Wild Flowers of the Cornish Valleys and Lizard Peninsula
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Wild Flowers of the Cornish Valleys and Lizard Peninsula Naturetrek Tour Report 31 May - 3 June 2014 Perennial Centaury Spring Sandwort Western Clover Wild Asparagus Report & images compiled by Ted Griffiths Naturetrek Cheriton Mill Cheriton Alresford Hampshire SO24 0NG England T: +44 (0)1962 733051 F: +44 (0)1962 736426 E: [email protected] W: www.naturetrek.co.uk Tour Report Wild Flowers of the Cornish Valleys and Lizard Peninsula Tour Leader: Ted Griffiths Naturetrek Naturalist Participants: Rachel Benskin Alan Morgan Margaret Morgan Paul Wood Pauline Burns Gwen Holyman Day 1 Saturday 31st May Five of the group members arrived and were rewarded with a fine display of the Red Arrows over Falmouth Bay before we departed to the Lizard. With the van parked on the village green we set off down into Caerthillian Valley. A pair of Choughs was feeding on the grassy slopes, just in off the cliff path. The rare clovers were late this year and after much searching most were seen in small numbers, i.e. Twin-Headed, Long-Headed, Western, Rough and Subterranean. Several patches of Fringed Rupturewort were seen and clumps of Rosy Garlic and Tree Mallow were also along the path. On returning to the hotel the last remaining member of our group had arrived and joined us for our evening meal. Day 2 Sunday 1st June A dry and warm day with good sunny periods After a good breakfast we were on the road to Kynance Cove where we spent all day on the cliffs either side of the cove itself. In the area of the car park we found a few plants of note – Bloody Cranesbill, Spring Squill, Thyme, Broomrape, Hairy Greenweed, Burnet Rose, and Spring Sandwort. Down the path towards the cove were clumps of Babington’s Leek and Royal Fern. Lunch was had in Kynance Cove before a climb up the west side to find Spotted Cat's-ear and Prostrate Asparagus, without too much effort! Then on along the flat cliff top path to Gew Graze Valley, where Prostrate Broom and Juniper were found, plus a few clumps of Wild Chives and Rosy Garlic. We returned to the hotel at the end of a good day. Day 3 Monday 2nd June Another dry day with good periods Marazion beach was our first stop of the day. In the main car park clumps of Duke of Argyll’s Teaplant (an alien from China) was just coming into flower. On the beach and dunes were Sea Holly, Sea Kale and two or three clumps of Sea Daffodil. A flock of Sanderling and a single Dunlin were running along the tideline. On the road once more, down to Porthgwarra. A walk up towards the coastguard and a ten minute lookout over the sea produced small groups of Manx Shearwaters, plus 1 Balearic Shearwater, Gannets and a few auks and Fulmars. Just in off the coast path three large patches of Perennial Centaury were just coming into flower. © Naturetrek July 14 1 Wild Flowers of the Cornish Valleys and Lizard Tour Report Peninsula Next we went to St Just for our lunch, and then down to the small valley of Nanquidno. In a damp field, plenty of Ragged Robin was in full flower, with the odd clump of Royal Fern. The two or three top fields are set aside for the Purple Viper's-bugloss and a few flowering plants were found with thousands of younger plants across the fields, which will flower later in the summer. All in all, another good day for the plant hunters! Day 4 Tuesday 3rd June Another dry but breezy day One of the group members had to set off for home early, so after our goodbyes the rest of us set off for a morning visit to Gunwalloe. A lot of plant life had been washed away with the winter storms but we did manage to find four or five plants of the rare Sea Knotgrass, as well as more clumps of Sea Holly, Sea Rocket and Sea Radish. Then all too soon it was back to our hotel, bags packed and transferred to cars – with fond farewells we all left for our own destinations. Receive our e-newsletter Join the Naturetrek e-mailing list and be the first to hear about new tours, additional departures and new dates, tour reports and special offers. Visit www.naturetrek.co.uk to sign up. Naturetrek Facebook We are delighted to launch the Naturetrek Facebook page so that participants of Naturetrek tours can remain in touch after the holiday and share photos, comments and future travel plans. Setting up a personal profile at www.facebook.com is quick, free and easy. The Naturetrek Facebook page is now live; do please pay us a visit! 