Botanical BSBI News Societyot l.,u British April zooT No. ro5 lsles

ndited by Leander Wolstenholme & Gwynn Ellis CONTENTS Bupleurum longifolium L.: another new British recordfor Warwickshire(v.c. 38)'i...... J.M.Price &J.Il. Partridge 3l Aster squamatu.rcould be on its way to you...... DirectDebits... 2 P.R. Green 3l Colour in /Vews .2 REQUESTS& OFFERS Receiving Editor B,SB1News... .'...... '....,..3Birmingham & the Black Country Leanderhas his 1final1say...... L. Il'olstenholme 3 Recording Scheme...... Ian Trueman et al. JL Plants offields and hedgerows...... P. Fry' 3 Survey of naturalised Rhododendrons NoTES an easy follow-up.....1. Chater & J. Cullen )/ The root ofthe matter; the vegetative identific- Flora of dry stonewalls...... J. Presland 33 ation of dandelion-like plants...... J. Polanzl Solution1o Crossword... JJ Probable hybrid between Symphytum ln A Rush...... M.Wilcox 34 xuplandicum and S. orientale in Norfolk Epip ac t is leaf study...... M. WiI c ox 34 ...... R.Leonev b SeedStudy...... M.Wilcox 34 Chaltengeswhen determininga putative SeedHerbarium...... M. Il ilcox 35 interspecifichybrid...... C. O' Reil ly o NoTIcES A recently discovered hybrid ivyl. Rutherford t2 BSHS OEC Image Competition2007...... 35 The occurrence of Dat:tylorhiza lapponicu FIELD MEETING REPORTS_ 2006 in Co. Antrim: a new lrish record..T. Ennis ll Woodwalton& Holme Fens(v.c. 31)...... Neptuneplant - 1...... A. Chater l5 ...... 7.Wells et al. & T. Pankhurst 36 Neptuneplarrt 2...... A.Reid lo Preseli Hills (v.c.45)...H. IYilliarns & S. B. Evans 38 Aerial node roots tn Phalaris arundinacea...... Shetland(v.c. 112)...... P. Harvey et al. 39 l; Hanchurch Hills & W1're Forest (v.c.39).D. Earl 40 ui ^ r,n ffi ,i u* i irr: it,ir ri r, ^ r';l :",Yff:'' Glynhn Recording week (v.c. 44).. K. & R. Pryr'e 4l Guernsey-...... 8. Ozanne t7 Berwyn Mountains(v.c. 48)...... 5.Stille 45 Another missing herbarium located....D. A Ilen l1 ANNUAL EXHIBITToN MEETTNG2006..A Showler 46 BotanicalCrossword No. 8...... Cruc i ada t8 BooK NorES...... D.Peunnan 49 Belli s perennis f . disciformis...... J. Webb l9 WiltshireBotany...... 50 Degrees of colour-blindness in botany. J. O/iver l9 OBTTUARyNOTES...... M. Briggs 50 Colour-blind botanists - the results....L Pdir?€ 20 REcoRDERSAND RECORDING Usesfor grasses...... K. Hyatt 20 Panel ofReferees and Specialists Plant Rings...... R.Hemming 2l 5l New English names for Melitlis melissophyllum P";;;;; vi;.-;;;;t ;,;;,;;;,:'.'oc;::#:: 51 andThes ium humifusum...... E. Pratt 2l NorEs FROM THE OFFTCERS Botany in Literature - 44 From the Hon. General Secretary..D Pearman )l Conan Doyle's A Sndy in Scarlet From the Scottish Officer ...... J. Mclntosh 52 - Sherlock Holmes and Botany affinities Coordinator'sCorner...... A. Lor'kton 53 with Freud...... M.E. Souc h ier 22 STOP PRf,SS ALIENS AnnaPavord: Picturing Plants...... 55 'look-alikes' Introduced and other difficult DEADLTNEFoR BSBI NEws 106...... 55 introduced plants in our Cambridgeshire ADMINISTRATTON& INIPORTANT ADDRESSES.. 56 flora ...... P.Sell DIARY N.B. Thesedates are often supplementary to thosein the2007 Calendar in BSBI YearBook 2007 and includeprovisional dates of the BSBI's PermanentWorking Committees. 12May CouncilMeeting, Rothamstead 22 Sep ScottishCommittee, Spey Bay l9 May ScottishComrnittee, Blairgowrie 10Oct RecordsCommittee. London 14Jul Committeefor Wales.Swansea l3 Oct Comrnittee1br Wales, Aberystwyh l8 Jul ExecutiveCommittee, London 18 Oct PublicationsCommittee, London l2 Sep MeetingsCommittee, London 31 Oct ExecutiveCommittee, London l4 Sep Training& Education 3 Nov ScottishAEM, Edinburgh l4-16 SepRecorders' Conference, Shrewsbury 14Nov CouncilMeeting, London Cover picture - The Norfolk Comfrey (Svmphytum xuplandicunt x S. orientale ?) at Sustead (v.c 27) Photo Bob Leaney O 2005 (seep. 6) Editorial

Editorial LeeNnpRWolsrpNuolHae & GwvNN E,r-lts Congratulations to one of our longeststanding would seemto be morerealistic. BSBI would members.Peter Hall. who celebrateshis 90m like to apologise to members who have birthday on April 30th Happy Birthday Peter. purchasedthe book, but we are sureit will be Corrections: worth the wait. Apologies to Phil Smith and Dave Earl for a Direct Debits mistakein thetext of the BirkdaleSand-dunes My apologiesto all memberswho pay by Field Meeting Report (BSBI News 104: 60). DirectDebit. Sincewe movedto an Intemet The date of the last v.c. 59 record of Carex systemof collectingDirect DebitsI havebeen xpseudoarillarlsis given as the 1990sinstead singularly unsuccessful in getting BSBI of the 1890swhich makesthe finding of the mentioned as the originator onto members sedge hybrid secm rather less remarkable bank statements. The correct box is ticked than it actually is. We know you won't but so far all that appearson statementsis the believethis but it was the scannerthat read it amountdeducted. I will rnakeevery eftbrt to incorrectly- really it was! get this sortedbefore the next DD collection The address given for Scottish Natural in late January2008. Heritage in BSBI Year Book 2006 was incor- Colour in.Ay'eps rect. SNH moved its headquartersto Inverness Once again we would like to thank all in June2006 andthe building at HopeTerrace, contributorswho provided colour photos to Edinburgh,is being sold anclso no-onewill be accompanytheir articlesbut it would be nice there in the fufure to forward any mail. The to have more, and pleasewith full captions ncw SNH addressis: SNH . GreatGlen House. includingwhat, rvhere,when and by whom! Leachkin Road, InvemessIV3 8NW; Phone Many membel'sInust walk around with a 01463-725000 Fax 01463-125067. cameraon them most of the time. Why not [email protected] www.snh.org.uk takemore pictures (plants or habitats)on field remainthe electroniccontacts. trips, walks in the countrysideor in urban The National Botanic Gardens at areasand send them in. Severalmembers Glasnevin, Dublin. Ireland t.towhas a useful have offered to make availabletheir photo- andextensive website with lotsof lrishbotan- graphsfor use in BSBI Neu,sand we arevery ical news. resourcesarrd information . The grateful to thenr for this but, as rve've web addressgiven in BSBI YearBook 2007 is mentionedbefore. we often don't know what now obsolete and the new address is : photos we need until it's too late to ask www.botanicgardens.ie. Also the institu- around. This is one reasonwhy we are so tional email addressthat could be addedto the gratefulto Richardand Kath Pryce (and why entry is: botanicgardens(Eopw.ie their photos figure disproporlionately in David Halvker Recorderfor l'.c. 73 haslet Nex:s);Richard sends a disk with all of'one us know that the email addressgiven fbr hirn year's photos on them, divided into field rn BSBI Year Book 2007 - david hawker@) meetingsor dates,but not necessarilynamed quista.netis now obsoleteand hasn't been on the disk so long as each has a unique used for at least 2 years. It is currently identification number (as provided by the [email protected] camera). If we find we needa photo to frll a Sedges oJ'the British Isles Edn 3 gap in the colour sectionwe can quickly scan Although the authors are making steady throughthe disk, pick some out and email progresswith this new book, its cornplexity Richardfor confinnationof their identity and hasresulted in a further delay and it is regret- for captions. If any other membersrvould be ted that publicationby the AGM in May is preparedto do this it could help enormously, unlikely. A date in late June or early July and if needsbe we can supply blank media. Editorial / Leanderhas his (final) say / Plantsto seeat ACM 3

ReceivingEditor BSBI Nen's Therefore,for the next issuewould contribu- As mentionedin the last issue.Trevor James tors pleasesend all contributionsto Gwynn will take over as Receiving Editor of BSBI Ellis (at the addressgiven on page56) andnot Nor.u in Septernber2007. As Leander has to Leanderor Trevor. now finally retired as ReceivingEditor there And finally a big thank you to Leanderwho will be a gap between now and September has contributed so much to the successof which will be filled by the GeneralEditor, rVew.rover the last four years. Gwynn Ellis, for BSBI Nev,s 106 only.

Leander has his (final) say LEANDERWOLSTENHOLME l'd just like to say thank you to everyone working on Nerr,sto involve a considerable who's contributedarticies over the four years amount of work and it's really rnade me I've beenreceiving editor for BSBI News. It appreciatethe phenomenalamount of work really is a remarkablejournal that, I feel,truly Gwynn puts into the society. I am in awe. belongsto the membersof the society. I Attendingthe variousmeetings as part of my honestlycannot think of anotherjournal that receivingeditor's role, (publicationscommit- is as open, eclecticand welcolning as /y'ews. tee and council) has also mademc appreciate This is very much due to the tremendous the total amount of voluntary hours that go amountof hard work and style setby Gwynn. into the societywhich is. once again,truly I like to think to myself that four years awesome. lt really is a phenomenon. I feel working at News is a fair stint. However, sure people will be writing their PhD theses when you cornparethat length of time to the on volunteeringand the Societyin the future. lnany yearsthat Gu,ynnhas put in (21 years Long rnay it continue and long ntay BSBI and 63 issues),it is obviousthat I am a rnere News continue. I shall very much look part-timer. Clearly I have no intention of forward to receivingmy copy in the future. sparingGwynn's bluslres rvith this littlepiece so I shall continueby sayingthat I havefbund Plants of fields and hedgerows The Conferenceassociated with the BSBI AGM at RothamsteadResearch on Saturdar- l2th May 2007 PtlTERFRY, 52 Lindis/arncAvenue, Leigh-on-Sea. Er,re.r. SS9 JNR ln addition to the opportunity to obsen'ethe (Cowslip). Some plantsuncommon in the longestrunning continuousplant experintents area fike Dactylorhiza /uc'hsii (Common in England(and more recentones) at Rotham- Spotted-orchid), Listera otLtta (Comrr.ron steadResearch near Harpendenparlicipants Twayblade)and the srnallfem Ophiogl

The root of the matter; the vegetativeidentification of dandelion- like plants JoHNPoLANo,9l EthelburtAvenue, Swaythling, Southampton, SOl6 3DF

Basal feaf rosettes of Tqraxac:um structure (as explained in BSBI ly'ews l0l: (Dandelions), Cichorium (Chicory), 4-6). All the generaconsidered in this article Hypochaeris (Cat's-ears),Crepis (Hawk's- exude milky latex and are contained within beards), Leontodon (Hawkbits) and the Lactuceaetribe (seeBSBI News 100: 21- Hieracium (Hawkweeds) may be easily 22 for more details). confusedin the field. The degreeof runcinate The rootstock (rhizome) and roots often (backwards-pointing)lobing of the leavesis provide essentialclues to the genusand this is typical for severaltaraxacoid species but not usually expressedabove ground in the habit always clearly helpful for confident identifi- of the plant. Leontodon is shortly rhizoma- cation, particularly when aberrantplants are tous; the horizontal rootstock gives rise to encountered.Ironically, althoughTaraxacum l-several rosettestogether. In contrast,most is known as 'dandelion', 'dent de lion' is Crepis (and Hypochaeris) have a vertical actually the French name for Leontodon (Gk. taproot,thus only a single rosetteis usually Leon : lion; odontos - tooth). Botanists present (but beware several plants growing conducting surveys during the winter must together, or basal branching forming offsets thus rely exclusivelyon vegetativeidentifica- in perennialplants). If necessary,confirma- tionsby examiningseveral diverse characters. tion can be achievedquite unobtrusivelyby Fortunately, Leontodon hispidus (Rough shallow excavationat the baseof the plant; Hawkbit), L. saxatilis (LesserHawkbit) and uprootingis not required. all Hieracium speciescan be excludedon hair

Leontodon autumnalis (horizontal rhizome) Crepis capillaris (vertical taproot)

The weakly lobed winter leavesof Leontodon indispensablePlant Crib (1998).Furthermore autumnalis(Autumn Hawkbit) look remarka- L. autuntnalls has simple hairs unlike the bly similar to Crepis capillaris (Smooth forked hairs of L. hispidus and Z. .saxatilis. Hawk's-beard)- not the typical herring-bone Indeed, Sell (2006) puts Z. autumnalis into lobed leavesone associateswith Z. aulumna- the genus Scorzoneroides (further divided /ls in late sumlrer. The variability of both into I I varietalnames!), which appearsto be sDeciesis well illustrated on o. 289 of the a soundjudgement (even if unwelcome by Notes - The root of the matter

many!). Nonetheless,this species has the of xylem and phloem forming discrete horizontalrootstock of Leontodonand not the bundlesreadily visible to the nakedeye when typical vertical taprootof Crepis. the petiole (leaf stalk) is broken. Crepis, unltke Hypochaeris, has bluish- As many keen-eyedbotanists will already white latex (subtle!) and usually 5 obvious be aware, the basal leaves of Cichorium vascularbundles in the petiole. Hypochaeri,s intybus (Chicory) may look almost identical has white latex (rapidly turning brown) and to several species of the Taraxdcum aggre- just 3 vascular bundles in the petiole. For gate. Thankfully they can be separated those who are not yet au fail with vascular quickly by simply snappingthe petiole; it is bundles(vb's), they aretightly packedstrings hollow in Taraxacumbut solid tn Cichorium.

.a^>l o---/r' -'' ..t *O)

Cichorhtm intvbus Taraxacunt

Hypochaeris radicata

Below is a simplevegetative key to just a few apply throughouteach genera with the excep- 'northern' of the genera (and two species) of the tion of the two speciesof Crepis Lactuceaetribe. I haverefrained from adding (C. molli,s and C. praemorsa), which are all the speciessince the charactersgenerally shortly rhizomatous.

Leavesin a basalrosette, lobed, hairs (ifpresent) neitherscabrid or forked Petiolehollow. with white latex Verticaltaproot,latexabundant...... Tararacum Horizontalrhizome, latex sparse . . . Crepispaludosa Petiolesolid, with white latex (often sparse) Petiolewith white latex;vertical taproot(may produceoffsets in 2ndyear) Latextumingbrown;petiolewith 3 vb's ...... Hypochaeris Latex not turning brown; petiolewith > 5 vb's . . Cichorium Petiolewith bluish-whitelatex (not changingcolour), (3)5(7) vb's Horizontalrhizome;perennial ...... Leontodonautumnali,s Verticaltaproot;biennial (orannual) .....Crepis

I am extremelygrateful to RosalindBucknall References: whose excellent illustrations perfectly RrcH, T.C.G. & Jsnuy, A.C. 1998. Plant demonstrate the rootstock habit and show a Crib 1998.BSBI, London. selectionof petiolecross-sections. As always, SELL,P.D. & Munnrll, G.2006. Flora of I would like to extend my thanks to Eric Great Britain and lreland, Vol. 4 Campan- Clementfor his continuedencourasement. uI aceae-As terac eae. CUP. Cambridse. Notes The Norfolk Comfrev

Probable hybrid between Symphytum xuplsndicum and ,S.orientale in Norfolk Boe LpA.Nev,I 22 lVorw,ic'hRoacl, Wroxham, Noiblk, l{RI2 8SA For at least the last eight years I have been hand is much more like S xuplandicum in aware of a very large colony of an unusual habit.as tall or eventaller. flowers at the same comfrey growing on a road vergein lntwood, time (May June),and is plainly highly fertile, Norfolk. In 2003 I sent some material to I think all this suggests that it has Franklyn Perring, late BSBI ret-ereefor S. xtplandicun asthe seed parent, whereas the Symphytum,who identified it as the above Cambridgehybrid hasS. orientale. hybrid. Colonies: As this hybrid had not apparently been Plantswith identical and very characteristic describedin the literature.I wrote an article bud/flower colour, calyx dissection,vegeta- on the find tbr BSBI News, which was tive charactersand habit, have now been acceptedfor publication,br.rt just prior to this found at five sites. The original colony is on Philip Oswald sent rne a description a of a road verge opposite Intwood church comfrey on a road vergein Cambridgewhich (TG1971.0414),and there is a colony of had been determinedby Franklyn Perringas S. orientole growing in the churchyardsome being the same hybrid. This was totally 50 rnetres away; the nearest colony of different from my plant, so with Franklyn's S. tuplandicun is arounda mile away. Two approvalI 'pulled' the article and decidedto further roadsidecolonies occur within a few look into the matter further. miles, at EastCarlton, and Bergh Apton. A11 then four further have Since colonies been thesecolonies are in an areaa few rniles SW found. and a considerableamount of further of Norwich, but Mary Ghullam has now work. outlined below. has convincedme that discoveredtwo morecolonies about 20 miles Franklynwas probablyright aboutthe parent- NW of Norwich, within a hundredmetres of age,but that 'my' hybrid hasS. xuplandit:trm each other at Sustead. The Intwood colony, (Russian Comfrey) as the seedparent, with and one of the Susteadcolonies, are both Philip Oswald's hybrid the other way about. spreadingactively over an area of approxi- The new BSBI refereefor Svmphytum,Clare mately 200 squaremetres by the production O'Reilly, agreesthat this is a possibility,but of numerousseedlings (see colour photoson does feel that be not this determinationcan Front Cover and insideFront Cover). accepted without additional evidence suppofiing this putative parentage, tiom Description: cytological and/or molecular genetic studies The taxon is mainly characterisedby a strik- (seefollowing paper, p. 9). ing cornbinationof pink-red buds and sky It seemssignificant to me thatthe Cambridge blue opencorolla, with half dissectedcalyces hybrid colony consistsof only a few plantsin and more greyish-greenovate leaves than a very large colony of S. orienttrle (White S. xtplandicum, which it otherwise rather Comfrey). The hybrid plantsare very similar resemblesin heightand habit. Io S. orientale in height and habit, but with The buds are a gaudypink-red colour, and 'hooped' white and pale blue flowers (very the open corolla predominantlya sky blue. appropriatefor a Cambridgeplant!). Philip However,there is often an intermediatestage Oswald told me when we visited the site that when the corolla can have a lot of white in it - there had been no further plants in the five either flushedwith very pale blue, or with yearsor so he had known the colony, so that pale blue longirudinalstriations, or with pale the hybrid appearsto be very sterile. Also it blue patcheson the lobes. Occasionallythe flowers along with S. orientale betweenMarch longitudinal stripes are purple. on a white and May. The Norlblk comfrey, on the other ground, or the main corolla colour can be a Notes The Norfolk Cornfrey

very pale blue with pale purplepatches on the height,but on closeexamination, the apparent lobes. main stemsare olten in fact the sidebranches The fully developed corolla is usually a of an enormousmain stemlying horizontally! fairly unifonn sky blue. but sornetimeswith Evidenceof intermediacy: whitish or pale blue longinrdinal stripes or As can be seen fiom the digital photos, the still with purple longitudinal striations or generalappearance and habit of the Norfolk purple blotcheson the lobes. (See colour comfrey is very suggestive of a hybrid photos inside tiont cover). betweenS. xuplandicun and S. orientale. The calyx is dissectedon averageto just The leavesare much more broadly ovate in under half way (2/5 315). 'fhe shape, and much more cordate or tmncate leaves are a slightly greyish green, a based,tlran in S. xuplandicum, but less so little paler than those of S. xuplandicum, than in S. orientale. Their colour is definitely softer to the touch, and more broadly ovate ratherpale and greyish-greencompared with with a tendencyto truncateor cordatebases, S. xuplanclicmn,but againnot asobviously so especiallyon the upper stemwhere the leaves as in S. orientate. Habit is quite like S. orien- of S. xuplandicumare still cuneatebased. tale because the upper leaves are not The petiolesare fairly broadly winged,and 'upswept' fike those of S. xuplandit'um,but never decurrent. hang down in a graceful curve rnuch like The rootstock is oblique or vefiical, with thoseof S. orientale. The surfacetexture of no horizontalrhizomes. and not tuberous. the foliage is intermediatebetween the bristly The basal leaves in winter are narrowly feel of S. xuplandicum and the soft feel of ovate to widely lanceolate,with truncateor S. orientale. cordate bases, and widely acute, slightly The floral charactersare also persuasive. cuspidateapices. Sometimesthe basescan be The large amount of white in the corolla rnarkedlyauriculate. could come frorn the S. ol/icinale parentage The indumentum is generally softer and of S. xuplandicum, but is nevertheless less bristly to the touch than that of compatible with this hybrid. The corolla S. ,uplandicum. That of the calyx is made up scalesare intermediatebetween the nanowly of a few broad based,curved, thick, bristly triangular scalesof S. ,uplandicum and the hairs, and lnany more short fine hairs with more or lessparallel-sided, lingulate scales of abmptly hooked tips. which are not found in S. orienlale. The calyx is always around % S. ,uplandicum at all and look very similar to dissected,on averageto slightly lessthan half those found in S. orientale. On the sternthe way, which is againintermediate between the hairs are similar, with a few thick, broad- 213 4/5 dissectionof S. xtrplandicumand based,curved bristles,and mostly short.fine, the 114to 2/5 dissectionof S. orientttle. This hook-tipped hairs. The indurnenfumon the calyx dissectionseems unique, so much so underside the midrib of the upper of stem that it makesthe standardkeys unworkable leavesis rather different - a few very thick, all seem to have a crucial coupiet basedon curvedor straight,long bristles,with very tall whether calyx dissectionis below or above wide-basedpedestals, but againwith the same halfway. shorter fine hook-tipped hairs in abundance The single most important evidence of between. intermediacy,however, is to be found in the The height of well developed plants is indumentum. On the calyx, the stem,and the c.120-150crnor so, but first year plantsare undersideleaf mid-rib, the Norfolk comfrey aroundhalfthis heightand noticeably open in hasthick bristly hairs,usually intermediatein habit with long internodes,long petiolesand thickness between the thick broad-based the leaves curving gracefully downwards, bristles of S. xuplandicunt and the thin unlike the upsweptleaves of S xuplandicum. bristles of S. orientale, but theseare always Verv old Dlantsseem to be c.120-150cm in mixed with large numbers of fine, hook- Notes - The Norfolk Comfrey

