Newsletter Issue 40 Summer 2012

WILTSHIRE BOTANICAL SOCIETY

Contents The Snowdrop Walk at Erlestoke Woods------1 St Patrick's Day at Caen Hill Locks------3 Fritillary Survey, Clattinger Farm------4 Clouts Wood, Quidhampton Wood and Bincknoll Castle------5 Wild Liquorice ------5 Porton Down ------7 Stonehill Wood------9 Cheverell Down ------10 The Trip, ------10 Cranwich Camp------11 Santon Downham ------12 Thompson Common ------13 Heath ------14 Sheringham and Beeston Regis Commons SSSI------15 .------17 Ramsbury Water Meadows------18 Park Bottom and Sherrington Down ------20 Sidbury Hill - a tale of two bird’s nests------21 Oxford Botanic Gardens------22 Cholderton Estate------24 Plaitford and West Wellow Commons------25 Clatford Arboretum ------26 Fern Identification at ------27 A Co-Recorder for ------28 Scaly Male-ferns in Wiltshire------29 Squinancy-wort------31 Editors Corner------31

Website: http://www.wiltsbotsoc.co.uk Saturday, 25 February late season for this walk. south- and westwards the 2012 Despite some mild weather, formation is more the snowdrops were at their conspicuously developed, The Snowdrop best and a lovely sight. forming a platform or 'bench' Walk at Erlestoke at the foot of the downs. It Woods Sonia began by telling us gets ever more prominent something of the history of towards Alfred’s Tower near Leaders: Rosemary the village and the manor Stourhead Gardens. At the Duckett and Sonia house: base of the tower the Upper Heywood Greensand reaches 260 Erlestoke is one of a string of metres above sea level so it spring-line villages which exceeds the local Chalk grew up near springs issuing Snowdrops - Becky Morris escarpment at White Sheet from the base of the Chalk Hill nearby (245m). escarpment. It had a Wiltshire's highest point, Tan medieval manor house which Hill, 295 metres, is on the was demolished and a new Chalk. house built in 1791. The park was landscaped and six lakes The reason for the hill- created which meant that the forming nature of the old village aligned north- greensand is its greater south was demolished and thickness in Wiltshire and the rebuilt on an east-west presence of sandstone alignment. There was also a (locally named the Shaftsbury carriage ride around the estate Sandstone) and beds of chert. with two bridges across the Chert is similar to flint, and holloway on what it now the geologists just use the term B road. In 1880 the church for pre chalk-aged 'flint'. The was demolished, like the old notable greenish tinge in the We were fortunate to have houses it spoilt the view of Upper Greensand is the good weather and a relatively the park from the house. A presence of the mineral new church was built near the Glauconite. This mineral park gates, so parishioners did not now have to go across the park. The old churchyard is still in place. There was a serious fire to Erlestoke house in the 1950s and it was partially demolished. It is now part of the prison.

The walk was entirely on soils formed from the underlying Upper Greensand Formation, which forms a fringe at the foot of the chalk downs escarpment throughout Beech roots . From Devizes Snowdrops - Becky in sandstone - Pat Woodruffe

Page 1 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 The geological highlight came as we approached the walled garden, and consisted of a deep cutting where the Shaftesbury Sandstone could be seen in vertical cliffs. It was soft greenish sandstone with ellipsoidal 'doggers' of harder material. Erosion of the sandstone had revealed the extensive root growth of several old beech trees. We tend to think of beech as shallow rooted but these were well anchored into their substrate. Rhynchostegium megapolitanum - Sharon Pilkington Our thanks to Sonia and to Rosemary for organising this contains compounds of Shaftesbury Sandstone. This splendid morning out and for Magnesium, Calcium, was the high point of the the excellent pub lunch which Potassium, Sodium, Iron and walk for Sharon who spotted many of us enjoyed Silica which have been Rhynchostegium afterwards. My thanks also 'rotted' from the parent- megapolitanum an to Sonia, Richard G, Becky mineral mica, in shallow uncommon moss. Her record and Sharon for their anoxic seawater. proved to be only the fifth in contributions to the report. VC8 and a new 10km square Pat Woodruffe The walk made its way up a record. valley cut by its small stream into the Greensand plateau. The OS map shows no spring, so it must rise in the pond, Wellhead Pond, with its many Roach or Rudd fish, which we walked past just before leaving the woods for the open fields. In fact the OS map doesn’t show the stream either! After allegedly dryer than normal conditions, this caused some debate among the party. At the highest part of the walk, in the fields, the soil was clayey and lots of moss was growing. The clay is mapped within the Boyne Hollow Richard Gosnell’s Chert, lying on top of the satellite view of the walk

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 2 Saturday 17 March 2012 St Patrick's Day at Caen Hill Locks

This flight of 29 locks, on the edge of Devizes, raises the Kennet and Avon Canal 239 feet in just two miles. It is an amazing feat of engineering, designed by John Rennie, and takes boaters at least half a day to complete.

As part of the Diamond Becky Morris Jubilee celebrations, a 60- acre wood is being planted 2010! They were found Cinquefoil (Potentilla alongside, including disease- where shuffling feet would reptans), Garlic Mustard resistant elms. have caused disturbance. (Alliaria petiolata), Hedge Geranium (Geranium th March 17 found a group of The walk was a chance to pyrenaicum), Ground Ivy botanists parked near the top catch up with friends, clear (Glechoma hederacea) and of the flight, wondering what the cobwebs, and practice an occasional large that they would find at the identification of leaves. challenged the group, who beginning of the season. Not eventually agreed it was Both Water Figwort much in flower probably. probably Wild Turnip (Scrophularia auriculata) and (Brassica rapa ssp. Having phoned lunch orders a Comfrey species campestris). to the local pub, we set off. (Symphytum sp.) were identified from leaf and stem David told us about the Large hoary thistle rosettes shape. Often a plant is geology of the site – a pit of had us wondering, but it was identified by flower alone, Gault clay to the side of the concluded they were and as a result many of the path was probably the source probably Spear Thistle other interesting features are of materials used to puddle (Cirsium vulgare), despite missed. the pounds and make the their unusual appearance and bricks for canal construction. abundance. Flowers of Pond Sedge were appearing. Sweet violets Bluebell leaves led to a Further discussion followed (Viola odorata) were in discussion about natives, over a fine display of tiny flower adding a spot of hybrids, and the Spanish delicate white flowers with colour. Bluebell which has very wide deeply notched , leaves. growing in profusion along Leaves of Spotted Medick the edge of a lock. These (Medicago arabica) were We walked back up the other were Common Whitlowgrass found at the base of a hedge. side of the flight on the grass. (Erophila verna), this genus Leaves of Common Vetch By the locks we saw rosettes being called 'much (Vicia sativa) and Hemlock of Hoary Plantain (Plantago misunderstood' in Stace Water-Dropwort (Oenanthe media), leaves of Creeping

Page 3 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 crocata) were seen, and one Monday, 23 April fine solitary Oak. 2012 There were birds too – Fritillary Herring Gulls, Tufted Ducks, Survey, Coots, and a Mute Swan with last year's cygnets. Clattinger Farm In the large watery pounds at the side of the locks, we There we were in the noticed submerged – middle of a field on Stoneworts maybe. Clattinger Farm on a We missed Sharon's cold, wet April day expertise, but, feeling a bit with a metre-square cold, and the sky looking aluminium quadrats uncertain, we headed to counting Fritillaria Rowde for lunch, looking meleagris. The day forward to food and was organised by Malcolm's talk. Emma Rothero and Mandy Dyson of the Open squares. We had to count the Jane Brown University’s Floodplain plants and measure and count Meadows Project. We were their leaves in each of these there to monitor the success squares. With 100 plus of this delightful, if stations, it was good that we doubtfully native, plant with had a big team and could its chequered hanging bells. head back to the warm in the The sampling points in the Wildlife Trust’s education field were already marked out centre at Lower Moor Farm with bamboo canes in a 10 x by lunchtime. Paul Darby, 10 metre grid pattern. This Jane Brown and I were the year’s survey was to set a only WBS members there, baseline and they aim follow but perhaps others will be the Fritillary’s success by tempted out in another year, surveying exactly the same especially if the sun shines. positions in succeeding years. Richard Aisbitt When I asked how they could possibly find these again, I was told they had a sophisticated GPS system that was accurate to a centimetre or so, and that they often found the hole that a bamboo cane had gone into the previous year.

