The SLBI Gazette The SLBI was founded in 1910 by A O Hume

Series 3 no. 1 March 2020

www.slbi.org.uk @SLBotanicalInst South London Botanical Institute Slbi_323 Flora of India: SLBI in Northern India

Retracing the steps of The elevation of Shimla is nearly Allan Octavian Hume twice that of Ben Nevis but we quickly grew accustomed to these

extremes of height and heat. As A group of seven of us flew to Del- the imperial summer retreat, the hi at the end of June 2019 for a climate, even in June, was pleasant two-week tour of northern India. and familiar. It was clear that our After a couple of days acclimatis- trip was going to include a lot be- ing (at 46º it was hot!) and visiting sides botanical exploration and, Gulmargh with K2 some historical sites in the city, under the leadership of Nicky including the Lodi Gardens, the Nicoll and the local guide, we tomb of Humayun and the Sunder walked all over the town, from the IN THIS ISSUE: Nursery, we took the early morn- former vice-regal lodge at one end, ing train to Kalka. Here we em- to Rothney Castle, the home in In-  Flora of India: SLBI in north- barked on the famous Toy Train to dia of Allan Octavian Hume, at the ern India Shimla. We quickly left the plains, other. One of the objects of our whose monotonous landscape we visit to Shimla was a sort of pil-  Retracing the steps of Allan had been travelling across all grimage to the house because its Octavian Hume morning, with its flooded paddy- current condition was in doubt, fields still anxiously awaiting the and even its continued existence.  A visit to Rothney Castle, A O monsoon rains, and having seen Hume’s home in Shimla the mountains from far off, we We stayed at Shimla for three were soon amongst them. nights and made an expedition  Obituary: Professor Sri Ram into the country to the home and Mehrotra and Professor Ed- estate of a former royal family. We examined flora on a mountain ward Calvin Moulton path and enjoyed an excellent  Forensic botany lunch in the lodge.  The following day we descended Collinson and Linnaeus to the Punjab Plain and were driv-  SLBI in south Wales en almost 200 miles to Amritsar. Here we visited the Golden Tem-  Visit to Margam; October ple and the Jallianwala Bagh, the 2019 gardens which mark the site of the  Impressions of Margam massacre of Sikh civilians in 1919. We flew on to Srinagar in Kash-  Fungi report mir—and must have been among  People news the last tourists to visit—where we were accommodated on  Book review beached houseboats on the shore Himalayan Juniper  Membership survey results (Continued on page 2) (Juniperus recurva)

South London Botanical Institute, 323 Norwood Road, London SE24 9AQ; Tel: 020 8674 5787; Email: [email protected] of Lake Nageen, peaceful after the bustle of Amritsar. Transport was by shikara, a sort of canoe, and we were paddled into the early morn- ing market, held on the water, past the floating vegetable plantations, of peppers, gourds and kohl rabi, among other things, staked in with wooden piles and fertilised with lake-weed. A tour of some of the architectural and horticultural jewels of the city of Srinagar, such as the Jama Mas- jid and the gardens of the Shalimar, Nishat Bagh and the Pari Mahal, overlooking Lake Dal and the city, was followed by a visit to the Floating Garden Dachigam national park, where we flower meadows in spring. We ex- At 8,500 feet, this was the highest had a charming and knowledgeable plored the landscape of mighty point we reached and we were re- guide, with whom it was possible, trees, great mountains, rushing warded on our last day in the Him- indeed necessary, to identify plants rivers of very cold melt-water, as alayas, when the cloud cover to the using Latin. well as seeing the remains of northeast cleared, with seeing, 180 Our last destination was Gulmarg, strawberry fields and the rich lav- miles away, Chhogori, or K2. another former British resort, ender and lupin plantations. known for its ski-ing in winter and Colin Maitland

A visit to Rothney Castle, A narrow ridge running uphill from exceptionally good condition. Fur- O Hume’s home in Shimla west to east, bounded mostly by ther rooms include dining and sit- stone walls. We entered through ting rooms. Furniture was a mix of Shimla is the administrative capital the gates at the eastern end of the old (such as a conversation seat, of the north Indian province of Hi- property on Jakhoo Road and were display cases, etc.) and more recent machal Pradesh, in the Himalayan greeted by the groundskeepers and furnishings. Paintings in many foothills. Rothney Castle is situated caretaker, who showed us around. rooms covered entire walls and on Jakhoo Road, to the east of the ceilings in an odd Michelangelo- Part of the established building is town centre, partway between esque style. single-storey and on level ground, Christ Church and Jakhoo Temple. one room deep and six rooms wide, Behind these rooms the property Access by vehicle from Christ the three central reception rooms slopes and then drops down the Church is said to be prohibited, so having connecting doors. This part northern side of the ridge, so the we took cars to Jakhoo Temple of the building is probably con- adjoining rooms with enclosed ve- (dedicated to Hanuman), near the structed of local stone which has randa are at a slightly lower level. summit of Jakhoo Hill (the highest been rendered. Access to this area Further rooms, servants’ quarters point in Shimla), and walked down is via a beautifully preserved tim- and ‘cellars’ are at differing lower a paved path through the conifer ber-framed glass conservatory levels still. A ballroom (once pre- forest. which extends almost the full width sumably very grand) lies in dark- Viewed from above, Rothney Castle of the building. The conservatory is ness - dust and fallen or dismantled occupies a commanding position on actively gardened and full of col- plaster making it too dangerous to Jakhoo Hill and has a spectacular ourful plants. We entered a very enter. There was no access to the view over northwest Shimla and grand reception room of Victorian basement, ‘heavy rains in 1883- the surrounding hills. The property wood-panelled walls, pendant ceil- 1884 caused part of his (Hume’s) covers approximately 1.5 acres on a ing light with parquet flooring in (Continued on page 3)