tipped hairs identical with those found in from an area not dealt with by Flora S. orientale, but not found at all at least in Europaea, came up when I discussedthe local strainsof S. xuplandicum. Norfolk comfreywith Clive Staceat the BSBI Exhibition meeting. ProfessorStace agreed Other possible determinations: that it was very likely to be a hybrid between The Norfolk comfrey doesnot fit any of the S. xuplandicum and S. orientale. but was pure speciesor hybrids describedin Stace, worried about the high fertility which nor any of the pure speciesdescribed in Flora suggesteda pure species. He asked me to Europaea (which does not deal with Symphy- look in Bucknall's1913 account of thewhole tum hybrids). On morphological grounds it genus,which included25 speciesas opposed would seem, therefore, that the Norfolk to the 14 in Flora Europaea, with a large cornfrey (together perhaps with the numberrestricted to Turkey,the Caucasus,or Cambridgecomfrey), is a new wild growing the Middle East. However,virtually all these taxon for the British Isles, and possibly for haveyellow or white flowers,and thosewith Western Europe. pink or blue flowers all appearedto fall down There are three possibleorigins for such a on basic things like calyx dissectionor leaf new taxon; either it is a new hybrid, or it is a 'gone shape.Keying out the Norfolk comfreyusing garden cultivar. not previously wild', Bucknall's key came to a 'dead end' on or it is a taxon from outsidethe areacovered speciesclearly not suitable,even if one took by our usual literafure. both routes from the couplet dealing with If the Norfolk comfrey is a new hybrid, is calyx dissection(see above). thereany otherparentage that would be likely ClareO'Reilly haslooked into a much more to produce the characters found? Since recent account of the whole genus, that of S. xuplandic'umquite closely resemblesthe Sandbricket al. (1990), which recognises4l Norfolk comfrey in height, habit and f'lower species.She has made a list of 7 specieswith colour, and is alsogenerally the only comfrey pink buds and blue corollas, and without in the Norfolk areawhich can establishitself rhizomes,all of which occur in NE Turkey or on nutrientrich roadverges. it seemsreason- the Caucasus. ableto assumethat it is one of the parents.In this casethe only otherlikely parentwould be Further work: S. caucasicurn(Caucasian Comfrey), which To properly compare the Norfolk comfrey has a calyx dissectedto t/q-t/zway, so might with theseeastern species, it hasbeen decided be exoectedto sive rise to the characteristic to obtain herbariumspecimens - including a half dissected calyx However, non-asperous, blue-t'lowered species, S. caucasictur does not fit nearly as well as .S. ctrmeniacum,previously considered a 'other S. orientale as the parent' in several variefy of S. asperum (Rough Comfrey). characters,but mainly in its graduallyattenu- Comparisonwill also have to be made with ated leaf bases,which are very like those of horticulhrral cultivars grown in British S. xuplandicum in thts respect and so hardly gardens o[ Symphynrn which are non-rhi- likely to give rise to the markedlytruncate or zomatous, and with pink buds and blue cordateleaf basesof the Norfolk comfrey. flowers; especially the cultivars of As far asgarden cultivars are concemed, the S. xuplandicLtm. main ones worth considering are those of Ifthese eastemalien and gardentaxa have S. xuplandicaz or possibly S. caucasicum - been excluded,we will then want to have at least 4 non-variegated cultivars of cytological and, if possible,genetic studies S. xuplandiutm are sold as gardenplants in carried out to ask if the Norfolk comfrey the UK accordingto RHSPlant Finder (Lord, arose from hybridisation between 200s). S. xuplandicum and S. orientale. Clare The question as to whether the Norfolk O'Reilly is at present.trying to arrangethis, comfreymay be a newly arrivedeastem alien, perhapstogether with gardenexperiments to Notes - The Norfolk Comfrey / Challengeswhen determininga putativeinterspecillc hybrid 9

synthesisethe hybrid, and statisticalmorpho- or so it is hoped that genetic studies will metric studies. My full description, with establishits trueidentity. drawings, photographs and photocopies, Acknowledgement: appearsto show good evidenceof intermedi- I would like to thank Clare O'Reilly for her acy. However,my work was doneusing only invaluablesupport and directionin this work, three plants from each taxon. with no to ProfessorClive Stacefor his advice,and to measurements statistics,so doesnot consti- or Bob Ellis, Vice-countyrecorder, for his help- tute a proper morphometric study. ful commentson the first draft on this article. Conclusion: References Whether the Norfolk comfrey is a hybrid BUcKNALL,C. 19I 3. A Revisionto theGenus between S. xuplandicunt and S. orientale or Symphtnum.J. Linn. Soc.Bot. 41. 491-556. not, it certainly appearsto be a new taxon Lono, T. (ed.). 2005. RHS Plant Finder growing wild in the British Isles. lt shows 2005-2006.Dorling KindersleyPublishers, striking constancy in its charactersand is London. extremelypersistent, vegetatively aggressive Se.Noenrcr,i.M., veN Bnrornooe, J. & and l-ertile.behaving in many ways very Gaor,lr-e,T.W.J. 1990.Phylogenetic rela- much like a pure species. It is just possible tionships in tbe gents Symphvtum L. that it clrromosome has undergone doubling (Boraginaceae).Proc. Kon. Ned. Akacl. v. like Welsh Groundsel(Senecio cambrensis), Wetensch.93(31 295-334. in which caseit could indeedwarrant specific Srace, C.A. 1997.New F-lora oJ the British designation. Whatever its origins, there Lsles(2"d edn). Carnbridge University Press, seemsno doubt that it is going to becone a Cambridge. permanentfeature ofour flora, and an attrac- TurrN T.G.. Er el. (eds).1972. Flora Euro- tive one at that. It would be worthwhile paea(Yo1.3). Cambridge University Press, looking for it elsewhere. Over the next year Cambridge.

Challengeswhen determininga putatiyeinterspecific hybrid CIIRE O'Rrlllv, 3 Railwalt Cottage,s,Lanbley, lVorthumberlandCAS 7LL. [email protected] BSBI .Slrzplltum reteree,joint beginnersreferee and member of the BSBI Education & Trainingcommittee With referenceto Dr Bob Leaney's useful (Lewontin& Birch 1966cited inLowe et al. summaryof his studiesof a putativeSymphy- 2004 p206). tum hybrid, I would like to explain why, as The selection of the methods used to referee,I haverefrained from determiningthe evidencehybridity will dependon resources Norfblk comtiey as S. xuplandicum x and expertiseavailable, as well as the charac- S. orientale. teristicsof the plantsto be investigated.The There are no set or 'official' diagnostic following is a summary of the evidence criteria for the identificationofhybrids. Each commonly used,and ideally as many of the casemust be judged on its own merits (Lowe following criteriashould be assessedas possi- et al . 2004: Stace1989). A taxonomistmust ble (Stace1989): review the available evidence and decide 'it o Overall morphologicalintermediacy, which whether it is sufficient; ultimately, is a is often assessedby multivariatestatistical fundamentaldifficulty of a historical science analysis of morphometric data. These like evolutionthat one can neverestablish the statisticaltests allow multiple cornbinations causeof a past event. It is only possibleto of charactersin a single analysisand are show that certaincauses as a hybridiza- fsuch conducted by computer programmes. tion event]are plausible or, at most,likely...' Hybrids also often exhibit transgressive t0 Notes- Challengeswhen delermining a putatireinterspecific hybrid

characters,i.e. charactersthat are outsideof o Distributionaland ecologicaldata may also the range of variation exhibited by either provide useful circumstantialevidence of parent (Rieseberg et al. 1999). Other putativeparentage. measuresof pheneticintermediacy may be However,these techniques are most likely to used, such as chemical or anatomical identify F1hybrids and no singletechnique is characters. a panacea- arguably not even molecular . (the Cytology studyof cell contents)may be analysisas, for example,sequencing different informative, in particular, gener- a hybrid generegions sometimes produces conflicting ally (but not always) will have a chromo- results. Subsequenthybrid generations,and somenumber intermediate betweenthose of where introgressionhas occurred, can be its putativeparent taxa. really challenging for example,molecular o Reduced fertility is also indicative of markers derived from later generationsor hybridity, which may be assessedby back-crossproducts may segregateor recom- various techniques,such as pollen staining bine. In any event, reliance on molecular (see Harold 2006). However, reduced information alone, sometimesreferred to as 'DNA fertility, including pollen inviabilify, may taxonomy', is controversial: best be due to otherfactors, such as environmen- taxonomic practicegenerally combines data tal conditions. from, inter alia, morphology, cytology, o Molecular genetic analyses. Allozyme reproductivebiology and genetic 'down studies. In (involving the study of enzymes,a particular,crossing experiments to resynthe- stream' product of DNA) or molecular sise hybrids can provide particularly strong, markerstudies (of DNA itself) may provide yet perhapssomewhat undervalued, evidence definitive evidence of parentage: these (Rieseberg 'finger & Carney1998). printing' methodsproduce banding In somecases, limited evidencesupporting patternson a gel which, for a hybrid, would hybridity may satisfymany taxonomists.For show additivity of bandsi.e. a hybrid would example,where plants are sterile(and hybrid have a finger print with a combination of sterility is already documented from all bands,some of the unique bandsfrom one known hybrids in the genus), growing parent and some from the other. Other betweenthe putative parent taxa and show techniquesinvolve DNA sequencingand morphologicalintermediacy. My view (and I (2006). are outlined in Bateman stressthat this is my opinion)is that empirical o Reciprocalartificial crosses.Rcsynthesis of evidence should be obtained as standard 'new' morphologically similar plants to the practicewhere a hybrid is described, Norfolk comfrey would provide strong such as Symphytumxuplandicum x S. orien- evidence of its parentage, although a tale, which is undescribed and therefore negativeresult would not necessarilynegate would be new to science.As Bateman(2006) this. Additional evidencemay be provided pointed out in his recent article on orchid by back-crossingthe first hybrid (F r) gener- hybrids,this approachis often not taken and ation to one or both parentsand by crossing thereare many dubioushybrid taxapublished the F1products to producean F2generation, as a result. Hybridity is an attractivehypoth- which, in hybrids, may (but not always) esis,especially for field botanistshoping for produce plants with characters of the a new British or Irish record! However, parentssegregating out to give a wide range although hybridity is clearly widespreadin of variation. Incidentally,this is a possible vascularplants (Stace 1989),we should not explanation for the morphological differ- be too quick to jump at it. The recentfinding ences between the Cambridgeshire and that a putative hybrid betweenSenecio ,squal- Norfolk comfreys theseplants may look ldas (Oxford Ragwort) and S. inaequiden,s very different but could still be the same (Narrow-leavedRagwort) may be a develop- hybrid taxon. mental variant of S. inaeauidens (Chicken Notes Chailengeswhen determininga putativeinterspecific hybrid

2006; Wilcox 2007), is a good example of Bateman'srecent suggestionin BSBI News why caution is needed when identiffing that the societyhave a molecularreferee and 'new' hybrids (N.B. I use the term 'variant' support its own molecular researchprojects deliberately;this does not necessarilyequate (aswell aspart funding thoseof othersvia our to the taxonomic rank of variety. A taxono- researchgrants) (Baternan 2006). mist may decide to recognisea variant at an Acknowledgements infraspecific rank such as variety or forma, I would like to thank Professor Richard has not yet done in the caseof but this been Bateman for both checking, and providing this Senecio). usefulcomments on, this note. Although the rnorphologicalevidence for intermediacy between St mphytum References xuplandicum (Russian Comfrey) and For more informationabout hybridisation and S. orientale (White Comfrey) of the Norfolk taxonomy, and plant taxonomy in general, comfrey is persuasive,there are other possi- one of the best introductory texts is Plant ble explanations. The intense blue corolla Turonomy and Biosystematicsby Clive Stace may originate from S. aspentm (Rough (cited below) and available from Summer- Comfrey) but alternativelycould be derived tleld Booksfor f 15. fionr S. cctut'ttsicum(Caucasian Cornfrey). For example.Alan Leslie comrnentsthat the BATEMAN,R.M. 2006. Developingreliable Norfolk plant may be a hybrid between testsfor putativehybrids of bizarreparent- S. caucasictu and S. orientale, although he age: a role for the BSBI? BSBI ltlews l0l points out that this combination would be ll-20. expectedto produce at least some rhizoma- CstcrEN, E. 2006.A possiblehybrid of Sene- tous growth. Anotherpossibility is tlrat the cio inaequiden.sin S.W. Yorkshire. BSBI Norfolk plant is an uncomlnonor previously New,s103: 36. unknown cultivar or variant of HRRoln, B. 2006. Pollen (in) f-ertility.B.tB1 S. xuplandicum or S. asperum which has News101: 16-17. atypical calyx dissectionand indumentumor LowE. A.. HARRIS.S. & AsHrON,P. 2004. a variantof S. cuucasic:umwtth atypicalhabit Ecological Genelics. Design, Anslvsis and andleaf morphology. ,4pplication.Blackwell Publishing,Oxford. If any BSBI memberknorvs of a BSc or RTESEBERc.L.H. & CanNEv. S.E. 1998. MSc biology studentwho may be interested Plant hybridization. Tansley review no. -624. in a molecular research project on the 102.lrlew Phytol ogist 140: 599 Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Symphytum RIESEBERG,L.H., AncHER,M.A. & WAYNE, plants,please get in touchwith rneby email. M.K. 1999.Transgressive segregation, ad- Similarly, if any member is interestedin aptatiorrand speciation.Heredity 83: 363- completing the MSc in Plant Diversity 372. (taxonomyand evolution)at ReadingUniver- SrecE, C.A. 1989.Plant Taronom.yand Bio- sity, I have funding availablefbr a molecular systematics. 2"d edition. Cambridge Uni- projectbased at this institution. versity Press,Clambridge. Investigating the origin of the Norfolk WILCox,M.2007. Senecioinaequidens, var- comfreywould alsobe a usefulpilot studyfor iation in leaf types.BSBI l'{ews104:44-45. the BSBI if we decideto take up Richard t2 Notes- A recentlydiscovered hybrid ivy

A recentlydiscovered hybrid ivy At-tsoNRurHEnpono, l9 SouthKing Sreet,Helensburgh, Argyll & Bute, G84 7DU A US researcher,Tara Fletcher Ramsay, ery foliage, perhaps with some prominent using flow cytometry, has found hybrids veining, might make a hybrid stand out between the diploid Common lvy Hedera among the softer, waxy-glossy leaves and helix (2n:48) and the tetraploid so-called almost invisible veins of Atlantic ivy. As Irish Iry, H. hibernica'Hibemica' (H. helix H. hihernica contributes2/3 of the chromo- 'Hibernica') ssp. hibernica (2n:96). Both somes to the hybrid, the hybrid can be speciesare naturalisedin the United States. expectedto more resemblethat species,and Thesetriploid (2n:72) hybridswere more or the trichome hairs lie parallel with the leaf lessintermediate in foliage, though closerto 1L surfaceas in 1L hibernica. 'lrish hibernica'Hibernica' in the short,broad, leaf Conversely,in areas where Ivy' is lobes and robust leathery texture typical of either allowed to flower freely or has widely Irish hy (see Colour Section,Plate 2). The escaped(as in north west USA) and meets 'Woemeri', cultivar previously regardedas a wild 11.helix, any ivy with 'almost' so-called 'Irish large leaved H. helix, she also found to be lvy' leaves,but more leatheryand dull, triploid. This cultivar was discoveredon a would be worth sampling. Mixed areaslike wall in Germanyin the 1940s. near the River Wye at Symonds Yat might Quite separate flow cytometry work in alsobe worth searching. Budapesthas revealedthat three ivies previ- Any potential hybrids need to be sampled ously thought to be 1L helir cultivars are also and the cuttings kept damp. Forget referee triploids, and almost certainly the same stricturesabout not sending'black mush' in hybrid. We have not seenliving material of plasticbags! Ivies are long-sufferingbut do theseyet. not sulive being dried out. Wrap the cut Observationsof sparsefruiting on isolated ends in a paperhankie or cotton wool, then plants of H. helix suggestat least partial self- damp well. incompatibility, while heavy fruit crops on It is importantto collectfrom reallyjuvenile isolatedplants of 1L hibernica (Atlantic ivy) branches(sterile, running stage). Older and suggest self-compatibility. Where the US adult (with un-lobedleaves and often fertile) hybrids were found in Seattle the dominant shootsare often un-rootable. Also, cuttings ivy was H. hibernica'Hibernica'with only from shootstightly clinging to walls or tree the occasionalplant of H. helix. This might trunks root less easily. Take at least four be the situation in which hybrids are most cuttings,l5cm or longer,put in a plastic bag likely to be produced. and damp soon! Pliant, whippy, plump It appears likely that the hybrids so far shootsare best. detectedall involve the commonly cultivated Bagsof dampenedcuttings keep well in the 'lrish Ivy' form of H. hibernica. However, fridge and are not too healy to send by first where wild Atlantic iry (1L hibernica) is the class post, preferably early in the week, to common wild plant as on the UK's western Alison Rutherford. seaboardin lreland,the ChannelIsles, the Isle Pleasegive details (e.g. Bank S. end of of Wight, Isle of Man, the southwest penin- Birdley Woods,by the 863l to Aston) as I sula and west Wales, a cultivated H. helix don't haveaccess to mapsof everywhere. pollinated by the surroundingH. hihernica This hybrid is not going to be an easyplant (Atlantic iry) might produce a not very to find, but it would be a first for the British distinct plant. Any ir,y with no fruit where Isles and Ireland, and members have often surroundingplants are fruiting freely might risento big challenges!It might also be in be a possiblehybrid, especiallyif the leaves time for Clive Stace'senlarsed hvbrid book. are also somewhatintermediate. Dull. leath- Good huntins! Notes Dacfylorhizalapponica in Co. Antrim: a new Irish record IJ

The occurrenceof Dactylorhizulapponica in Co. Antrim: a new Irish record THoMAS ENNIS. 5I Rannoch Road, Holvwood, Co. Down BTlS }NB On l5 June1990, J.C.L. Phillips and I located mineral-rich flush conditions. Companion a small colony of Dactylorhizaorchids on the plants included Erica tetralix (Cross-leaved Garron Plateau.County Antrim. I consider Heath), Nartlrccium ossi1ft'agum (Bog that this colony containsplants which may be Asphodel), Drosera rotundifolia (Round- regarded as the first Irish record of the leavedSundew), D. anglica (Great Sundew), Lapland Marsh-orchid, Dactylorhiza Carex nigra (Common Sedge),Trichophorum lapponica (Laest ex Hartman) 5o6 (Lapland cespitosum(Deergrass), Eriophorum vagina- Marsh-orchid). This specieshas not previ- tn m (Hare' s-taiI Cottongras s), E. an gus t if bI i nm ously beenrecorded in Ireland. There are no (Comrnon Cottongrass).and Molinia caerulea Irish records shown in the ly'ewAtlas ol the (PurpleMoor-grass). On drier,more acid land Briti.sh& Irish Flora (PresLonet a|.2002) but some distance away were Calhrna vulguris the plants are mentioned in Ireland's Wild (Heather) and Dactylorhiza nrcculatcTssp. Orchids(Sex and Sayers2004,p. 132). ericetorum (Heath Spotted-orchid). I have Althotrgh the occurrenceof D. lapponic'a sinceleamed frorn Mr. Meikle (pers.cornm.) had been suspectedin Great Britain for some thathis plantswere 'growing,rather sparingly, time, it was not until 1988 that this was in an areaof flat. very soddenbog'. He funher 'my formally published (Kenneth et ol. 1988). statedthat plantswere collected in thearea The recognised British sites were all in you indicate,namely the headwatersof the Scotland,along the West Coast,including the Inver River eastof Crockravar'. This site is Outer }lebrides and Kintyre. With the c. 1lOkm from tlre nearestD. lapponic'ctsite in discoveryof D. lapponlca so closeto North- Scotland(Knapdale, Kintyre). The location ern Ireland my thoughts turned to a Dac'ty- has been referredto as 'Heslop- Harrison's lorhizct site in County Antrim that was site' but in his 1956 paper Heslop-Harrison 'in discoveredby R.D. Meikle bog land near makesit clearthat, althoughhe visited the area, the sourcesof streamswhich drainthe plateau he never saw the relevantDactylorhiza colony basaltbehind Carnlough' (Heslop-Harrison there. The presentsite is thereforeconsidered 1956,pp. 56-57). Theseare the sameplants to be thatdescribed by Meikle. referred to by V.S. Summerhayesas being The plants were very small, ranging tiom collected by Meikle in 1949 in Counly 6-20crnin height, most with five leavesand Antrim; at that time theseplants were desig- appearinga great deal smaller than plants nated Orc'his trttunsteineriofules (Summer- from populations of D. traunsleineri hayes1951, p.259). (Nan'ow-leaved Marsh-orchid) from other I was determinedto investigatethese County locations in Ireland (see Colour Section, Antrim plants to seewhether they were refera- inside Back Cover). In many plants the ble to D. lapponica. However, the exact leaveswere unmarkedbut some had sparse, location was known to f-ew Irish botanists. I very fine spotting near the tips of the fwo am most gratefulto D. Ledshamlbr providing larger sheathingleaves and a few even had information that led to us locating a Ducty- spottingon the undersideof the leaves. The lorhiza site to the eastof Crockravar. Here,the sheathingleaves of some had purple-tinged GarronPlateau rises to over 300m,approached margins. The inflorescencewas lax and one- across a terrain of undulating, windswept sidedwith very few flowers; commonly five, uplandmoorland and wet bog. The site itself but sevenor more could be found. Colour is located in very wet, flat gror.rndin the ranged from reddish-purplethrough red to headwatersof the Inver River (lrish Grid pink. Some had purple-washedbracts. The D240.202). About 120 plants occurred in labellumwas three-lobedwith the centrelobe t4 Notes Dactylorhiza lapponica in Co. Antrim: a new Irish record

longer than the side lobes, strongly marked informed me that as the result of increasing with darkerlines and dots. The lateralsepals experienceat new sitesfor both D. lapponica 'both were spreadingand markedwith darkerdots; and D. traun.steineriin Scotland. of the dorsal sepal, together with the petals, which cannow be describedas widely distrib- formed a hood. The spur was thick, straight uted along the western coast', he is content and circular in transversesection. Careful that some of the Garron plants should be scrutinyof the plantsin the colony revealeda called D. lapponica. He feels that they 'the few individuals with heavy solid spots and closely resemble dwarf forms of Dacty- ring spots on the leaves,extending onto the lorhiza lapponica from South Harris', in the bracts. These plants closely conform to Outer Hebrides. Similarly, ProfessorR.M. previous descriptions and illustrations of Bateman. who is the BSBI co-referee for D. lapponica in the literature and in particular Dactylorhiza,says (pers. comm.) 'l am happy are in accord with the charactersgiven by to verify your identificationand to statethat I B. Allan, P. Woods and S. Clarke (Allan, have seenmany similar plantsin Scotland.' Woods & Clarke 1993),where accountsof In June2004 I took water samplesand a soil the distinguishingfeatures of D. traunsteineri samplefrom the site. The water sampleswere and D. lapponica are summarised. It should takenat approximately50m intervals,sample also be noted that these authors refer to I being from the upstreamend ofthe site and Scottish populations where the two species samples 2 and 3 progressingdownstream. grow together and flower at the same time Analysis of thesesamples is set out in Table and where the description of the favoured I below. The Bc measurementis buffering habitat and the plants closely resemblethose capacitywhich is an estimateof all dissolved at the Garron site. One or two larger plants mineral ions in the water sample. The units suggested hybridisation, most likely with of measurementare Meq/litre i.e.milli-equiv- D. maculata, which was present a shorl alentsper litre. Bc is an attemptto measure distanceaway on drier ground. the resistanceof water to changesin pH. A The site has subsequentlybeen examined high Bc will resistpH changesstrongly. In an by others with an interest in Irish orchids, acid peat land context this means that an including M.R. Lowe, R. Piper and the late alkalinespring or seepagecan retain its D.M. Turner Ettlinger. Mr Lowe is an alkaline pH despitethe acidifying effect of acknowledgedexpert on British DacQlorhiza the surroundingpeat. This is very important and has specialist knowledge of D. traun- for both plants and animals associatedwith steineri and D. lapponicct populations in the spring. Scotland. In recent corespondence he Table I

Water samples pH Bc Alkalinity Meq/litre (mg CaCO:/l)

Water 1 7.79 )JZ 360 Water 2 7.39 350 400 Water 3 6.85 169.1 t7

Analysis of the soil sample,which was taken only that the soils are organic (i.e. mineral- from nearthe centreof the site,was dealtwith poor) and peaty. Although peat soils have in two sections:litter and peat (seeTable II). high N values,the N is unavailableto plants The % N is given in Dried Material. The high and the soils arethus oflow fertilitv. N values shown are deceotiveand indicate Notes Dactvlorhiza lapponicain Co. Antrim: a new Irish record/ Neptuneplant I l5

TableII

Soil sample Depth PH Bc 7'NinDM Litter 5cm 7.58 3'78 1.44%N Peat 8crn 1.49 317 2.06%N

Although this occurrencehas already been years and to ProfessorR. Bateman and B. reported (Ennis 2003), the present paper Nelson for their highly valued assistancein providesmore detailedinformation about the the preparationofthis paper. plants and the site, and servesto draw the References matter to the wider attention of botanistsin AlleN. B.. WooDS.P. & CLARKE.S. 1993. Ireland. My earlier paper included Wild Orchids of Scotland. HMSO. backgroundinformation on the circumstances Be,rsueN, R.M. 2006. How many orchid which led to the evenfualidentification of the speciesare currently native to the British Garronplants. lsles'?Pp. 89-l l0 in J. BatlEv & R.G.Ei-- Throughout I have followed the nomencla- Its (Eds.), Cunent taxonomicresearch on fure of the New Flora oJ the British Lrle.i (ed. the British and lrish flora. Botanical Socie- 2, Stace 1997) but it should be noted that, ty of the Britishlsles. following DNA analysis,recent works have ENNls,T. 2003.Lapland Marsh Orchid, Dac- confirmed that British and Irish plants, Qlorhiza lapponic'a (Laest. ex Hartman) formerly assignedto the continentalD. traun- 5o6, in lreland.Eurorc'his 15: 61-10. steineri, are best regarded as a separate HESLop-HARRISoN,J. 1956. Dactylorchis species, D. traunsteinerioide.s(Bateman traunsteineri Saut. in County Antrim. Irish 2006). Similarly it seemsprobable that the Naturalists'Journal 12: 56-57. British Irish 'D. lapponica' referred to and KENNETH,A.G., Lows, M.R. & TeNNeNr, here is not identicalwith the Europeantaxon D.J. 1988. Dactylorhiza lapponica (Laest. of that name. ex Hartman)5o6 in Scotland.Watsonia 17: The site lies within the protection of the 3l -41. Plateau Area of Special Scientific Ganon PnEsroN,C.D., PrenuAN, D.A. & DtNps, Interestwhich was declaredon 31 May 1994. T.D.2002.lVew Atla,sof the British & Irish Acknowledgements Flora. Oxford University Press,Oxford. I wish to thank the following fbr their much SEX. S & Savpns. B. 2004. Ireland's Wild appreciatedhelp at various times: Dr R. An- Orchids.Susan Sex Wild Orchids.Portmar- derson,P. Hackney,R.D. Meikle, and Ms E. nock. Platts. I am particularly grateful to J.C.L. Sre.cn, C.A. 1997.New Flora of the Briti.sh Phillips for his enthusiasmand companion- Lsle.s(Edn 2). CambridgeUniversify Press, ship in this questand I am indebtedto M.R. Cambridge. Lowe for his encouragementand advice on Sutr,tHasnHavEs,V.S. 1951. Wild Orchids of the stateof knowledseon this taxon over the Br itain. Collins. London.