The recording was pretty detailed, with quadrats divided by string into 100

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 4 Saturday 28 April 2012 Clouts Wood, Quidhampton Wood and Bincknoll Castle Leader: Richard Aisbitt

Bincknoll Castle ramparts - Alison Robinson

Herb Paris - Alison Robinson last autumn’s flowers and previously in the SSSI part of Just eight of us set out on a Green Hellebore was the wood, but not here, so it cold, wet and windy day, developing its large seed pods was a nice find. A steep spotting Exmoor ponies from this winter’s flowers. climb back up to the castle sturdily munching Tor Grass We identified Bush Vetch took us past plenty of Brachypodium pinnatum on from its obovate leaflets primrose and cowslips. Markham Banks. The ponies (wider towards the base) and Large mounds of Wild were to be joined by 100 plus Wood Vetch from its glossy Liquorice grow on the Herdwick sheep and lambs in green leaves and crown- ramparts, but had not yet May, to be together spiked stipules. Another emerged in this cold spring. responsible for turning the flowerless vetch defeated us, The descent brought us past rough grazing back into but Poland’s vegetative key lots of Nettle-leaved species-rich downland on this later made it Common Vetch Bellflower plants beside the new with mucronate tipped* shaded track and the walk nature reserve. We took in leaflets and arrow-headed back through the wood the dead flower stalks of stipules. produced just one plant of Common Gromwell Stinking Hellebore. Only three of us stayed for Lithospermum officinale on the afternoon, making our Richard Aisbitt the way, with its polished way through the woods hard white seeds, but the towards Bincknoll Castle. wood was more comfortable Scrambling and slithering on a day like this. We down a magical steep strolled slowly round, seeing woodland gully, we passed Bluebells, Early and last year’s fronds of Hard Common Dog Violets, Herb Shield Fern and found a patch Paris and Goldilocks of Herb Paris at the bottom. buttercup in flower and Bath The latter had been recorded Asparagus with foliage only. Meadow Saffron foliage was developing seed pods from *little spikes

Page 5 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 Wild Liquorice

Michael Smith, the county micromoth recorder contacted me this spring to ask if Wild Liquorice Astragalus glycyphyllos was still growing on Bincknoll Castle. A micromoth similar to the pea moth, the Liquorice Piercer Grapholita pallifrontana feeds exclusively on Astragalus pods. Most of the colonies of Liquorice in Wiltshire have Wild Liquorice pods

Wild Liquorice in flower disappeared, but a return visit Liquorice Piercer to Bincknoll in June revealed photos by kind 46 large humps of the plant, permission of Keith flower buds just showing. Balmer, at Michael visited later and www.keithbalmer.com found a thriving colony of the moths. Liquorice Piercers mating

Glycyphyllos means “sweet- leaved”. If you chew the leaves, you get an intensely sweet taste like saccharine. Cattle appear to leave the plants alone. Richard Aisbitt

Liquorice Piercer, Grapholita pallifrontana

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 6 Monday 7 May 2012 Stuart have revealed that the Sadly, these good finds, as fortunes of these two have well as those below, all occur Porton Down reversed on the ranges in just in Hampshire VC12. Leaders: Stuart Corbett a few years. N. brevicollis and Anne Appleyard was by far the more common We next went in the direction species but is now relatively of The Old Lodge, once a What a difference there was rare whilst N. salina has shooting lodge but between the springs of 2011 increased immensely. Is this demolished some 80 years and 2012. My vision, when I climate change in action? ago. Several garden plants planned this meeting, was of live on however and we a warm, sunny day with Venturing onto the range, our found Narcissi (Narcissus butterflies on the wing and first stop was a walk into Isle poeticus), Snowdrops loads of plants coming in to of Wight Wood to see the Galanthus sp, Leopard’s flower. The reality was quite Lady Orchid (Orchis Bane (Doronicum different: cool, raining, no purpurea). On the way there pardalianches), Stinking butterflies at all and the were a few points of interest: Hellebores (Helleborus plants all at least a couple of Bee Orchids () foetidus) and, some way from weeks behind their flowering in leaf and the white spikes of the site, Cypress Spurge time of the previous year. Birds’ Nest Orchid ( (Euphorbia cyparissias). Dr The weather did, of course, nidus-avis) pushing their way David Allen, one of our party, improve as we were through the ground. No one took a specimen of the spurge preparing to leave. is sure how the Lady Orchid which had a rust on it. He ‘arrived’ at Porton but one has since confirmed that it is Despite this, a group of 23 spike was noted in 2002, far Uromyces scutellatus in the met at the Conservation from her known relatives. uredial state. Also at this site Room and we began with a We were very pleased to see was a large population of the short talk from the DSTL that she is now surrounded by rare Meadow Clary (Salvia Conservation Officer, Stuart offspring and several sturdy pratensis). The prize for the Corbett. Stuart described buds were showing colour. ‘best find’ however went to how the last two or three dry the diminutive Slender winters had taken their toll Bedstraw (Galium pumilum), resulting in high grazing a small and insignificant pressure from the very large plant which grows on the top population of rabbits and an of anthills. This plant was on associated decline in both the the BSBI list of threatened opportunity for plants to plants that were sought out in flower and the butterflies and 2011. Just one individual other insects to obtain food. was found last year in the He told us about an general area where we were, amazingly quick change in but not at the precise the population size of two location, and several more : Nebria brevicollis were found on a different part and N. salina which are of the range, in Wiltshire. indistinguishable except that the former has hairy hind The rain had eased by the tarsi and the latter smooth time we returned to the cars for lunch and most of us were ones. Painstaking Cypress Spurge - observations on the part of Pat Woodruffe able to sit outside and chat.

Page 7 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 produce a tuft of more normal foliage.

The final point of interest for the day was some bushes of Small-leaved Sweetbriar (Rosa agrestis). Once again, this is a rare plant although possibly one that is overlooked. Like the more common Small-flowered Sweetbriar (Rosa micrantha) with which it grows, it is a Lady Orchid - Pat glandular rose although, Others were ‘eyes down’ and characteristically, it lacks as a result yet another good glands on either the hips or species was located. This the peduncles and does not was Dwarf Mouse-ear give out the pleasant scent of Lady Orchid - Pat (Cerastium pumilum), a apples. When in flower it can diminutive species that was years ago and there are be spotted by the pale growing in the gravel near to several hundreds of young colour and, later in the year, our cars and amongst it plants that will be planted out the hips take on an unusual Sharon found a rare next autumn – at sites yet to shape with an elongated neck. bryophyte, Didymodon be agreed. Earlier in the morning Sharon acutus. also spotted a plant that Growing with the juniper are seemed to have For our last hour on the site some very strange topiary characteristics of both of we first went amongst the yews. They are maintained these species and might have juniper bushes, a census of very regularly by rabbits, and been a very rare hybrid. It is which is being undertaken for possibly by deer, so that hoped to arrange a visit to the the first time since 1970. although quite old and site for the BSBI rose referee Roughly 18,000 were certainly supporting lichen in August, so that these finds counted then and now, after 2 growth, they stand only a few can be verified beyond doubt. winter’s work, we are feet tall. One in particular approaching 8,000. The task has got away and at a height Our thanks go to Stuart should be completed during of a meter or so can now Corbett for providing so the winter of 2012 / 13 and it many gems of information seems likely that the grand and for giving up a day’s total, in both Hants and Wilts, gardening to join us, as well could be around 10,000. The as to Anne Appleyard for reason for the decline is organising the visit and to VC essentially the lack of recorders Sharon Pilkington regeneration. Bushes that and Tony Mundell. Next were considered old in 1970 time we shall spend the day are now dead or dying and no in Wiltshire and see what can youngsters have developed to be found there! replace them. Numerous Pat Woodruffe cuttings were taken a few Bird’s Nest Orchid - Pat

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 8 Scaly Male Ferns - Pat Woodruffe