2 museum to collapse and damage ture and Commerce’, possibly Hotel complex at the western end some of the tin boxes in which the Hume’s as he was known to be crit- of the main building there are skins were kept’ (Robert Prys-Jones ical of the Land Revenue policy. breath-taking views of Shimla hills Birding Asia 17 2012). Additional and rooftops, the coniferous forest Outside a single carriage chair rooms have been built above, may- further up Jakhoo Hill, and the or- stands in one corner of the con- be to deter access and only a small ange coloured Hindu monkey god servatory, of unknown age but pos- irregular, blocked up, stairwell was statue overlooking the city. sibly dating back to Hume’s occu- visible. A huge billiard room with pation. The gardens surrounded by We would like to thank Indus Expe- uneven flooring is occupied by a conifer trees were overgrown, riences and the current owner of full-sized table and score board of shady and of very little interest, Rothney Castle for facilitating and makers Burroughes & Watts - pre- with only a few hydrangeas and kindly consenting to our visit. sumably Hume or a previous geraniums adding any colour. From owned had these shipped from Nicky Nicoll and David Hankins the roof of the unfinished Heritage England, billiards being a very pop- ular game in Victorian times. In a small library, a writing desk displays the plans for a Heritage Hotel which started construction at the western end of the property in 1985. The project was never completed and it is unclear exactly why the government of the day withdrew support/permission for it, though there is speculation that the government wished to com- memorate the Centenary of the Indian National Congress (of which Hume was a founder) by converting the property to a mu- seum, against the wishes of the then owner. Also on the desk was a book entitled ‘Revenue, Agricul- SLBI visitors to Rothney Castle

Historic owners of Rothney Castle

According to historian Dr S.R. Mehrotra, Rothney Castle was built by the first owner of the house, Colonel Rothney, in 1838. It was then sold to Dr Carte in 1843 (https://himachalcurrent-affairs.blogspot.com/2019/09/ SHIMLAHISTORY.html). Dr Henry Oakeley from the Royal College of Physicians did some research and found no direct reference to Dr Carte. However, he could have been an Indian Army Surgeon from Royal College Sur- geons Ireland. Arnold H. Mathews purchased the house in 1854. Mathews sold it to R. Mitchell in 1867 who named it Rothney Castle. A.O. Hume ‘acquired’ the house in 1875 and lived there until 1891. The house was sold to Mr Mohan in 1901 and is still owned by the Mohan family. We would like to acknowledge the help of Dr Robert Prys-Jones, Dr Henry Oakeley, Dr June Chatfield and Su- mit Raj Vashisht.

3 A visit to Dr Mehrotra’s house The afternoon proved to be just as interesting. Our local guide, Sumit, ar- ranged for me, Nicky, to visit Dr Mehrotra, as he lived in Shimla and was al- ways welcomed at Rothney Castle (https://scroll.in/article/931319/sr- mehrotra-1931-2019-a-tireless-chronicler-of-indias-struggle-for-freedom). Dr Mehrotra was a scholar of Indian History said to have an encyclopaedic knowledge of his subject. He had spent his last years focused on Hume, and so moved to Shimla. Mehrotra was very pleased to see I had come from the SLBI as I had their T-shirt on! He spoke about Hume and the ‘selected writings’ on Hume. Sadly, on our return, we heard that Dr Mehrotra (1931-2019) had passed away on 18 July. Also, sadly Dr Edward C. Moulton (1936-2019), passed away on 7 September. He was co-editor with Dr Mehrotra of Selected Writings of Allan Octavian Hume volume 1 (1829-1867), published in 2005.

Obituary: Professor Sri Ram Mehrotra and Professor Edward Calvin Moulton Two leading Hume scholars, Edward Moulton and S.R. Mehrotra, died during 2019. Together they had planned a multivolume work entitled Selected Writings of Allan Octavian Hume, but sadly they were only able to complete volume one, which was published by Cambridge University Press in 2002. It is thought that the second volume was near completion, and it is hoped that this, and possibly other volumes can be completed by Dinyar Patel. Mehrotra, noted for his work on the Indian independence movement, died on 17 July 2019. Although he does not seem to have ever had any direct contact with the Institute, some of the members of Nicky Nicoll’s ‘Flora of India’ tour were able to visit him at his home in Shimla a few weeks before his death. Moulton, of the University of Manitoba, who died on 7 September 2019, lectured at the Institute in October 2005. He was also a speaker at the conference ‘Indian Ornithology, British Botany and Allan Octavian Hume (1829-1912): the Scientific Legacy of a Founder of the Indian National Congress’, held jointly with the Natural History Museum in October 2012. Forensic Botany diate area, because at this point in taken to ensure the accuracy of any the investigation multiple clues drawings and pictures are taken On 26 October 2019 a handful of may not yet have been unearthed where possible. SLBI members met at the Institute, (pun intended!) which could help Mark peppered the afternoon with unsure of what to expect from the with the investigation. In some cas- numerous anecdotes and helped ‘Introduction to Forensic Botany’ es a path may need to be cut bring the subject to life. He shared session we had signed up to. Dur- through surrounding overgrowth. ing the afternoon, Mark Spencer, several techniques forensic botany our host and teacher introduced Next, it is key to survey the envi- employs to help solve crimes, one the subject, his experiences as one ronment around the crime scene of the most interesting of which of only a few forensic botanists in and record what you see. The trees, was the ability to tell how long a the UK, and the tools and tech- leaves, plants and fungi at the body may have been in an area by niques used to help solve crimes. crime scene must be noted to con- ageing any brambles which may firm any anomalies arising from the have grown over it. Although the weather was against movement of a subject, such as a I think I speak for all who attended us, with the wind and drizzle in full body. For instance, if a body had when I say we spent the afternoon force, we ventured to a local park been brought from one area to an- learning and enjoying ourselves. and focused on an area representa- other traces of the original site (e.g. Thanks to Mark for making the af- tive of a common crime scene. We soil and leaves) may still be pre- ternoon what it was and sharing first learnt that when a crime has sent. Identifying these anomalies is his knowledge and techniques on occurred outdoors, it needs to be crucial for Police investigations. the subject. This is definitely one to treated and contained just like any Not only do you need to note what recommend for anyone interested other crime scene. A path to and surrounds the crime scene, but you in the subject. from the scene needs to be created must draw it, documenting any- with minimal impact to the imme- thing of note. Measurements are Jerry Stevens; SLBI Trustee