Neptune plant - I ARruuR CuareR, IL/indover,Penyrangor, Abervstwvth,Dyfed, SY23 IBJ

It is fortunatethat the 'Neptune' plant adver- has somecommercial value and is usedfbr a 'unable tised in The Timesis to be classified variety of decorative pu{poses,and that a in any botanicalcategory' as it is an animal, small industry existed round the Thames Sertularia cupressina, a Hydrozoan. J.D. estuarywere it was collectedfrom the seabed Fish & S. Fish, A student's guide to the bv rakine from small boats. seashoreed. 2, 1996,says that when dyed it l6 Notes - Neptune plant - 2 I Aerial node roots in Phalaris arundinacea

Neptuneplant - 2 ANNE REID,2 East Navarre Street, Monifieth, Dundee,DDs 4QS 'The In your editorial in BSBI 1y'ew.r104 you NeptunePlant is actuallya type of air enquired if anyone knew more about the fern, which is not, botanically speaking,a 'Nepfune Plant' as advertised in various plant. We spoketo the Royal Horticultural brochures. By coincidencemy husbandhad Society who advised us that their experl written to the Advertising StandardsAuthor- botanistshad confirmed that as the air fern is ity (ASA) on this subjectin January,after we not a plant,it is unknownto botanicalscience. had questioned the accuracy of the Interestingly, the air fern is made up of advertisement'sclaims. He receiveda reply Hydrozoans,which are a colonial form of from the ASA at the end of February and, in marine life. Their dead bodies form this light of your query, then requested their parlicular fauna which does indeed have a permission to reproduce the reply for the distinctivegreen colour. As it is not a plant, benefit of BSBI members. The following and appearsto be equally adept at living in passageis a direct quotefrom the ASA letter. water or as a decorativepiece, it is reasonable 'I understandthat you contend that it is to assumethat it doesn'tneed watering.' implausible that a plant from the oceanbed We feel that this ruling was rather border- would not need watering for years and that line and, as my husbandsuggested, a bit like the term ocean bed implies a deep surface, sayingthat rock buns could not be classified where green plants are rare. You also feel by geologists! However, we hope that the that it is slightly insulting to suggestthat the information from the ASA enliehtensother plant cannot be classified by botanists. members. Having made our enquiries,I should inform you from the outsetthat we do not proposeto take further actionon this occasion.'

Aerial node roots in Phalaris arundinacea JoHNP. MARSHALL,54 Oak Avenue,Todmorden, Lancs, OL14 5l{T

The observationby JackOliver in BSBI News length of 20 to 40, or even 50 feet. These 104 of the aerial node roots on Phragmites elongatedaxes are apparentlyalways sterile australis (Common Reed) prompts me to and their leaves are very much reduced. mention a similar occunence on Phalaris Occasionally a few rootlets arise from the arundinacea(Reed Canary-grass). Last year joints, but in general the plant lies quite was particularly noticeablefor the upper nodes prostrate and entirely unconnected with the of this grass to produce long aerial roots, soil, so that it may be wound aboutany object particularly from heavily leaning stems,the like a cord'. ln the samechapter Agnes Arber photograph(Colour Section,Plate 3) showsa goesinto greatdetail on the vegetativephase good exampletaken in Todmorden,which was in grassesand includesdescription and illus- then planted at these roots and grew away tration of extra-vaginal branching of easily. Agnes Arber in her book The Common Reed. It would appearthat many Gramineae (1934) describes a variety of grassesare capable ofaerial rootsand shoots, Common Reed on the southernshores of the particularlywhen they becomesemi-prostrate Isle of Wight, the length of which beatsthat as in JackOliver's example. 'the seenby Jack Oliver, culms are like long Reference: and slender ropes on the steep sides of the Anesn, A. 1934. The Gramineae,a study of landslips,or to trail in a straightor serpentine Cereal, bambooand grass. CambridgeUni- joints, direction,without rooting at the to the versity Press,Cambridge. Notes //linarloglossarr /rirclnamin Guemsey/ Another missingherbar''ium located l7

Himantoglossumhircinum, a new record for Guernsey BRIDGETOz^NNp, Les Mouettes,Pont L''aillant,Vale, GuernseyGY6 SBLI

Chris and Helen Pellant from North Following their directionsthe large flower Yorkshire are regular visitors to Guemsey, spike was lbund the next day in an area of and alwayslet me know what they havefound rough grasslandon the golf-course in the on their botanicalexplorations. In 2006,they north of the island(see Colour Section,inside phonedme on the lastday of their trip in early Back Cover). There was just one plant, with Juneto saythat they had seena Lizard Orchid one (and possiblyone broken-oft) spike, but (Himantoglossumhirc'inum) and did I know the plant must havebeen tl.rere several years. aboutit? All I knew was thatthere have never The habitat was very similar to where it been any records from Guernsey,or any of would be found in France. Well done Chris the smaller Channel Islands, although it and Helen. for one of the best new finds of occursin one small areain Jersey.and is quite recentyears. when most new reqordsare of frequent on the nearby Normandy/Brittany gardenescapes or plants introducedby man coast. from distant oar1s.

Another missingherbarium located Devto ArlsN, LesneyCottage, Midclle Road, I4/inchester,Hants., SO22 5EJ

A herbarium of some 3,200 sheetsrecently well-known botanist father held clerical came to light at the rear of an ancient appointments.Becoming a Unitarian minis- cupboard in the nafural history museum of ter in his turn,the sonis known to havetaught Eton College(ETN). Of these,2188 were botany,among other subjects,at the dissent- found to consistof vascularplants collected ing acadernyin York known as Manchester in the British lsles, but especiallyYorkshire, College.During his yearsthere, 1827-39, he in 1816-5I by an anonymousbotanist who, also acted as the Yorkshire Philosophical on the strengthof other evidence,has been Society'shonorary botanical curator - hence convincingly identified as the Rev. William theseone-time specimens of his there. York Hincks(1194-187l\. was exchangedfor Cork, the city of his birth, Hincks is known to haveparticipated in the in 1849 on his appointmentas Professorof early exchange activities of the Botanical Natural History in its newly-established Society of Edinburgh and a few scattered Queen'sCollege. He remainedthere, howev- specirnens of his have previously been er, only four years before emigrating to reportedfrom institutionsthere and at Forres Canadaand completinghis careerat Univer- in Scotlandand at Cork and Belfastin Ireland, sity College,Toronto. but an apparently more substantial number References: were at one time in the museum of the FussEy,G.D., SaNseunv, D.W. & Svn'u, (now Yorkshire Philosophical Sociefy The D.A.S.2006. The William Hincksherbari- Yorkshire Muser.rm)but had failed to be um at Eton College: botany in early nine- (Kent traced & Allen, 1984). Whetherthese teenth century Yorkshire, The Naturalist last constitutedthe fuIl-scaleherbarium that l3l 23-35. has now tumed up is unclear. lt is also KsNr, D.H. & At-t-EN,D.E. 1984.British and runclearhow that herbarium came to be at Iri.yhherbaria. London.BSBI. EtonCollege. Hincks was brought up successivelyin Cork and Belfast, where his almost equally l8 Notes BotanicalCrossword No. 8

BotanicalCrossword No. 8 by Cruciada ACROSS DOWN l. Champion server maybe, but opposite l. Mythical Antennaria?(8) handsgive the gameaway (4) 2. Age of unlistedTwayblade (3) 3. No leadercan propagateperiwinkle bush (8) 4. Put him down as non-specialist(6) 8. Gray'scutting up (7) 5. More bonny ivy tree than oriental sweet- 10.Seaweed tossed about in a gale(5) stalk(6, 5) 11. Passing the summer in interior flower 6. Split styleclass (7) arrangement( I 1) 7. Free,free! Home to some 10 (4) 13.English saint concocts infusion (6) 9. As the sunflowertums on her god when he 15. After field trip perhaps,go to the pub sets/The samelook that shetum'd when he about two for refreshment(6) rose(l 1) 17.A poor native disturbed,it transpires(l l) 12.Accentor, heal thyself(8) 19. Unprepared,penniless, I was somewhere 14.Fruitless to meddlewith theFrench rites (7) else(5) 16. Short mountain grass,a whiter shadeof 20. PR angleadjusted for deeprecovery (7) pale(3, 3) 22. Buy any recordingwith a pound over fwo 18.Hook buriedin sandbarbeach (4) years(8) 2l . New gascontract (3) 23. Finally refer to Sherard'smarginalia, for example,to find shrub(4) [For solutionsee page 33] Noles . Bcl/ls perenni.sl. Ji.rciformi.r Dcgreesof colour-blindnessin botany l9

Bellis perennis f. discifurmis JEANNEWrse. Hvbeck Old Cleeve.Minehead. Somerset TA24 6Hry

In the summerof 2005,whilst walkingalong during the survey at Penrith (50.30) and a woodland track near Dunster. in West Ravenstonedale(7 4.02)' . Geoffrey Halliday, Somerset,we found a variant of the common A Flora of Cumbriap. a72 (1991). daisy, Bellis perenni.s completely lacking 'The curious raylessfonn of this plant, in ligulateflowers. The plant rvasgrowing in the someways simulatingthe flowering headsof margins of a forest track in the rniddle of a Eriocaulon, was gathered at Carriglea in patch of nonnal daisies.Only one plant was 1904.R.W.S.' R.W. Scully,Flora of Countv seenand this surviveduntil the following year Kerr1,,p.l43(1916). (2006) when the enclosedphotograph was Aparl from the abnormal flower, the plant taken (see Colonr Section,Plate 1). This washeallhy but asit wasin a rery precarious strangevariant is evidently rare but has been position, the track being graded for mainte- recordedpreviously: nancepurposes by the foresters,we decided 'Daisies with the ligulate flowers entirely to bring part of it into cultivation. lt has wanting occur on the Sevem bank near survivedand multiplied and we have furlher Hallen. The form is generally accounted divided it, both partsnow producingidentical rare.' J.W. White. The BristolFlora, p.367 flowers. No seedswere fbund uponexamina- ( t9t2\ tion of the very woolly inf'lorescenceof the 'The form having flowers wanting the ray original plant and we await the next genera- floretshas been noticed at (VIII) DappasHill, tion of flowers to confirm this. We are inter- Croydon.A.B. fArthur Bennett];near Farley estedto seewhether or not it producesseed Green C.E.B. tC. E. Brittonl Rep. and if so.would it breedtme'l B.E.C.,l9l8, 382.' C.E. Salmon.Flora oJ We would be pleasedto hcar from anyone Sutey,p.373 (1981). who hasfound similar olantsin the wild. 'Rayless plantswere noted by W.M. Mason at Melmcoby (6.3) in 192l, and were seen Degreesof colour-blindnessin botany Jecn OltvER,lTigh View, RhylsLane, Lor:keridge,Nr Marlborough, Wilts. SN84ED Tim Paine'sarticle'Colour-blind' Botanists weak or severelydefective colour vision (BSBINew.s 104: l8) posesthe possibilityof (percentagesfronr Voke. 1978)..The lshihara an interestingsurvey on BSBI rnernbers,but plates,good filn to use,will pick up many of should really be limited to males. Although theweak colour-visionmales, but perhapsnot mothers are the carriers(X-chrornosome), allwhoseepale-pinksasshadesofblue. femalesthemselves are rarely affected,nearer It is the 60%or so of Red-greenweak colour- 0.049hthan the 0.4o/oquoted. vision maleswho interestme in relationto More importantly. males with either total Botany,especially Dendrology. The fashion- green-blindness(19lo) or total red-blindness ablesnobbery directed by sornemales against ( 1%) might be unlikely to take up botany. As coppery-tingedtree or shrub variants and 'dirty' theseconditions can be linked, between I & cultivarsis expressedbyterms such as 27oof rnaleshave one orboth of thesesevere or'muddy'or'dingy'or'dull anddark', etc. def-ects.Green weakness (Deuteranomalous- CopperBeeches (Fagus s.1'l1,47iro f . purpurt.a ness). how-ever, affects 5o/oof rnales, and or 'Atropurpurea'),Copper Norway Maples Red weakness1.57o. If these are linked to (e.g. Ac'er platanoides 'Deborah') and any degree,5-6.5% are affected; so in this Pissard's Ph.rm (Prunus cerasifertt 'Atropurpurea') countrybetween 60/o and 8.5oloof maleshave are all recent targets,along 20 Notes Degreesofcolour-blindness in botany/ Colour-blindbotanists the results/ Usesfor grasses

with the beautiful Jersey Sycamore (Acer and/or red anthocyaninswithin the leaves. pseudoplataru;.r'Atro- purpureum'). This Men with only minor weaknessof red-green prejudiced opprobrium is seldom directed perceptionsometimes make a point of prais- against cream or golden-leavedvariants of ing the extremecolour forms (e.g.atropurpu- the same species,very often much feebler rea) whilst condemning the subtler less trees: but loss or weaknessof yqllAy (and pronouncedhue variantsas 'muddy'. blue) colour-vision is rare. However males I alsosuspect that someof the currentpreju- with red-green weakness are common. dice againstMonkey-puzzle trees (Araucaria Insteadof seeingflickers of wine-red,green, araucana)-'Black / Dark / Out-of-place', pink, purple and magenta, they can only etc, derivesfrom the 5-6%ogreen-weak men 'dingy' 'dirty' perceive or shades (having ratherthan simple reactionagainst Victorian limited perceptionof the varied hues), seen plantings; a dangerous prejudice for this by them as little different in colour from a species.as thereis moregenetic variation in shadedmuddy farm track. When suchfoliage European gardensthan in the few remaining 'darkness is dense and vigorous, the and Andean stands. It is important not to be gloominess'perceived is the consequenceof swayed by the aesthetic pontifications of not being able to see different ranges of others,particularly where colour appreciation magentahues as light shinesthrough chloro- is involvedl phyll and red pigmentsin the leaves. Colour Reference purpurea forms, from cuprea through to Vorp, J. 1978.Defective colour vision and atropurpurea (royal purple), may be due to education.|Vursing Times 74(30): 1238- purple different levels of xanthocyanins 1241. Colour-blindbotanists - the results TuraPems, I3 Limerick Rd, Bristol, 856 7DY [email protected] My thanksto thoseof you who owned up to (b) those that do are shy about admitting it being colour-blind (see BSBI |Vews 104). (their colour-blindness,that is!). Charles Nelson (BSBI News 103) guessed Protanopes and deuteranopesboth have that, extrapolating from UK prevalence problems distinguishing reds from greens. figures, there should be 170 affected BSBI Poppiesare evidently the commonesttraps; members.However, only 1l of you contacted and several people reported their spouses' me to reportthis problem:2 protanopes(both hilarity at their inability to spot them. Other male); 8 fulI or partial deuteranopes(7 male, frustrationswere redshankswithout red legs, I female);and no tritanopes.A lady member seaweedconfusion and coloured spots on with MS reports gradually losing all colour distribution maps. One unfortunatemember perceptionas the day goeson. had beenruled out of an orchid job at Kew, From all this one might hazarda guessthat: but had found solacewith grasses& sea-lav- (a) colour-blind people tend not to get into ender. botany;

Usesfor grasses KEITH HYATI, I Tremcelynog,Rhandirmwyn, Llandovery, Carmarthenshire,SA20 }NU 'Uses I would like to add to ElizabethRich's inner tube cannot be repaired or replaced for grasses'in BSBI News 104:.13, although whilst out on a ride is a traditional remedy, I'm sureI'm not as elderlyas was her inform- although I have never had to resort to it. ant! Sfuffing a bicycle tyre with grassif the However,as recentlyas 22"dFebruary, I was Notes- Usesfor grasses/ Plant Rings / New Englishnames 2l

reading in a cycling magazine how a corre- was to fit a piece of hollow stern of, say, spondenthad donejust that. Thereused to be dandelion,and, of course, take some extra anotheruseful botanical rernedy: until several piecesin casethe needarose before reaching decadesago, most roadsterand many sports home or passinga cycle shop. 'Woods' cycle inner tubes were fitted with Evenftlally, the Woods insert was valves. in which the removableinsert had a redesignedto incorporate a spring-loaded 'valve short slenderrubber tube (a rubber') plunger. Also, pieces of wood have been fitted over the innennostpart. Theserubbers used to effect temporary repairs to broken would occasionallysplit when the tyre was cycle frarne ttibes (and indeed motor car being inflated,or cor.rldalso fail unexpectedly parts). Wherewould we be without plants?- whilst out on a ride. A good temporary asksa merezoologist! remedyif one was not carryinga replacement

Plant Rings RACHELHr,uutNc, TheAnchorage, South l4/oodt:hester,Stroud, GL5 5EL I was interestedto read the article on Plant I had not at that tirne realisedthat a sedge Rings in BSBI New.s101. On Rodborough could producea ring. Common,Stroud (30847.033, v.c. 34) there The ring is in limestone grasslandon a is a very large ring, clearly visible from the west-facing slope and is formed by Carex oppositeside of the valley. I had always flacca. When measuredon June281h 2005 the assumedthat this was causedby a fungus, averagediameler was 43.7m and the width despiternore t-ancifulexplanations occasion- 1.4m,suggesting it could be as much as 500 ally offered,but was puzzledby the absence yearsold. of fruiting bodiesand the presenceof a sedge. New English names for Meliltis melissophyllum and Thesium humi- fusum EoweRo Pn-qrr, 7 Bay Close, Swanage,Dorset, BHI9 lRE Some readersmay remernberthat in BSBI Melissophyllum(literally bee-leaf) is the l{ews 92:31 I suggestedthat it would be good nameof a plant in Pliny. to find pleasantEnglish namestbr thesetwo Both these names run into the same beautifulspecies, rather than Bastard .... problem: Melittis me.lissophyllumis neither Anne Hall (pers. comrn.) found Balrn- an Archangelnor a Balm. Usually I am not leavedArchangel for the Meilittis in the ly'ew keen on hyphens,but the addition of one to Cvclopaedia o.l'Botan1,,which she thinks was McClintock's narnemight solve the problem published in the early nineteenth century. : Bee-balm. Tom Whitehall told me (pers. comrn.) that I appreciateGeoff Toone's hunrour (8SBl David McClintock gives Bee Balm for the New,l98: 34),but no serioussuggestions have Melitti.s (in Companion to Flowers p. 205). beenrnade by othersfor Thesilm humifitstm. He addedthat John Hutchinson(in Uncom- As a seniorbotanist has said to me. it is nton lilild Fl

(Jncommon References HurcHrusoN, J. 1950. l4/ild ClaRr, W.M. c. 1853. New Cyclopaediaof Flowers. Penguin. Botany. R. Brook. McCr-tNrocr, D. 1966.Companion to Flow- Grennr-CA.RrER, H. 1964. Glossary oJ the ers. G. Bell & Sons. British Flora. CambridgeUniversitv Press.

