Diolch i chwaraewyr y People’s Postcode Lottery am eu cefnogaeth i’r gwaith hwn.

Os oes gwrthrych penodol yr hoffech chi ei weld yn unrhyw un o’n hamgueddfeydd, gwnewch yn siŵr ei fod yn cael ei ddangos cyn teithio, neu gallwch chi drefnu apwyntiad i’w weld.

Mae llai nag wythnos tan ddiwrnod Nadolig ac i'r rhan fwyaf ohonom mae'r gwaith paratoi ac addurno yn dod i ben. Mae ein cartrefi yn edrych yn fendigedig, a'r goeden Nadolig yn disgleirio gyda goleuadau. Mae'r cardiau Nadolig wedi eu postio, y negeseuon cyfryngau cymdeithasol wedi eu danfon, a'r anrhegion wedi eu lapio. Mae'r twrci wedi'i archebu a'r pwdin Nadolig wedi ei brynnu (neu ei goginio!). Erys y traddodiadau yma yn rhan bwysig o'r Nadolig yn 2017 ond paham ac o ble y ddaeth y traddodiadau hyn?

Addurniadau

Rydym wedi addurno ein cartrefi ar yr adeg hon o'r flwyddyn ers amser y Paganiaid. Defnyddiwyd bytholwyrdd gan y Paganiaid i gydnabod byrddydd y gaeaf ac i'w hatgoffa bod y Gwanwyn ar ei ffordd. Y Pab Julius 1 benderfynodd taw y 25ain o Rhafgyr fyddai dyddiad dathlu geni Crist, a gan bod y dyddiad hwn yn cwympo yng nghanol dathliadau'r Paganiaid, amsugnwyd rhai o draddodiadau y Paganiaid i mewn i galendr y Cristnogion, gan gynnwys addurno gyda bytholwyrdd, yn enwedig gyda chelyn.

I Gristnogion roedd planhigion bytholwyrdd yn arwyddocâd o fywyd tragwyddol Duw; y celyn yn symbol o goron ddraen yr Iesu ar y Groes, a'r aeron ei yn cynrychioli ei waed. Yn ogystal â hyn, roedd i blanhigion bytholwyrdd eraill arwyddocâd yn ystod y cyfnod. Mae iorwg, er enghraifft, yn blanhigyn sydd yn glynnu, ac felly roedd yn symbol o ddyn yn dal ei afael yn dynn ar Dduw. Ystyrid bod gan rhosmari gysylltiad â'r Forwyn Fair tra bod gan llawryf, neu glust yr Asen, gysylltiad â llwyddiant, yn enwedig llwyddiant Duw yn goroesi yn erbyn y Diafol. Credid bod celyn a iorwg yn blanhigion benywaidd a gwrywaidd. Celyn a'i bigau miniog yn cynrychioli'r dyn tra bod yr Iorwg yn cynrychioli'r fenyw.  Pa bynnag un o'r rhain a fyddai'n croesi'r trothwy gyntaf fyddai'n dynodi pen y cartref am y flwyddyn i ddod. Anlwc oedd addurno gyda'r bytholwyrdd cyn Noswyl Nadolig ac anlwc hefyd oedd ei dynnu o'r cartref cyn y ddeuddegfed nos.

Yng nghefn gwlad Cymru addurnwyd cartrefi gyda phlanhigion bytholwyrdd yn oriau man y bore cyn mynd i'r gwasanaeth Plygain yn yr eglwys blwyfol. Gwasanaeth garolau oedd gwasanaeth y Plygain a oedd yn cael ei gynnal fel arfer rhwng 3 o'r gloch a 6 o'r gloch y bore. Unigolion a grwpiau fyddai'n canu'r carolau. Arferid goleuo'r ffordd i'r egwlys gyda chanhwyllau'r Plygain ac fe'i gosodwyd hefyd yn yr egwlys i'w addurno a'i oleuo. Defnyddiwyd canhwyllau fel addurn gan y Paganiaid i'w hatgoffa am olau'r haul ac fe'u defnyddiwyd gan Gristnogion fel atgoffeb am bresenoldeb Duw. Cyn ddyfodiad trydan goleuwyd coed Nadolig gyda chanwyllau.