4 Collinson and Linnaeus their long-term arrangement. canadiensis. This is a strongly scented North American mint, There are fascinating quotes from One of the treasures in the SLBI called richweed which has herbal the letters between Collinson and library is a work by Sir James Ed- properties. ward Smith, published in 1821, Linnaeus. Collinson admired his Correspondence of Linnaeus and work, but found his naming of Although he refers to “men” as bot- other naturalists from the original plants and classification scheme anists, in his letters of 1754 and manuscripts. The author, Smith, hard to accept when these were 1758, Collinson tells us of an Amer- lived from 1759 - 1828, purchasing revealed in Species Plantarum. In ican lady botanist: Miss Jane Cold- the Linnaeus collection in 1784. He April of 1754 Collinson wrote: “I en, later Farquhar. He says she is: was one of the founders of the Lin- have had the pleasure of reading “scientifically skilled in the Linnaean naean Society, and its President in your Species Plantarum, a very use- system.” She was the daughter of an 1788. Among the naturalists in- ful and laborious work. But my dear American botanist: Cadwallader cluded is Peter Collinson who friend, we that admire you are much Colden who was born and lived in founded a garden in Peckham. It is concerned that you should perplex New York. The Botanist’s Diction- not clear exactly when Collinson the delightful science of Botany with ary tells us that Dr Alexander Gar- started his garden, nor the exact changing names that have been well den, a Scottish doctor who prac- site, but it was certainly flourishing received, and adding names quite tised medicine in Charleston, South by the 1730s and Linnaeus visited unknown to us. Thus Botany which Carolina from 1752–83 said he had in 1736. Collinson left it in 1749 was a pleasure study and attainable visited the Hon. Cadwallader Cold- when he moved to Ridgeway, a by most men, is now become, by al- en Esq. “Not only the doctor himself house in Mill Hill which his wife terations and new names, the study is a great botanist, but his lovely had inherited. Here he set up his of a man’s life, and none but real daughter is greatly master of the garden again. It took him two years professors can pretend to attain it. Linnaean method, and cultivates it to transplant his collection, which As I love you I tell you our senti- with great assiduity.” ments.” Ironically Linnaeus named by then included many American Judy Marshall plants sent by John Bartram in a plant for Collinson: Collinsonia SLBI in South Wales

Visit to Margam; October through the Mansel, Rice, and Tal- the gardens and the Abbey ruins. bot families by inheritance to 1942, Apart from a range of typical wall 2019 sale to a brewer (David Evans- plants and ferns, a highlight was The first SLBI visit to the FSC Dis- Bevan), wartime use by the US mil- sheets of the Great Scented Liver- covery Centre at Margam Country itary and purchase by the County of wort (Conocephalum conicum), our Park, Port Talbot, in May 2013 was Glamorgan, then a transfer to largest thalloid liverwort in an ante reported in SLBI Gazette No. 18, Neath and Port Talbot Borough room to the chapter house where August 2013. This second visit was Council. The local geology was dis- the walls were very wet. Crush and this autumn, between 25 and 28 cussed to set the scene while we smell this plant for the full effect! It October 2019, again with ten par- waited for the wild wet weather to had been scraped off some years ticipants but comprising different pass over. No point getting wet and ago during restoration of the ruins people, some of whom were new cold unnecessarily! Walking from but has now recovered. Peter, one members; just two had been to the Discovery Centre along the of the Friends of Margam, was on Margam before. The first two days main level path across the lower site during that half term week and were spent in the park, concentrat- ground of the Lower/ Middle Coal gave us a full history of the Abbey. ing on the gardens of Margam Measures, we diverted by the trees After lunch in the shelter of the House with the final day at Black- at the edge of New Lake for fungi. large walled garden, we went off to pill, Swansea, for sand dune flora These were not immediately obvi- see the citrus house complete with and the magnificent slope of Clyne ous apart from the Blusher oranges on trees (but not open due Gardens behind, which, like Mar- (Amanita rubescens). Then on to to structural problems) and the gam, had been a private estate, but Margam House (1827) and mosses, huge magnificent orangery of the now is in public ownership. ferns and snails on the wall of the 1790s that must be one of the larg- Visitor Centre courtyard, further est in the country. There are dis- We started with a briefing on the exploring the mosses of the walls play panels inside and it is regular- history of Margam Park from Iron of Margam House. Going inside, we ly used for functions and exhibi- Age hillfort, to Medieval Cistercian saw the restoration and interpre- tions that bring in welcome and Abbey (1147), private residence tive panels on the house and gar- needed income. Neath and Port following monastic dissolution dens, then proceeded down into Talbot Borough is one of the most