Botany in Literature - 45 CoNaN DoyLE's A Srunv w Sctnmr SHeRlocr HoLMESAND BorANy AFFTNTTTESwrrH FRe,uo

MARGoTE. Soucsmn, 26A Dryden Avenue,London, W7 IES

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (b. Edinburgh 1859 gy, the scienceof deductionas perfectedby - d. Crowborough 1930) was educatedat Holmes from the diagnostic methods of Stonyhurst and studied medicine at ProfessorJoseph Bell. The 'Scarlet' of the Edinburgh University where he became title would appear to be derived from the surgeon'sclerk to ProfessorJoseph Bell. He Rachelnl scrawledon the wall by a fingernail subsequentlyset up as a doctor at Southsea, dippedin blood,as much asthe blood Holmes but when the patients failed to materiahze, drawsfrom his own fingers,and the colour of and out offinancial necessityand to alleviate London clay. ConanDoyle, sensibleroman- boredom, he turned to writing, creating the tic that he was, had an affinity for the colour 'The characterof the famous consultingdetective, red, as a further adventure Red-Headed Sherlock Holmes, producing A Study in League'(in TheAdventures) testifies. Scarlet (1887), The Sign ofFour (1889), The Holmes himself, was the archetlpal bohemi- Adventures o/ Sherlock Holmes (1892), The an; at the fictitiousaddress of No 22lB Baker Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes (1894), The Street could be found tobacco lodged in Hound of the Baskervilles (1902), The Return Persianslippers, bullet holesin thewall, cone- of Sherlock Holmes (1905), The Valley of spondenceskewered by a dagger,cocaine, and Fear and Selected Cases (1915), His Last Holmes,at times, in a purple dressinggown. Bow (1917), and The CaseBook of Sherlock Pretematurally gifted, vain, and more often Holmes (1927). He also wrote historical than not emotionally reserved, he was the romances, such as The Exploits of Brigadier classically divided man, bouts of frenetic Gerard (1896), and a sciencefiction tale The activity while on a case being tempered by Lost l4/orld(1912). Devotedto many causes, periods of great lethargy accompaniedby a including the Divorce Law Reform and a vacant expression. At over six feet tall, and Channel Tunnel, Doyle was alsoa campaigner, excessively lean, with sharp, piercing eyes, 'an a volunteerphysician in the Boer War, and a and a hawk-likenose, he presented air of convert to spiritualism. The characterof alertnessand decision'. As one who lived 'cold, Watson is obviously based on some of solelyoff his brainshe was precise,but Doyle's experiencesas a physician. admirably balanced...the most perfect reason- A Stufii in Scarlet, from which the passage ing and observing machine'. Other than below is taken, began life asI TangledSkein, working on a case,his days were spent either Holmes as Oliver Wendell Holmes, then Mr at the chemical laboratory,or in the dissecting Sherrinford Holmes, Watson as Ormond rooms, and occasionallyon walks to the lowest Sacker, a retired military surgeon, but after portion of the city. As a result of his rigorous the manuscriptwas furned down, thesenames scientific experiments, his hands could be transmuted into the well known ones of Dr found invariably blotted with ink and stained 'all John H. Watson and Sherlock Holmes, the with chemicals,and mottled over with ... name Holmes having been borrowed from a piecesof plaster'where he hadpricked himself Haward Professorof Anatomv and Phvsiolo- in orderto obtainblood for his tests. Notes - Botany in Literature 45 L)

Watson'sfirst acquaintancewith him is as a NOTES 'l've witnessto Holmes' cry of pleasure found 1. Knowledge of Literature/Philosophy/ it! I've found it!' (nothing emotionally Anatomy/Politics: Nil/Feeble: While this repressedhere), the resultsof this successlre may be true of Holmes in I Studt,in Scar- rapidly and unabashedly shares with the /el, as his characterdevelops, he outgrows convalescingdoctor, as a precursorto their these limits. so that, for example, in The takingdiggings together. Adventure,she is found quoting Tacitus(p. Even so, Watson is at a loss to know what 48),in His Last Bowhe hastaken up philos- Holmes does,the questionappearing unwel- ophy and agriculture, and in The Memoirs 'zeal come, yet his for certainstudies' being ('The Greek Interpreter')he speculateson 'had remarkable,he feels that he must have changes in the obliquity of the eclipse, 'A somedefinite end in view'. Pemlexed.Watson while in Scandalin Bohemia'(The Ad- records: ventures),Holmes readily identifiesthe he- I enumeratedin my own rnind all the vari- reditaryking. ous points upon which he had shown me 2. Knowledge of Botany: ... gardening: A1- that he was exceptionallywell-informed. though 'appreciationof nature found no jotted I eventook a pencil and therndown. place amonghis fSherlockHolmes'] rnany I could not help smiling at the document gifts' (Doyle, 2001b: 416), and there is when I had completedit. It ran in this way: scarcely,apart from generaldescriptions of - Sherlock Holmes his limits scenery,mention of a single plantin A Stufii, I Knowledueof Literature:Nil.' TheAdventures, and The Memoirs, it would 2 Knowledle of Philosophy:Nil.' be incorrectto say Conan Doyle had little 3 Knowledgeof Astronomy:Nil.' acquaintancewith botany, for in 'The Yel- 4 Knowledgeof Politics:Feeble.' low Face' (Doyle.2001b: 303) we find at 5 Knowledge of Botany: Variable.Well 'where up in belladonna,opium, and poisonsgen- leastan awareness.viz. the first f-aint erally. Klows nothing of practical shootsofgreen were breakingout upon the gardening.t elrns,and the sticky spearheadsofthe chest- 6 Knowledge of Geology: Practical,but nuts were beginning to burst into their five- limited. Tells at a glance different soils fold leaves'. Like Sigmund Freud from each other. After rn,alkshas shown (1856-1935),Doyle was a medicalman (c.f., me splashesupon his trousers,and told me for example, physician-botanistsErasmus by their colour and qonsistencein what part of London he had receivedthern. Darwin,William Withering),and like Freud, 7 Knowledgeof Chemistry:Prolbund. he collectedbooks, especiallysecond edi- 8 Knowledge of Anatomy: Accurate,but tions, while a student. Although Freud 'never unsystematic. maintainedhe had a specially inti- 9 Knowledge of SensationalLiterature: matecontact with botany' this provedto be lmmense.He appearsto know every detail a slight understatement(see Souchier, of every horror perpetratedin the century. l0 Playsthe violin well. 2006:40-41:2004: 40-41). The mentionof I I Is an expertsinglestick player, boxer, vegetablealkaloids in A Studv (pages 10, and swordsman. 119) would presumablyrequire a certain 12 Has a _qoodpractical knowledge of knowledgeof their origins by Doyle. The British law. discoveryof impure nicotine in 1803,and 'On When I had got so far in my list I threw it Freud's 1884paper Cocoa' in The Co- into the fire in 'If find despair. I can only caine Pupers, would have been known to what the fellow is driving at by reconciling all these accomplishments,and discover- Doyle especially,with a view to Holmes' ing a calling which needsthem all,' I said cocainesmoking habit. 'I 'Darwinian to myself, may as well give up the at- As well as the age of the temotat once.' theory', it was also the age of the mono- graph, and Freud's drearn of the morro- 'look-alikes' 24 Notes Botany in Literature 45 / Aliens lntroduced

graphofthe genusCvclamen (see Souchier, 'shortstories', and alsohis lectures.Both 2006),uses his paperas a point ofcontact. detective and analyst preservea distance Comparatively.Holmes has written mono- from their clients and swear secrecy to graphson cigar ashes(Doyle, 2001a: 37), them (in the caseof Holmes) or medical deep-seafishes (Doyle, 2001b: l0), andvia confidentiality, yet both publicise their callosities,a study on one's trade shaping methodsby writing (as above). On the one's hand (ibid: 343): also tattoo-rnarks purely materiallevel, Holmes,as well as (1.r.), codes (Glinert, notes in Doyle, smokingcigarettes, smokes cigars, Freud 'The 200lb: 539). while in ResidentPa- similarly, but whereasFreud died of can- tient' (ibid:419), obscurenervous lesions cer, Holmes is seemingly destroyedin a are the subjectof a monographby Doctor struggle with Professor Moriarty and Percy Trevelyan. plungesinto the ReichenbachFalls. The sirnilaritiesbetween Doyle/Hohnes References and Freuddo not end there. Pears,in his DoyLE,A.C. 200la. A Studyin Scarlet(with (2001b), introductionto Doyle mentions introduction by Sinclair, I., and notes by the Italian scholar Carlo Ginzburg who Glinert, E.). Penguin Books, London.!'t draws a comparisonbetween the Holme- ed.18871. sian method of deduction with Freud's DoYLE, A.C. 200lb. The Adventures o/ psychoanalysis. methodof That is to say, Sherlock Holme.s atd The Memoirs of- Holmes pursues 'the that while little Sherloc'k Holmes (with introduction by things', and beginswith a crime, inexpli- Pears,I. and notesby Glinert, E.). Penguin cable behaviour. disappearingfianc6e or Books, London. [1't ed. 1892 and 1894 wife, or mysteriousdeath, Freud considers respectivelyl. previously (such 'Botany overlookedtrifles as fa- SoucHien,M.E. 2004. in Literature cial tics, jokes, and dreams),and begins - 34' [Freud- Coltsfoot Dandelion]in with a neurosis, both methods involving BSBI News 96: 40-41. through the point 'Botany working details to of SoucHlER,M.E. 2006. in Literature origin. Thus,both deal with cases,either - 40: Cyclamens- Freud - Lucca Pro- (as via Holmes short stories recordedby nunciation' in BSBI New.s702 40-41. Watson), or case studies,as in Freud's

ALIENS

Introduced 'look-alikes'and other difficult introducedplants in our Cambridgeshireflora Pnrnn Ssr-1,109 Blinco Grove,Cambridse, CBI 7T)'

The following article was published in 1/a- (v.c. 46). See also pp. 342-345 of Oliver ture in CambridgeshlreNo. 48 (2006), the Rackham'srecent New Naturalistvolume, sameissue as that mentioned by David Pear- Woodlands.The article is reproducedhere rran on pp. 48-49 of BSBI 1y'ews103 as by permissionof the Editorial Board of ly'a- carrying an obituary of Max Walters by ture in Cambridgeshire,an independentan- Peter Grubb. The localities mentioned in it nual journal for which further subscribers are in Cambridgeshire(v.c. 29), but thereis are always welcome (f5 note or cheque good reason to suppose that rnost of the made out to Nature in Cambridgeshireto be 'look-alikes'discussed arewidely plantedin sent eachyear to Nature in Cambridgeshire. Britain. For example, Arthur Chater has c/o University Museum of Zoology, Down- found many of them in Cardiganshire ing Street,Cambridge CB2 2EJ). Aliens Introduced'look-alikes 25

For over 60 years I have been studying the implanted in old hedgerows, where the British flora, for some 40 years I have native plant alreadyoccurred. rvorkedwith Gina Murrell in the Cambridge Careful searchingproduced a third species University herbarium (CGE), and for the with larger leavesand longer petioles,but last 20 yearswe have beenwriting the Flora with hairs like our native Cornus of Great Britain and lreland in 5 volumes. sanguineus.This third speciesseems to be Our main aim has beento includeas many Cornus koenigii from southem Russia. It races,varieties and hybrids as possibleand also is plantedin new woods and implanted to show, as Darwin put it, "how their differ- in old hedgerows. Intermediateswith a encesrun into one anotherin an insensible mixture of hair types can also be found series".The hugeBritish herbariumof some implantedin hedgerowsand they may repro- 200,000 specimensor more at Cambridge ducethemselves. All individualsof species University has been worked through and and intermediates in both Histon and related to what we have found in much Bassingbounr are known to have been fieldwork. In addition the Cambridge plantedin the last30 or 40 years. Botanic Garden has been consulted on Other shrubs of a similar nature found in almost a daily basis. Becausewe live and thesenew woods and implantedin hedge- work here, Cambridgeshirehas received rows belong to tire genus tr/iburnuntbut are more than its fair shareof our fieldwork and more dilficult to identify. V. sargentii from Bassingboumand Histon the largestshare of China and V. trilobum from North America 'look-alikes' all Bassingbournbecause it is my native are of our nativeGuelder-rose, village and I know every inch of it, and V. opulus. Histon becauseI have been on over 100 Viburnum lantana, Wayfaring-tree,is part walks with my good friends Brian and of anotherdifficult complex. V. veitchii rs a Rosemary Chaprnan,on which I have tried 'look-alike' from China. Hybrids of to name every plant I saw down to varietal V. lantena and V. rhytidiophyllum fonn part level. of the complex. V. lctntana var. rugosum Very slowly I beganto realisethat sonreof may be a distinct variety or may be part of our native plants were not what they seemed the hybrid complex. V. lctntttnavar. glctbra- to be, plantsnow termedby Oliver Rackham rernsupplies an internalcase ofintroduction: 'look-alikes'. and othersas Sometrees and our native plant in Cambridgeshire is shrubshave long been introducedand are V. lantana var. lantatta. while V. lantana well known and easilyrecognised, but these var. glabratum rs native fiom south-west 'look-alikes' actually look like our native Englandand Walesto the Isle of Wight and plants. is also found in France and Spain. This The llrst shrub to attractrny attentionwas variety comes into flower about a rnonth the Dogwood, supposedly Cornus earlier than our native plant in Cambridge- sanguineus,planted in Histon Wood, which shire. Driving along the Royston by-passin appeared to be more handsorne than our April 2005 I saw one bush only in flower, nativeplant. After a detailedexamination of which was this variety. Walking into Ford it I found the hairs on the under surface of Wood at Bassingboumon 30 April 2005 I the leaf were flat to the surface and found a bush of this variety in full florver, medifixed, while our native plant has them while tr:. lanlana var. lantana growing upcurved and fixed at the base: it was nearby was still in tight bud. Bushesof Cornus australis from the Black and much of this complex can be found in Ford Caspian Seas area. I then searched the Wood. planted woods at Bassingbournand found Acer campestre, Field Maple, next more of it. Later, in that village, I found it occupied my attention. The native trees I haveknown all my life at Bassingbournhave 26 Aliens Introduced'look-alikes'

hairy fruits and are subsp.campestre. They land. I saw this variety recently in a field rarely if ever seem to produce new trees. hedge at Bassingbourn,where it took me Huge numbers of trees planted in new completelyby surprise. woods, in hedgerows and by roads are A very large-leaved,large-fruited beech, 'Prince glabrous-fruited and are the introduced sometimescalled Georgeof Crete', subsp.leiocarpum. It comes into flower a is widely plantedas a hedgearound fields, month earlier than our native tree and is in recreationgrounds and gardens. It probably young fruit when subsp.cantpestre flowers. belongsto thebeeches of theBalkans, which Along the Roystonby-pass is a largenumber are intermediatebetween the main Beech of of these trees,which are reproducing freely Europe, Fagus svlvatica, and the Oriental in the shallow ditch by the road. Other trees Beech, F. orientalis, and is probably best at Royston have rnuch larger, more divided calledtr moesisca.A magnificenttree of it leaves and seem to be the Japanese grows by the Village College at Bassing- A. miyabei. Some of the trees of subsp. bourn, side by side with a small-leaved leiocarpum have been planted where you variety of F. sylvatica,var. rotuncliJblia,and would never expect to find introductions,in the normal plant, var. sylvatir:a. A fastigi- the fields between Bassingbourn and ated form of F. moesiaca is planted along Wendy: they were given to fanners by the CavendishAvenue in Cambridge. [t shor.rld County Council to plant on their land. be rememberedthat Fagu,ssylvatlca was not Oliver Rackham (Ancient Woodland, new known at all in Cambridgeshireto John Ray edition,p.239) writes:"Maple reproduction, in 1660. which seemedin the 1970sto be declining, The hazels of Bassingbournare fascinat- has revived since (especiallywhere woods ing. Corylus avellana forma avellana, our are coppicedor elms havedied) and is very native plant, grows where it ought to grow probably adequate." ls this anythingto do by our streams.mainly in the old fen area. with the massintroduction of subsp.leiocar- The most fascinating is the Balkan Nut, pum? Corylus maximu, which grew all round the When Betula pendula, Silver Birch, was areaof the medieval Castle Manor and was introducedfrom Europe to North America it probably brought there by Lord Tiptoft hybridised freely with their native species about 500 years ago. C. avellana forma B. populifulia. Now B. populilblia is intro- schizochlamy,sis liequent in the same area. duced in our planted woods at Histon and Most of the bushes planted in the new along streetsand I am reasonablysure it is woods, where I have been able to see nuts, hybridising with B. pendula. Other birches are C. avellana forma grandis. (See the from Asia are also introduced,some related article in Nature in Cambridgeshire,No. 23 to B. pubescens. (1980):50 52.) Histon Wood contains all three native Most people are familiar with Sorbas varieties of Alder, Alnus glutino,sa var. intermedia, Swedish Whitebeam, but there microcarpa, var. glutinosa and var. macro- are two other similar species,S. austriaca carpa, as well as the introducedA. incana and S. mougeotii. All three are widely and hybrids with all the native variants. plantedin Cambridgeshire,sometimes in the A. incana is planted around many comers of fields as well as on roadsidesand Cambridgeshiref-ields. recreationareas. An introduced variety of Spindle, Euony- Many willows and poplars are clearly mus europeaus var. intermediu.s,certainly planted. It was commonpractice in Bassing- adorns our planted woods and hedgerows bourn to plant new treesand shrubsof these with a splashof colour. In comparison,our genera when trimming hedgerows. A native var. europoeusis a dowdy plant. Var. straightpole was trimmed and simply stuck intermedius is said to come frorn Switzer- in the ground, and it grew. One of the rnost Aliens- Introduced'look-alikes' 27

common was Sallx cinerea x yiminalis, createdsoon after 1806. A similar stateof which produceduseful, straight, pliant poles. affairs appearsto occur at Histon. The most Where do all thesetrees and shrubscome colnmon shrub is of course Hawthorn. fiorn? All I can say is that rnost of them Crataegus. Sometimesthere are up to six seem to have been planted in the last 30 or kinds or more in a hedge (see the hedge 40 years. There are eight of the new so- around the outside of Girton Wood): 'woods' called in Bassingbournand most of sometimesthere are miles of hedge with the treesand shrubsin them are not native. everybush like peasin a pod (seethe hedge It is also probablethat the contentsof all by the old Bassingbourntrack to Royston). Bassingbournhedges are mostly not native. So far I have identified in Cambridgeshire Even those by natural streams have been hedgesCrataegus monogynd subsp. monog- implantedto someextent. At Histon the new .vna,C. monogvnasubsp. nordica var. nordi- 'Woods' Histon and Girton are also full of co, C. monogvna subsp. nordica var. non-native trees and shrubs. However. speciosa, C. monogyna subsp. monogvnLt Histon does seem to have good natural var. laciniata, C. monogl,ra subsp.leiomo- hedgesalong much of Gun's Lane. nogvna, C. monogyna subsp. azarellct, In the garden magazine, Horticulture C. lq,rtostyla, C. curvisepala and C. pseudo- Week,of 23 September2004, there is an heterophylla. Thesetaxa all have one style 'Tree articleby Glen Munro entitled Plant- and possibly only C. monogrna subsp. ing'. In it hemakes the following statements: nordica var. nordica and var. speciosa are "Last year the Forestry Commission native. C. laet,igataoccurs in our woods and plantedan estimated25,282 ha of trees.And has two to three styles. Its hybrids with with rnore emphasisbeing placedon issues C. monogynctare frequent;if you searchthe such as nature conservationand landscape bush you will almost certainly find some restoration, the number of trees being flowers with rnorethan one style. I know of plantedis setto escalate." only one tree of C. laevigttta in Bassing- "National Forest chief executive Susan bourn hedges and that is in a hedge Bell believesthis level of tree planting is surroundinga meadowowned by my family. unprecedentedin Britain. A indicationof I have always been told that my grandfather the scaleof work going on canbe seenin the plantedthis hedgewith bushesfrom Wares- National ForestCornpany's new strategyfor ley Wood. ln gardensyou will find various the continued creation of the National forms of C. monogyna, C. laevigata and Forest.The new plantingtarget has been set their hybrid, some with double flowers and at 4,000 5,000ha." otherswith red flowers and sonrewith both. "Another aim of National Forestcompany They are occasionallyfound in the wild. is to createextensive biodiversity change, C. curvisepalain one hedgeat Dry Drayton with the knitting together of thousandsof shows intermediateswith C. monogyna. To hectaresof woods, heathland,wetlands and seethe differencein theseplants you needto hedgerows." look at the colour of the back of the leal. The sameauthor, Glen Munro. in the issue divisionof lobes,length of petiole,size and of thismagazine of 4 November2004, writes: hairinessof leaf, stipules.size of flower, "More trees are being imported into the overlappingofpetals, and sizeand colour of UK. The value of tree importation has fruit. If part of the hedgecomes into flower grown from f46.8 million in 2002 to f51.8 before the rest it will almost certainly be a rnillion in 2003, accordingto figures frorn different taxon. Only the largerthrushes can DEFRA.'' eat some of the larger berries. Fieldfares It is not only thepresent which is involved. tend to passthrough and take the largerones, Most of the hedges in Bassingbourn are leaving the small ones for the sedentary enclosurehedges, which in that villagewere Blackbird and Song Thrush, although 'look-aiikes' 28 Aliens - Introduced

Redwing will also want these. Mistle ploid, Leucanthemumvulgare strbsp.ircuta- Thrush will sometimesguard a large-berried nltm. This was followed by the native tree. In this way the various taxa will be diploid, t. vulgare subsp. vulgare, and distributed di fl-erently. finally by the garden fertile hybrid At Bassingbourn,enclosure hedges on the L. superbum. There also occurredthe intro- chalk tend to be of one taxon.but on the site duced Serecio eruciJblius var. viridulu.sas of the old fen they are much rnore likely to well as the native var. erucy'blius. be of variable speciesand to include native One group of plants appearsto be widely Viburnum opulus var. opulus and lantana sown in wild flower seed. Theseare plants var. lantana, Ligustrum vulgare and Prunus of which a selectedvariant usedto be grown .spinosa. Presumably these plants were as a hay crop: Trifulium pratense vat. easily availablein the old fen, while on the sativum and var. antericanum. lv[edicago chalk uplands all the new plants had to be lupulina var. major, Trifolium repens var. brought in. Ashwell Street has been grandiJlorum, Onobrychis sativa subsp. straightenedover much of its length. Sloes sativa, Lotus corniculatus var. sativus, and Damsonsare someof the rnain constitu- Medicago saliva subsp. sativa, Cichorium ents of some of the hedges. intybus subsp.intr:bels, Anthyllis vulnerrtrict Oliver Rackham,in The illustrated hislort subsp.polvph.ttlla, and Vicia sativa subsp. oJthe countrvside (1994, p. 8l ), writes:"The sativa and possibly subsp.cordata. Great Enclosures, though not a universal One should beware of early-flowering transformation, were a time of more new Primroses and Cowslips: they are not hedging than ever before or since. The usually our native subspecies. This also hedgesplanted between 1750 and 1850 - appliesto Snowdrops,the very early-flower- probablyabout 200.000 miles - wereat least ing onesusually being a differentsubspecies equalto all thoseplanted in theprevious 500 or evena cornpletelydifferent species. years. The same appliesto stonewalls in In 1998a field of wheat in Bassingbourn moorland country as well as on former open near the Royston by-passwas coveredwith fields. A thousandmillion or more hedging an umbellifer up to 200 cm high. It was a plants were necessary,which founded the very large Fool's Parsley, Aethusa fortunes of several Midland nursery firms." c.vnctpium. We have two variants of this The only disagreementI have with this is specieswhich are commonin our country- that I think as many have beenplanted in the side. Subsp.agrestis is a dwarf plant which last 30 or 40 years, but by roads, in new flowers and fruits in our stubblelandafter 'woods', in forestry plantations and on the com has been cut: it has clearly adapted farmland. The number of species in a to the height of the stubble. Subsp. Cambridgeshirehedge does not tell us its cynapium grows from 20-50 cm and is age unlessthe identificationof the taxa is found on waste land and field margins and consideredvery carefully. flowers much earlier in the summer. These As well as the planting of treesand shrubs two subspecies,grown side by side from there is the use of wild flower seed,which is seed in the Cambridge Botanic Garden, not always what it seemsto be. Unfortu- retained their different heights and their nately there seems to be no record as to flowering periods did not overlap at all, so where it has been sown. On the Melbourn they could not hybridise. The very tall plant by-passthere have been for many yearsthree found near Royston is another. continental subspeciesof Chicory, Cichorium intybus. subspecies,A. cynapium subsp.giganteum. On the Gog Magog Hills wild flower seeds In the same year I found another field of producedfor severalyears a massof Oxeye wheat by Gun's Lane in Histon containing Daisy from May till September. First to the sameplant. I am told that the represent- come into flower was the introducedtetra- ativeof the herbicidefirm who cameto look Aliens Introduced'look-alikes' 29