Scaly Male Fern - Pat Friday 18 May setiferum), broad buckler (Dryopteris dilatata) and Stonehill Wood scaly male (D. affinis). All Leader: Paul Darby these notables, and the other abundant ancient woodland Ten of us assembled in this indicator species such as privately-owned wood, pignut Conopodium majus, renowned as the home of a Sanicle Sanicula europaea colony of 30-40 Bechstein’s and yellow archangel bats. The wood is on Oxford Lamiastrum galeobdolon, clay, with some wet areas testified to the high quality of increasing its diversity. Even this woodland. The yellow as Paul was introducing the archangel flowered alongside site, we could admire bitter bugle Ajuga reptans making a vetch, Lathyrus linifolius. He colour combination much led us to two large patches of appreciated by us – and also bryophytes) – a splendid total early purple orchids, Orchis evidently by the foraging for the day, so many thanks to mascula, of about 35 flowers bumblebees, many of which Paul for arranging and each, with nearby Twayblade, were the recently –arrived leading our visit to this lovely Neottia ovata, and greater tree bumblebee which has a site: we are especially butterfly orchid, Platanthera ginger thorax. indebted to Paul for his chlorantha. Notable trees fortitude in view of his that we visited included Overall, Sharon recorded 164 indisposition at the time. It small-leaved lime, Tilia species (excluding was thoroughly enjoyable day cordata, and wild service for us, and we trust we did Sorbus torminalis. After not disturb the bats’ lunch by the pond, where slumbers! there were some very Sue Fitzpatrick convenient seats, we explored this new habitat (trying not to tread on the orchids) and then ventured into the wetter woodland areas to search for ferns, finding a good variety – lady (Athyrium filix-femina), hard (Blechnum spicant), soft shield (Polystichum Early-purple Orchids - Pat

Page 9 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 Saturday 26 May 2012 Cheverell Down Leaders: Rosemary Duckett and Nigel Cope On a gloriously sunny day we met at the top of Peartree Hill to walk across to Cheverell Down. We started with 14, were 18 by lunchtime and still met new arrivals as some Star of Bethlehem of us left. viciifolia) was just coming The Brecklands We first walked across the into flower. There were field that last year had numerous other goodies. Trip, Norfolk thousands of Bee Orchids 17 - 20 June (Ophrys apifera). This year The butterflies also were there were none, but there spectacular despite the wind Anne Appleyard arranged were plenty of other treats to and we saw Green Hairstreak, another meticulously planned come and we had lovely Adonis, Small Blue, Marsh few days, with most of the views across the valleys on Fritillary, Duke of Burgundy two dozen residents based in this part of the Plain. We and Small Heath. farm buildings near . were lucky to have Nigel Wood, a large ancient Cope with us who has known It was so hot that most of us woodland SSSI, was just up the area very well over a long hunkered down in shade to the road. period. He led us into a small eat lunch but were soon wooded area where there drawn out to look again at the We split our time between the were huge numbers of White lovely views and the mass of mix of heathy, woody, wet Helleborines (Cephalanthera chalkland plants and and dry areas of the Brecks damasonium) in peak butterflies. and the coastal areas around condition. When we reached Sonia Heywood Cromer. Bob Ellis, the BSBI Cheverell Down we first saw Recorder for East Norfolk, a starry carpet of Star of and Richard Carter, the Bethlehem (Ornithogalum Recorder for West Norfolk, umbellatum) and then a mass gave us a terrific welcome, of Horseshoe Vetch guiding us on our visits and (Hippocrepis comosa) and showing us the specialities. Chalk Milkwort (Polygala Frances Schumann and Carol calcarea), studded with and Bill Hawkins also gave Lesser Butterfly Orchid us their company and local () and knowledge. Read on. Burnt Orchid (). Later, after Next year’s planned trip to negotiating a barbed wire Dorset will allow members a fence we saw Early Gentian choice of a few days away, or (Gentianella anglica). The making day trips from home. Sainfoin (Onobrychis White Helleborine

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 10 Sunday 17 June 2012 can similarly vary in pH, hence the Cranwich Camp large variety of The day began with a plants. Other spectacular find in the car finds included park – as usual! Petrorhagia Sand Sedge Carex prolifera (Proliferous Pink), arenaria, happy one of Norfolk’s rarest plants, here some way displays only one or two from the sea, lovely Purple- Yet another clover? flowers at a time, but is Knotted Clover Trifolium striatum ? proliferous with seeds. stem Cat's-tail Richard Carter, one of the Phleum phleoides, Norfolk recorders, led us to Hairy Tare Vicia other car park finds including hirsuta with its our chalk land familiar downy pods Koeleria cristata, but here which became shining even brighter and well-known on taller. this trip.

Four nice Trifoliums were The final car park found: find was Common

Broomrape FieldMouse-ear Purple Milk-vetch Orobanche minor, on Silk Hill, and Spanish which hadn’t been recorded Catchfly Silene otites with its here in 20 years of visits. wonderfully sticky stalks.

The Nature Reserve itself was Before driving off for lunch spectacular and had been we visited the nearby extended by 20 hectares; it is Cranwich Heath to be shown a good example of a grassy the rare Smooth Rupturewort heath on chalky Herniaria glabra; this was soil. We were serenaded by soon invisible within its Blackcaps, Skylarks, circle of cameras. Woodlarks and Yellowhammers and there David Pickering was much to see including Hairy Rock-cress Arabis Spanish Catchfly hirsuta, Field Mouse-ear Cerastium arvense Upright Clover T. strictum, with its nice white Smooth Rough Clover T. scabrum, stars everywhere, Rupturewort Hare's-foot Clover T. arvense and the rare Tower and Hop Trefoil T. campestre, Mustard Arabis as well as the rare Bur glabra. Other Medick Medicago minima. rarities were The soil in this Breckland Purple Milk-vetch area varies by the metre and Astragalus danicus found in Wiltshire Here it is!

Page 11 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 Sunday 17th June 2012 found ‘buried’ amongst long grass. Santon Downham Within the flattened track If we had arrived at this car Small Cudweed, Filago park 10 years ago we would minima was quite frequent probably have had trouble and here Dave went down parking for it was in this area again (I need to supple up) that the last, or so it was and found Shepherd’s Cress, believed at that time, pair of Teesdalia nudicaulis that had Birds-foot Perennial Knawel Red-Backed Shrikes bred in all but gone over. It was also the Country, and could be here that Perennial Knawel, yet flowering Broad leafed viewed from the car park Scleranthus perennis, was Helleborines, Epipactis itself. Dave Green in divine found; “it can be told from helleborine, and a few Green genuflection prostrated the annual Knawel for it has a flowered Helleborines, himself on the grassy edge. broad white halos on its Epipactis phyllanthes whence Good man I thought praying ” (Yes I know it’s rare, a conversation of their leaf for more Shrikes. “Tillaea” and yes I can see the halo, orientation took place, broads he announces. Tilia? That and thank you for showing in a spiral up the stem, greens small? Oh Crassula tillaea, me yet another new plant but opposite but in the same Mossy Stonecrop. (Martin, there’s a Woodlark singing plane up the stem. A Yellow Dave’s a plant man not a bird from atop that tree stump Bird’s Nest, Monotropa man. Concentrate, you’re now do I look up or down?). hypopitys was found, (ahh trying to learn about plants, birds again you see) making We retraced our steps and forget birds). two holidays running. crossed the road to Santon Whilst kneeling, the Warren. At the barrier two A long walk back to the car diminutive Birds-foot (ah interests were found, Spring park finished with a debate birds are involved!), Beauty, Claytonia perfoliata whether the Bloody Crane’s- Ornithopus perpusillus was and Smiths Pepperwort, bill, Geranium sanguineum also found and what a Lepidium heterophyllum. was genuine or a throw out. fantastic looking plant it was Our target plant though was Whichever it was it was the when viewed under a hand found a kilometre further on end of a very good day. lens. Also found here was the where a linear stretch of land pink flowered Sand Spurrey, is managed for Tower Martin Buckland Spergularia rubra and a tiny Mustard, Arabis glabra. Not Buck’s-horn Plantain, the most stunning of plants Plantago coronopus. but a delight to see nonetheless. The locals were As we walked along a track walking by with their dogs parallel to the railway line we seemingly unaware of what were advised to keep an eye was on their doorstep. out for the local form of Wild Pansy, Viola tricolor spp. We were all rather warm by curtisii. Whilst I expected it now so a brief walk into the to be found in open habitat I shade of some Beech trees was pleased but surprised was very welcome but then when a single plant was so were the numerous but not Sand Spurrey