5 deprived in Wales due to the de- leaves outside the church dating  egg cases of two species of cline of the heavy industry on back to the 1790s, a magnificent ray and Common Dogfish (a which it was founded, including the spreading Oriental Plane (Platanus small shark), aka Rock Salm- precarious state of Tata Steel as orientalis) and many others, includ- on of the fish and chip shop, reported in the news, but the park ing a Blue Gum that reminded Mar-  Australian barnacles is a very popular and an appreciat- lowe of the story of the blue gum (Elminius modestus) attached ed escape for local families. Inci- fairy. to a stone, and dentally, Darwin’s co-discoverer of evolution, Alfred Russel Wallace, For the third day we had the use of  a beige seamat or Hornwrack started his working life as a survey- the Centre minibus to drop us at (Flustra foliacea), not a sea- or in Neath just inland from Mar- Blackpill, Swansea, but our luck weed but a colony of tiny ani- gam and Swansea. The lake at the with the weather did not hold. On mals known as Bryozoans top of the Margam gardens provid- arrival it seemed sensible to seek that, when live, put out a ring ed us with sightings of waterfowl refuge and warm filter coffee in the of tentacles from each com- including a handsome male Manda- Terminus Cafe on the seafront and partment to catch planktonic rin Duck. With weather and tem- look at the FSC charts on dune food. plants before taking a brave plunge perature in decline we returned to By this time the cold wind led us to into the rain and cold wind to in- the centre for tea and cake and to seek more sheltered conditions in vestigate them in situ. Here we examine the specimens collected. the Clyne Gardens opposite. were joined by Dr Isabella Brey, a The second day was also spent in Biology graduate of the University The Estate of the Vivian family on the Margam gardens, this time ini- of Swansea who never moved away the western flank of Swansea Bay tially walking down through the (like Jane Richmond, Head of Mar- was bequeathed to the people of arboretum area examining fungi gam FSC Centre). These new dunes Swansea for recreation (Clyne Gar- that were starting to emerge were only established about 25 dens and Singleton Park), educa- through the grass. These included years ago when the local authority tion (the 1960s University campus) Spindleshank (Gymnopus = Collybia were, in their battle against blown and health (Swansea Hospital). The fusipes) and Sulphur tuft sand on the road, advised by the Estate goes from shore to the high (Hypholoma fasciculare), both University to stop clearing the sea- ground of Uplands and included growing on basal roots of trees, weed. This solved the problem by their home, Clyne Castle, which and the hygrophanous Buttercap being a nucleus for sand deposition was surrounded by exotic gardens (Rhodocollybia butyraceae). We at the top of the beach and created sloping down to the sea. These in- then returned to the back of the a new set of dunes. Here we found clude important plants of heritage Abbey church where the previous Rock Samphire (Crithmum mariti- status. Here Isabella took the lead, day Sylvia, one of our number, had mum), Sea Beet (Beta vulgaris mar- knowing virtually every tree and a found Kraus’s Clubmoss itima) from which beetroot was sheltered place to have lunch (Selaginella kraussiana), which is derived, Wild Sea Radish where the party split, with those related to ferns, not mosses, and (Raphanus raphanistrum mariti- who were able going to the top for was introduced from South Africa. I mus) with yellow flowers and a somewhat misty look out to sea. have seen this in other churchyards beaded fruit pods, Sea Rocket Then back to tea and homemade and also as a pot plant in a flower (Cakile maritima), Sea Spurge cake at the Discovery Centre. The shop in Alton, so I suspect that it (Euphorbia paralias), Sea Sandwort minibus took the group back to may have come in with wreaths to (Honkenya peploides) on the fore- Port Talbot station on the Friday the nearby churchyard that were dunes and Marram Grass morning, while I stayed on to do a later dumped behind the church. It (Ammophila arenaria) whose un- recce for fungi on the Iron Age hill- thrives in damp grass but there derground stems bind and stabilise fort, climbing to the Pulpit Rock to was little of it so far. We returned the sand. Marram tolerates being discover the whereabouts of to the shelter of the walled garden buried by windblown sand and just waxcaps and Magic Mushrooms for again for lunch. The afternoon was shoots up through it. A little the FSC fungus course at the week- spent (after a detour to fairyland stream, Clyne River, flowing from end. Here we made a discovery of a model village and a display area) the steep slope of the Clyne Gar- rare hedgehog fungus (Hericeum looking at the specimen trees, dens crossed the dunes on its way erinaceus) on Beech, a new county some of which date back to 1500. across the shore and here we found record for Glamorgan. But that is These included a Stone Pine (Pinus freshwater species like Common another story for another day! picea), several Tulip Trees Reed (Phragmites australis) and (Liriodendron) that were changing Brooklime leaves (Veronica becca- to a vibrant yellow autumn colour, bunga). The strand line also at- June Chatfield the Fern-leaved Beech (Fagus syl- tracted additional interest includ- vatica asplenoides) with serrate ing:

6 Impressions of Margam Once we’d settled into our rooms – A refuge in the 18th and early 19th I had one to myself with its own en centuries from the industrial noise I signed up for June Chatfield’s suite bathroom – June led us to our and pollution of Port Talbot, Mar- 2019 field trip to Margam, South study room (microscopes, projec- gam was increasingly affected by Wales because I didn't know the tor, desks) to welcome and intro- industry. Coal came down the val- area, plus prior outings with June duce us to each other and the area. leys and rivers from the south had shown that to look at the world There were twelve of us, including Wales coalfields for export and the through her eyes is to look at a dif- June, plus Dash, her tortoise, who steel works developed. Coal dust ferent universe. To focus on the hadn’t yet hibernated so was along and smoke from free coal provided tiny details of what surrounds us, for the craic. Some I knew by sight to workers added to pollution. In to treat the most apparently mun- from SLBI or last year’s field trip. 1827 the Mansell Talbots built a dane and insignificant plants with Others I was meeting for the first huge Gothic mansion within the the same respect and excitement as time. All but one were female, with park. By the 1970s when the land many of us reserve for the exotic, about 40–50 years between the passed into public ownership, pol- exceptional or rare resets my rela- youngest and oldest, with different lution had killed some trees, and tionship with my surroundings. mobility and knowledge levels. mosses had all but disappeared ex- Nearly everyone else had a specific cept in rare pockets. Nowadays coal I am not a natural botanist. Alt- botanical interest – bryophytes mining has ceased and some steel- hough I love being outdoors and loomed large, as did mosses and working practices have changed. appreciate the beauty and curiosi- liverworts. Some had brought their Pollution has reduced. ties of the natural world, I don’t own reference material. June very know or understand much about Margam contains acid grassland, quickly created an inclusive atmos- what I am looking at. I’m much lakes, areas of planted camellias phere, a sense that we would all do more comfortable with history and and rhododendrons (a mixed bless- everything, do it well and enjoy it. art than science. I doubt I’m the on- ing), a walled garden in a hollow, ly SLBI person who feels self- June talked about Margam’s geolo- parterres, hills, medieval stone ru- conscious around people who have gy and history. There’s a level plat- ins, native trees and exotic species a much better grasp on botany – form of coal measures, Triassic planted as far back as the seven- but nothing ventured... brechia at lower levels, Pennant teenth century, bracken, boggy are- sandstone, carboniferous limestone as, overhangs and undercuts, moor- Armed with a lens borrowed from and once widespread sand deposits land, tussocks, cracks, crevices, a SLBI and waterproof clothes, I set that formed dunes around the back conifer plantation, streams…so off for Wales. The Field Studies of Swansea Bay, now disappearing many different habitats to be exam- Centre (FSC) van picked us up at due to industrial and building de- ined over the next few days…and Port Talbot station. The weather velopment. The Bristol Channel of- the coast only a few miles away… was overcast but not (yet) raining. ten has a pinkish tinge because of The FSC at Margam has existed On the first full day we headed first the red marl beneath it. Oak trees since 2009, in a country park with to Margam Castle (1827) across the on exposed slopes are shaped by multiple leisure and recreational miniature railway, past ponds and westerly sea breezes. uses. The first surprise was the pens of rare-breed sheep. The Cas- scale of the park driving from the Long habitation is evidenced by the tle looms grey-green against a main road to the FSC, with farm- remains of an Iron Age fort, ruins of wooded slope topped by the earth- land near the centre and hills and 12th century Margam Abbey and works of an Iron Age fort. A cata- woods further off. In the late Octo- the diminished but impressive Ab- strophic fire in the 1970s destroyed ber light, its ca. 850 acres stretched bey Church, used for worship now, much of the interior of the early out around us. The centre is built but having served as the great hall Victorian Gothic building, although sustainably of wood and recycled/ of a Tudor manor built on the Ab- EU money has partially restored recyclable materials and without bey’s grounds after the Refor- the grand staircase and ground foundations. Accommodation, mation. A medieval coalmine bur- floor. The top floors are hired out study and dining blocks are linked rows into a hillside and an early for filming. We strolled through by walkways that form a square, chapel is dedicated to two local woodland to a more formal area giving a sense of being embedded saints. The longest orangery in the and across lawns to where the ec- in its environment, as well as a re- UK was built in the 18th century by clesiastical buildings had stood. duced environmental footprint. Sit- one of several owners who built Many plants grew in the ruined ting fairly low to the ground, it and rebuilt on the site. The deer walls of the medieval chapterhouse stands on stilts that allow deer to herds (fallow and the endangered (c.1210). I rubbed, smelt and roam, or seek shelter, underneath. Pe re Davide) roaming the current looked in amazement through a One day, it will dissolve back into park might date back to the Ro- lens at Great Scented Liverwort. A the landscape. mans, but were certainly in evi- pre-1556 tombstone that would dence by Tudor times. have been near the altar of the Cis- 7 tercian abbey before the Refor- and headed off towards the ridge of tury, the gardens as we see them mation had lost all its inscription hills, trying to reach the Pulpit now are mostly down to Algernon except a large engraving of a key. Stone on the top. June had recom- Vivian, the owner from 1921–1952. mended the views. My path took He sponsored seed-collecting expe- We ate our packed lunch in the me across a less manicured part of ditions to far-flung places, designed chilly but ornamental walled gar- the park, past rhododendrons gone many parts of the garden and bred den, then wandered through trees wild, drystone walls, fields of grass hybrids, especially rhododendrons. planted in the 17th, 18th and 19th and thistles and deer herds in the Clyne Gardens hold several Nation- centuries. Many were still covered distance. In increasing drizzle and al Collections. Built on a hillside, in autumn leaves – three tulip trees the dimming afternoon light, I the paths wander among many rare displayed three subtly but distinct- started to climb a muddy path up and beautiful trees, some still, at ly different lovely yellows, stunning the escarpment, the wind blowing the time of our visit, covered in in the slightly dim light. The Ameri- hard in my face, and I turned to subtle and beautiful shades of red, can Red Oak was magnificent. After look back toward the misted Bristol pink, bronze, copper and greens. slow meanderings and much use of Channel. Eventually the steepness lenses and cameras, we hastened The rain had settled to a light mist- of the rutted, muddy path, the back as it started to lightly sleet. ing when we ate our picnic lunch gushing water in those ruts, the Back to our very own FSC common near sculptures carved out of fallen loss of light and the ever-receding room for hot drinks and cake. Then trees. After lunch some people ex- ridge top made me turn back, hop- to the study room to talk about amined our immediate surround- ping and skipping from mud clump what we’d seen and name our high- ings then walked more slowly back to mud clump across the streaming lights, Dash living up to his name to the minibus (and/or the shelter water, the wind pushing me on. The among our exhibits and books, June of the nearby pub), while Isabella lights of Port Talbot gleamed more adding insight, observation and took a few of us up the hill for a brightly as the last colours of the context. great view, past some ancient tall cloud-beset sunset dramatised the Wellingtonias, collecting pine The next day started with a video west. The white tails of the roe deer cones. and June speaking about fungi. Oh, were just visible in the half-light. so many! All shapes, colours, sizes, As this was our last full day, I was The next morning the minibus took names, uses, risks and habits. There determined to get to Pulpit Stone. I us to Swansea Bay, equipped with are 100,000 worldwide, about couldn’t persuade anyone else of wellies borrowed from the Centre. 12,000 of which are found in the the pleasures of wind and rain, so I After coffee in a charming cafe on British Isles. Then we went out went off again, taking a different the beach, we walked along the looking – and pretty successfully at route starting from the end near windswept tideline, heads down that – for mushrooms, toadstools Margam Castle. Steering by the and lenses to hand, noting and tak- and related organisms such as clouds and without a map, I got ing samples of a variety of life slime flux. Everyone was more ob- lost, of course, but eventually based on the seashore or washed servant and skilled than me, but it’s emerged at the top. For the first up onto it: reeds, succulents, se- surprising how soon you get your time I could see what lay behind dums, mosses, grasses, different eye in. It continually amazed and the ridge: hills on the far side of the fishes’ egg cases, seaweeds, barna- delighted me how much my com- valley, bright green grass and or- cles, snails, sea mat… The weather panions knew, and how patient and angey-brown bracken. Darker hills hadn’t let up. My waterproof trou- generous they were with their lay further off and wind-sculpted sers kept out the rain, but not the knowledge. After lunch in the trees marked the path near me. I chill and several people beat a has- walled garden we walked towards was fairly wind-shaped too as I bat- ty retreat back to the cafe. areas of planted trees, some several tled towards where I hoped Pulpit centuries old and from many parts Having regrouped, we walked a Stone might be. The grassy curve of of the world. The Oak Cork has ex- short distance to Clyne Gardens, the ridge was fully exposed to the traordinary thick, almost crumpled where we were joined by Dr Isabel- force of the wind. The rain wasn’t bark in shades of grey, blue and la Brey, a great all-round naturalist hard, but it was falling more or less green that regrows if harvested. with particular expertise in insects. horizontally into my face. June had Other trees had bark-like subtle She enthusiastically took us around charged me with finding a pink bal- camouflage, or were beribboned in the many different areas and habi- lerina mushroom, but though I did papery dark red. I was particularly tats of these beautiful gardens, my best, it eluded me. I made it to delighted to see a flowering gum, pointing out things of interest and Pulpit Stone, a very large, dramatic whose blossoms are exactly like filling us in on the history of this rock placed upright on the ridge- May Gibbs’ illustrations in the Gum once private estate that had be- line offering a fantastic view down Blossom Babies books of my Aus- longed (1860-1952) to the wealthy to the coast, across farmland and tralian childhood. Vivian family. Though several of the industrial dystopia and a huge sky. oldest trees date from the 19th cen- On a clear day you can see as far as On our way back I left the group 8 Somerset. This was not a clear day, in carbon dioxide, stored it in their I very much enjoyed the company so I scurried on, eventually coming cells and expelled oxygen as a of the group and June’s knowledge to the path I’d taken the day before. waste product. From such primitive and wisdom. I really felt part of the This time, alerted in advance by cells via photosynthesis are we all group, was very happy to find out June, I noticed the gated-off en- descended. The discussion brought more about a new part of the coun- trance to the old mine, cut horizon- vividly home to me that the release try and had a great time walking tally into the fern-covered stone. A of carbon dioxide through the burn- around, taking many notes and quick peer through the gate to the ing of coal and, as we see at the mo- learning a fair amount. How much soaked floor, a couple of photos, ment, of the Amazon and the Aus- detail I retain is another matter! then homeward bound, down the tralian Bush back into the atmos- However, my biggest lesson was muddy track and back to tea and phere makes for a more ‘primitive’ the intensity and respect with cake. atmosphere, one increasingly un- which we examined so many as- suitable for life as we know it on pects of the outside world that I That evening included a fantastic earth. It took billions of years to might not have otherwise noticed, display and discussion of the sam- store all that carbon, yet it goes up finding details and beauty in the ples we’d gathered, and of the role in smoke in no time at all. I now commonplace. It was seeing them of protoplants (precursors of algae, find myself thinking about the car- as almost infinitely varied parts of a fungi etc) in the development of life bon stored in my own body and whole and talking about the context on earth and in making a breath- considering cremation in a differ- that helped renew my sense of the able atmosphere from the hot, poi- ent light. I certainly hadn’t expected interconnectivity of living things. sonous mix of the early planet. that the field trip would lead me to These primitive not-yet plants took Marlowe Russell investigate woodland burial sites. Fungi report the Crimson Bolete, an unusual bo- things feeding on dead leaves and lete with small spores and reddish- twigs. The annual SLBI Mushroom Hot, damp summers can cause vin- brown pores associated with old Walk on Tooting Common on 6 Oc- tage fungus autumns, so hopes oaks in Bedford Woods on Tooting tober returned a very short list were high for 2019 with early Au- Common. This is also red-listed. considering the time of year. Nota- gust rain leading to a healthy flush ble was Mycena albidolilacea, a Early promise gave way to drought of boletes and russulas in woods slender white bonnet mushroom as has been the case all too fre- and commons. Two locally com- with pink-edged gills. Lots of bon- quently over the last decade; Sep- mon large boletes appeared in nets inhabit dead wood and litter, tember is one of London's driest numbers as they often do with rain most of them drab greys and months on average. By the Mush- in August: Caloboletus radicans browns, but there are only a hand- room Sessions at the SLBI fungi (Rooting Bolete) and Neoboletus ful of UK records of this very rare were retreating to the dampest cor- luridiformis (Scarletina Bo- fungus. Where though, were the ners. This is usually when early lete), both blue staining boletes. mycorrhizal fungi that should be season fungi such as the colourful When old they can spread to over a fruiting heavily this time of year? russula (Brittlegills) fruit at their foot across, losing all their youthful highest diversity. But this was not They came in the end, heralded by charm in the process. More unusual the case this year. One notable find a mass fruiting of Penny Buns species included Rubroboletus le- was Tapinella atrotomentosa (Cep/Porcini, Boletus edulis). This galiae (Bilious Bolete) a chunky (Velvet Rollrim), a large, gilled bo- is a potentially huge fungus that rose and orange relative of the Sa- lete relative that grows on dead every decade or so fruits abundant- tan's Bolete (Rubroboletus satanas). conifer wood, unlike most UK bo- ly only to almost disappear again Although on the British red list, it is letes, which are mycorrhizal and (episodic fruiting is a common fun- not that uncommon and can be grow only in association with tree gus trait). To some attendees this found in Brockwell and Norwood roots. Its colouring is surprisingly proved highly distracting. Parks, as can Suillellus luridus like tiramisu, with a matt cocoa- (Lurid Bolete) a species that fa- By mid-October rare webcaps were covered cap hiding buff-yellow col- vours alkaline soils, consequently starting to appear. Jo Dubiel and oured gills, above a hairy and very popping up in gardens and road- Mario Tortelli reported a mass dark brown-black stem. The mush- sides, where cement may have fruiting of the locally rare (2 sites room is inedible when older, raised the soil Ph. Many such ther- in Kent) large white Cortinarius though collected in eastern Europe mophilic species are more common argutus, associated strictly with when young. further south in Europe. Around aspen from Ham Street Woods. London they tend to fruit in August Rain returned by the end of the This is in the subgenus Phlegmaci- and early September only. Another month, with mushrooms starting to um, a striking group of fungi col- locally uncommon, but much small- appear one-to-two weeks later, oured bright orange, yellow, purple er bolete is Rubinoboletus rubinus, though these tended to be wee and blue, with very slimy caps.