at the Bassingbourn field thought it was 29): Hieraciunt atenintum Hyl., cardiophyl- Hemlock. I assume he meant Conium lum Jord. ex Boreau, /irmirantum Hyl., maculatum becauseof its height, although gentile Jord. ex Boreau,grandiden,s Dahlst., the old inhabitantsof Bassingboumcalled koehleri Dahlst., lepidulutn (Stenstrrim) Anthriscussylvestri,s'hemlock'. The story Omang, neosparsum (Zahn) P.D. Sell, doesnot finish here. In 1993the village of onychodontun Hyl., quadridentatum Hyl., Bassingbournwas given a large number of seriflorum Hyl. and sylvLrlarum Jord. ex Narcissusbulbs to plant in the village. This Boreau. It is likely that none are native to they did in liont of the moat, which origi- Great Britain. Another species,H. ,sublepis- nated with the medieval Richmond Manor toides (Zahn) Rotfey, not at Royston, and which is locally calledthe HorsePond, somehow got into Bassingbourncemetery. as the horses washed their feet in it after a It also appearedon the Gogs during the muddy day in the field. Among thesebulbs SecondWorld War. I have seenit as a native grew up another gtant Aethusa which was planthigh up in the AustrianAlps. not quite the same as the ones in the wheat Perhapsthe most remarkableof hawkweed field; it also is found in continental Europe stories is of finding a plant of Hieracium and is referableto subsp.c'vnapioides. I then rionii in a crackin thepavement on the side looked at the bulb fields on the Kneesworth of School Lane at Histon. When I told Meldreth boundary. from which the bulbs Bryan Chapmanthat it was a native of the came, and found rnore of it. In 1994 the Swiss Alps, he said that the chap who lives same plant had come up in my friend Bill thereprobably brought it back on the wheels Robinson's garden at Bassingbourn. The of his caravan; he often travels about large Aethusa has not appearedagain in the Europe. It is not quite as simple as that. lt wheat fields. but the second one has was introduced to the Cambridge Botanic appearedagain in the Bassingbourngarden Garden,where it becamea weed, and David in 1998and 2003. McCosh brought me specimens from The apomictic genusHieracium is a good anothergarden where it had becomea weed. exampleof how it is possiblethat species The Histon plant could have come from a can move about on vehicles. In 1952I found nearbygarden. several different species growing on the Talking aboutCompositae and the Second chalkybank ofa cuttingjusteast ofRoyston World War, I am reminded that a large (but in Melbourn parish, v.c. 29). The number of old tanks were stored at Milton. Swedish botanist Nils Hylander had just In this areaappeared a whole rangeof Picris describedmany new speciesof Hieracium hieracioides of southern Europe, P. hiera- from introduced plants in Swedish grass- cioitles subsp. vil/arsii var. villarsii, var. lands. When he visited Cambridge I took leteaeandvar. arenaria, and P. hieracioides him to Roystonand showedhim the species subsp.grandiflora. They spreadalong the there,which he recognisedas being similar old Histon railway and out into the grassy to those in Sweden. He suggestedthat the areas in and between Histon and Girton species he pointed out would retain tl.reir Woods. None of them were the native characters in cultivation, which they did. Hawkweed Oxtongue, P. hieracioides When the Royston by-pass was built it subsp. hieracioides, which grows on the opened up a new area for the Hieracium Devil'sDitch. speciesto spread. Not only did the old ones How far do theseComposite seeds blow or spread,but new speciescame in, probably travel on the rnuddy tyres of vehicles? I did on the tyres of the construction vehicles not know Great Lettuce, Lactut'a virosa, involved, which had probablyvisited other anywherein the Bassingbournarea until the similar sites. The following speciesnow Royston by-pass was built. After the occur at Royston (Hertfordshire,but in v.c. Lactucawas found in that locality it was not 'look-aiikes' l0 Aliens - Introduced

long before I found it in Ashwell Streetand south by one route and go north again by soonin otherplaces. another. For thousandsof yearsMan and his One has also to beware of a speciesof animals have been moving plants either plant in quantity where you would not deliberatelyor accidentallyover huge areas. expect it. In Girton Wood, which was Sometimes the plants remain distinct, at plantedover a former arablefield, therehave other times they hybridisewith the taxa they been many plants of Crepis biennis and come up against. A good example is some C. teclorum over the last few years. A JapaneseLarch, Larix kaempferi, native of grassy area, where I was told wild flower the mountains of central Honshu, Japan. seed had been sown, near Harlton Wheat- When introducedto Europe it crossedwith sheafalsoproduced a largenumber ofplants native European L. decidua, the hybrid of Crepis biennis. Likewise aroundthe large being fertile and now a common tree. Most roundaboutsouth of Arrington, where it was botanistswould call taxaso widely separated fairly obviousthat wild flower seedhad been species.Others would arguethat taxa which planted,Crepis biennisappeared in quantity. are interfertile are not good species. My I have no evidencethat Crepis biennis is in argumentis that it doesnot matter what you wild flowerseed. but the circumstancesare call them as long as you recogniseall taxa suspicious. Another possibility is that the which are distinct morphologicallyand have vehicles moving from one roadside altera- their own ecology and distribution. tion to another or from one grassland to Two words in common usagebadly need anotherare taking seedsin mud on their tyres. interpretation, native and conservation. A good exampleof this is the fleabanesof Very few of our Cambridgeshireplants are the genus Conyza'. in the last few years native in the spots in which they are C. Jloribunda var. .floribunda and var. growing. I suppose sea shores, mountain linearifolia, C. sumatren.sis,C. daveauiana cliffs, boggy placesand natural streamsare and C. canadensis var. simplex, var. the most likely placesto find nativeplants, canadensis,var.incisa and var. robustahave and those are scarcein Cambridgeshire. In all occurred in quantity in and around other places,if Man stopsinterfering, many Cambridge,particularly where building and plants quickly die out. We can only end up repair work is being carried out. A11also with a list of plantswhich havebeen here for appearedin quantity in the Botanic Garden, a long time as being native, but it is very though not deliberatelyintroduced there. unsatisfactory.Everything which is done to The great difficulty in identifying most of keep theseplants going I call conservation. the preceding taxa is that they are not in I am not againstplanting trees,but buying in most books availableto the public, even in plug plants from a nursery which has the recentflood of tree books. Many genera imported them from the continentof Europe of plants go all round the northern and planting them in the countrysideI do not hemisphereand a seriesof taxa replaceand call conservation. The County Council has 'cleaned gradually grade one into another and are recently up' Ashwell Streetand the often called a cline. Other taxa are confined BassingbournParish Council spentf300 on to parlicular ecologicalsituations and where plugs to put in their plantedwoods. If we are they meet they hybridise. The difference is not careful John Prescott will fill half of that the geographicalintermediates tend to southernEngland with concreteand conser- reproduce themselvesexactly at any given vationistswill fill the other half with olues point while the ecologicalhybrids are varia- of non-Britisholants. ble. Ice ases have caused taxa to retreat Aliens Bupleurum longi/blirzz in Warwickshire I Aster squomatuscould be on its way to you JI

Bupleurum longtfolium L.: another new British record for Warwickshire(v.c. 38)? JoHNM. Pzucp,l0 BishoptonLane, Stratford-upon-Avon,War"wickshire CV37 9JN JevEs W. PnRrruncp.,85 l4rillesRoad, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV3I I BS Warwickshire, maybe becauseof its central previouslyrecorded in Britain becauseit has position in England, has a limited score of perfoliateupper leavesbut also 2-4 bractsin first British records. It is thereforepleasing the inflorescence. It is native in Central to announce the appearanceof an alien Europe,from Franceto the Carpathiansand Hare's-Ear,Bupleurunt longifolium L., in the Bulgaria, mainly in the mountains(Tutin in Stratford-upon-Avongarden of J.M. P. Flora Europaea,Yol.2,1968). It is not listed He first noticed it in April 2006 as a single in Clement and Foster'sAlien Plants of the weed-like plant in a raised border among British Isles (1994). alpines,bulbs and dwarf shrubs. This grew How it arrived in Stratford-upon-Avon,a rapidly to reach a height of one metre and notablyun-mountainous region. is a mystery: when it flowered in June it was clearly a whilst it may have lain dormant with the Bupleurum species(Hare's-Ear), with perfo- alpines,a more likely reason is that it was liate leavesand greenish-yellowflowers. The carriedover by a bird as the areais immedi- complete plant was sent to J.W.P., who ately under a well-known and important confirmed that it was not a speciesknown in migrationroute. Britain, and sent it to the BSBI Apiaceae However,Gwynn Ellis tells us that an inter- Referee,Mervyn Southam,who identified it net serchreveals that this speciesis a fairly asBupleurum longifoliumL. ssp.longifolium. well-known gardenplant, in the cataloguesof This stout herbaceousperennial is distin- some seed merchants; local dispersal is guished from the other Hare's-Ear species anotherexplanation.

Aster squamatuscould be on its way to you A new alien for Ireland and England Paul R. GR-ssN,46 Bewley Street,New Ross,Co. Wexford,Ire Iand; [email protected] I got offthe Dart (train) at BlackrockStation, Looking at the flowering head and seeing Co. Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown (vice-county the phyllaries I realizedit was an Aster. A H2l. Co. Dublin) and decidedI would walk very different plant from the showy species the rest of the journey to Northumberland grown in gardens. Scanning the internet for Avenue. Along SeapointAvenue I found picfures of Asters, after scrolling down many Anemanthelelessoniana Q.Iew Zealand Wind- pages of photos I came to several that grass) and Cordyline australis (Cabbage- matchedmy plant perfectly,including photos palm),both self-sownin the pavementcracks. taken in Plymouth,Devon. This is the first I wasthinking to myself it would be niceto see time I have used the intemet to identifu a a speciesI had never encounteredbefore, when plant. A sood internet site is rounding the comer into Brighton Vale (road) MaltaWildPlants.com set up by Stephen (01226.291)there all along the roadsideby a Mifsul. This web-site gives the common wall was a plant I did not recogniseat all. It name as Narrow leaved Aster. David had tiny white flowers about the size of Fenwick calls it South-eastern Annual Conyza canadensis(Canadian Fleabane)and SaltmarshAster (Fenwick,2007). One speci- narrow green leaves up to 8cm long (see men was sent to Eric Clement,who agreed Colour Section,Plate 4). Two specimenswere with my identification, and the other speci- taken to study at home. men hasbeen placed in DBN. 32 Aliens Aster squantalascould be on its way to you / Requests & Offers Birmingham & the Black Country RecordingScherne i Surveyofnaturalised Rhododendrons

Aster squamatusis a native of south/central ground, growing with Conyza bilbaoana Arnerica. On a visit to Spainand Portugalin Gilbao's Fleabane)and also found as a weed late November 2006 I saw the Aster growing in land borderingthe Plymouth Pavilionscar along many roadsides, in ditches, on park. Millbay Docks has a regular ferry disturbed ground and at the base of walls serviceto Roscoff in Brittany and Santtander around all the towns I visited. As it is so in nofthern Spain and it is assumedthat the cornmon in thesetwo countriesit must have plants anived in Plymouth from this conti- beenthere fbr many years. nental ferry traffic. It will be interesting, I found it new to Irelandon the 2l't October given time, to seehow this Aster behavesand 2006 where there were well over a hundred if it becomes another one of the many plants. It *'as found at Millbay Docks, commonalien speciesof theseislands. Plymouth(SX470.540) by Phil Pullenduring Reference the summer of 2006. the first record for FENWICK,D. 2001. Boringdon Park - Alien England. It was well establishedon waste lnvasion.BSBI l,'lews104 39-42. REQUESTS& OFFERS Birmingham & the Black Country RecordingScheme InN TnueivaN, MrKr Pourrox , CunrsPen-ar", SaRe CeRvRlHo EcoRer:ord,Birminglnm and Black Country lfidhfe Tnrst, 28 Harborne Road, Fiveways, Edgbttston,Birmingham, 815 3AA

2007 will be the final year for recordsfor a startedin January1997, located to at leastto proposedFlora of this industrial area which the 1 krn square. We can supply recording extends over 700 square kilometres and cards on requestbut any interestingrecords coversthe cities of Btrminghamand Wolver- will be gratefullyreceived. hampton and the boroughs of Walsall, We will be organisinga seriesof field days Sandwelland Dudley. The editorswould like to which all are invited. Details may be to thank the three vice-countyRecorders for obtainedfrom Sara Carvalho at EcoRecord. their help and all thosewho have contributed Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife recordsso far. Trust, 28 HarborneRoad, Fiveways, Edgbas- We would be gratefulfbr any furthercontri- ton BirminghamBl5 3AA. telephone0l2l butions. We are particularly interestedin 454 I 808. email ggguidsg4seetqqe[l.org.uk recordsfrom within the schemeperiod which

Survey of naturalised Rhododendrons ' an easyfollow-up AnruuR CsartR, Windover,Penyrangor, Aberyshr'.yt| Ceredigion Sy23 l BJ Jertr,s Cut-t-sN,Stanley Smith (UK) Horticultural Trust, Coty Lodge, PO Box 365, Cttmbridge, Cambs..CB2 IHR Contributorsto the 2006 sun'eyof naturalised those who sent specimenslast year. The Rhododendronponticum receivedan interim forms will be availableto downloadfrom the report on the results,and we would now like BSBI website, or they can be obtained by to follow this up with a further surveyin May sending a s.a.e. to Arthur Chater. James this year. It is much easierthis time. as no Cullen will send a report on the survey specimensare required. just a sirnpleform on (coveringboth years)to everyonewho takes which 6 charactersneed to be scoredfrom up part. to ten randomly selectedflowering bushesin The results so far indicate that while the a population.Anyone can takepart, including massof materialfrom naturalisedpopulations Requests& Offers Surveyofnaturalised Rhododendrons / Flora ofdry stonewalls / -l -l Crosswordsolution broadly falls within the morphologicalrange threatin its native habitats,when introduced of lberian R. ponticum, in any sizeable could have found itself in a situationwhere it population there will be specimenswhich could becomeaggressive, as by being grown show individual or several morphological and selectedin gardensand nurserieswith charactersof R. cataw'bienseR. maximumand otherspecies it picked up someof their varia- perhapsR. macrophyllum.Thewhole massof tion and in doing so acquiredsome of their material is aggressiveand spreadsrapidly by aggressiveness.If this was the case,most of seed.This picture more or lesscomplernents the plants would have to be identified as R. that discoveredby Milne & Abbott, Origin ponticum,with only someshowing the influ- and evolutionof invasivenaturalized material ence of other species.Alternatively, all the of Rhododendronponticum L. in the British speciesinvolved could havehybridised quite lsles, Moleculcu'Ecologv 9: 541-556(2000) rapidly in nurseriesin the early and middle who found, using moleculartechniques, that l9th C., giving rise to a hybrid swaffn or most of their material was R. ponticum, but neospecies,which had considerableaggres- that about 12% showed genetic material of sivenessdue to hybrid vigour (a common other speciesincluding certairrlyR. catcnvbi- feature of Rhododendron hybrids)). In this ense and R. nruximum. The morphological case,all the plantswould have to be consid- evidenceso far suggeststhough that l2o/ois ered a hybrid, although only some would rather low. A surprisingfurther discoveryin show this morphologically. 2006 has been that the variation within the Tbe 2001 surveyis aimedat gettingan idea native Iberian populations of R. ponticum, of how widespreadthe charactersof these from which our plantswere originally import- other speciesare in the naturalisedpopula- ed, is very much greaterthan had beenprevi- tions, by recordingthe pedicel indurnentum, ously supposed. length of calyx lobes, colour of the corolla The situation in the British populations and of its spots,and the ovary indumentum. could have arisen in two ways. Iberian Pleaseget hold of the forms and take parl by R. ponticum, though failing and under some surveyingone or more populations!

Flora of dry stonewalls JonN PnrrsleNo, 17Jc'Ashley Lane, Winsley,Bradford-on-Avon, Wilts., BA I 5 2HR

I have beencarrying out a surveyofthe tlora dry stonewalls in their own areas.I am partic- of dry stone walls in my parish. For the ularly interestedto get dataon Cotswoldsites, writing up, I want to referto previouswork of but would still be very interestedin such this kind, but have been unable to find any walls elsewhere.I would be happy to send accounts,either of this flora in generalor of relevantinfonrration to anyonewanting to any specificwall or area.All wall flora publi- carry out a survey along the samelines as my cations encountered have referred almost own, to aid comparison.but any kind of data entirely to mortared walls. even if walls in would be welcome.If therereally isn't any general was the subject. Pleasecan anyone previous work on this habitat. it could be help? ground-breaking.The sourcesof contribu- I wonder, also, whether anyone would be tions would, of course,be acknowledgedin interestedin carrying out similar surveysof any publicationfor which they areused. BSod'IZ:l?lriuerg oeN'lz '77 ipudetg '02 :lqllV '61 iuorlerode.r.g 'y1 '11 'E1 '61 'l iqreg'gy ie13eo4'91ieprelg ie11auru6 irredeX ieuesr; iuorle,trlsev I 'Zl :uorletuorJo'6 :JOed'1 leru,(3rq '9 ie1 :ee31y'91 i,{ruoleuy '8 :Jepueelo'e :JocV'l -BleerlpJv'giueul{u1'y letg'7 iqlueretuy'1 ssoJrv uAr.oo g1 a8ed pro^rssoJJ ol uorlnlos 34 Requesls& Offers - In a rush I Epipacti.rleaf srudyI SeedStudy

In A Rush MIcHIEI- WILCox, 32 Shawbridge St, Clitheroe, Lancashire, England, BB7 lLZ [email protected]

The Juncus species, J. inflexus, J. qffusus Bedfordshireareas and may be extinct now? andJ. conglomeratusare common rushes. I However, if anyonehas material in personal am looking into these three taxa and their herbariathis would be useful. It would also hybrids: J. ,dilfusus is relatively straight- be useful to receiveany other speciesofrush forward and can be done even on non-flow- to look at, and develop non-field characters ering material (but not in the field for non- for the purposesof ID, especiallyfor hybrids flowering). J. xkern-reichgeltii is a problem (".g. J. xsurrejanus; In relation to the next plant and needs confirmatory characters Atlas a simpleexercise, collect a voucherof developing for the speciesand the potential J. acutiflorus I xsutejanus from one or hybrid when not in the field. If recording, more sites in a tetrad from any pleasecollect material of all the above,I -2 recording/field meetings from anywhere, stems (at least the top half ) or if you have same for J. xdiffusus, I will acceptvegeta- material of thesespecies in your herbariumI tive material (savethem up and sendin later would be grateful to have a look at these. with recorddetails)) and I would be happyto Anyone who has genuinely identified look at any material. From lreland, it would material of this hybrid from doing the ID in be useful if someone could send some the field and or subsequentverification from materialof J. planiJblias,said to be common a refereethese plants would be a very useful in parts of W. Galway. Except for herbar- startingpoint. I am keen to receivematerial ium material it would be preferred if the also of the rush, J. pallidus and its hybrids senderkeeps a duplicate and I would write with -r. inflexus and J. effusus. These were or email the reply in a normal letter to cut mainly recordedaround the Middlesexand down on costs.

Epipactisleaf study MtcHasr- WILCox, 32 ShawbridgeSt, Clitheroe, Lancashire, England, BB7 ILZ

Wanted, a single cauline (stem) leaf of the flowers to help with verification of the (without damaging the plant - if necessary ID of the plant. Also including any vars, with permission from landowner) from any such as f. helleborine var. youngiana. species of Epipactis, from one or more Leaves to be quickly pressed and sent individuals from one or more populationsin anytime thereafterto the addressabove. flower and preferably with a close up photo

SeedStudy MIcHAELWtLCox, 32 ShawbridgeSt, Clitheroe, Lancashire, England, BB7 ILZ

In relation to a seedstudy, anyone recording fore enclose 1 or more capsules.I would and or coming acrossDrosera speciesand look at any personalherbarium material if it potential hybrids in the field please send fits the generaldescription above (though I material. Pleasedo not collect the whole imagine it would be the whole plant if plant. Two typical leaves,(well pressed) collected when flowering I will still have a and only if capsule/sare present,and there- look at it but cannotpromise much). Requests& Offers - SeedHerbarium / Notices BSHS OEC ImageCompetition 2007 35

SeedHerbarium MtcunpL Wtlcox, 32 ShawbridgeSt, Clitheroe, Lancashire, England, BB7 ILZ The Drosera requestabove is also associated However, with the help of BSBI mernbers with this one. As JohnPoland's vegetative key perhapsthis canbe re-developed.Please send is well under way, it was thought that another the seed, and if possible with a specimen, areaof botany, which may be helpful, is that of particularly for non-natives(so there is some the seeds. These are variously named for kind of verification of where the 'seed' came different genera, such as, spores, seeds, tiom). In some cases, for example very caryopses,achenes, fruits, benies and so on, commontaxa, a photowould be ok. For all the from ferns to trees and non-natives. I had aboveplease follow the codeofcollecting and starteda 'seed' collectionbut gave up after a like theDrosera study, please be conservative. while (due to lack of coverage on my part). NOTICES BSHSOEC ImageCompetition2007 The Outreachand EducationCornmittee of the i) proposea captionfor thepicture, British Societyfor the Historyof Scienceoffers ii) explainhow the imagecould be usedfor a prize of f250 for an original imageto be used learning & outreachactivities in history of for teaching/communicatingthe history of sclence, sclence. iii) acknowledgeany sourcesof direct or Thewinning imageor images(in thecase of a indirectinspiration for thework. tie)will be announcedat the OEC sessions at the iv) confirm that they have not used auy BSHSconference in Manchester.June 30 2007. copyrightmaterial on which they do not own The winner(s) will grant pennissionto the copyright. BSHS to make the image(s) available for Submission: the imagefile and commentary download free of chargeon the BSHS OEC entry should be attachedto an email submitted webpage,but will retain copyright over the to [email protected] the image, which will be watermarkedwith the bodyof theemailing giving the entrant's winningname(s) and the BSHS logo. i) ftrll name Eligibility: thereare no restrictionson wlromay ii) postaladdress enter the cornpetition;in particular,entrants iii) emailaddress neednot be a memberof the British Societyfor iv) telephonenurnber the History of Science.The entry may be the Deadline:I 7:00hours, 8'h June 2007 ( U K time) work of morethan one individual, and if so,all Criteria: the judges will evaluatethe images must be named and details orovided in the accordingto the followingdesiderata materialssubmitted for the prize.There is no 1) originality restrictionon the numberof submissionsany 2) clarrty& immediacy entranlmay make fbr thisprize. 3) breadthofappeal to diverseaudiences Subject: any topic or topics in the history of 4) cogencyof commentary scienceand or technologyand or medicine.The Thejudges reserve the right to exercisediscre- image must not use any copyright material on tion overaesthetic considerations. whichthe copyright is notowned by (anyof) the Enquiries:any questions about this prize should entrant(s). be directedto outreach(@bshs.org.uk Medium: any artisticidiom - cartoon.photo- Infbrmation on the BSHS Outreach and graph,drawing. graphic montage, etc. Education Committee can be found at Format: for entrypurposes a jpeg or TIFF image http://www.bshs.org.uk /bshs/outreach of up to 500kB file size will be accepted.More For the OEC 2006 Essay competitionsee specific requirementsmay be made of the http://www.bshs.org.ukAshs/outreach./essay_co winningentry lbr displayand downloadpurposes. mpetition/index.html Commentary: entrantsmay submita text up to 500words in MS-Wordor Rich Text formatto -1r) Fiefd Meeting Reports - 2006- Woodwalton& Holme Fens

FIELD MEETING REPORTS _ 2006

Reports of Field Meetings are edited by, and note that they should not be rnuch longer than should be sent to: Dr Alan Showler, 12 500 words(halfa pageofNers) for a one day Wedgwood Drive. HughendenValley, High meetingand 1000words ( I pageof ly'er.rs)for a Wycombe, Bucks. I{Pl4 4PA, Tel: 01494 weekend. 562082. Potential authors of reoorts should