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 12 it was easy to imagine a Dinosaur emerging. Instead we found Great Yellow-cress, Rorippa amphibia – for being the biggest cress it has the smallest fruits. Behind the yellow of the cress a stand of the pale attractive flowers of Water Violet, Hottonia palustris, Pingo - photo Pat Orange Foxtail, Alopecurus aequalis Monday, 18 June 2012 plants it supports. It is 140 with Saffron like anthers, hectares of Fen, Scrub and Tufted Sedge, Carex elata. Thompson Common Woodland. So quite a Strangely, the emergent management headache helped leaves of Harebell, th On Monday, 18 of June by ponies sheep and cattle. Campanula rotundifolia, 2012 we visited The Norfolk Bob Ellis, East Norfolk Tubular Water Dropwort, Wildlife Trust Nature County recorder, Carol and Oenanthe fistulosa, Common Reserve, Thompson Bill took us round. As we Spike-rush, Eleocharis Common. It is famous for its waited to start, a Blackcap palustris. Large, pale and Pingos – more than 300 sang in the Car Park. The striking Cyperus Sedge, shallow pools formed 10,000 path from the car park was a Carex pseudocyperus at its years ago and is one of the dark green tunnel and the best. Flat Sedge, Blysmus best examples of this type of light at the end of the tunnel a compressus. We wandered periglacial landscape in bright yellow “Chicken of the from Pingo to Pingo, now Britain. Also famous for Woods” fungi Laetiporus Bottle Sedge, Carex rostrata, Water Beetles, Dragonflies sulphureus. We found our which I seem to have noted as and the selection of water first Pingo. Very atmospheric, having inflated utricles. Bog Bean, Menyanthes trifoliata, Marsh Horsetail, Equisetum

Slender Sedge

Page 13 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 palustre, Marsh Valerian, Potentilla bakerii. Sated with botanists and really benefited Valeriana dioica – some in so many species and from their knowledge of flower and lots of leaves. distractions from the flora by plants and of the locality. Also, quite happy in the Bog, the fauna we left the Quaking Grass, Briza media. wonderful Pingos. (For those The reserve has three meres Now found a female Scarce of you with children and two of which have fluctuating Emerald, Fibrous Tussock grandchildren they will be water levels as they are fed Sedge, Carex appropinquata. disappointed to learn that we by rising ground water. Both We walked to the next area to saw no little black and white of them, Langmere and the song of a Garden Warbler, birds speaking gibberish!) Ringmere, were dry. The third mere, Fenmere had and found Greater Tussock Marjorie Waters Sedge, Carex paniculata, water and has a lot of sedge Purple Small-reed, —------and reed. As we entered the Calamagrostis canescens, reserve there were sheets of Monday 18 June Ragged Robin, Gypsywort Rumex acetosella (Sheep’s and Hemp Agrimony in the Wretham Heath Sorrel), which made the water but Dropwort on the ground red. There as well as banks. Now the dangerous Wretham Heath was acquired the open heath there was an Saw Sedge or Great Fen by the area of Scots Pine which was Sedge, Cladium mariscus in 1938 and was the first planted at the time of the (Why must we see if it really nature reserve in Breckland. Battle of Waterloo. The area is sharp!). It has a hollow we arrived to eat our lunch was requisitioned for military stem, unusual in Sedges. having escaped the biting use in WW2 and became part Marsh Lousewort, Southern insects of out morning visit, of the East Wretham airfield Marsh Orchid, Common many of us ate our the decaying runways are Cotton Grass (Sedge) sandwiches in the cars, not another interesting habitat. Eriophorum angustifolium, because of midges but We were very lucky to have And now Slender Sedge, because it was cold and several expert birders with us Carex lasiocarpa. We found damp. However from then on who helped identify a Stone Slender Spike-rush, the weather improved. As Curlew early on in the Eleocharis uniglumis and usual there was botanising in reserve. We had a superb Small-flowered Sweet Briar, the car park where there was variety of plants including Rosa micrantha. Pill Sedge, Amsinckia micrantha many that are seldom, or Carex pilulifera, White and (Common Fiddleneck). We never seen in Wiltshire. Black Bryony (not often seen were again joined by Bob Sonia Heywood in proximity). The rare Ellis and two other local Narrow Small-reed Calamagrostis stricta, this Plants we saw included one not in flower so quite Alopecurus aequalis (Orange Foxtail) wonderful to locate it Carex divulsa (Grey Sedge) amongst the other wonders Carex muricata (Prickly Sedge) all around us. Now last, but Cerastium semidecandrum (Little Mouse-ear) not least, a very strange Clinopodium acinos (Basil Thyme) Potentilla found by Lesley Gallium parisienne (Wall Bedstraw) (Baker). Dave deemed it a Thymus pulegioides (Large Thyme) case for the referee so we Myosotis ramosissima (Early Forget-me-not) wait to hear if we have a Ranunculus sceleratus (Celery-leaved Buttercup)

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 14 Tuesday 19th June. multiflora) and Arrow Grass. Some leaves of Marsh Sheringham and Helleborine (Epipactis Beeston Regis palustris) were seen. The Commons SSSI path way had numerous hybridised variants of the Our final day in the field in Southern Marsh Orchid Norfolk started bright and (Dactylorhiza hybrids) sunny as we assembled in the provided much interest and lay-by next to the Nature discussion. We were Reserve which is situated attracted to an unusually large between the built up areas of variety of Yellow Rattle Sheringham and Beeston (Rhinanthus minor), some Feathery fruits of Marsh Valerian Regis. We were joined by 450 mm tall, and were also Bob Ellis – the County wet acidic heathland, dry surprised to see Quaking Recorder for Norfolk and heathland and carr grass (Briza media), growing Frances Schumann from the environments and also larger than we usually see it Norfolk Flora Group. This supports numerous and not minding wet feet. SSSI site was a surprise and amphibian and bird Further into the reserve on delight and contained a rich communities. The site is some rising ground, there was mosaic species for us to note classified as a Norfolk Valley a great display of foxgloves and enjoy. Fen (Digitalis purpurea).

The reserve is cited, as it is Bob explained that the area is We then moved onto a more an ‘area of acidic heathland maintained by the Beeston acidic area and enjoyed containing areas of species- Common Management seeing some fruiting rich calcareous spring fen on Group which is a volunteer sphagnum moss, looking like sloping ground within 1 km organisation involved with cherries and bananas at X10. of the coast. Mixed mire the restoration and Here our attention was held vegetation has developed in conservation of the area. by the large number of seepage zones due to the flowering Butterwort Plants juxtaposition of both acidic We entered through the gate (Pinguicula vulgaris) with and calcareous plant and came into a calcareous Tormentil (Potentilla erecta) communities’. The site has fen area which was on the shrubby banks. We calcareous mire communities, dominated by the Common also saw a nice display of Reed (Phragmites australis). Butterwort Marsh Fern (Thelypteris Here we also saw Tawny palustris). Sedge (Carex hostiana), Flea sedge (C. pulicaris), Bob then lead us into the Common Fleabane (Pulicaria central mire where a dysenterica) - not in flower, calcareous pond had Bog Bean (Menyanthes developed which yielded Fen trifoliata), and Marsh Pondweed (Potamogeton Valerian (Valeriana dioica). coloratus). In this area was Few-flowered Spike-rush Blunt-flowered Rush (Juncus (Eleocharis quinqueflora) subnodulosus) and more was also identified with rosettes. Heath Wood-rush (Luzula The area had been invaded

Page 15 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 virgaurea) here and Bob was going to return to the site later on in the year to check on these. A final highlight for all was a splendid Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis)