9 Many of these are very rare, not chalk and shelters many other rari- (grey-spotted Amanita) from always easy to identify and only ties. Streatham Common. A smattering fruit infrequently. Many species are of waxcaps, so typical at this time Other Cortinarius also fruited well, also calciphile and therefore not of year, including some large fluo- including swarms of small brown often found in and around Lon- rescent green Gliophorus psittaci- Telamonias, a very difficult group don. Mario Tortelli recorded sever- nus (Parrot Waxcap) wet and glis- of many hundreds of species (even al species new to the UK including tening with mucous, that looked as in the UK) that are still very poorly the following: Cortinarius bergero- though they had been made out of known. Attendees Jo Dubiel and nii, Cortinarius humolens, Cortinari- glass. Plus the unbelievable slimy Mario Tortelli accompanied two us lepistoides, Cortinarius multifor- Gliophorus irrigatus, or Slippery Telamonia experts from Kew, Tula mium and Cortinarius lilaci- Waxcap. Niskanen and Kare Liimatainen to novelatus all from Kent woods. Will Hayes again, finding, amongst Attendance built up as the season Garforth brought in Cortinarius ele- many others, Cortinarius falsosus progressed, with the final sessions gantissimus, a slimy bright orange which may be new to Britain. the best attended. This is a pity as wonder from beech woods overly- by then hauls mostly contain the ing chalk. Closer to home Cortinari- Hard frosts normally end the sea- large Cloudy Agaric (Clitocybe neb- us infractus, squat, dark-capped son, but with these absent this ularis) and the putrefying remains and with a bitter taste, was found year, fungi kept fruiting in good of Honey Fungus. Hopefully next in Hayes Common, as was a mas- numbers until the end of Novem- September’s deluge will bring forth sive fruiting of the always impres- ber, with a large range still on the a fine crop of russula enthusiasts sive Cortinarius violaceus (violet tables at our last session of the that could be out there, unbe- webcap). The sweet-smelling but year. This included a late fruiting of knownst to us, in the crescents and very rare Phlegmacium, Cortinarius Cortinarius largus (big-bellied cul-de-sacs of South London, just osmophorus (sweet webcap) was webcap), a beefy phlegmacium that waiting to swell our toadstool spot- found at High Elms in Bromley, a crops up in local parks, and re- ting ranks. Fabrice Boltho new site record. High Elms overlies markably chunky Amanita excelsa People news Goodbye Helga and hello and several valuable months of vol- New Trustee: Emmanuel Sarah… changing faces in unteering with school visits at the Asamoah SLBI. Sarah joins us at the end of SLBI education February 2020, so I hope that she Emmanuel joined SLBI in 2019. He We were sorry to say goodbye in will be able to continue Helga’s bril- is an ACCA Chartered Accountant December 2019 to Helga Krauss, liant work and that you will have with extensive knowledge of the who had been the SLBI’s Education the chance to meet her soon. charity, public and housing sectors, along with some private sector ex- & Outreach Coordinator since May Letta Jones 2014. Helga carried out great work perience. He holds both an MBA in whilst she was here, developing After many years of service to the Financial Management and an MSC new school programmes and chil- Institute’s educational programme, in Professional Accountancy, dren’s holiday activities, and in- we are sorry that Letta is retiring demonstrating his passion for fig- creasing the number of schools and from her important role. She was ures. Besides this, his desire is to families visiting each year. Many introduced to us by the W.E.A. use his experience to contribute to schools and families came for re- (Workers’ Educational Association) and further botanical education, as turn visits and our reputation and her talks, courses and tree propounded by Hume. In taking on spread to new schools coming from walks have inspired us for at least the role of Trustee/Treasurer, he is across London. We are very grate- 15 years. We would like to thank looking forward to embracing this ful to Helga for her time and com- her for her contribution. new challenge. mitment, and hope that she will The range of subjects she has cov- continue to be a frequent visitor to ered is amazing: from historic gar- the SLBI. dens and biographies of botanists However, as Helga has moved on, and gardeners, plant hunters, medi- we are now delighted to welcome cal herbalism to tree identification Sarah Webley into the position. Sa- at all times of the year. This last is rah comes with a great range of her speciality and included tree skills and experience, with a back- walks locally in Brockwell, Dulwich, ground in biology, primary school Battersea and Peckham Rye Parks, teaching, RHS horticulture studies even extending to St James’s Park and Lincoln's Inn Fields. 10 New Fellow - Robert Prys-Jones From time to time our trustees invite people who have made a significant contribution to the Institute’s life to become Fellows, our equivalent of Honorary Members. Therefore at a recent meeting they decided to offer Fellowship to Dr Robert Prys-Jones, who, we are delighted to learn, has accepted our offer. From 1992 until his retirement Robert was in charge of the Natural History Museum’s bird collections which contain Hume’s ornithological collections, housed at the Museum’s outstation at Tring. He remains a valued Scientific Associate at the Museum. Being in charge of the NHM bird collections led Robert to develop a strong interest in Hume, and he was the driving force behind, and a speaker at, the joint conference organised jointly by the NHM and the SLBI to mark the centenary of Hume’s death, held at the Museum in 2012. He also arranged for conference participants to visit Tring and view its bird collections (see SLBI Gazette, January 2013). Since then he has supported events at the Institute, and following the deaths of Professors Mehrotra and Moulton, reported elsewhere in this Ga- zette, he is probably the greatest living authority on Hume. Our other Fellows are:  J.W. Bradbeer, former Professor of Botany at King’s College London, and a former President of the SLBI.  Rodney Burton, author of Flora of the London Area (1983), for many years a leader of botanical activities in London, and a long-term supporter of the Institute.  Michael Carey, a former Trustee who provided invaluable legal advice during his time in office.  June Chatfield, who has tirelessly led many courses and fieldtrips for the Institute (and other organiza- tions) over many years.  Judy Marshall, who has been actively involved in Institute activities for over 50 years, served as Chair- man of our Trustees, and is currently our honorary librarian.  Henry Oakeley, a former President and long-term supporter of the Institute, well-known for his work on orchids and as a Garden Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. Roy Vickery