Woodwalton & Holme Fens,Hunts. (v.c.31),24th & 25thJune Day 1- 24thJune - WoodwaltonFen TERRYWeIIs, MAURICEMassgy, AIA,NBowLEy, JRNE Cnorr, KEvIUWeIrBn A large party of BSBI rnernbersassembled thensplit into two groups,one heading south at Woodwalton Fen on a bright Saturday and the othernorth. The rnixedf-en commu- morningfor this the first of two day'sbotan- nity along the ride edgesintroduced us to ising in Huntingdonshire'sfamous fenlaud uncommonfenland speciessuch as Calama- reserves.Our first speciesof note were tall grosti.s canescens(Purple Small-reed) and specimens of Sonchus palustris (Marsh Juncus subnodulosus (Blunt-flowered Sow-thistle) growing in a ditch near the Rush). In the dykes the yellow and white car-parkand further on somestately Senecio flowers of [Jtricularia vulgaris (Greater paludo.sus (Fen Ragwort) in an area of Bfadderwort),Berula ere('ta(Lesser Water- clearedscrub. Both specieswere introduced parsnip) and Hyclroc'haris nlorsu.t-ranae to the fen by N.C. Rothschildin the 1920s. (Frogbit)were coming into flower whereas The sow-thistleflourished, spreading vigor- the pinkish leaves of Lentna gibba (Fat ously along ditcltesthroughout the reserve Duckweed) were easy to spot amongst the whereas the ragwort disappeared by the much smaller alien Lemna minuta (Least 1950s. However,a small populationof the Duckweed). Along more open stretches ragwort now survives in one small area there were also scatteredclumps of Carex following a successfulreintroduction in elatct (Tufted-sedge), C. pseudocypents 1992 as part of English Nature's Species (Cyperus Sedge) and Butomus umbellatus Recovery programme. One of our group, (Flowering-rush). David Dupree, described how he re- In the shadeof some can we found a few 'stingless' discovered the plant at Stuntney in starrdsof the variety of Urticct Cambridgeshirein 1973(currently the only dioica var. galeop,si/blia(Stinging Nettle), a truly wild population)and Terry Wells told characteristic feature of the East Anglian us a little of its exactingecological require- fens, and in some damp ruts Stellaria uligi- mentsand re-establishmentat other sitesin no.sa(Bog Stitchwort), a plant not seen on the region. the reservefor many years. We then visited 'stilted Our next stop was the famous thesplendid 'Heath Field' which holdsmany bungalow' in the middle of thereserve, built calcifuges with localised distributions in by the Rothschilds to provide a luxurious EasternEngland. Most notablewas the huge base for their entomologicalexpeditions. standof Myric'agale (Bog Myrtle) at one of Here we were siven a nur-nberof short talks its few inland sites.growing amongsta on the history, conservation and manage- three-foot high sward of Cladium mari,scus ment of the fen, its special habitats and (Saw-sedge), with scattered Drvopteris speciesand the ambitious plans to re-create carthusiana(Narrow Buckler-fern),Cirsium Whittlesey Mere, an enorrnous wetland dissectum(Meadow Thistle), and a confus- which was finally drainedin the 1840s. We ing array of short and long-stemmedforms Field Meeting Reports - 2006 - Woodwalton& Holme Fens -)l

of Carex viridula ssp. brachyrrh)'ncha Huntingdonshire'smost imporlant plant, (Yellow Sedge). Also noted nearby were currently known from Woodwalton Fen, large stands of Holcus mollis (Creeping Wicken Fen in Cambridgeshireand one site Soft-grass),a new speciesfor the reserve. in Oxfordshirewhere it hybridisesreadily One can only guessat how many botanists with Viola conina ssp.canina to produce a must havepassed by without noticingitl confusing mixture of intermediates. The The fen meadows at the south of the Woodwalton plants appear to be pure and reserve have long been famed for their havebeen the subjectofdetailed autecologi- populationsof rare species,most notably cal studiesby JaneCroft. Our next stop was l'iolu canina ssp. tnontena (Heath Dog- to admire one of the few lowland popula- -violet) at one of its few British sites and tions of Carex lctsiocarya(Slender Sedge), Dianthus anneria (Deptford Pink), first which although vigorous producesvery few discoveredin 1905 by E.W. Hunnybun(of flowers. Nearby Maurice Massey also Luzttlapctllidula fame),which sadly has not showed us its very rare hybrid with been seen for many years. The violet still C. riparia (Greater Pond-sedge), occurs with Viola cunina ssp. caninu and C. xevoluta,discovered by him in 1978,and Y. riviniqna (Common Dog-violet). The currently only known frorn one other site in community was a rich mixture of Carices, Britain. nrost notably Carex Jlacca (Glaucous The ditches and open water-bodiesalong Sedge), C. pallescens (Pale Sedge), the northernedge ofthe reservehave always C. panicea (Carnation Sedge), C. ,spicata been some of the best for aquaticplants and (Spiked Sedge), C. viridula ssp. in one, which had recently been cleared, brachyrrhyncha, and more locally there were fine stands of Sium latifolium C. disticha (Brown Sedge),C. echinatct(Slar (Greater Water-parsnip) growing with Sedge) and C. pulicaris (Flea Sedge),both Oenanthe aquatica (Fine-leaved Water- in their only localities in the county. The dropwort). Maurice Masseyalso managed field also had good numbers of marsh to grapnel both Potamogelon lucens orchids, including Dactylorhiza (Shining Pondweed)and P. natans (Broad- praetermissa (Southern Marsh-orchid) and leaved Pondweed) but not the hybrid D. incarnata subsp.incarnala (Early Marsh- P. x.fluitan.ewhich grows nearby. Along the orchid)and possibly a singlespecimen of the edge of the ditch there was also the rare hybrid between the two D. xwintoni. occasionalLathyrus palustris (Marsh Pea) But the starof the show was undoubtedlythe sprawling over the reedsand on the muddy nruch rarer D. traunsteinerl (Narrow-leaved rnargin of a pond lots of the distinctively Marsh-orchid) which has been known from awned Alopecurus aequalis (Orange the samespot since its discoveryby Maurice Foxtail). On our meanderback to the car- Massey in l9'78. Alan Silverside also park two impressive aliens drew our positively identified a few specimensof attention, Telekia speciosa(Yellow Oxeye) Euphrasia nemorosa (Eyebright) which and Senecio fluviatilis (Broad-leaved appearsto be the only taxon presentin the Ragwort), both again introduced by the county. Rothschilds to provide nectar for their The adjacent fen meadow was clearly beloved fenland insects. Back at the car- much wetter allowing species such as park a few plants of E4'.simum Veronica scutellqta (Marsh Speedwell)and cheiranthoides (Treacle Mustard) and Juncussubnodulosus to flourish. They were Geranium lucidum (Shining Crane's-bill) alsojoined by a confusinggreen variety of were noted before we departed to our Stellaria palustris (Marsh Stitchwort), and respectiveaccommodation and a well earned in the lowest depressionthree plants of Viola eveningmeal. persicfolia (Fen Violet). This is possibly _r8 Field MeetingReports - 2006 Woodwalton& HolmeFens / PreseliHills

Day 2 - 25th June - Holme Fen and Darlows Farm TIM PANKHURST We gathered in the moming at Holme Fen relict raised mire can be fbund; drier heathy NNR, the largestpure birch woodlandin the areasare dominatedby Teucrium scorodonia country. The Fen coverspart of what was once (Wood Sage)with patchesot- Calluna vulgaris the WhittleseyMere and also containsraised (Ling) and Erica tetralix (Cross-leavedHeath) mire, fbn, heath and open water habitats. while examination of drainage ditches Exploring the woodland first, Betulapendula produced the flaccid, subrnerged fonn of (Silver Birch) fonns an almost continuous Juncus bulbosus(Bulbous Rush). Examina- canopy over large areasalthough there are also tion of flushedzones produced a selectionof large standsof matr.rreAlnus glutinosrr(Alder) rushesand sedgesand, the plant of the day, with occasionalQuercus robar (Pedunculate Ltrnrla pallidula (Fen Woodrush) which is Oak), Ilex aqui/blium (Holly) and Taxus only known in the UK from Holme Fen. baccata (Yew). The patchy understoreyis After a pleasant lunch, a smaller paffy dominated by Sambucusnigra (Elder) but proceededon to Darlow's Fann, between there are also occasional plants of Sa/lx Holme and WoodwaltonFens, to look at the t'inerett (Grey Willow), Rhamnuscathartic'a recentlyacquired fannland which is part of the (Purging Buckthonr) and Frangulct alnus Creat Fen Project: this project aims to (Alder Buckthom). Thesewoods are the only massivelyextend the areaof land in the vicin- site in Cambridgeshire for Ceratocapnos ity which suppoftsfen andallied vegetation. It t'laviculata(Climbing Corydalis) which hereis is a long-termproject in its early stagesand an abundant scrambler around the woodland cultivation of the fields has only recently floor and indicativeof the acidity of the soils, ceased.As a resultthey supporla rich arrayof derived from acidic Sphagnuw peats. Also weed species including plentiful Vulpicr notable was the extmordillaryabundance of tt't1t\1vo,t(Rat's-tail Fescue) and Urtica uren.s D ryopter is carthus iona (Narrow Buckler-fern) (Small Nettle). A late and somewhatdisap- andthe presence on a shadedpath ofthe hybrid pointing trawl of the ditches on the farm cinquelbilPotentilla , mixtu. produced o\ly Potamogeton natens (Broad- The group then toured the north-westernpart leavedPondweed), although there have been of the sitewhere vesetation associated with the recordsof a numberof otherspecies in thepast. Brynberian Moor and Carn Alw, PreseliHills, Pembrokeshire (v.c.45)l5th July H. WTLLTAMS& S. B. EvANS

On a perfect summer'sday, a small group of The Common Land is sheepgrazed, though members were joined by a larger number perhapsnot asheavily as in thepast when there fiom the local branchof the Wildlife Trust of were also cattle and ponies. Recentchanges in South and West Wales to explore an areaat famring support seenr to have led to fewer the eastem end of the extensive area of sheepcornpared with the 1980s. Most of the colnmon land grazing known as Brynberian sheepspend the winter and springmonths on Moor on the lower slopesof the Preselis. A the limestone pasturesof the Anny's Castle- precedent had been set for such a joint martinRange in SouthPembrokeshire and this rneetingin 1969. l8 membersof the Sociefy practicedates back to the 1950s. and the Trust had lnet on l6'hAugust of that BrynberianMoor is dissectedby numerous year to explorethe centralpart ofBrynberian small streamsand rills. Impen'ious glacial Moor - seethe report by T.A.W. Davis in clay, the Irish Sea till, covers most of the llatsonia8(2): l8tt (1970). underlying sedimentaryrocks of Ordovician Field Meeting Reports - 2006 PreseliHills / Shetland 39

Age. Becausethe clay is moderatelycalcare- Pimpemel) and Hypericum elodes (Marsh St ous in placesthere are numerouspeafy base- John's-wort) together with Carum verticilla- rich seepagesand springheadsmixed with tum (Whorled Caraway), Narthecium more acid flusheswhere peat has accumulat- ossifragum (Bog Asphodel) and Pedicularis ed. The upper slopesare dottedwith spectac- palustris (Marsh Lousewort). Many plantsof ular doleriteoutcrops or tors and their tumble Pinguicula vulgaris (Common Butterwort) of associatedblockfields. The tors were and a few berries of Vaccinium oxycoccos initially formed during a time of tropical (Cranberry)were also locatedin the wonder- climate but have more recently been shaped ful flushesfor which BrynberianMoor is so during the Ice Ages. famous. Attempts to refind the Lycopodiella During the gentle ascent to Carn Alw, inundata (Marsh Clubmoss) were not Moenchia erecta (Upright Chickweed) was successful. A small population had been examined in very short winter flushed turf found by one of us rn 1919north of CamAlw. where oid tracks funnelled down from the Suitablyopen areaswere still presentdespite slopes above. Streamside Oreopteris the decreasein grazing so it might yet be limbosperma(Lemon-scented Fern), Euphra- found at this its eastemmoststation on sla spp. (Eyebright), and large amounts of Brynberian Moor. It is still prospering Wahlenbergia hederacea (lvy-leaved elsewhere on Brynberian Moor as are Bellflower) were also seen. The bouldery Pinguicula lusitanica (Pale Butterwort) and slopesbeneath the tor had scatteredThymus Dros er a interme dia (Oblong-leavedSundew) polytrichus(Wild Thyme) which is unusualat and all threehad beenexamined by the joint suchan elevationinland in Pembrokeshire. meetingof 1969. The parfy lunched on Carn Alw, which, In additionto the flora, a numberof superb unusuallyfor the Preselihills is a rhyolite tor. dragonflies were on the wing including Lunch was taken within its Iron Age fort Coenagrion mercuriale (Southern Damsel- which is guarded by a chevaux-de-Jris(an fly) and these too were identified by the areaof low, pointed stones,set at an anglein expertsin our midst. On returningto the cars the ground). They were subsequentlyshown a few membersof the party were taken a short Huperzia selago (Fir Clubmoss) on the rock distanceby StephenEvans to the south east outcropsbelow the tor beforedescending into side of Foel Drygarn to be given the chance the wet areas to the north east. There we to discern Hammarbya paludosa (Bog found a profusion of Anagallis tenella (Bog Orchid) at a known location.

Shetland(v.c. 112),l7'n-20th July PnuLHe.nvey. ALEX LocrroN & SananWHrr-o Botanists mostly visit Shetland to see its Whild was responsiblefor identification of famous rarities, many of which cluster plants,and Alex Lockton was given the task convenientlytogether on the Keen of Hamar of collecting records. When the group on Unst. close to the island's even more discoveredit had two BSBI refereesin its famousbus shelter. But despitethe fact that number - Arthur Copping (Festuca) and Ian Shetlandhas the most impoverishednative Denholm (Dacfylorhiza) they were pressed flora of any county in Britain, thereare many into serviceas well. Over the four days we other interestingbotanical sights to see and visited the threemain islands,from Grutness sitesto visit. in the southof Mainland to SaxaVord at the The field meeting this year was designed north end of Unst, made I ,3l4 recordsof 276 not just as a sightseeingtour but also as an speciesand collected20 voucher specimens active recording sessionin order to build up of interestingfinds. We don't know if this is the post-Atlas distribution maps. Paul a good scorefor a field meeting,but that is Harvey was the organiser and guide, Sarah what we managed. 40 Field Meeting Reports - 2006 Shetland/ HanchurchHills & Wyre Forest

Loch of Gards was the first stop, where the Bungard's group recording Sparganium group admired Potamogeton xgessnacensis natans (Least Bur-reed) and Carex diandra (P. natans x P. polygonfolius) (a hybrid (LesserTussock-sedge). lan Denholmled a pondweed),where it had been discoveredby mission to find Carum c'an'i (Caraway) at Chris Preston& PeteHollingsworth ten years Baltasound - listed in the ly'ew Atlas as a previously. In QuendaleDunes we saw Carex common speciesin this area- but none was maritima (Curved Sedge) and Gentianella to be found and we were later informedthat it amarella ssp. septentrionalis (Autumn hasall but disappeared. Gentian) in some abundance.and a huge Back on Mainlandon the l9thJuly therervas populationof Adder's-tongueFem. Although a quick visit to Catfirth - possiblythe small- none of the planls were growing in pairs.a estnature reserve in Britain and a briefstop quick referenceto Scott & Palmer's Flora at Urafirth to see Mertensia maritima convincedus that size alone was enoughto (Oysterylant)lthen an expedition up Ronas distinguishthem as Ophioglossuntazoricuttt. Hili to record quadrats around Saussureu Therewas someexcitement at the sightof a alpina (Alpine Saw-wort),which was found clump of Poa flabellata (Tussle Girse or in someabundance. The entire group spread 1'ussac-grass)on the trip north, but it was not out to search for Melampvrum pratense found outside a sarden. On Unst the group (CommonCow-wheat), a rarewoodland relic exploredthe Keen of Hamar, where we saw that was once found on the north side of the Cerastiumnigre.scens (Shetland Mouse-ear), hill, but without success.This was done in Arenaria non'egica (Arctic Sandwort), dense fog, but the hot summer weather Arabi.s petraea (Northern Rock-cress)and arrived the next day, and the group startedby Draba incana (Hoary Whitlow-erass),but admiring theHieracium pugslevi at Weisdale therewas no real needto recordthem as they Kirk. At Effirth we found Ruppia cirrho,sa are closely rnonitoredby the SNH wardens. (SpiraiTasselweed) but no one could identify 'hurnan who evenpost signsto lead botanists' what we believed was Atriplex praecox with to good specimens. Three groupsthen went any confidence.In the afternoonwe explored off for some serious recording of remote the coastline at West Burrafirth with the spots, including Saxa Vord, the Hill of county recorder,Walter Scott, where there Clibberswickand the Burn of Caldbeck. The was a fabulous stand of Mimulus xburnettii latter was the rnost profitable, with Stephen (CopperyMonkeyflower), hose-in-hose. HanchurchHills & Wyre Forest,Staffs. (v.c. 39) - RubasMeeting 21s-22ndJuly DAvE EARr- On the Friday evening we met at Cannock and R. lintonii, the latter occurring sorne Chase exploring woodland rides finding 15 distanceffom the main Norfolk populations. speciesof Bramble which included Rubus We travelfed west to seeR. insecti/blius at criniger, R. plah,acanthus, R. rubristylus, Bloreheath,also finding R. hindii and a local R. eboracensis.R. intensior, R. leightonii and endemicknown as 'The BridgemereBramble'. a singleclurnp of R. hloxamii. andthen crossedthe borderinto Shropshireto Our explorationscontinued on the SatLrday see R. matt'ophyllus and R. .fuscicortex al about the HanchurchHills Water Tower where CobscotSJ68.38. additions included R. accrescens,R. turitus, The party negotiatedthe City of Stoke-on- R. hvlochari,sand R. pallidus. Our next stop Trent to see the specialtiesof the South was the 'Triangle of Rough Ground' at Pennines about Rudyard. which included Whitmore 5J199.422, the type locality for R. distractilbrmis, R. painteri andR. calvatus. R. daltrii', other speciespresent were R. munoyi The day endedin the Cheddletondistrict where R. rhombifolius, R. incurvatdbrmis, Field llleeting Reports - 2006 HancliurchHills & Wyre Forest/ Glynhir Recordingweek 41

R. adenanthoides,R. lindebergii and the very we travelled on to Stanfbrd-on-Temein localised endemic R. obesifoliu,r were seen. Worcestershirewhere, in addition to seeing After the meeting the leader was rewarded good populations of R. ongloserpens and 'The with a first Staffordshire record for severalof the Wyre Forestbrambles, we also AlderleyEdge Bramble' along the banks of the found the local endemic Rubus triangularis. Cheddletonrailway on the way to obtain a Our final stop was at SapleyCommon where well-eamedpint. Mike Porter confirmed the presence of On the Sunday we travelled down to the R. tenuiarmalersgrowing in the hedgerows southem limits of v.c. 39 to Seckley Wood with Rubus tr"iangularis, R. vagensis and where most of the Wyre Forest specialities R. echinatu.s.Surprisingly, this was the only were fonnd including R. pampino.su.s, location at which we saw R. ulntifulius during R. informiJblius,R. condensatus,R. angloser- the weekendon which a total of 53 Rubus pen.s.R. armipoten,sand a small patch of plants specieswere seenon what musthave been the assumedto be R. obscuriflorus. After lunch hottestweek of 2Q06.

Glynhir Recording week (v.c. 44) 22"d- 29thJuly KArH PRYCE(with speciesnotes by RtcHeno PRycIr)

Saturday22"d July together with Achillea plarmica The week beganwith the anival of the eleven (Sneezewort), Valeriana oflicinalis participants at Glynhir in time for lunch. (Common Valerian) and Succisapratensis After the meal the party travelled the few (Devil's-bit Scabious). On the return to the miles to the other side of Ammanford to visit cars,the slower,back-end of the party noticed the rhos pasturefields at the CaeauBlaenau- a sizeableclump of Osmundaregalis (Royal mawr SSSI where prescribedrnanagernent Fem) growing adjacent to the track which seems to have been less than effective in those anxious to get back in good time for recentyears with the adjacent,non-SSSI paft dinner had missed! After the meal the usual of the holding now havinggreater plant diver- discussionsand studytook placein the studio sity resulting from a more intensive grazing upstairs before everyone retired relatively regirne. The site owners met us at the start early aftertheir journeys and the hot weather, and accompaniedus for someof the time and which continuedwith a vengeancethrough- it was refreshingto find them so interested out the week. and keen to managethe site for biodiversify. Sunday23'd July In rank, rush-dominatedvegetation a srnall By breakfast-timeour numbershad increased plant Dn,opteris xdeweveri (D. of carthusi- to twelve with the overnight arrival of Alan x was ana D. dilatuta) discovered,which was Silverside frorn Paisley. The whole parry a new recordfor the hectad,but no D. carthu- went to the M.o.D. Pendine Ranges on siana was seen. Elsewhere several sedge Laugharne Burrows where several others were recorded species including Cttrex joined us for the day. The first areaexamined pallescens (Pale pulicaris (Flea Sedge), C. was the drier dunes at the east end of the site (Smooth-stalked Sedge),C. loevigata Sedge) where there were several scattered gursy xJillva (C. x and the hybrid hostiana Orobanche minor (Common Broomrape) viridula C. ssp.oedocarpa). Isolepis setacea plants and about fwenty spent flower-spikes (Bristle Club-rush)was observedand sfudied of Ophrysapifera (Bee Orchid) in patchesof party after Chris Chelfings told the that the disturbedground, where it had not beenseen (as nuts have ridges opposedto smooth in in past years. More exciting (although not (Slender L cernua Club-rush)) which is a perhaps in a visual sensel) were the few x10 feature visible through a hand lens. diminutive plants of Anagallis minima Small areasof NVC M24 fen meadow occur (Chaffweed) which were found after in the field furthest visited wherc Cirsiunt intensely searchinga wet artificial hollow (Meadow dissectum Thistle) was frequent where they were almost indistinguishable /a Field Meeting Reports - 2006 Glynhir Recordingweek

frorn small Anagallis arven.si.s(Scarlet recordedwith a GPS S-figuregrid reference, Pimpernel) and, surprisingly, Srrirx repens including a list of associatedplants, and (Creeping Willow) seedlings(separated by pref-erablyrecording a DAFOR estimatefor their recl stems). A. minima has only been each. This will enabletuture monitoring as recordedon the PendineRanges twice before well as being of value for conservationand (by J.F.Thomas pre 1957and Andy Jonesin other purposes. The groups recorded or 1996)and this discovery,in a new part of the monitored tetrads on Mynydd Llanllwni dune system,was somethingof a triumph of (Chris Cheffings, Margot Godfrey, Jean determinationon the parl of thosepresent. It Green & Guy Moss), SN53E and SN-53I, is only the fourth v.c. record. where I(ahlenbergiu hederacea(lvy-leaved A single plant ol Carex hoslimla (Tawny Bellflower) was seen(Jean always associates Sedge)was growing on the edgeof the track our Carmarthenshire nreetings with this adjacentto the East 4 Range,the traditional speciesl)and WoodhouseWood nearLland- Liparis loeselii (Fen Orchid) site. another dowror(Delyth Williams, Graeme Kay, John new hectadrecord. and at a site well botan- Killick and Martyn Stead),SN2lL, where (R. ised in the past. Parl of the Liparis slackhad Martin identifiedRumex "du//iii obtusifo- been cleared of scrub and rank vegetation lius x R. sLtnguinelt.t)which was a new vice during the previous winter as part of a county record. planned managementprogramme and was Arthur Chater and Alan Silverside thoroughly searchedby thosepresent but no eramined a tbrrner coal processingsite at Lipuris plantswere Jbundeither in the newly Cwmmawr (SN51G) which was disappoint- exposedsand or in the overgrown area. On ingly desiccatedfollowing the long period of the oppositeside of the track, severalplants hot dry weatherbut neverthelesscollected an of Carer punctata (Dotted Sedge)were still Epilobium which was confltmed the follow- present.although the area in which they are ing day by Geoffrey Kitcheneras Epilobiunt growing is becoming very overgrown by xfloridulum (E. ciliatum x E. pan'iflontm), alder scruband it is fearedthat it will soonbe new to the hectad. They continuedwestward overwhelmedand exterminated.Later, at the to explore Mynydd Llangyndeyrn(SN4lR extensivefen west of the Witchett Pool. tens and SN 4lW) wherethey recordedAnisantha of flowering plantsof Gymnadeniuconopsea diandra (Great Brome) by a straw stack at (FragrantOrchid) were scatteredthrough the Tygwyn farm, the secondvice county record. rank sward together with locally frequent The areaalso yielded Dn'opteris xdev'everi, Epipattis palaslrrs (Marsh Helleborine). Potentilla x suberecta(a hybrid tormentil), Euphrasia (English Eyebright; and Monday 24thJuly artglica Euphrasia x E. nentorosa,all new As, today,Richard had to leavethe gathering <'ttttfitsa hectad records, whilst,Senecio xo,stenfeldii to attendthe Royal Welsh Show.participants (5. jacobuea x S. aqttatica.r)seen at both were split into small groupsto do what many perceiveto be the highlightof our meetings, sites,was new for both hectads. of namely to disperse into the wilds of Dinner was excellent as usual lots home-grown t-ruit and veg and several Carmarthenshireto do tetrad recording! The people in garden senseof going rvhere no botanist has gone wandered the walled after- absorbingconversations with before, with the possibility of a new discov- wards having (the proprietress about all eryjust aroundthe comer, is the driving force Carole ot'Glynhir) the produceshe grows. (Sheis quite a special behind this desire. In common with many person, I will not forget the relaxedwalk recorders in the BSBI, Richard has been and garden her that trying for some tiure to instil into square around the with evening, discussingthe garden,life, hospitals,opera- bashers the need to collect more detailed records, rather than just making ticks on tions,etc.!). tetrad cards. This is essentialfor all but the Tuesday 25thJuly 'Epilobiunt commonestplants and. at the very least,he (Willowherb) Day' began with asks that rare and uncommon species be our meeting-up at Llandeilo Station with Field Meeting Reports - 2006 Glynhir Recordingweek +-l