Cliciwch yma i glywed Parti Fronheulog ac eraill yn canu’r garol “Addewid rasusol Ein Duw”. Recordiwyd gan Amgueddfa Werin Cymru yn ficerdy Llanrhaeadr-ym mochnant wedi’r Swper Plygain yno ym mis Ionawr 1966.

https://www.casgliadywerin.cymru/items/738256

Coed Nadolig ac Addurniadau Eraill

Mae tystiolaeth ar gael i awgrymu bod coed Nadolig wedi cael eu defnyddio fel addurn Nadolig ym Mhrydain mor bell yn ôl â'r 1790au, a bod y siap triongl i Gristnogion yn arwydd o'r cysylltiad rhwng y mab, y tad a'r ysbryd glân. Ddaeth y traddodiad yn fwy poblogaidd yn oes Fictoria oherwydd i'r Frenhines Fictoria a'r Tywysog Albert ddefnyddio coeden Nadolig i addurno Castell Windsor yn 1841 ac eto yn 1848. Ymddangosodd llun o'r teulu gyda'r goeden wedi ei haddurno yn The London Illustrated News.

Yn yr 1920au dechreuodd addurniadau artiffisial gymryd lle'r planhigion bytholwyrdd, yn enwedig mewn trefi a dinasoedd. Roedd addurniadau artiffisial erbyn hyn yn rhatach i'w prynnu, ac wedi cael eu gwerthu mewn siopau fel Woolworths ers yr 1880au, yn ogystal â losin, cacennau a rhubannau. Yn y 1920au a'r 1930au gwelwyd dechrau ar yr arfer o lapio anrhegion. Gwelwyd y goleuadau trydanol cyntaf ar goeden Nadolig yn Efrog Newydd yn 1882, dim on tair mlynedd ar ol ddyfeisio'r bwlb golau.

Adeg yr ail Rhyfel Byd daeth cadwynni papur yn boblogaidd fel addurniadau Nadolig gan ei bod yn hawdd i'w creu yn y cartref, ac yn y 1950au gwelwyd coed Nadolig artiffisial yn cael eu gwerthu.

Pob adeg Nadolig yn Amgueddfa Werin Cymru mae'r staff yn addurno'r adeiladau gydag addurniadau sy'n addas ar gyfer y cyfnod a'r ardal.

Cardiau Nadolig

Yn 1840 dyfeisiwyd y "Penny Post" gan Rowland Hill ac yn sgil hynny cynhyrchwyd 1000 o gardiau Nadolig gan Sir Henry Cole yn ei siop gelf yn Llundain er mwyn eu gwerthu am swllt yr un. Erbyn 1870, gan bod y system trenau erbyn hyn yn fwy cyflym, roedd pobl yn gallu danfon eu cardiau Nadolig am hanner ceiniog. Yng nghasgliad Amgueddfa Victoria ac Albert yn Llundain, mae carden Nadolig a ddanfonwyd o Gwrt-yr-Ala yng Nghaerdydd yn 1844.

Bwydydd Nadolig

Erbyn heddiw cysylltir y Nadolig â bwyta bwyd moethus fel pwdin Nadolig. Yn draddodiadol gwnaethpwyd y pwdin Nadolig 5 wythnos cyn y Nadolig ac yn Nghymru arferid rhoi tro i bob aelod o'r teulu, yn cynnwys y plant a'r gweision, i droi y gymysgedd, gyda phen y teulu yn cael y fraint o droi y gymysgedd yn gyntaf. Yn y gymysgedd rhoddwyd eitemau a oedd yn rhagweld y dyfodol. Os daethpwyd o hyd i fodrwy priodas, byddai hyn yn darogan priodi yn y dyfodol.  Os byddai dyn ifanc yn dod o hyd i fotwm yn y gymysgedd, byddai hyn yn darogan dyfodol unig fel hen lanc. Os byddai merch ifanc yn dod o hyd i winiadur byddai hyn yn darogan dyfodol heb briodas a bywyd unig fel hen ferch. Os dod o hyd i chwe ceiniog, byddai lwc dda yn dod i'ch rhan.

