Window on Wildlife (4): The Red Bog of Tregaron

Cors Caron aka as the Red Bog of Tregaron is a most evocative place and a highly fragile environment. Sadly the light was a bit hazy when we were there on Saturday afternoon: the sun finally came out just as we reached the car! We saw about six red kites in the area (including a couple over Strata Florida) and heard the Willow Warblers in the willows.

I was most excited, on this occasion, to see my first Bog Rosemary or Andromeda Polifolia (Rhosmari'r gors, in Welsh). It is a tiny wetland plant with pink bell-shaped flowers and evergreen leaves.

I wonder why this little plant (along with others in the genus Pieris, which is also a member of Ericaceae) has been given the name Andromeda. Andromeda means 'leader of men'. In Greek mythology, Andromeda was the daughter of Cassiopeia. She was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster until Perseus came to her rescue. Andromeda is also a northern constellation. The tragedy, Andromeda, by Euripides was first produced in 412 BC. The text is lost apart from a few fragments.