We all found this a delightful site, with much interest and Marsh Cinqfoil complexity. Some of the party enjoyed their lunch at somewhat by Goldenrod, a the picnic site near the pond, garden escape. There were whilst others looked for some plenty of baby frogs hopping shade. around in the fen and we There is more information spotted a Marsh Fritillary on about this site at a Meadow Thistle (Cirsium www.beestoncommon.org.uk dissectum). Some Narrow Buckler Fern (Dryopteris Alison Robinson carthusiana) was also found in this area. One of the Marsh Fern highlights here, on raised mounds were a large numbers Buckler Fern (Dryopteris of rosettes of Sundews, both cristata). Drosera longifolia and D. rotundifolia were seen, each Our walk then took us onto growing in its own unique much drier ground where micro environment, with Changing-Forget-me-not Common Milkwort (Polygala (Myosotis discolor) vulgaris) nearby. was growing over the path and some On some drier ground in this Marsh Cinquefoil area we saw Heath Groundsel (Potentilla (Senecio sylvaticus), a first palustris). There for many of us and close by, may be native but back on wetter ground Goldenrod was two clumps of Crested (Solidago

Drosera longifolia and Drosera rotundifolia Meadow Thistle

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 16 had been a recent fall – are relatively new, Pleistocene sediments of calcareous sand with occasional rafts of chalk. The slumps and slides of the cliff, from a little distance, looked like gigantic Sea Purslane th quantities of cake mix that Tuesday June 19 , pm. Atriplex portulacoides have plopped off the cliff, Overstrand Cliffs. one dollop falling against most dramatic being a hybrid, Bob Ellis another. The barest, newest D. praetermissa x fuchsii patches had Coltsfoot as a called, Bob said, This was our sixth and last primary coloniser but quite Dactylorhiza x grandis. session of botanising in big pieces of cliff had slid Norfolk with all of us down with their surfaces Groins, some of them zigzag, together. intact forming slanting scraps had been built down the of meadow. These were beach which presumably The main interests of the without many, or any, seaside slowed the speed of erosion a afternoon were less for species and, if one ignored little. However, the system individual species and more the sea so close, one could being so unstable, there were for topography, geology and, have been on any ungrazed few maritime species. We as it turned out, archaeology. calcareous meadow of quite saw Sea Rocket Cakile ordinary things – Kidney maritima, Buck’s-horn The soft cliffs are subsiding Vetch, Bird’s-foot Trefoil, Plantain Plantago coronopus gently on to the beach, the Yorkshire Fog, Black and Sea Sandwort Honckenya sands then to be washed Medick, Red Clover, Yarrow. peploides away. The layers of the cliff There were a few orchids, the – very obvious where there Our party became straggly - walking on the soft sand was hard going. Bob and Dave raced on to find Yarrow Broomrape Orobanche purpurea. Others pottered along, speculating on the redness of some of the seepages at the bottom of the cliff and their red/orange deposits; some relaxed against the cliff, staring out to sea and the huge offshore wind farm; some picked up Dactylorhiza x grandis pretty pebbles. Martin found

Page 17 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 a fine piece of a belemnite 28th June 2012 Longhorn on a Dog Rose - Pat but Sonia spotted the top prize – a Neolithic flint Ramsbury scraper. It had all the right Water knapping marks, though rather worn, and comfortably Meadows fitted the palm of right- handed person. Sonia also We were fortunate, in found a large piece of waste this dismal summer, flint which would have been to have a dry knapped off a raw flint-stone morning for this in one of the preliminary meeting. The gardens of spike of the hybrid was blows to shape a scraper or Newton Lodge provided an unusual in the length of the an axe. excellent starting place, as bracts – see photo. The there were several acres of longest sward was dominated We called it a day quite early grassland, managed by by grasses such as Yorkshire and sat about on the cliff top, mowing to different heights Fog, Holcus lanatus, False some with ice creams, and leading to a small stream. Oat Grass Arrhenatherum unwilling to separate as it The closely cropped lawn elatius, Timothy Phleum was our final time all failed to excite but the 30cm pratense and Red Fescue together. sward had an abundance of Festuca rubra together with orchids, Ragged Robin Silene Marsh Thistle Cirsium We said good-bye to Bob (Lychnis) flos-cuculi, rushes palustre and further Ellis who had given us such a Juncus spp., Creeping Jenny Meadowsweet Filipendula splendid two days of most Lysimachia nummularia and ulmaria. un-Wiltshire habitats, just Meadow-sweet Filipendula what we had come to see ulmaria. The orchids were Next we moved over the road Rosemary Duckett mainly marsh orchids and into the water meadows their hybrids (Dactylorhiza where the undulating nature praetermissa and of the terrain showed the D x grandis). One particular remnants of the old system. The provided a source of water for the carrier that still had the rusting sluices in place. The water flowed into drowners, small channels in the tops of the ridges, and from there drained down and was collected and returned to the river. The idea was to keep a continuous sheet of water flowing over the meadows during the winter. This kept the soil temperature a little higher and also supplied nutrients, so promoting an early crop of Familiar from Wiltshire - A Ramsbury Dactylorhiza grass. There was a surprising Mouse-ear-hawkweed x grandis - Pat

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 18 qu other relatively common were a number of ways of an species. identifying these species, the ti main one being the relative ty One good find was a few proportions of the leaves, but of plants of Juncus compressus subtle differences in the Ye Round-fruited Rush growing colour of the bushes was also ll somewhat precariously along very helpful. S. purpurea the muddy path. It apparently supposedly has opposite ‘likes’ bare patches of leaves but the material that ground, of which there were we examined proved not to few in this under-grazed have read the texts and had sward. It is the stem which is but opposite and alternate flattened and gives the plant leaves on the same twig! its name, but the inflorescence also appeared After a lunch along the river somewhat two-dimensional. we took a final look at the Dave also pointed out the surrounding area and hybrid between Festuca discovered a large, very pratensis and Lolium perenne healthy oak tree. Its x Festulolium loliaceum. The dimensions are yet to be main difference from L. calculated but it took five tree perenne appeared to be the huggers to span its Round-fruited Rush - Pat slightly stalked nature of the circumference and one to take spikelets. Easily overlooked! the photograph. ow Rattle Rhinanthus minor See page 24 for Pat’s display Our many thanks to Dave, growing in the ditches of the of these three grasses. who travelled a long way to system – a plant that I would Our other interest was the revisit these meadows which more readily associate with variety of Willows growing he first recorded in the early drier ground – together with along the streamsides. We days of the Wiltshire Flora Lesser Pond Sedge Carex were able to find Salix Mapping Project some 30 acutiformis in the wetter cinerea, S. viminalis and S. years ago. parts, Meadow Fescue purpurea and a range of Festuca pratensis (now Pat Woodruffe hybrids. Once noted. There Schedonorus pratensis) and Common Willow leaves - Pat

The five-tree-hugger oak

Page 19 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 Sunday, 8 July 2012 afternoon, some 750 records of 215 Park Bottom and species had been Sherrington Down amassed. There were many mature / senile Leader: Pat Woodruffe Juniper bushes 10 members met up on an Juniperus communis surprisingly dry day – for in several areas, in 2012, at least. Unfortunately particular along the though, this date offered track towards alternative entertainment in Stockton Down. the form of the men’s finals Sadly, there were no at Wimbledon, with Murray v young plants – a Federer! situation that is seen time and time again Therefore we were, perhaps, and accounts for the fortunate to be able to form decline in the species. three groups to record this The area known as Cut-leaved Dead-nettle lovely part of the Wylye Park Bottom and its Valley. The area provided a associated slopes of ‘access been the subspecies foemina range of habitats including land’ provided an excellent it would have been a first chalk grassland, scrub, arable range of chalk grassland county record but, sadly, the field margins and a little plants including Clustered abundance of tiny hairs on woodland; the edge of Great Bellflower Campanula the edges of the petals ruled Ridge Wood. From our glomerata, a good range of this out. parking spot we were able to grasses and four species of venture in three directions orchid. In total over 140 One final plant of interest and into four different 1 km species were recorded from seen on the roadside as we squares so that, by mid- this area that extended over approached the site was two 1km squares. Cotton Thistle Onopordum acanthium, standing around The arable flora of 12 feet tall. If the ones that some fields also we saw earlier in the year at proved to be quite Caen Locks have grown to rich. Cut-leaved this height then they will be a Dead-nettle magnificent sight. Lamium hybridum and Field Our thanks to the Fonthill Gromwell Estate and to Mrs Wheatley- Lithospermum Hubbard for allowing us to arvense were record on their respective particularly good properties. finds and a blue Pat Woodruffe form of Scarlet Pimpernel Anagallis arvensis caused some Blue (above) and Scarlet Pimpernel flowers excitement. Had it

