Growing in the moist shade of the hops is this pretty little invader with the goofy name. The flowers are orange, as you can see, and they open in the day and close at night. Anagallis arvensis is also known as “Poor Man’s Weather-glass.” It is a member of the primrose family (Primulaceae).

It seems there is a new name for little Scarlet, no longer genus Anagallis but now genus Lysimachia. And some consider this plant to be part of the myrsine or marlberry family (Myrsinaceae). Others classify those as a sub-family of the primrose, Myrsinoideae.

We’ll let the professionals sort that stuff out! Botanists are of two sorts: lumpers and splitters. You see the same thing in ornithology. One day a bird is a species, another day it’s a mere variety. Or vice versa. One day it’s in this group, another day it’s in that group. It’s okay, that’s how it goes with science. When you learn new stuff you get new ideas. Taxonomy is a way of sorting it all out and in the process you gain a better understanding. The arguments are weird to outsiders but it’s not about the name of the thing but it’s relationship to the larger picture. That’s what the taxonomist is pursuing.

I like the groovy orange flowers.