Geoffrey Kitchener who had generously join us at breakfast.Daytime sawmost of the broken into his family holiday to be with us. group going to the Welsh WetlandsCentre at We were alsojoined by Mike and ChrisPorter Penclacwyddon the coast east of Llanelli, from Brecs, so it was a good day for brambles apart from Margot who wished to do some too. After being uneasilyquizzed by the guard urban recordingand was sentto examinethe of the stoppingl0:16am as to why we werenot backlane weeds in Llandovery, and Alan boarding the train (he received an appropriate who was anxious,whilst in Wales, to go to answer that totally baffled him), the party Snowdon in search of Euphrasia rivularis motored up the Dulais valley to Mike and Kate with Andy Jones. The Penclacwyddgroup Jenkins' farm near Taliaris, wherenorc Epilo- was expandedby the arrival of Sam Thomas biums were found, including the only E. palus- the previousevening and GeorgeHutchinson rrs (Marsh Willowherb) hybrids of the day, from NMW who joined us for the day. The but also lTahlenbergia and their three morning was spent looking around the Tamworlh pigs. Kate supplied very much Millennium Wetlands where numerous appreciatedcups oftea to quenchour thirstsin identification poserswere presentedby the the swelteringheat. A return was then madeto planted willows and alders. Sison amomum Glynhir to eat packed lunchesin the shade, (Stone Parsley) was located at numerous followed by a search for Epilobiums in the wayside sites: this specieswas introduced, yard and walled garden. At this point some probablyfrom Slimbridge,when the areawas memberswho were feeling the heatducked out being developed,and now seemsto be quite of the afternoonsession which includedvisits well established.Non indigenousvarieties of to PentregwenlaisQuany and Pantyfflinnon both Achillea milleJblium (Yanow) and Station. The tally for the day, thanks to Malva moschata (Musk Mallow) were Geoffrey' s expertise, included abundantE p i Io - pointedout by Arthur, both havingbeen sown bium te tragonam (Square-stalkedWillowherb) during the landscapeplanting scheme. at Panfyffunnon, E. ciliatum x E. obscurum, After lunch,the party walked eastalong the E. montanum x E. ciliatum, E. parviflorum x cycle track to exploreon the seawardside of E. ciliatum, E. xaggregatum (E. montanum x the bulwark. A few plants of Seriphidium E. obscurum),Epilobittm xdacicum (E. obscu- maritimum (Sea Wormwood) dotted the rum x [. par.viflorum), E. xfloridulum, upper saltmarsh and the stands of flowering f. x/bssicola (E. ciliatum x E. palustre), Limonium vulgare (SeaLavender) were very E. xinterjectum (8. montanum x E. ciliatum) attractive,whilst backnearer the Centre,more and E. xlimosum (E. montanum x E. pcu'vflo- than thirty clumps of Althaea fficinalis rum) as well as Rubus ulmifolius x R. vestitus (Marsh-mallow) were found and avidly and included many new hectadrecords. photographed(see Colour Section,Plate 2). On the retum joumey, a short stop was Meanwhile, Margot had discoveredCarex made to photograph the fine show of divulsa ssp. divulsa (Grey Sedge) and Es c hs c ho lzia californic a (Califomian Poppy) Sanguisorba officinalis (Greater Burnet) on growing in a gatewayclose to Glynhir, which roadsidesat the edge of Llandovery and a had beenadmired several times previouslyas lawn with Wahlenbergiahederacea near the participants passed-by but, always, the centreof town - a profitablevisit! prospect of the eveningmeal had beenmore Thursday 27thJuly enticingthan stoppingto examinethe plants! Most of the group went to Mynydd-y-Gareg (see ColourSection, Plate 3). nearKidwelly in orderto examineacid grass- After dinner Barry Stewart set up two moth land and heath and a disused quarry in grounds traps in the and said he'd be back at Millstone Grit. Andrew Stevens,the day's 7.00amto identify all the moths. leader, met us at the village hall where a Wednesday26th July single white-flowered plant of Mimulus The two moth trapswere openedat the crack xhybridus (M. cupreus x M. smithii) (a hybrid of dawnby Barry who identified 120different musk) was seenself-sown in a stonebound- species.He was rewardedby being invited to ary wall (see Colour Section,Plate 3). The Field Meetins Reports - 2006 - Glynhir Recordingweek

party followed the line of an old tramway (Tubular Water-dropwort) was growing in the along which grew Dryopteris xcomplexa dense reedbed dominated by Phragmites nothossp. complexa (D. af./inis ssp. ffinis x australis (Common Reed) with fringing D. /ilix-mas) (a hybrid male-fem)determined Phalaris arundinacea (Reed Canary-grass). by Sam Thomas, Epipuctis helleborine This tall fen was contrastedwith the nearby (Broad-leaved Helleborine), Centaurea damp acid grasslandwhich had Carum verti- scabiosa (Greater Knapweed) and Clinopo- cillatum (Whorled Caraway), Potentilla dium vulgare (Wild Basil). After lunch the palustris (Marsh Cinquefoil) andEriophorum party looked at various gardenthrow-outs in angustiJb I ium (CommonCotton-grass) whilst the old quarry as well as a small stand Carex elsewhere,on sandy,better-draining soil, the acuta in the pond, which was also considered Ornithopusperpusillus (Bird's-foot) known by thosepresent to be of gardenorigin. Chris in the pastwas unsuccessfullysearched for. Cheffings discovered a single sporeling of The main attractionof the day was the visit Osmunda regalis establishedon an area of to the RAF PembreySands bombing rangeat Sphagnumcarpet below the acid rock face Tywyn Burrows. A stop at the helipad now colonisedby Calluna vulgaris(Heather), yielded at leasttwenty very desiccatedplants Erica c'inerea(Bell Heather), tllex eltopaeus of Gentianellauliginosa (Dune Gentian)but (Gorse),birch andwillow. no Spiranthesspiralis (Autumn Lady's-tress- Disappointedthat limestonewas not acces- es)where it was last seensome ten yearsago. sible at the Mynydd-y-Garregsite, the parly The species is now feared extinct in the travelled to an old quarry near Banc-y-Man- county. In a small disturbed sandy area sel north of Drefach, where much of the between the helipad and the frebreak, Carex vegetation of the bare limestone workings distans (Distant Sedge), C. punctata and which was lush and verdant a few weeks C. vit'idula ssp. viridula (Small-fruited previously was found to be very parched. Yellow-sedge)were all seengrowing in close Neverthelessabout a dozen plants of the proximity and several intermediate plants introduced and escaped spotted-leaved were also discovered. It was not clear, Hieracium scotostictum (a hawkweed) were however,which was hybridising with which seengrowing at the foot of a shadycliff. This so Arthur collected specimens which he colony was discovered by Viv and Tony subsequentlyhad examinedby Mike Porter Lewis in 2004 but not determined until and Robin Walls whose conclusionwas that February 2007 when David McCosh the plants were Carex xluteola (Carex distans examinedmaterial from the populationwhich x C. viridula ssp. viridula) which proved to Richardhad collected and deposited in NMW. be the hrst Welshand third British record(see The party arrived back at Glynhir quite Colour Section,Back Page). early, exhaustedby the hot weatherwhere a After lunch by the new ponds,where many cup oftea beforedinner gavethe opporhrnity dragonflieswere recordedby Steveand Ann to discussthe day with Jeanand Margot who Cokerwho hadjoined us for the day,the party had been to Newcastle Emlyn having seen searchedthe lush, lightly-grazed, top-salt- Sisonamomun (also seenhere previously by marsh vegetation outside the main range Tony and Viv) and Polypodium xmantoniae boundaryfence. I will not forgetthe conster- (P. vulgare x P. interjectum) (a hybrid nation when Alan announcedthat the area polypody) on the river banksnear the castle. looked a very likely site for Anagallis minima Friday 28thJuly and Richard replied that it had never been The majority of the party spent the morning seenhere, when momentslater Alan noncha- parted at Ffrwd Fen SSSIwhere the Lathyruspalus- lantly the sward to reveal an abundant plant. trrs (Marsh Pea)population was found to be understoreyof this diminutive Richard flourishing. Here, in the drainagepills, the made some disbelieving comment but was pleasedto have been proved wrong! This parfy was shown Eleogitonflultars (Floating year's proved Club-rush) and Hydrocharis morsus-ranae meetinghad to be memorable for the rediscoveryof this species,with the (Frogbit), whilst nearby OenantheJistulosa few plantsearlier in the week at Pendine,now Field Meeting Reports - 2006 Glynhir Recordingweek / Berwyn Mountains 45

followed by this large population at Tywyn althoughthe vast majority of plants were in Burrows. H.H. Knight had recorded the fruit, and we even managedsome tolerable speciesfrom Pembreyin 1910but it is not photos. I was particularlypleased that I had clear as to where exactly this record refers: not missedthis visit as the photosalone were certainly this part of the dune-systernwould by no meansadequate to give an impression not have had suitable habitat at that time. of the tiny size of the plant or its abundance Others searched the area around and it in the habitat(see Colour Section,Plate I ). becameobvious that it was not enoughto be Thesediscoveries provided a suitableclimax shown the plant wanted everyone to find to the week and after breakfastthe lbllowing some of their own (which they did) and moming, we all said our farewells whilst Martyn was Stead determinedto find a flower looking forward to the 2007 get-together! to show us. Inevitablyhe was successful.

Berwyn MountainsNNR, Merioneth(v.c. 48),lzthAugust SenaHSrrlrr Only threepeople, myself, Martin Randand was none but he did find Cryptogrumma John Hansenassembled at the rendezvous crispa (Parsley Fern) and Huperzia selago in Llandrillo at the appointed time. We (Fir Clubmoss), neither common in the waited for two other people who had Berwyns, to reward his efforts. On Cadair booked then John drove us to the Milltir Bronwen, we spentmore time hunting for Gerrig, the highestpoint reachableby road Listera cordata (LesserTwayblade) which and the start of our walk along the main I had found on the previous day, again Berwyn ridge. Our first stop was at a grid without success. There was rnore reference for Andromeda pol{olia (Bog R. chamaemonts, and abundant llaccinium Rosemary) which Arfon Hughes, CCW myrtillus (Bilberry) and V. ttitis-idaea Berwyn NNR warden, had given me, but (Cowberry) growing together but although although we spent a good half hour in we looked for quite some time we didn't arnongthe peat hags,we failed to find it - find the hybrid. (lt must be a questionof Arfon sent me a very nice picture of it the tirning- perhapslocal conditionswhere the following week! We pressedon up to the hybrid is found facilitate the two parents summit of Moel Sych, where we found being fertile at the sametime.) Carer bigelovlll (Stiff Sedge)in somewhat The long walk off the ridge and back lush grassland - very different from the down to Llandrillo village was rewardedby over-grazedhabitat there a coupleof years Martin's finding Festuca viyipara earlier when PeterBenoit and I had failed (Viviparous Sheep's-fescue)in the badly to find it. Continuingto CadairBerwyn we rutted footpath, and in the lane Phleum soon found signs of the Berwyn specialty, bertolonii(Smaller Cat's-tail) and Ornitho- Rubus chamaemorus (Cloudberry), fairly pus perpusil/ers(Bird's-foot). We rather widespreadalong the southside of the ridge agreed with John's remark that he felt the among the characteristicvegetation. The reduction in grazing of recent years was weatherwas fair but flowering was mostly perhapsbeing taken too far, and certainly well over becauseof the very warm, dry the vegetationwas very lush everywhere. summer and we were really too late this It had been a fine day in the hills in good year. From the summit ridge Martin was company, and although we had found only temptedto scrambledown to someyellow- a few of the specialities,there is no doubt ish ferns we could see, hoping for Dryop- that there is plenty of botanicalexploring leris oreades(Mountain Male-fern) or even still to be donehere. D. expansa(Northern Buckler-t-ern). There 46 Annual Exhibition Meetine 2006

ANxunL ExnrsrrroN MEETTNG2006 Editedfor publicationby AleN SsowlEn, 12 WedgwoodDrive, Hughenden Valley, High lVycombe,Bucks., HPl4 4PA

A good number of members and guests cajole/canvassprospective leaders for field rnadethe journey to Leicesterto view the meetingsin 2007. 31 exhibits, not to mention to chat with John Poland was exhibiting his 'Vegetative friendsand visit the University Herbarium. key to the British flora' which As last year, summingup is not easyand is hopefully will soon have us botanisingall not helpedby the lack of abstractsfor two- winter and alsohad a (difficult!) identifica- thirds of the exhibits,even though in many tion quiz. Had he not kept his eyes open, caseslhe title on the programmegires a someof his specimensmight well havebeen 'Help!' good summary. sneakedon to the nearby table still Posterswere displayedby: run by Sean and Ann Karley to help with 'Margins Nichola Hawkins on and the identification of puzzling plants. After years meadows, showing the effect of the 2003 many they would welcome a takeover CAP set-asidereforms' and 'Ten flowers to bid from any member so that they can have meetby the ageof five' to encouragechildren a well-earned rest. Their appeal last year to look at wild flowers. failed;if you would be willing to takeon this job, Sarah Whild on 'What's in your quadrat?' little pleasecontact them. 'Field Mary Dean appealed for help too in and with detailsof identificationskills 'Searching qualifications'. for the SaltmarshSedge, Carer The Institute for Analytical Plant lllustra- salina'. Known from only one sitein Britain, tion showedplant illustrations and gave details 18 more have been searchedon the N.W. coastof Scotlandwith no success. of forthcoming courses. The Institute was 'St foundedby the late Michael Hickey in 2004. Not so Michael Braithwaite who with - Its aim is to encouragethe scientificillustration Abbs Head NNR 30 yearsof plant record- of floweringand non-flowering plants in order ing' seemsto haveplotted every Purple Milk- (Astragalus to clarifu identification features,compare and vetch danicus) plant in his patch, along with 29 other species. For a break he contrast structure and function, record 'Crambe sequencesin plant growth and dcvelopment looked at hispanica, a naturalised and communicatethe diversity and intricacy of crop?'; the plant seemsto be spreadingfrom plant structures. The illustrationsexhibited the fields in which it was planted. Similar detail was displayed by Ken showedhow illustrationcan servebotany in 'High theseways. The Instituteencourages collabo- Adams in resolutionmapping of BSBI rationbetween botanists and illustratorsand is ScarceSpecies along the coastofEssex'. He open to professionalsand amateurswho share showed the distribution of a number of its aims. saltmarshplants plotted by lxlkm. squares around Fobbing, Vange and Canvey (some Displays were providedby: seenby the writer, but most,regrettably, not). The Wildlife Trusts, Staffs. Branch and James Partridge showed specimens of by the Burton Conservation Volunteers 'Some recent new hybrid records for showingthe work doneby the two groups. Warwickshire, v.c. 38', viz. Haw Medlar Chris Leach exhibitedBritish plant galls (xCrataemespilus granddlora), Kattegat and had information on the British PlantGall Orache( A tr ip Ie x xgus t afs s o n ieura),Wurzel I' s Societyfor prospectivemembers. (Artemisia xu,urzellii) 'Coordinator's Mugworl and a Pirri- Alex Lockton had a corner' pirri-bur hybrid (Acaenaxinermis). Also on 'new' for those wishing to co-ordinateand Jane show was a nettle from Warwick. Croft was busy, as always, trying to Urtica membranacea. Annual Exhibition Meeting 2006

'Art Ruth Berry showedin in nature'more normal spike intemrptedby a length of bare ofher superbphotographs offlowers, leaves, stem(from Kerry Robinson,Baldock); White grassesand ferns, taken throughoutthe year. Clover (Trifolium repens) showing leaf Pressedspecimens are photographedon a patternsemerging over l5 yearsfrom various light box using a macro lens and fine grain cultivars and the same species showing film andthe resultingnegatives are printed on pseudo-polyphylly, resembling phyllodic tintedpaper. This emphasisestheir character- clovers by having a cluster of leafy shoots istics and also shows the beautiful and stickingup in the air, but theseare not from a unusualpattems created in nature. flowering shoot. Ann Conolly & John Bailey had photos Anne Daley showed photographsentitled 'Stripe 'BSBI and descriptions of markings on from my archives, 1986 - 2006' JapaneseKnotweed'. Thesehave long been showingwell-known and unknown facesand 'Memories known but areof uncertainorigin, with gener- with a separatesection on of ally two stripes,one eachside of, and parallel FrancisRose'. to, the midrib. Photographstoo from Gill Gent in 'French 'Allopolyploid Richard Gornall in specia- Bartsia(O do nti tes j ubert ianus) in Northants.' tion in Callitriche' showed the evolutionary showing the plants on the World War 2 origin of C. plaQcarpa to be that of a tetra- airfield at Spanhoe.It is not known how they ploid derivative of C. stagnalis and cameto be there,nor for how long; sinceit is C. cophocarpa. late-floweringit may have been over-looked Martin Cragg-Barber as usual displayed for a considerabletime. Thereis a possibility 'Some plant odditiesin 2006 abenationsand that seed was brought back from a French clover-leaf pattems'. These included Daisy airfield during or after the war. 'Native (Bellisperewrls) with mottled white variega- flora conservationin a Herefordshire tion with a wide white margin and green churchyard' was presented by Yolande centre,roadside verge at Malmesbury; Wall Heslop-Harrison and was concerned Speedwell(Veronica arvensis)'Chedglow' especially with St Leonards Church at seed from a 2005 plant (which had leaves Hatfield, Herefs. A generaldescription was with yellow centres and narrow green followed by conservationregimes employed margins)separated into somegreen and some and a comprehensivelist of the plants to be yellow, the latter self-sustaining;Pendulous found in the churchyard. However, the Sedge(Carex pendula) with the flower spike concem was more generaland centredon the opposite rather than alternate, from near work of a small charity - Caring for God's Malmesbury; Dandelion (Taraxacum olJici- Acre - operatingover the areaof the Hereford nale), a new proliferousform with two stems Diocese(S. Shropshire,Herefs. and small parts within one gross fasciated one, from the of Worcs., Powys and Gwent). Advice is stationmaster'shouse, Hullavington; Hart's- obtainablefor thoseinterested, not only locally tongue Fem (Phvllitis .scolopendrium but also living further afield, from CFGA, 6 f . muricatum) with a tendency towards West St.,Leominster, Herefs., HR6 SES. pinnateness,but no sign of spores on the The exhibit by Michael Foley & Mike 'Mountain upper surfaceas seenin previonsyears, from Porter concerned the Pansy Chedglow,Wilts.; Honesfy (Lunaria annua), (Viola lutea var. hamulata Baker) in 'Chedglow' cultivar with extra leafletsat the N. Yorkshire'. ln lhe mid-19'hcentury J.G. base of the leaves, less pronouncedon the Baker described an unusual Viola from type from a garden at Chedglow; London Richmond racecourseand Marrick Moor, Plane (Platanus xhispanica) with leaf both in N. Yorks., andto which he appliedthe attachedto fruit, from RBG Kew; Ribwort name V. lutea var. hamulata. It had small Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)with a range yellow flowers, petalsstanding forward, and of flower aberrationsincludins one with a stipules with sickle-shaped (hence 48 Annual Exhibition \leeting 2006

'hamulata') lateral lobes. Although a fire at Katharine Slade & Tim Rich gave an Baker's home in 1864 destroyedvirtually all account of their work on 'Pollen studies in his property, surviving rnaterialcollected in British Hieracium section Alpina' which is 1863from Marrick Moor canbe found in BM attemptingto understandevolution and molec- andLIV; theseare potential fypes ofthe name. ular variation within the British representa- In June 2006 an examination of Marrick tives,using Alexander's stain. H. alpinumwas Moor. at one time an important lead-mining investigatedin detail as it is an ancestral area with a distinctive flora, of which one specieswith both sexual diploids with high componentis Viola lLrtett,led to the discovery fertile pollen production(rare in E. Europe), of a vast populationof Baker's plant. lt had and more widespreadtriploids lacking pollen; slightly cupulate flowers (9-11mm. vertical- no pollen has been fbund in British herbariurn ly) the upper petalsof which were white, the specimens. Stainablepollen was however lateralsyellow-white and the lowest yellow. observedin severalother speciesof British An examinationof the stipulesshowed them Hieracitrm sect.Alpina. The resultsmay have to possessthe sickle-shapedcharacter. The implicationsfor the evolutionof sect.Alpina plantspresent probably approacheda million acrossEurope. and were quite densely distributed over a There was more about these plants in 'Distribution largearea. and conservationof four Welsh What was especially interesting was the endemic Hieracium species' from Jerome uniform morphology between individual Sawtschuk & Tim Rich, with the former plants, especiallyin flower size and colour. studyingthem as part ofhis degreeat Rouen However, sometimes amongst them, and University. For each species, historical clearly distinct, were small groups of the recordswere reviewedand thenused to direct nonnal, rnuch larger-flowered V. lutea wtth fieldwork to assessthe current statusof the all-yellowpetals and flowers 18-20mm. verti- plants and their conservation needs. cally. Again, these were uniform between H. cambricogothicum is probably extinct. themselvesand distinctly spatiallysegregated H. pachyphylloides was rediscoveredafter 50 into homogenousgroups amongst the very yearsin 2 outof I sitesand is locally common 'hamulata' much more frequentand smaller on the Great Orme. 1L rectulum has proved variety. Similar plantshad beenseen at a site difficult to distinguishfrom 1L submutabile. in the Scottish Border area and it was All this work desen'esa book, and sure suggestedthat both populationsmight be the enoughone is due shortly.David Tennant & 'British hybrid L'.Iutea x l'. arvensis. Specimensand Tim Rich provided infonnation on photographswere displayed. alpine hawkweeds'to appearearly in 2007, Finally, therewere a seriesof exhibitsfrom with specimenpages, etc. Wales, even though the frrst, by David Cann Finally, if all this seemstoo worthy, thereis & Tim Rich concemed 'The statusof ,Sorbus still hopefor us all. Go anddo what Tim Rich 'Conserving devoniensisin lreland'. In Sept.2006,funded did in the flora of a continentin by the BSBI, all the Irish siteswere surveyed. one moming' (your reviewer still thinks he 'Saving Of the 20 previously known sites 13 were read the world in one morning' but refound and 5 new sites disqovered. The rnaybe not); take your rnother to Antarctica current population in lreland is about 1I 6 trees and whilst there gatherseed, with the neces- in l9 sitesin 5 vice-counties,but it seemsto be sarypermit, of the only two flowering plants, declining in Wexford, Kilkenny and Carlow. Deschampsia antarctica and Colobanthus There seems no reason why it should be quitensis (Caryophyllaceae). Easy isn't it? regarded as an introduction in Northem And by the way, you must resistthe tempta- Ireland;the habitatsare the sameas in Devon, tion, like Tim, to bring back a cuddly penguin the treeshave been there a long time and there for your daughtersto play with. Well left, is no evidence that it has been olanted. Tim, thereare no icebergsin Cardiff Bay! Book Notes 49