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 20 Thursday 19 July 2012 viewing places not wishing to face the steep uphill climb Sidbury Hill - a and relied on the pleasure of tale of two bird’s those who ventured to see the orchids. After enjoying the nests slopes we moved on, walking Leaders: Rosemary round the ramparts and into Duckett and Jenny Amor the more wooded part. Here we were fortunate to see the Sidbury Hill was looking Bird’s-nest Orchid (Neottia good in the July sunshine as nidus-avis…nice that the the group, which was a joint Latin says what’s on the tin!) outing of about 3 km walk in the darkness of the beech with the SPTA Botany group, trees amongst the beech set off to scramble over the leaves and well camouflaged north west slopes of the hill it was too. In fact it was all and explore the remainder over, many stems being seen. with it’s iron age fort with the ramparts and beech wood. Wandering on the next Birds-nest Orchid - Pat highlight was Yellow Bird's- Since 2003, soon after the hill nest (Monotropa hypopitys) was cleared of trees, the site of purple knapweed, the growing out of the leaf litter: has been monitored annually yellow of Bird’s-foot-trefoil, here it was in profusion with to watch the species increase, blue of Small Scabious. its curled stems growing in change and spread across the clusters with 250 having been site. Over the years the site A bare area from the top to counted recently. As the plant has changed with some the bottom track had ages the stem straightens out species being dominant and everyone searching for so the fruit are visible. After then reducing to normal something as there seemed to seeing these delights, we had numbers and others slowly be lots of chalk-loving plants. lunch and a slow wander taking hold. The proposal is A message came that Frog around the hill in the sun for occasional monitoring for Orchids (Dactylorhiza looking at many of the the future. viridis) were at the bottom, commoner plants and back to some set off from top to the parking area. The cleared area was bottom to investigate and supporting many grasses but photograph whilst some of us Pausing on the summit, splashes of colours were seen remained rooted to our top- Richard unrolled a geological cross section of SPTA and we Yellow Birds-nest - Pat discussed the view across the plain’s flat surface which is controlled by the relatively hard Lewes and Seaford Chalk. The visibility was clear, and one could see across to Alfred’s Tower near Stourhead gardens. Judy and Richard Gosnell.

Page 21 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 Monday 6 August 2012 anaesthetic. Other plants, particularly Oxford Botanic members of the Gardens Fabaceae, have uses in the identification The Oxford Botanic Garden of blood groups, is the oldest in the UK, whilst Artemisia having been established some extracts are used to 391 years ago. Dr Alison counter viral Foster, the senior curator, met infections. us and explained that she had Amazingly, models of begun her career as a chemist, chemical structure working in the sometimes appeared pharmaceutical industry, and in the beds alongside then developed an interest in the plant from which horticulture – first training at they originated. OBG and now responsible for collections of plants and for A group of cannabis developing links with plants caught the eye University Departments both and Alison told us The gardens - Pat at Oxford and elsewhere. about the difficulties in obtaining a licence to grow Close-by we saw a collection She led us to a series of beds the plants. Not all strains of plants that, according to a where all of the plants had contain the psychoactive drug catalogue dating from 1600s medicinal properties and THC but a licence to grow (pre-Linnaeus), were grown applications – in cardiology, hemp-producing plants costs in the garden all those years oncology and for diagnostic £1000 whilst licences to grow ago. A research student has tests. We saw plants such as those producing THC are been compiling a series of Rosy Periwinkle and Yew, £3000 annually. We learnt plant profiles which will be extracts from which have also that police are now available on the website and well known anti-cancer trained to distinguish between also available on smart properties and also heard plants grown from seed and phones through their QR other interesting stories. For those from cuttings. The codes. example, both Hordeum latter are cultivated by (barley) and Arundo donax ‘serious growers’ whilst the Professor Hitchmough from (Giant Reed) have been former may arise from bird Sheffield University, who has investigated for a potentially seed. received acclaim for his work useful substance known on the borders in the as ‘grammine’. Chemists Olympic Park, has been were able to synthesis this involved in the compound but found that development of the its properties were Merton Borders, a new different from that of the planting designed to naturally-occurring withstand dry conditions substance. Even so, this and also to be low work led to the maintenance. The seed production of lignocaine, used represents three commonly used as a local Dr Alison Foster with the Amazon Water-lily geographical areas, North

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 22 America, South Africa and leaves but also a supply of Mediterranean and was sown naive volunteers in November 2011 after the (undergraduates) to mimic top 7cm of soil was replaced the learning process! with weed-free deep-quarried sand. The whole is covered It was stories such as these with a mesh to provide a that kept us entranced micro-environment and also throughout our 1.5 hour tour to indicate soil moisture. of the gardens. We found a Weeding can be problematic wonderful blend of history since good ID skills are and modern applications. It needed so students and was a superb example of how volunteers are provided with a collection of plants can be a crib sheet so that they can made relevant, informative identify that which has been and stimulating. As a result sown. After this initial year several of us chose to spend maintenance will be reduced longer in the gardens and to an autumn cut and rake off. revisit some of the plants we Jade Vine - Pat had seen during the morning. To better fulfil educational Water-lily Victoria cruziana Others went on to the objectives a fruit and the leaves of which can be Harcourt Arboretum and had vegetable patch has been over a metre in diameter. created. Children can see a pleasant walk through their food growing and three Alison rounded of our tour by reversion meadows and then local charities benefit from showing us a pandanas plant down a ride in very recently the produce. We then the leaves of which are edged planted woodland, then some admired the colourful with very sharp spines. Crow older woodland surrounded herbaceous border, walked are able to make tools from by a really efficient anti-deer past a huge black pine tree these leaves with which they fence so the under-storey, under which Tolkien had his pick insects out of holes in brambles and bracken were last picture taken and moved tree bark. The Department of so thick it was hard to see any on to the glasshouses. In the Zoology at Oxford is way except upwards. Almost Lily House a huge tank, built researching this aspect of back at the car park, we came in 1851 and still functional, animal behaviour and across what must have been was home to the Amazon requires not only a supply of the original arboretum for the grand house. Mostly exotic conifers of huge size as planted early 1800s. Wellingtonias, Black Pine etc and a well-landscaped walk/carriage ride of Rhododendrons and Azaleas, many of them also very old. Pat Woodruffe and Rosemary Duckett

Merton Borders- Pat

Page 23 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 Saturday 25 August. Poppies Papaver hybridum. we were obviously not on We rounded off the morning Henry Edmunds’ land and Cholderton Estate by eating lunch sitting on a hence trespassing, we Leader: Sue Fitzpatrick bank by the edge of this plot, retreated quickly to the cars with extensive views and returned to the farm shop We met at the Cholderton southwards. for tea. Visits to the Farm Shop and shifted into a Cholderton Estate always minimum number of cars to The weather was changing give a fascinating insight into move on to park near ominously, so after lunch we the benefits of organic Scotland Lodge, from where returned to the cars and farming and show how we walked to a stone-curlew investigated a stone-curlew agriculture and wildlife can plot near the top of Beacon plot in the adjacent field, be completely compatible. Hill. On the way we walked enabling a rapid retreat if the How much we have lost from through a Sainfoin-rich ley impending rain arrived. less sensitively-managed grassland and a chalk When we got to it, this plot farmland! Congratulations to grassland field in restoration. was a surprising contrast, Henry Edmunds on winning The plot itself – cultivated clearly sprayed out, but the 2012 RSPB Telegraph annually but not sown – is to having the remains of Nature of Farming Award – provide suitable nesting abundant rough and Prickly justly deserved, as our visit habitat for stone curlews and Poppies P. argemone. The showed. lapwings, and, almost rain descended and, deciding Sue Fitzpatrick incidentally, excellent habitat for arable weeds which were abundant at the time of our visit (safely after the birds had fledged!). First, we looked at two rarer fumitories Fumaria parviflora and F. densiflora, both species abundant throughout the plot and intermixed so comparison was easy. In one part of the plot red hemp- nettle Galeopsis angustifolia formed a beautiful display, with scattered plants elsewhere. Henbit Lamium amplexicaule, Field Gromwell Lithospermum arvense and Dwarf Spurge Euphorbia exigua were found in several places. We even found some Venus’s Looking- glass Legousia hybrida. Our one disappointment was a shortage of poppies – we only found a couple of Rough Festulolium and parents - Pat. See page 19

