The Down Rare Plant Register of Scarce & Threatened Vascular Plants

Vascular Plant Register County Down County Down Scarce, Rare & Extinct Vascular Plant Register and Checklist of Species Graham Day & Paul Hackney Record editor: Graham Day Authors of species accounts: Graham Day and Paul Hackney General editor: Julia Nunn 2008 These records have been selected from the database held by the Centre for Environmental Data and Recording at the Ulster Museum. The database comprises all known county Down records. The records that form the basis for this work were made by botanists, most of whom were amateur and some of whom were professional, employed by government departments or undertaking environmental impact assessments. This publication is intended to be of assistance to conservation and planning organisations and authorities, district and local councils and interested members of the public. Cover design by Fiona Maitland Cover photographs: Mourne Mountains from Murlough National Nature Reserve © Julia Nunn Hyoscyamus niger © Graham Day Spiranthes romanzoffiana © Graham Day Gentianella campestris © Graham Day MAGNI Publication no. 016 © National Museums & Galleries of Northern Ireland 1 Vascular Plant Register County Down 2 Vascular Plant Register County Down CONTENTS Preface 5 Introduction 7 Conservation legislation categories 7 The species accounts 10 Key to abbreviations used in the text and the records 11 Contact details 12 Acknowledgements 12 Species accounts for scarce, rare and extinct vascular plants 13 Casual species 161 Checklist of taxa from county Down 166 Publications relevant to the flora of county Down 180 Index 182 3 Vascular Plant Register County Down 4 Vascular Plant Register County Down PREFACE County Down is distinguished among Irish counties by its relatively diverse and interesting flora, as a consequence of its range of habitats and long coastline. It is also distinguished by having been the subject, together with its neighbours of Antrim and Londonderry, of three county floras, published at intervals of some 50 years as the Flora of the North-East of Ireland. It is therefore one of the better known counties of Ireland, floristically speaking. The third edition of this Flora was edited by Paul Hackney, who was the vice-county recorder for county Down for the Botanical Society of the British Isles until 1999 . Since then, Graham Day has taken on this mantle, and has recorded actively for the New Atlas of the British & Irish Flora, as well for this Register. The Register differs from the Flora of the North-East of Ireland in that it gives much more detail concerning many fewer species. It concentrates on those which are rare, on either the national or the local scale or both. In doing so, it draws attention to many species which need to be the subject of conservation action, whether directed at the species themselves or at the habitats they occupy, if they are to survive and flourish in the county. It also draws attention to some species of which the extent and credibility of the supposed records is questionable, and where it would be advisable to concentrate on verification of the current distribution. The Register is thus a major contribution to the study of biodiversity in county Down and, as a trend- setter, to that of Ireland as a whole. More importantly, perhaps, it should also facilitate the conservation of biodiversity, and help to bring about activities designed to protect those plant species which are most at risk. John Faulkner Director of Natural Heritage, Environment and Heritage Service 5 Vascular Plant Register County Down 6 Vascular Plant Register County Down INTRODUCTION This register has been produced as part of a national Botanical Society of the British Isles (BSBI) initiative to highlight plants whose scarcity is a cause for concern. It is intended that the Register be up-dated at regular intervals to include new records. It includes only species within the vice-county boundary for county Down (H38) (Figure 1). It includes native and some introduced higher plants. Casual species are listed separately. It lists plant species and some hybrids that are currently scarce, rare and extinct within the Down vice-county, and those that are protected under international or national legislation, but are not necessarily rare or scarce in the vice-county. It does not include lower plants, as the distribution of these is inadequately known in county Down. Also included are plant species that have been recorded in error. The criteria used for inclusion in the Register are: Listed/occurring in EC Habitats and Species Directive Annex IIb, IVb or Vb; or Appendix I of the Bern Convention or Appendix I or II of CITES. Listed in the British or Irish Red Data Books for vascular plants (Curtis & McGough 1988; Wigginton 1999). Listed in Schedule 8 of the Wildlife (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 or the Flora Protection Order 1987 (Republic of Ireland). Listed as Northern Ireland Priority Species or Northern Ireland Species of Conservation Concern. Native species formerly occurring in the vice-county but now extinct. Species occurring in 10 or less of 1km squares in the vice- county (Scarce). Species occurring in 3 or less of 1km squares in vice-county (Rare). Non-native species that are of biological, historical or cultural interest. CONSERVATION LEGISLATION CATEGORIES Plant species may be protected under international and national legislation. Internationally protected species are listed in CITES, the Bern Convention, IUCN Red Data lists and EU Habitats Directive. In Northern Ireland, all wild plants are given some measure of protection under the Wildlife (N.I.) Order, 1985. Fifty-six species, listed in Schedule 8, parts 1 and 2, (Table 1 below) are given special protection. The order has the effect that, unless you have a licence, you may not: intentionally pick, uproot or destroy any wild plants listed in the schedule, or even collect their flowers and seeds; sell these plants or their seeds if taken from the wild; uproot any wild plants intentionally, except on your own land or with permission. In March 2004, the list of Northern Ireland Priority Species and Northern Ireland Species of Conservation Concern, was published by Environment & Heritage Service on their web site at www.ehsni.gov.uk/natural/biodiversity/priority_species.shtml. The criteria for inclusion on this list are detailed on this web site. Species that are listed under the Flora Protection Order, 1987 (Republic of Ireland) are also included. In addition, a number of UK Priority species are found in Northern Ireland, of which five have been recorded from county Down. These are listed in Table 2 (see below). 7 Vascular Plant Register County Down Figure 1. Vice-county H38 Down (modified from Praeger 1901) 8 Vascular Plant Register County Down Table 1. Plants listed in the Wildlife Order (N.I.) 1985, Schedule 8, part 1 Adoxa moschatellina Ajuga pyramidalis Andromeda polifolia Calamagrostis stricta Carex magellanica Carex pauciflora Centaurium littorale Cirsium heterophyllum Dactylorhiza Epipactis palustris Epipactis phyllanthes Hammarbya paludosa traunsteineri Dryas octopetala Elatine hydropiper Eleocharis parvula Erica vagans Erigeron acer Frangula alnus Geranium Gymnocarpium sylvaticum dryopteris Hierochloe odorata Hordelymus europaeus Hottonia palustris Hypochaeris glabra Lathyrus palustris Limonium binervosum Limosella aquatica Lycopodiella inundata Melampyrum Mentha pulegium Mertensia maritima Monotropa hypopitys sylvaticum Neottia nidus-avis Orobanche hederae Pilularia globulifera Polystichum lonchitis Ophrys apifera Pseudorchis albida Spiranthes Orchis morio romanzoffiana Primula veris Orthilia secunda Ranunculus fluitans Rubus chamaemorus Saussurea alpina Saxifraga aizoides Saxifraga hirculus Saxifraga oppositifolia Silene acaulis Sisyrinchium Stachys officinalis Teesdalia nudicaulis bermudiana Trichomanes speciosum Trollius europaeus Viola persicifolia Primula vulgaris * * Primula vulgaris is listed in Schedule 8, part 2 and may be picked but not uprooted. Those listed in red are or have been present in county Down. Table 2. UK Priority plant species in Northern Ireland Cochlearia officinalis ssp. scotica Fumaria purpurea Juniperus communis Lycopodiella inundata Melampyrum sylvaticum Mentha pulegium Saxifraga hirculus Sium latifolium Spiranthes romanzoffiana Trichomanes speciosum Those listed in red are or have been present in county Down. 9 Vascular Plant Register County Down THE SPECIES ACCOUNTS Each species chosen is listed according to the following format: Species Author European category N.I. category Common name Irish Red Data Book category British Red Data Book category Local criterion Last seen: year Species account (text) Location Grid Ref. Date Recorder Species records listed reference (if relevant) Species are listed in taxonomic order. The Latin and English names of vascular plants used are those in the Field Flora of the British Isles (Stace 1999). Non-native species may be classified as archaeophyte or neophyte, dependent on their introduction pre- or post- 1500AD. The conservation status and status with regard to protection under legislation for each species may be given in the header line of the species using one or more of the following codes: WO Wildlife Order 1985 (Northern Ireland) FPO Flora Protection Order 1987 (Republic of Ireland) WCA Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (Great Britain) Those species appearing in the Irish Red Data Book for Vascular Plants (Curtis & McGough 1988) or British Red Data Book for Vascular Plants (Wigginton 1999) are also listed. These categories

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