Bwyd traddodiadol arall a welid adeg y Nadolig yng Nghymru oedd cyflaith. Math o losin oedd hwn wedi ei wneud o fenyn, triog a siwgr wedi eu ferwi. Y gamp oedd tynnu a rolio'r gymysgedd tra ei fod yn oeri ac yna ei dorri wrth iddo galedu yn ddarnau bach. Roedd y rysait yn gallu amrywio o ardal i ardal. Cliciwch yma i weld ffilm o gyflaith yn cael ei baratoi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26bDQqRQICY

Nadolig Llawen i chi gyd!

 

Monday, 11^th December, the National Museum Cardiff in Cathays hosted the first pilot activity of ‘Kick the Dust’, a Heritage Lottery funded youth and community engagement programme aiming to to work with 14-24 year olds and use the National Museums of Wales as tool boxes to provide fun, engagement, career and life-skills development opportunities. The first people to utilise the museums’ space was a group of twelve students in their second year of the BA Theatre and Performance course at Aberystwyth University. This was an opportunity for them the try out and experiment with performance techniques and styles studied in a module over the last ten weeks.

After a three-hour journey through snowy Wales, the students arrived and were taken on a tour; they were invited to examine and be inspired by the textures, architecture, sculptures and paintings within the building and the students developed physical responses to their chosen areas of interest. Initially, the museum felt like a loaded space to the students, they were unsure of the rules of engagement to begin with. However, through the course of the day, the students stretched out and embraced the museum; the performers worked the dormant surroundings and brought the halls of memory to life.  

Performances were filmed and photographed in four locations within the museum; an empty exhibit space, the theatre, the gallery space containing the painting ‘Choir of the Capuchin Church’ 1817 by François Marius Granet, and a taxidermy section of the natural history exhibition. These diverse spaces yielded equally diverse results. The first space, the empty exhibition, they found to be eerie and neutral so they used it to workshop and play with the concepts of a previous performance. The students engaged with this area for at least fifteen minutes of focussed and intense work which was fascinating to witness. The next space was the theatre and here the students felt at home and they really began to thrive. In the ten minutes of their performance here, they engaged with the architecture and sharp lines of the auditorium as well as the performer-audience relationship; this piece blurred the lines between the expected, smashing the fourth wall and replacing it with an osmotic veil which helped me, as an observer, reinterpret the space and the emotional journeys taken within it.

The next, more traditional museum-gallery location was enchanting to witness. The group were inspired by the depth and angles within the painting and decided to use a doorway between two gallery spaces as the ‘frame’ to their interpretive performance; they explored the role of the spectator observing the artwork, the shapes and emotion within the pieces themselves, and the angles and imposition of the cases and stands. It became an active, rhythmic representation of the feeling and themes present in the room within the framed-depth concept. I found myself observing their fluid development of the space as I would a static piece of art, finding new areas of detail and interpretation the longer you look. The last performance in the taxidermy exhibition was an intense one. They explored the processes involved in preparing taxidermy through physical gesture re-enactment and, in the confined space overlooked by wolves, skeletons and a bison, it became quite claustrophobic and uncomfortable; they captured the unnaturalness of the grotesque process.  

At 5pm, the students finally got on the coach back to Aberystwyth, still excited and proud of the amazing work they’d done at the museum. They had indeed managed to ‘Kick the Dust’.

This blog post was written by Christina Dixon, a BA history student volunteering and getting work experience at Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales.

 

Helo Cyfeillion y Gwanwyn,

Heddiw yw’r diwrnod olaf i gasglu darlleniad tywydd cyn Nadolig! Byddwch yn cymryd darlleniad tywydd nesaf yr wythnos o’r 8-12 Ionawr. Wrth gofnodi eich darlleniadau i’r wefan, plîs nodwch ‘dim cofnod’ ar gyfer y dyddiau rydych i fwrdd o’r ysgol.

Does dim rhaid cymryd eich potiau adra dros y gwyliau. Os yw’r potiau mewn lle saf lle byddant ddim yn cael ei effeithio gan y gwynt, bydda nhw’n iawn. Mae'r pridd yn cadw’r bylbiau yn ddwfn yn erbyn y tywydd oer.