BOOKNOTES Devn PEARMAN,Algiers, Feock, Truro, Cornwall, TR3 6RA; Tel 01872 863388; dpearman4(@aol.com Anotherapology, but this tirne my last.I think dendron and Pedicularis, although many that Jon Atkins wiil take over this colurnn other families are represented. along with the post of Book Reviews editor, (DAP a stunningwork, with a flora natu- in the autumn. I have really enjoyedthe job rally not that dissimilarfiom NE Turkey.) when I have madethe time, and apologiesfor Les Plantes Protegees de Lonaine - Distri- the instanceswhere I have not. bution, dcologie, conservation Muller, So,for this issueagain, I am indebtedto Sue Serge. Parthdnope,France, 2006. 376pp. Atkins for the few notesbelow. Many colour photographsand distribution Flowering Plant Families o.l'the World. Hey- maps.Pbk 37.00euros. wood, V.H. Kew Publishing 2007. 424pp. A speciesby speciesaccount ofthe rare protected plants Colour iliustrations and distribution rnaps and flowering of the throughout.Hardback f27.95 Frenchregion made up of Meurthe-et-Mo- (54), (55), (57), A new and updatededition of Professor selle Meuse Moselle and (88). Heywood's standardencyclopaedic guide Vosges - photo guide. Plls, to plant families,their identification,classi- Flowers of Turkey A 2006. fication and distribution. Gerhard. Published by the author, photos 4153 Flora of North America series volume 24: 408pp, colour of speciesof plants, Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae,part l. fernsand flowering eachwith small insets give habit and OUP 2007 9l1pp.hbk f58.00. to detail of height, The first part of the Grasses,part 2 having flowering season.Hbk 79 euros. habitat alreadyappeared in Volume 25. A brief note of distribution. and generic The orchid genera Anuc'amplis, Orchis, Ne- altitudinal range accompaniesthe otinea- systematics, texonomy, morpholo- name. (DAP - This is easily the best attemptI Sy, biology, distribution, ecologt, the whole flora, hybridisation Kretzschmar,H., Eccarius, have ever seen to cover the pictures are W., and Dietrich, H. Echinomedia2007. covering over 40oh. Yes, not the 544pp, colour photos, distribution maps, srnallish,and occasionally best,but diagrams,keys. hbk 98.00euros. overall a tour de force, and well worth the fbrmat. Thorough treatment reflecting current money in not too big or heavy a It grasses knowledge,well-illustrated with close-up covers and sed-eesas well as every- give photosand habitatshots. thing else,and to a tasteof coverage The Caucasusand its Flowers. Holubec,V., thereare 36 Lathyrus,5l Silene,39Hyper- and Krivka, P. Loxia, Czech Republic. icum and75 Astragalus! Absolutely indis- pensable 388pp, a generousnumber of high-quality for any trip away from the colour photos, (both of mountain land- Mediterraneancoast.) scapes and flowers in close-up), maps, La biodiversitd du departement de la Seine- Ftlo- somedrawings. Large hbk -50.00euros. Saint-Denis: Atlas de la Flore Sauvage France, The first illustratedbook in Englishon the che. S., et al. Collection Parthenope, (in flora of this inrpressivemountain range 2006.504pp. French).Hbk 60 euros which extendsfrom the Black Sea to the Another massive tome on the French flora, but highly- CaspianSea. Aimed at lovers of mountain this time coveringa small populated flowers as well as growers of rock garden areajustnorth-east ofParis. A-Z listing photo, distri- plants,the focusis on the familiesSaxifraga, of species,with colour Primula, Crocus, Draba, Daphne, Rhodo- bution map and brief descriptionfor each, including Latin and French names.There 50 Book Notes Wiltshire Botanv/ Obituarv Notes

arealso sections on protectedspecies, intro- Floated water meadows were areas of ductions,and various habitatswith their low-lying grasslandwhich were regularly 'drowned' associatedplants. artificially inigated- at certain Water Meadows: Hi,story, Ecology and Con- times of year to stimulatethe early growth of .servation.Cook, Hadrian & Williarnson. grassin the spring and improve the summer Tom (eds).Windgather Press, 2007. l5l pp, hay crop. Looks at the archaeologyand hy- b&w and some colour illustrations,maps, drology, importance to agriculture and fi.r- graphs,figs. Pbk f.19.99. ture conservationofthese important feafures of Britain'srural landscape. WiltshireBotany

IssueNo. 9 of thisjournal is now published. Contributionsto thejoumal arewelcome on It contains a supplementto the preceding any aspect of Wiltshire botany. Articles specialissue. which was devotedto a presen- shouldbe submittedto John Presland.l75c tation and analysis of the rnost irnportant Ashley Lane, Winsley, Bradford-on-Avon, plant records since recording for the 1993 BA15 2HR, who will also be pleasedto Wiltshire Flora ceasedat the end of 1991. discuss proposed articles informally (Tel: The supplemcntincludes articles on brambles 0122-5865125). A leafletis also available (including a completelist of tetradrecords lbr offering guidance to authors on the most all speciesfbund in Wiltshire), arableweeds, helpful forms in which to submit articles. ancient woodland indicator plants, taxa Copiesof No. 9 andsonre earlier issues are recorded before the 1993 Flora but absent availablefrom RosemaryDuckett. 50A The from it and refound since. and some soecial Butts. Westbury.Wiltshire BA13 3EX (Tel Wiltshireplanrs. 01373 858296: email: rosemary.duckett(g) There are also two stand-alonearticles, one virgin.net). The cost is f5.00 post fiee. on self-seeding conifers in Northeast Cheques should be made out to Wiltshire Wiltshire and one on a woodlandin the South BotanicalSocietv. of tlre County. The usual annual selectionof recordsis alsoincluded - for 2005. OBITUARYNOTES MARYBRIGGS, Hon. ObituariesEditor, 9 Arun Prospect,Pulborough, West Sussex,RG20 IAL

With regret we report the death of Mrs Pam during her long term of duty as County Copsonin December2006. Shehad been the Recorder.Her particular gift was to recmit BSBI Vice-county Recorder for Warwick- and educatevolunteers, of whom I was one. shire (v.c. 38) from 1978 to 2002. The While endorsing James' very good currentrecorder, Jarnes Partridge has sent the appraisalof Pam, I would add also that Parn following note: gave considerablesupporl and help to John Very characteristically,Pam made it very Bowra with his Oenotherqstudies. She also clearthat did not want any formal obituaryor wrote lris Obituarypublished in ll/ut.sonia. memorial service,but it would be inappropri- We also report with regret the deathsof thc ate if her passingwent un-noticed. following members notified since January She had been Senior Curator at Warwick 2007 (year of joining irr parentheses):Mr County Museum 1915-2002, where she J.B.S.Hodge of Surbiton,Surrey (1987);Mr establisheda modern, purpose-builtherbar- J.F. Hope-Simpson of Keynsham, Bristol ium (WARMS). She was exceptionally ( 1952)l Mr J.W.D.Semple of Holywood,Co. conscientious in co-operating with the Down (V.c. recorderH39 and Irish Comrnit- various BSBI projects (Monitoring Scheme, teemember) (1995). Arable weeds, Churchyards,Flora 2000 etc.) All theabove will be sadlvmissed. Recorders and Recording / Notes from the Officers Hon. Gen. Secretary 5t

RECORDERSAND RECORDING Panelof Refereesand Specialists MARv CLARESHEAHAN, 6l ll'estmorelandRoad, Barnes, London SW|3 9RZ; [email protected]

Change ofaddress Edmunds House.40 The Green, South Bar. Dr R.N. Carter, Referee for Loctuca, has Banbury.OxfordshireOXI69AE moved to Carter Ecolosical Limited.

Panelof Vice-countyrecorders Davto PERRtr.tnN,,4lgiers, Feock. Truro. Cont,tall, TR3 6R4. Tel: 01872 863388 ChangesofRecorders V.c. H39 (Co. Antrim). Following the un- V.c. 5 (S. Somerset).Mr S. Parkerto be the timely deathof Mr J.W.D Semple,Mr N. seniorVCR, and all correspondenceto him, McKee becomessole recorder67 Temple at 26 LaburnamRd. Wellington, Sornerset, Rise, Templepatrick, Ballyclare, Co An- TA 21 SEL. trim, N. Ireland,BT39 OAG V.c. 13 (W. Sussex).All correspondenceto ChangesofAddress Dr A.G. Knapp, at 7, Trinity Close,Pound None. Hill, Crawley,Sussex, RHl0 3TN. andnot to Mrs M. Briggs. NOTESFROM THE OFFICERS From the Hon. General Secretary- D,qvIDPEARMAN Algiers, Feock. Truro, Cornv,all, TR3 6RA: Tel: 01872 86338,9;DPearman4(ri),aolcom Head of Research& Development With the impending move of the Botany We are delighted to say that we appointed dept to the new Darwin Building, we have Kevin Walker, cunently at CEH. Monks discussedthe position of the Society's Wood, after interviewsin January.He brings archives with Mark Spencer,Head of the with him a wealth of practical field experi- British Herbarium.We have agreedto leave ence together with a formidable publishing there runs of the society's journals, the record - many memberswill have seenhis Conferencereports (referred to by Mary), the papers in ll/at,sonia and British lltildlife on old Council minutes and the small photo- floristic changes,inclLrding extinctions, on graphic archive.In addition the files needed conseruationissues including rare plant intro- by PeterFry, as the assistantHGS, will stay. ductions and on Rurn! He will start in July, All the rest (in truth a heterogeneouscollec- andwill be presentat all the autumnmeetings tion) will go to Shrewsburywith the rest of from the Recorders' Conferences to the the Society's papers, to be housed in the Exhibitionmeetings. Gatewayby kind permissionof the Univer- Archives sity of Binningham. I would like to amplify what Mary Briggs wrote in the last issue (p. 73, when writing aboutConference repc'rrts). )l Notes from the Officers - ScottishOfficer

From the ScottishOfficer - Jta McINrosH BSBI Scottish Ofiicer', c/o Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row,Edinburgh, EH3 5LR; Tel: 0 I 3 | 2482894:[email protected]

BSBI ScottishComputerisation Project populations of nationally rare or scarce 'target' Computerising Vice-county Recorders' species and reporting on their records vastly increasestheir usefulness. It preciselocation and size, and whether there is an important first step in projects such as is evidenceof regenerationor damage,using checklists, Rare Plant Registersand floras, GPS, photographs,sketches and forms. and it allows VCRs to map and analysetheir I've just met SNH and agreeda continuing records and respondto queries rnore easily. annualprogramme of half a dozenor so Site The data contributes to the Atlas Updating Condition Monitoring sites for the next few Project and you can already see the newly years and we need more volunteersto help. computeriseddata from the first Computeri- (l feel guilty about asking the same ones to sation project on the BSBI Maps Scheme contributeall the time!) The work puts your webpages. It should benefit conservation botanicalskills to good use. It also takesyou too - as the recordswill be availableto SNH, to some really interestingplaces - and is a and other conservationists,and used to help lot of fun. We need volunteers to lead on in their day to day work. Consequently,I eachsite, to organisefieldwork and write the haveput a lot of time and energyinto a series reports, as well as volunteers to help out of computerisation projects. The first of with the fieldwork. A secondaryaim is to which is complete,the secondis underway, get botanistsand others with an interest in and a third will commencein autumn2007. the site togetherand exchangeexpertise and Contractors have nearly completed a understandingand this has beenreally inter- secondproject to conputerisesome 135,000 estingand sociable.If you would like to get BSBI vascularplant paper recordsfrom five involvedplease get in touch. ScottishVCRs. This year'sproject is gener- ously supported by the Esmde Fairbairn Platanthera bdolia Foundation. Generallyonly the main dataset Last summer we helped SNH with a single held by the Recorder or a parl of it - is speciessurvey of Platantherabifolia (Lesser being computerised.The BSBI would like Butterfly-orchid), and invited people to to thank the contractors and Vice-county submit detailed records, including popula- Recordersfor their painstakingdiligence. tion estimatesusing pre-printedforms, or via a dedicatedpage on the SNH website. Some Site Condition Monitoring 600 records were submitted and SNH are We have just delivered a further five Site currently analysing the results and will Condition Monitoring reportsto SNH thanks report them shortly. Of courseas members to BSBI volunteers. The sites were Ben of the public were involved too, a number of Chonzie, Bagavies and Rescobie Lochs, the records were found to be Platanthera Dalcroy Promontory, Glen Tanar and chlorantha on examination of photographs Keltneyburn. This brings the total number or subsequentfollow-up visits. But even of Site Condition Monitoring reports these records are valuable. An additional preparedby BSBI volunteersand myself benefit of the project was just to get people over the pastthree years to 33. Site Condi- in the t-ield and recording and making tion Monitoring aims to monitor the condi- contact and contributing records to their tion of SSSIsdesignated to protectvascular local Vice-countyRecorder. plants. The work entails trving to refind Notes from the Officers Scottish Officer / Coordinators Corner 53

Carex maritims summer,please get in touch with the Vice- Carex mqritima is a very pretty and distinc- county recorder(via me if more convenient) tive little sedge. Over the past two yearsthe and ask how you could help! BSBI has run a small project to understand why its populations have apparently Changeof ScottishAnnual Meeting venue declined so dramatically between the two to Edinburgh - again! Atlas recording periods. Botanists have The Scottish Annual Meeting was overdue tried to refind key populations along to return to Glasgow tn2007. Unfortunately Scotland's eastern and far north coasts. we have againbeen unable to securesuitable including on Orkney and Shetland, with accommodationin Glasgow and will return variable success.A clearerpicture is begin- to the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. ning to emerge, but further work to refind We apologise to any members who are populationsis still required especiallyin the inconvenienced and hope to retum to a Northern and Western Isles. If you are venuein the west in 2008. The dateremains planning a holiday in any ofthese areasthis Saturday3 November 2007.

Coordinator'sCorner At-Ex LocrroN, 66 North Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SYI 2JL; [email protected]

Site Floras and Axiophytes planning Floras of the Stiperstoneshere in Many thanks to everyonewho respondedto Shropshire and of the island of Mousa in my articles on Site Floras and Axiophytes Shetland,where Reinoud Norde hasrecently (our proposed new system of indicator produced an amazingly thorough site survey speciesfor conservationhabitats). These are for the RSPB (many thanks to Reinoud and clearly concepts whose time has come, the RSPB for the loan of a copy). When I although of course they are nothing new. mention that he stayedin the bothy on this Many Wildlife Trusts, for instance, have otherwise uninhabited island for days at a drawn up lists of indicator species and time, you can seethe problem. But if anyone surveyed their sites systematically for is planning to be in Shetlandor Shropshire decades. Steve Woodward kindly sent a this summerand wants to contributeto these copy of his 1992 Fl. of Swithland Wood, projects, please get in touch with Sarah which is available for free from Leicester Whild ([email protected]),and we hope Museums (send Steve f3 to cover postage). Training & Education Committee will be It is fascinatingand brilliantly thorough,but bringing similar projectsto other countiesin to my mind illustratesthe dilemma of over- a year or two. recording - it is so much work that other There are three problems which have people are not likely to do anything similar, bedevilledsite surveyingin the past.Firstly, or to repeatit. What we are trying to do now the conservationorganisations may not have is distil the essential elements from such had the expertiseto get their axiophyte lists examplesand createa simple techniquethat right it is not an easyjob, and the expertise will achieve the desired results for the of the BSBI is absolutelyvital in this regard. minimum effort. Secondly,the level ofeffort expendedin site I apologise that it is taking some time to surveysis often not sufficient. If you do two get definitive guidelines on the production surveysten years apart and only record half of either Site Floras or Axiophyte lists, but the species present each time, then there we are working on them. This year we are would have to be a truly catastrophicchange 54 Notes from the Officers - Coordinator'sCorner

for your monitoring efforts to detect been made each year. The potential for anything- in which caseyou hardly needthe analysisis enormous. analysis. From our experience with the Floras of Attingham Park and Haughmond Csrex maritima project Hill, it seemsthat a site might be expectedto Along thoselines, data continuesto roll in experiencesomething like 10% turnoverof for the Curved Sedge (Care:r marilima) species in quarter of a century, so you project. Last year I made a rash prediction cfearfy have to get at least 90o/oof species that more siteswould be found. and recom- during a site survey for it to have any value mendedsurveying the eastcoast of Scotland as a monitoringtool. - despitethe receivedwisdom, oft repeated, The third problem for axiophyte lists and that it is in decline,especially along the east site surveys in the past is the inability to coast.It was thereforehighly grattfying that manipulatethe data without full computeri- Ian Green has now found a new population sation.Ifyou have500 speciesin a site,and on the very eastcoast from which it is alleg- maybe5,000 records, it is clearlyout of the edly vanishing.Possibly just coincidence, questionto do theanalysis by hand.But once but I'll stick my neck out and say that the you are fully computerisedthese tasks evidence still shows an increase in this suddenly become routine. History will species,not a declineat all and we really record that the developmentof the computer shouldbe basingour statementson evidencc databasehas done for botany what the inven- whereverpossible. tion of the telescopedid for astronomy.As The graph below is an interestingway of long ago as 1788 Gilbefi White was showing how many sites are known at any condemningbotanists for making endless onetime. The upperline showsthe discovcr- lists without 'advancing any real knowl- ies of new sitesand the lower line the losses edge,' but I think it is now becomingclear (which I have taken to be anywhere for thatthose lists really do havescientific value which thereis no post-2000record). The fact if we can manipulatethem. Computersgive that the lines are diverging shows that the us that ability, and allow us to see all the total number of extant sites is indeed thingswe couldpreviously only guessat. increasing. Full computerisationof data setsenables There are two possible explanationsfor us to performsome astonishing calculations, this. One is that C. maritimct is colonising and it has becomea regular occurrencenow new sites fasterthan it is disappearingfrom for someoneto come up with a fascinating old ones; the other is that we are simply new graphor map displayingbotanical data discovering sites that were there anyway. in a way that no-one has seen before. There is no rational way to interpretthis map Although most county recorders are still as a declinein the species,although you can ploughing through huge backlogs of data, see that the gap between the two lines we arenow increasinglygetting enthusiastic narrowedsomewhat in about1970. but it has reportsthat someonehas finished databasing now widenedagain. everything they can lay their hands on. My prediction from this graph is that there David Pearmanrecently phoned to say how are still quite a few C. maritima sitesyet to excited he was that most of the historical be discovered,as there is no signofa plateau data for Dorset has now been input, and in the rate of discovery.So pleaseget out Andy Amphlett has produced a graph for thereagain this summerand seeif you can Banffshire showing how many rccords had find them. Notes from the Officers Coordinator'sComer / Stop Press Anna Pavord:Picturing Plants / 55 Deadlinefor Neu,s106

140 a 120 o New sitesfoun = 100 a rF 80

.i 60 z 40 20 0 (o@oN$(o@oNs(o@oOOOOOOOOOOOOO l-f-ooco@@@Oo)o.)o)o.)O -rN Decade

The rate of discovery(top line) and loss(bottom hne) of Carexmaritima sites.The gap between them indicatesthe numberof extantsites at any point in time. As the lines arecurently diverg- ing, the datashows that the speciesis increasing,although there is a possibilitythat our data is still too incornpletefor this to be provendefinitively. STOPPRESS The Victoria and Albert Museum have an Pavordwill tracethe developmentof botani- evening lecture on Monday 2 luly 2007 cal painting from the earliestknown images Anna Pavord: Picturing Plants of the sixth centuryto the modem day. Surroundedby picturesofplants, it is difficult 19.00-20.45(wine reception with speakerand to imagine a time when there weren't any. booksigning 20.00-20.45). f 15. Drawing on material from her most recent To book call 020 1942 2271 I 2218 or emall book, The |Vaming of Names, acclaimed [email protected] BSBI. gardening writer and correspondentAnna

CONTRIBUTIONS INTENDED FOR BSBI AIEWS 106 should reach the Ceneral Editor before August I't The Generai Editor Gwvnn Ellis can be contacted bv phone or fax on 029-2049-6042 or emai| : rgcllisqr ntl*nrid.co,'.t All text and illustrations appearing in BSBI Neilr and its Supplements are copyright and no reproduction in any fbrm may be made without written permission frorn the General Editor. Offers and special terms apply only to members of the Society and copies are not available on an excnangeoasls. BSBI News(ISSN 0309-930X)is publishedby the BotanicalSociety of the British Isles. Enquiries concerning the Society's activities and membership should be addressedto: The Hon. Gcncral Secretary,c/o Dept. of Botany, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD. Tel: 0207 942 5002. Camcra ready copy produced by Gwynn Ellis and printed by J. & P. Davison, 3 James Place, Trefbrest, Pontypridd, Mid Glamorgan CF37 ISQ (Tel. 01443-400585;email: davison- litho@),ukf.net) ADMINISTRATION and IMPORTANT ADDRESSES

PRESIDENT Dr Richard Gornall Biology Dept., University of Leicester,Leicester, LE1 TRII T el. 0 | | 6 -252-3394 ; rjg(qlleicester.ac.uk HON. GENERAL SECRETARY (GeneralEnquiries) Mr David Pearman Algiers, Feock, Truro, Cornwall, TR3 6RA Tel.:0l 872 863388;[email protected] HON. TREASURER (All financialmatters except Membership) Mr Michael Braithwaite l9 Buccleuch Street, Hawick, Roxburghshire, TD9 OHL Tel. 0 1450-372267.Fax 0 1450-37359I MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY (Payment of Subs and chansesof address) Mr Gwynn Ellis 4l Marlborough Road, Roath, Cardiff. CF23 sBU (Pleasequote membership number on all correspondence;see address label on post, or Members Lrst in Year Book 2007) T el. 02920 496042; [email protected] HON. FIELD SECRETARY (Including enquiriesabout Field Meetings) Mrs Jane Croft l2 Spaldwick Road, Stow Longa, Huntingdon, Cambs., PE28 OTL [email protected] HON. ASSISTANT SECRETARY (Generalenquiries) Mr PeterFry c/o Dept. of Botxny, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD Answerphoneonly: 0207 942 5002 BSBI PROJECT MANAGER & Mr David Pearman VICE-COUNTY RECORDERS Algiers, Feock, Truro, Cornwall, TR3 6RA (Commentsand/or changes of address) Tel.: 01872 863388;[email protected] PANEL OF REFEREES & SPECIALISTS Dr Mary Clare Sheahan (Commentsand/or changes of address) 6l Westmoreland Road, Barnes, London, SWl3 9RZ Tel.: 020 8148 4365 ; [email protected] WATSONIA RECEIVING EDITOR Mr Martin Sanford c/o SBRC, Ipswich Museum, High Street,Ipswich, Suffolk, IPf 3QH Tel.: 0 I 473 4335 47 ; fax: 0l 473 433 5 5 8 ; [email protected] BSBI NEWS GENERAL EDITOR & RECEMNG EDITOR (for issue 106 only) Mr Gwynn Ellis 4l Marlborough Road, Roath, Cardiff, CF23 5BU Tel. & Fax 029-20 49 -6042: rsel- Ii sfa.tntlworld. com BSBI COORDINATOR Mr Alex Lockton 66 North Street. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SYI 2JL Tel.: 01743 343789; [email protected] BSBI VOLUNTEERS OFFICER Mr Bob Ellis ll Havelock Road, Norwich, NR2 3HQ Tel.: 0 l 603 662260;[email protected] BSBI SCOTTISH OFFICER Mr Jim Mclntosh c/o Royal Botanic Garden, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR Tel. 0 13 1 248 2894 (w); 0 14 I 5 52'7322 (h); j.mcintosh(4rbge.ac.uk RESEARCH FUND APPLICATIONS Dr Pete Hollingsworth Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, EH3 sLR [email protected]. BSBI PUBLICATIONS Mr & Mrs Jon Atkins c/o Summerfield Books, Main Street, Brough, Cumbria, CAl7 4AX Tel.: 0 17683 41577 ; F ax'.0 I 7683 4 I 687; bsbipubs(gbeeb.net BSBIWEB SITE ADDRESS www.bsbi.org.uk ResisteredCharitv Number :212560