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 24 9th September 2012 (Potamogeton was in fact Field Wood-rush polygonifolius), Water- (Luzula campestris); leaves Plaitford and West purslane (Peplis portula), of Meadow Thistle (Cirsium Wellow Commons Small water-pepper dissectum) had people (Persicaria minor), Common puzzled as they were much Leader: Dave Green Spike-rush (Eleocharis reduced by grazing and were palustris), Marsh Club-moss without the characteristic Fourteen of us arrived at (Lycopodiella inundatum), downy undersides. Bottle Plaitford and Wellow fragrant Bog-myrtle (Myrica Sedge (Carex rostrata) was Common with the most gale), White Sedge (Carex another question-mark perfect late summer weather, curta) and Bulbous Rush species. Dave recommended sunny with only wisps of fair- (Juncus bulbosus) with its Pat to make a return visit weather cloud in the sky and viviparous growth; Sundew earlier in the next season a light breeze. Somehow it (Drosera intermedia ) grew when it would be in flower; felt like the last day of in abundance, be-jewelling this was found in the middle summer. the ground and glistening in of an exceptionally large bog! the sunshine. Dave Green and Mark and One of the residents from the Clare Kitchen took us out of On drier areas we found edge of Common was leaning our comfort zone, away from Autumn Lady’s-tresses on his gate watching the more familiar habitats which (), Dwarf spectacle of botanists on their are typical for Wiltshire, Gorse (Ulex minor and Ulex knees with eye-glasses, he showing us an array of wet gallii), Annual Pearlwort was most intrigued. We and dry heath plants on very (Sagina apetala), Bird’s-foot showed him the Autumn acid soil. Not only were there (Ornithopus perpusillus), and Ladies-tresses (Spiranthes unfamiliar species to some of Petty Whin (Genista anglica) spiralis) which he had never us but the large herd of New to name but a few. noticed before even though Forest ponies and cattle they were but a step away present had grazed most Anne made a very from his gate. things to a diminutive size satisfactory number of such as Mat-grass (Nardus records although we did not A very enjoyable day and stricta) and Purple Moor- find any Pillwort (Pilularia much learnt. grass (Molinia coerulea). globifera) or the rare Rosa Penny Lee spp. which have previously The site was classic New been recorded. Forest Common Land with Gorse (Ulex europaeus) scrub The habitat showed us that and wobbly floating you can’t always make easy Sphagnum bogs. assumptions. Some species had Mark and Dave in debate On wetter ground amongst e.g. terrestrial form of the Sphagnum some of the Fool’s-water-cress (Apium species we found were Marsh nodiflorum) versus Lesser Pennywort (Hydrocotyle Marshwort (Apium vulgaris), Marsh St John’s- inundatum); a Heath Wood- wort (Hypericum elodes), rush (Luzula multiflora), Bog Asphodel (Narthecium which you would normally ossifragum), Bog Pondweed expect to find on acid soil,

Page 25 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 20TH September 2012 told us that in the second the safe environment of edition of ‘The New Flora of Jack’s arboretum! Clatford the British Isles’ (Stace) 25 Arboretum taxa were represented, but We admired naturalised that by the time the third flowering plants of Leader: Jack Oliver edition came out in 2010, this Cephalaria gigantea, a large had more than doubled to 51! cream-coloured scabious Seven of us joined Jack on a Of these, 36 were native and native to the Caucasus and beautiful sunny day to 31 endemic to the British northern Turkey that Jack explore the intricacies of Isles. (NB: Current work by told us could even out- native Whitebeams, Rowans, Dave Green and Tim Rich is compete nettles, before being Service Trees and adding even more new introduced to some Cotoneasters, all of which are species!) The Avon Gorge is a Cotoneasters of which there well-represented in his Sorbus hotspot and as we are about 400 species, arboretum. As usual, Jack know from a visit to the Wye hybrids and cultivars. Then was very well-prepared and Valley last year, there are we faced the challenge of each participant was handed quite a number there too. working through the key in an A3 sheet showing the six Many grow in inaccessible the recent BSBI Guide Sorbus subgenera (Sorbus, sites on cliffs and require ‘Whitebeams, Rowans and Aria, Torminaria, Soraria, abseiling skills and a head for Service Trees of Britain and Tormaria and Cormus), with heights to reach them, so we Ireland’ (Rich, Houston, colour-coded examples of the were fortunate to be able to Robertson and Proctor 2010) leaves of species in each see quite a few specimens, to identify a number of subgenus (see below). He including several endemics in different specimens of

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 26 Sorbus, representing the that is three times deeper than frond divides into smaller various subgenera. Deciding the Grand Canyon, had parts – into pinnae and then whether or not a leaf is lobed reached deepest Wiltshire via into pinnules: was not as simple as it seems! Edinburgh Botanic Garden. ● not divided at all (Hart’s There is also more than one A plant with strange looking Tongue); Sorbus with pinnate leaves - fruit turned out to be ● divided once (Polypody); our native Rowan (Sorbus Crataemespilus grandiflora, ● twice (Male Ferns); aucuparia) in the Sorbus a hybrid between Hawthorn ● three times (Buckler subgenus, apparently has a and Medlar. Ferns). look-alike, Sorbus domestica in the Cormus subgenus, so We spent a very interesting Then the detail; we looked at we learned from Jack to morning with Jack and his the lacy Lady Fern (Athyrium check if the buds were furry tree collection and came filix-femina), contrasting it and asymmetrical for S. away knowing much more with the hunkier Common aucuparia or symmetrical about some of our native Male Fern (Dryopteris filix- and non-furry for S. Sorbus trees and the mas) and then compared the domestica (Service Tree, Cotoneasters that we might Broad Buckler Fern distinct from Wild Service find naturalised in the (Dryopteris dilatata) which Tree, S. torminalis). It was a countryside and towns. grows in “shuttlecocks” with great help to see so many Thanks very much to Jack for the rarer Narrow Buckler Sorbus together in one place, all the effort he put into Fern (D. carthusiana) which with the opportunity to look making our visit a success. sends up fronds at random at the differences between Now I really must look more angles from a creeping them under expert tuition. closely at the Rowans and rootstock. Shield Ferns have Unfortunately, trees in the Whitebeams we have a “thumb” at the base of their wild don’t come with nice growing in our garden…. pinnules; the detailed shape labels…! Anne Appleyard of the pinnules distinguishes the Hard Shield Fern The arboretum is home to (Polystichum aculeatum) many other rare and beautiful Saturday, 20 October from the Soft Shield Fern (P. trees and although 2012, afternoon setiferum), which is more concentrating on Sorbus and common in Wiltshire. Cotoneaster, we weren’t able Fern Identification to pass them all by. We The Scaly Male Ferns (named paused to admire the at Bentley Wood because of the membranous Savernake Cluster Oak Leader: Pat Woodruffe scales on the stalk of the (Quercus robur var cristata), frond) were more of a endemic to Wiltshire and also We gathered at the Barn in challenge. Recently, three the well named Hedgehog or Bentley Wood after our sub-species have been Spanish Fir (Abies pinsapo). morning’s fungus foray, sat in promoted to species status; I have been privileged to see the sun and ate our picnics. no doubt this will change this rare fir in its native again as soon as we get used When we got down to work habitat in Andalucia, so it to the present classification. (or was it play?), Pat had lots was good to renew my All have a dark patch where of ferns for us to look at, both acquaintance with it. A the pinna meets the central green and pressed specimens. specimen of Cupressus stem (the rachis) and this She started with the basics - gigantea from Lhasa where it distinguishes them from the grows in the Tsangpo Gorge, how many times the fern