Mae’r tywydd wedi bod yn eithaf cynnes am y gaeaf, a bydd o’n ddiddorol i weld yr effaith mae hyn yn cael ar ein bylbiau! Gwelodd Tachwedd 2017 tymereddau ucha a llai o law na flwyddyn ddiwethaf. Ac er ein bod wedi cael ychydig llai o oriau haul na'r llynedd, oedd Tachwedd 2017 dal yr ail mwyaf heulog ers i gofnodion DU cychwyn yn 2012! Os mae’r patrwm yma yn parhau, efallai fyddwn yn weld ein blodau yn gynharach flwyddyn yma!

Mwynhewch eich gwyliau Cyfeillion y Gwanwyn.

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda,

Athro’r Ardd a Bwlb Bychan

 

Sylwadau:

Diolch ichi am eich holl sylwadau, cawsom grynodebau tywydd manwl iawn am yr wythnosau diwethaf, ac rydw i'n hynod o falch! Rydym hefyd wedi cael gwybod gan ychydig o ysgolion bod eu planhigion wedi dechrau blaguro! Byddwn yn ddiolchgar pe gallai'r ysgolion hyn rannu lluniau gyda mi cyn ac ar ôl y gwyliau Nadolig, fel y gallwn ni i gyd weld faint maent yn tyfu yn yr amser hwn!

Diolch am eich holl waith caled Cyfeillion y Gwanwyn. Edrychaf ymlaen at barhau eto yn y Flwyddyn Newydd!

Athro'r Ardd

 

Planhigion wedi dechrau blaguro:

Ysgol Beulah: Mae pedwar blaguryn wedi dechrau tyfu.

Ysgol San Sior: Our crocus plants have already started to grow! We are very excited – A.

Ysgol San Sior: A lot of our plants have started to grow but I am still waiting for mine. I'm checking every morning. – C.

Adamsdown Primary: My plant has started to grow.

St Julians Primary School: Lots of our daffodils have started to peek through the compost now.

Hemlington Hall Academy: Some of our crocuses have begun to grow. We can see them peeking through the top of the soil about 1-2cm. We didn't expect to see this until the spring.

 

Sylwadau am y prosiect:

Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant (Llanelli): Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda oddi wrth Blwyddyn 4 Ysgol Gymraeg Dewi Sant, Llanelli.

St Andrew's RC Primary School: It was really enjoyable to go outside to measure the status of the plants and to plant them.

YGG Tonyrefail: Having fun

Our Lady of Peace Primary School: First day of doing this in December can't wait for Christmas see you then.

Ysgol San Sior: We have asked a school in Barcelona to join us in this project. They have planted some bulbs that we bought and sent them. Their plants haven't grown like most of ours. Carys and Amelia are still checking every day for some growth. Professor Plant: That’s fantastic Bulb Buddies! Please keep me updated on how your projects go and what you learn.

Falkland Primary School: Plants are epic

Falkland Primary School: Cool stuff.

 

Sylwadau am dywydd eithafol:

Ysbyty Ifan: Dim ysgol dydd llun oherwydd eira dydd mawrth roedd 110 mm o eira yn y mesurydd glaw diolch am y cerdyn

Garstang St. Thomas' CE Primary School: We had local flooding this week!

Auchenlodment Primary School: Storm Caroline brought high winds this week to Johnstone.

Beaufort Hill Primary School: School closed on Friday due to snow

St Teresa's Primary School: The school was closed on Monday due to snow/ ice.

Ysgol Bro Pedr: 2 days off this week due to the snow

Henllys CIW Primary: the school was closed on monday and tuesday and on wednesday it was 43 mm

Shirenewton Primary School: Snow day Monday

 

Crynodebau tywydd:

Ferryside V.C.P School: Roedd wythnos hyn yn oer a cael lot o glaw.

Ysgol Casmael: Cesair ac eira wythnos yma.

Ysgol Carreg Emlyn: Roedd yr ysgol ar gau dydd gwener oherwydd yr eira felly nid oedd yn bosib cofnodi'r tywydd.

Ysgol Y Traeth: Wedi bwrw cenllysg ac eira ychydig heddiw (Dydd Gwener 8/12/17)

Ysbyty Ifan: mae hi wedi bod yn bwrw eira heddiw

Darran Park Primary: It’s the same as last week the lower the temperature the less rain and the higher the temperature the more rain.

Auchenlodment Primary School: It was a cold and dry week. We were off on Thursday as it was St Andrew's Day (Scotland's patron saint).