Book Review Kingdom and Ireland. The work Institute. Each contribution has compiles contributions sourced clearly been carefully sifted, as- Vickery’s Folk Flora; Roy Vickery since the early 1970s, recruited by sessed for quality and usefulness, (2019); Weidenfeld & Nicolson; various means including publishing and arranged amongst the other London requests in local newspapers, lead- selected sources to provide maxi- ing botanical folklore-themed mum interest and insight into these Vickery’s Folk Flora is a one-volume walks or talks at wildlife gardens or plants and their uses. Entries are encyclopaedic account of the accu- with likeminded groups, and pro- frequently charming, relating to mulated knowledge gleaned from ducing the Plant-lore Notes & News children’s games or pastimes, or nearly fifty years of the author’s newsletter and its subsequent in- often contain intriguing supersti- study of the plants of the United carnation as the Plantlore Archive tion, with the result being a won- website. Contributions are supple- derful national stream of con- mented by in-depth reading of pub- sciousness about the fascinating lished sources, as well as extensive natural flora we encounter on a research within the National Folk- daily basis in the British Isles. Giv- lore Collection of University Col- en the long period during which lege, Dublin amongst other institu- these anecdotes were collected, tional archives. In many ways the reading the book one feels like a book could be seen as an expertly rather privileged eavesdropper on curated and invaluable botanical popular plant-related gossip and wiki, marrying the manifold bene- guidance, although some of the fits of a crowdsourced compendi- remedies put forward are not for um which taps into a rich seam of the faint-hearted! For example, one distributed folk knowledge about source advises ‘A local cure for chil- our native plantlife, with the au- blains – thrash them with holly until thor’s acknowledged standing as a they bleed.’ We learn elsewhere noted botanist with links with the that in Somerset sloe wine was Natural History Museum, the Bo- considered a miracle cure for al- tanical Society of Britain & Ireland most every ailment in the 1940s. and the South London Botanical Very wisely, the author includes a