Page 27 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 Common Male Fern. Then A Co-Recorder for ecologist for a consultancy in you have to look at the shape Bath; my evenings and of the pinnules (the finest Wiltshire weekends were pretty much leaflets), noting the shape of my own. All that changed in the tip and its teeth. The It is with great pleasure that I 2007 when I set up my own announce that Richard Aisbitt 1 business and ‘free’ time AIDGAP Fern Guide makes has joined me as BSBI this clear, but, as ever, natural became much scarcer. I have Recorder for Wiltshire (vice- been aware for the last few specimens don’t always counties 7 and 8). Richard conform. We have two years that I have not offered brings a wealth of expertise Wiltshire’s volunteer species in Wiltshire, the to the role and I am positive Golden or Scaly Male Fern botanists as much of my time that working together we will as I would have liked, D. affinis and Borrer’s Male be able to support botanical Fern D. Borreri; the third especially between June and activities in Wiltshire much October when my one, Narrow Scaly Male Fern better than I can on my own. D. Cambrensis, is found professional commitments further west. We should try In practical terms, little will invariably escalate. to get to species level if change, at least in the short Looking around for help, possible and not just stop at term. Richard’s strengths lie Richard was an obvious “D. affinis agg.” Sharon mainly in data handling and choice of co-recorder. He has Pilkington gives details in a analysis of plant records/ supported me on many following article and will botanical data whilst I work occasions, helping with happily check the ID of any best with aspects of plant tricky data analysis and specimens sent to her. identification, recorder transfer issues, as well as support and training. So put Lastly we looked at three undertaking the bulk of the simply, Richard will computerisation of the attractive little wall ferns, concentrate on records whilst Maidenhair Spleenwort thousands of records that I will continue to immerse WBS members generate (Asplenium trichomanes), myself in plants. In time, Wall Rue (Asplenium ruta- every year. On top of this he Richard will hopefully has methodically improved muraria) and Rustyback develop his role to include (Asplenium cetarach). his own botanical skills by more support to recording in completing an MSc degree Pat gave out an excellent VC7 (North Wiltshire). from the University of information sheet that Please note that for Birmingham. covered the distinguishing continuity, I shall remain the features of the various main point of contact for Richard and I will be woodland ferns, available BSBI recording initiatives working closely together to from Pat including the current Atlas support WBS activities and Updating Project. members and we will both be Richard Aisbitt more than happy to answer Looking back, it is hard to any questions about this new believe that I have been the arrangement (contact details BSBI VC recorder since early on the back of the 2004, when I took over from newsletter). 1 The Fern Guide, 3rd edition Dave Green in the north, and 2007, James Merryweather, Field Ann Hutchison in the south. Sharon Pilkington Studies Council, currently £7.50 At that time I was new to BSBI Recorder (Wiltshire) from NHBS or the Field Studies Wiltshire and worked as an Council

Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 28 Scaly Male- ferns in Wiltshire Sharon Pilkington

At Pat Woodruffe’s very Pinna successful fern identification workshop at Bentley Wood in Rachis October, the differences between the scaly male- ferns formerly grouped together as the Dryopteris affinis aggregate were ably demonstrated. Recent changes in in the world of British ferns Pinnule now mean that there are three recognised species of scaly male-fern, two Terminology used to describe parts of fern leaves (Broad Buckler-fern Dryopteris dilatata) of which are found in Wiltshire’s woodlands. With so much active recording now going on across the county, I would like to encourage WBS members to record the different scaly male- ferns as far as possible.

All three species form large shuttlecock-like clumps, grow in woodland (or sometimes hedgerows) and are typically very scaly. Most populations in Wiltshire appear to be Golden- scaled Male-fern Dryopteris affinis, which can be further assigned to three subspecies if you are a fern expert (not Dryopteris affinis in Stonehill Wood, May 2012. Note old fronds at base of plants recommended Page 29 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012 Differences between the Common Male-fern D. filix-mas and the Scaly-male Ferns D. affinis agg.

Taxon Scales on rachis Pinna Pinnule

D. affinis Usually abundant Dark purple/blackish Parallel-sided with a aggregate golden or brown scales blotch where pinna broadly rounded/flattish joins rachis tip with teeth D. filix-mas Few to many greyish or No blotch Distinctly tapered to a pale brown scales rounded/obtuse tip otherwise). Borrer’s The differences between Male-fern D. borreri is the three scaly male- Underside of a fertile Male-fern found in scattered ferns are subtle but will D. filix-mas pinna (mostly acid) woodlands, become familiar with but is possibly under- practice. There are recorded. A third species, various characters that Narrow Male-fern D. can be used to separate cambrensis has been them but I have listed found (dubiously) at some of the best ones but is below. Sometimes likely to be very rare or individuals appear to be absent in Wiltshire. It is intermediate and it may thought to be absent from not be possible to most of southern and identify them to species eastern England. level with confidence. In such instances the use of All three scaly male-ferns ‘D. affinis aggregate’ is are readily distinguished perfectly acceptable. I from the superficially will be happy to try to Indusium similar and very common identify species from Male-fern D. filix-mas as (pale kidney- whole fronds sent to me. shaped flap) in the table above. Differences between the three Scaly Male-ferns D. affinis agg. Taxon Pinnule teeth Indusium Frond hardiness Lamina

D. affinis Inconspicuous Thick; persists Fronds persist in Thick, with a and rounded for years on old winter glossy upper fronds surface D. borreri Acute and Thin; deciduous Fronds usually Dull surface prominent at the (does not persist) die down in corners winter

D. cambrensis Inconspicuous Thick; may Fronds die down Glossy surface; and rounded persist after in winter narrow outline spore release Summer 2012 Wiltshire Botanical Society Page 30 Squinancy-wort Richard Mabey, in ‘Flora Editors Corner Britannica’ (1996), says the On several site visits this flowers are vanilla-scented, The smaller-format summer, members have but I’ve never got my nose newsletter is an experiment to expressed an interest in the close enough to it to confirm save printing costs and origins of the English names if this is true. postage (it can be sent as a of some of the plants we “small letter”). Please let me According to Grigson, the have found. This has know if you have strong first record for the plant in prompted me to consult my feelings about the new the British Isles comes from library and particularly the format. The newsletter will our own Silbury Hill near wonderful classic by be available A4 size (in Avebury. This appears to Geoffrey Grigson, ‘The colour) from the southwilts have been a favoured stop-off Englishman’s Flora’, first web address below. point for botanists travelling published in 1955. This from London to Bath. The provides a wealth of Tim Kaye is developing a Flemish botanist De l’Obel information on plant folk shiny new website for us, described it in his ‘Stirpium lore, the uses to which which should be available adversaria nova’ in 1570 as particular plants were put, before long. It should still be this ‘steep chalky dry hill their local names and often at our current address, raised by military art’ the date and source of the www.wiltsbotsoc.co.uk. (‘acclivem cretaceam et first record for each plant in arridam montem arte militari Please send any items for the Great Britain. aggestum’) Here, he found a winter 2012-2013 newsletter The account for Squinancy- plant that he called Anglica (issue 41) by Friday 22 wort is brief, but interesting, Saxifraga flowering in July March 2013. Post to Richard as it gives a Wiltshire and August that seems to Aisbitt, 84 Goddard Avenue, connection. Squinancy is have been Squinancy-wort. Swindon, Wilts SN1 4HT, or another name for the quinsy, My Latin, from ‘O’ Level email to a sore throat. Any plant with many years ago, is not quite [email protected] ‘wort’ in its name was up to going back to the The New Subscription of considered to have a original source, so I will take £15 comes into force in beneficial herbal use and Grigson’s word for this! January 2013. Please could squinancy- or quinsy-wort Anne Appleyard you complete the enclosed made an astringent gargle. form and give it to your bank if you wish to pay by You can download this newsletter (and other recent newsletters) in standing order. colour from http://www.southwilts.com/site/WBS/Newsletters.htm

Wiltshire Botanical Society Committee

Richard Aisbitt Chairman, newsletter, Co-recorder 01793 694680 [email protected] Anne Appleyard Annual Field Trip 01980 610 385 [email protected] Jane Brown 01672 569241 [email protected] Paul Darby Wiltshire Wildlife Trust 01380 725670 [email protected] Rosemary Duckett Secretary 01373 858296 [email protected] Sue Fitzpatrick Treasurer 01722 410807 [email protected] Sonia Heywood Minutes Secretary 01380 830478 [email protected] Tim Kaye Website 07980 863 577 [email protected] Sharon Pilkington BSBI Recorder for Wiltshire 01373 827074 [email protected] John Presland Editor: Wiltshire Botany 01225 865125 [email protected] Pat Woodruffe Meetings Secretary 01794 884436 [email protected]

Page 31 Wiltshire Botanical Society Summer 2012