Carnbroe Primary School: Hi Professor Plant, we have had mixed weather this week. It was really wet on Monday, on Wednesday it was icy and today it was mild. Our plants are doing fine.

Carnforth North Road Primary School: We had some very cold weather.

Ysgol Iau Hen Golwyn: not much rain.

Stanford in the Vale Primary School: It's been a cold and frosty week!

St Paul's CE Primary School: Lots of heavy snow this week and very low temperatures. Snow lying thick on the ground Thursday and Friday. Frosty every morning.

Inverkip Primary School: It was frosty throughout the week. This will not help. There was barely any rain.

Waddingham Primary School: Overnight on Thursday, it snowed. By the time we did our readings on Friday, the snow had melted and the water level was 2mm.

Canonbie Primary School: We have had a slight flurry of snowflakes. We have not had much rain. It is quite cold.

Ysgol Bro Pedr: Beautiful and chilly end to a week that started miserably.

Stanford in the Vale Primary School: Hi been a cold and windy week, very cold and wet. Not excited for the winter coldness ahead. BYE BYE.

Beaufort Hill Primary School: Very cold week!

Garstang St. Thomas' CE Primary School: Brrrrrr!

Peterston super Ely Primary School: It was very cold this week for our bulbs!

St Robert's R.C Primary School: We didn't get much snow!

Inverkip Primary School: On Wednesday, we had lots of rain. This would help the plants grow. But because the temperatures were low, they might not grow.

Arkholme CE Primary School: This week was fairly cold and wet. In the mornings it was very frosty. We could not get to bulbs because of the plumbers. The temperatures were all above minus because we checked them in the afternoon and by then it was warmer.

St Robert's R.C Primary School: It got cold this week and we had a little bit of snow in Bridgend, but not much!

St Paul's CE Primary School: Heavy rain Thursday Friday. Cold all week. Frosty mornings

Pembroke Primary School: Would you like more detailed information as provided previously? I can include daily high, low and weekend information. Professor Plant: Hi Bulb Buddies, if you have time to enter the detailed information that would be lovely! And if you are doing any activities in the classroom using this data I’d love to hear about it!

Bardney Church of England & Methodist Primary: Cold!

Henllys CIW Primary: actual rain fall on Thursday was 25ml and friday raingage had fallen over with the snow

Portpatrick Primary School: Snow on Friday!

Canonbie Primary School: It has been a cold wind and we might be getting some snow. We have had a busy with our Christmas play.

Carnbroe Primary School: Hi Professor Plant the weather has been very cold this week. It started quite mild and damp and then on Thursday it dropped to 4°C. On friday it dropped again down to 2°C and it is very cold and icy but our plants are still thriving.

Darran Park Primary: Its kind of done the opposite to last week. The temperature has been higher and on Thursday we had more rain. Today we had some snow and the temperature has dropped.

Ysgol Iau Hen Golwyn: There was not that much rain this week and the temperature was high on the first 4 days and then on the last day it was 4 which is low.

Ysgol Bro Pedr: Rather chilly in the west of Wales!!!

Stanford in the Vale Primary School: We've had snow flurries this morning - it's been a cold week.

Llanishen Fach Primary School: It has been really cold this week. We have checked our bulbs but they haven't grown yet.

Carnforth North Road Primary School: Its been very cold this week.

Carnbroe Primary School: Hi Professor Plant we hope that you have been wrapped up this week. It has been very cold and icy in Carnbroe this week. It rained on Wednesday and today and because it has been so cold its iced over. Our plants are still sleeping. Professor Plant: I have been wrapped up, thank you Bulb Buddies. And thank you for sharing your lovely photos.

Edenham Church of England Primary School: Monday - snowfall not rainfall!!! Professor Plant: Exciting Bulb Buddies, I hope you enjoyed bringing the snow in to melt before taking your readings! Keep up the good work.

YGG Tonyrefail: On Monday Tuesday and Wednesday it was snowing so no record

Ysgol Iau Hen Golwyn: The temperature and rainfall have both been very low as there was not much rain and not very hot.

Shwmae,

I am a Biology Undergraduate at Cardiff University and today I am just over two months into my professional training year placement within the Botany section, Department of Natural Sciences at the National Museum Wales. Plant life of all sorts has always delighted me, and when an opportunity to work in Wales’s largest herbaria arises, you grab it by both hands! So far, my experience has been nothing short of extraordinary. Working with and learning from a team of respected and experienced botanists has been the highlight of my stay so far, rivalled only by the history and scientific value that this department holds behind its doors.