11 disclaimer from the outset not to mation, and I found myself dipping uses as well as miscellanea such as try any remedy unless its efficacy in and out of the pages becoming ‘Nursery Bogies’ or ‘Well-dressing’. can be substantiated by research. ensnared by what I found wherever Considering the diverse materials I landed. collected within the book, this is A striking observation when navi- entirely sensible and avoids having gating the volume is how many as- Compiling such an ambitious work multiple smaller sections of dubi- sociations were made between cer- is not without clear challenges, and ous coherence. It does take a bit of tain plant species and major life authors and editors of encyclopae- getting used to however. Common events, and in particular how to dic works are faced with many plant names take precedence with stay healthy and avoid tragic out- technical conundrums about what botanical names following in paren- comes, revealing that the obses- to include, what to omit, how to thesis. This sets the work apart sions of our forebears were not re- arrange materials and what level of from many botanical or horticul- ally much different than ours today, detail to provide. The author states tural reference books, although as the recent trends for wellness clearly that it was necessary to re- many gardeners will be comforta- and diet reveal. The points of refer- strict coverage to vascular plants, ble with both, and I believe this ap- ence may change, but the essential omitting mosses, seaweeds, fungi proach increases popular appeal as goals do not. and lichens. This must have been a a more accessible account in keep- difficult decision as no doubt those The text is written in clear and di- ing with the folklore-driven subject have spawned an equally diverse rect English, with many of the en- matter. If I had one wish it would and fascinating folklore of their tries including lists of local com- be for more illustrations in situ, as own. Perhaps that should form part mon names for each species, exhib- the lovely colour images are re- of a future Volume Two! I did find iting amazing diversity considering stricted to plates sections and there one or two potentially controver- the area of the British Isles is com- are relatively few line drawings sial inclusions, such as paratively small. Perhaps this mir- throughout. Again, pragmatically ‘cacti’ (pp.122–3), which arguably rors the much-discussed variety of this sizeable book is arguably a bit do not feature in the stated geo- regional and national accents and too big to use as a field guide so the graphical scope, except as house dialects found across the UK and illustrations as presented are ap- plants. Clearly pragmatic editing Ireland. For example, I counted 86 propriate. requires the inclusion of entries different folk names listed for Red like this once plants have entered Overall, this is a volume I shall re- Campion (Silene dioica) (pp. 562– into the folksonomy and therefore turn to with pleasure and will refer 4). In this way this is a work that attain cultural significance. to both for interest and to inform spans not only breadth of botanical, gardening decisions for some time but also considerable linguistic and Structurally, entries are arranged to come. historical, interest. Every page con- alphabetically, with plant names tains engaging snippets of infor- appearing alongside ailments and Jasmin Naim

Membership survey responses Thank you to everyone who contributed to the SLBI Membership Survey in October. We were overwhelmed with the response. Approximately 100 people completed a survey, either online or by post. A few of you have asked about the results, so here’s a snapshot of some of the most interesting things we’ve learnt:  We were delighted that around 90% of members said they were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with their SLBI membership. Our member benefits were judged to be equally popular overall, and membership fees were felt to represent good value for money.  You shared some important thoughts and ideas about the cost, accessibility and timings of events, as well as the type of events that you’d like to see on our programme in future.  80% of you had visited the Institute at least once in the past year, with many visiting between 2 and 5 times a year.  We’ve recently seen an increase in people hearing about the SLBI through Open Garden Squares Week- end or NGS open gardens, which shows how important these events are for reaching new audiences.  However, many people are still finding out about us through word-of-mouth, or simply by walking, cy- cling, or driving past! Results show that we still have work to do in recruiting younger members and better representing the diversi- ty of our local community, although this has improved in recent years. Most of you enjoy the monthly e- newsletter as a way of finding out about upcoming events, but we also notice that many people still like to re- ceive the printed programme and Gazette through the post. Thank you for letting us know! We invite you to keep your thoughts and feedback coming by emailing [email protected]. Julia Minnear; Individual Giving Coordinator 12