 

The project I am working on involves studying the highly invasive annual plant Impatiens glandulifera,-Royle, or Himalayan Balsam as it is commonly known. Himalayan balsam, like so many other invasive plants found in Britain today was introduced by the Victorians as a botanical curiosity. First contained in botanical gardens, its high growth rate and reproductive output mean that now, it is found in almost every area of Britain. Himalayan balsam can reach heights of 3 metres and produce up to 2500 seeds per plant, often forming dense populations along river banks throughout the UK. Buoyant seed pods mean that seeds are easily transported in river systems, and seeds don’t have to germinate the following year after set, they have a two-year dormancy period whilst they wait for the right growth conditions. The life traits of Himalayan balsam mean that it has become incredibly invasive in the UK, with it being listed as a Schedule 9 plant in the Wildlife and Countryside Act; i.e. it is illegal to plant or otherwise cause it to grow in the wild.

 

My project involves studying specimens to see if any morphological traits have changed since its introduction into the UK in 1839, and looking at variation between populations of Himalayan balsam in the South Wales area. So far, much of my time has been spent conducting field work! I have been out collecting specimens of Himalayan balsam using a plant press. Specimens are randomly chosen from their habitat, mounted between a folded bit of thin paper called a ‘flimsy’, making sure that all leaves and flowers are flat and arranged in a way that their features can still be studied. Acid free card is placed between specimens and they are mounted into a plant press, straps are then wrapped around the plant press and pulled as tight as possible before it is placed in a specialist drying oven. After the specimens have been in the drying oven for between 5-7 days, they are then placed in a freezer for 4 days to kill any insects, bacteria or fungal spores that may have contaminated specimens.

 

After the drying and freezing process is over, specimens are ready to be examined and studied! So far, I have spent most of my time in the field collecting information such as number of seeds, flowers, height, colour of flowers, type of habitat, light levels, whether population is managed or not, etc. I plan to use this information to compare differences between sites where I. glandulifera is found in the South Wales area, and whether there are discrete differences between these populations. This will involve molecular work in the lab; potentially looking at differences in the number of ‘microsatellites’ between populations. ‘Microsatellites’ are repetitive DNA sequences and by directly comparing the number of repeats of microsatellites we can learn more about the diversity within and between local populations.

 

I am collecting a large data-set for I. glandulifera in the South Wales area, looking at different morphological characteristics of the plants, as well as collecting measurements from the habitat it was collected from. Measurements include light levels, tree cover, habitat type, whether the population was managed etc, with the ultimate goal of allowing me to see if these different habitat variables impacts how I. glandulifera grows. After I have collected specimens from different habitat types, their morphological characteristics can be analysed. This will involve imaging software to look at traits like leaf area, leaf width, leaf length, flower length, leaf shape, and microscopy work looking at stomatal density, size of ‘guard cells’ that make up a plant’s stomata and pollen structure (picture). Once I have collected measurements from I. glandulifera collected in 2017, I can then look at specimens of I. glandulifera in the herbarium collected in the 1900s to see if there has been a change in any of these morphological traits in the past 100 years. If there has been a change, what is happening, are the leaves larger or smaller? Are plants taller or shorter? Do they produce less or more flowers? These are the questions I am hoping to answer with my research, and in doing so produce some answers on how we can begin to tackle this unwelcome invader.

 

It has been a very exciting and enjoyable few months in the herbarium I have had opportunities that most people would only dream of, and each day I spend here I learn something new from the experienced curators I have surrounding me. The herbarium is something to be treasured, plant records frozen in time that contain a wealth of information just waiting to be discovered. And this resource is here for you to explore and enjoy too, just contact one of the herbarium team to make an appointment (https://museum.wales/curatorial/botany/staff/). Everything here fills me with sheer joy, and it is an absolute pleasure to wake up each day knowing that I am spending my time in such a wonderous place. I don’t look forward to leaving this gorgeous establishment, but I look forward to seeing what wonders this herbarium has in store for me, and what answers it can provide me on my path to stop invasive species here in Wales.