2 © Naturetrek July 14 Tour Report Wild Flowers of the Cornish Valleys and Lizard Peninsula Species List Plants Scientific Name Common Name PTERIDOPHYTES FERNS & ALLIES Aspleniaceae Spleenwort family Asplenium marinum Sea Spleenwort Asplenium ruta-muraria Wall-rue Asplenium trichomanes Maidenhair Spleenwort Ceterach officinarum Rustyback Fern Phyllitis scolopendrium Hart's-tongue Blechnaceae Hard-fern Family Blechnum spicant Hard Fern Dennstaeditiaceae Bracken Family Pteridium aquilinum Bracken Equisetaceae Horsetail Family Equisetum arvensis Field Horsetail Equisetum palustre Marsh Horsetail Osmundaceae Royal Fern Family Osmunda regalis Royal Fern Polypodiaceae Polypody Family Polypodium vulgare Common Polypody Woodsiaceae Lady-fern Family Athyrium filix-femina Lady Fern PINOPSIDA CONIFERS Cupressaceae Juniper Family Juniperus communis subsp. hemisphaerica Prostrate Juniper MAGNOLIOPSIDA FLOWERING PLANTS Magnoliidae (Dicotyledons) Acanthaceae Acanthus Family Acanthus mollis Bear's Breeches Aceraceae Maple Family Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore Amaranthaceae Goosefoot Family Atriplex prostrata Spear-leaved Orache Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima Sea Beet Apiaceae Carrot Family Angelica sylvestris Wild Angelica © Naturetrek July 14 1 Wild Flowers of the Cornish Valleys and Lizard Peninsula Tour Report Scientific Name Common Name Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley Crithmum maritimum Rock Samphire Daucus carota Wild Carrot Eryngium maritimum Sea Holly Hydrocotyle vulgaris Marsh Pennywort Oenanthe crocata Hemlock Water-Dropwort Smyrnium olusatrum Alexanders Aquifoliaceae Holly Family Ilex aquifolium Holly Araliaceae Ivy Family Hedera helix subsp. helix English Ivy Asteraceae Daisy Family Achillea millefolium Yarrow Arctium minus Lesser Burdock Artemisia vulgaris Mugwort Aster tripolium Sea Aster Bellis perennis Daisy Carduus nutans Musk Thistle Centaurea nigra Common Knapweed Cirsium palustre Marsh Thistle Cirsium vulgare Spear Thistle Crepis capillaris Smooth Hawk's-beard Eupatorium cannabinum Hemp-agrimony Gnaphalium uliginosum Marsh Cudweed Hypochaeris maculata Spotted Cat's-ear Leucanthemum vulgare Oxeye Daisy Matricaria discoidea Pineapple Mayweed Pilosella officinarum Mouse-ear Hawkweed Pulicaria dysenterica Common Fleabane Senecio jacobaea Common Ragwort Senecio vulgaris Groundsel Taraxacun agg Dandelion group Tripleurospermum maritimum ssp. maritimum Sea Mayweed Tripleurospermum inodorum Scentless Mayweed Betulaceae Birch Family Betula pendula Silver Birch Corylus avellana Hazel Boraginaceae Borage Family Borago officinalis Borage Echium plantagineum Purple Viper's Bugloss Myosotis ramosissima Early Forget-me-not Brassicaceae Cabbage Family Brassica nigra Black Mustard Cochlearia officinalis Common Scurvygrass Crambe maritima Sea Kale Cakile maritima Sea Rocket Raphanus raphanistrum ssp maritimus Sea Radish 2 © Naturetrek July 14 Wild Flowers of the Cornish Valleys and Lizard Peninsula Tour Report Scientific Name Common Name Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum Water-cress Sinapis arvensis Charlock Sisymbrium officinale Hedge Mustard Buddlejaceae Butterfly-bush Family Buddleja davidii Butterfly-bush Campanulaceae Bellflower Family Jasione montana Sheep's-bit Caprifoliacae Honeysuckle Family Lonicera periclymenum Honeysuckle Sambucus nigra Elderberry Caryophyllaceae Pink Family Armeria maritima Thrift Cerastium fontanum Common Mouse-ear Herniaria ciliolata Fringed Rupturewort Lychnis flos-cuculi Ragged Robin Minuartia verna Spring Sandwort Silene dioica Red Campion Silene latifolia White Campion Silene maritima Sea Campion Silene vulgaris Bladder Campion Spergularia media Greater Sea-Spurrey Stellaria holostea Greater Stitchwort Stellaria media Common Chickweed Convolvulaceae Bindweed Family Calystegia sepium Hedge Bindweed Calystegia soldanella Sea Bindweed Convolvulus arvensis Field Bindweed Cuscuta epithymum Common Dodder Crassulaceae Stonecrop Family Sedum acre Biting Stonecrop Sedum anglicum English Stonecrop Umbilicus rupestris Wall Pennywort Dipsacaceae Teasel Family Dipsacus fullonum Teasel Succisa pratensis Devil's-bit Scabious Ericaceae Heather Family Calluna vulgaris Heather Erica cinerea Bell Heather Erica tetralix Cross-leaved Heath Erica vagans Cornish Heath Euphrbiceae Spurge Family Euphorbia paralias Sea Spurge Euphorbia portlandica Portland Spurge Mercurialis perennis Dog's Mercury © Naturetrek July 14 3 Wild Flowers of the Cornish Valleys and Lizard Peninsula Tour Report Scientific Name Common Name Fabaceae Pea Family Cytisus scoparius Broom Cytisus scoparius ssp maritimus Prostrate Broom Genista pilosa Hairy Greenweed Genista tinctoria Dyer's Greenweed Lathyrus linifolius Bitter Vetch Lotus corniculatus Bird's-foot Trefoil Lotus pedunculatus Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil Medicago arabica Spotted Medick Ononis repens Common Restharrow Trifolium bocconei Twin-headed Clover Trifolium dubium Lesser Trefoil Trifolium hybridum Alsike Clover Trifolium incarnatum ssp. molinerii Long-headed Clover Trifolium occidentale Western Clover Trifolium repens White Clover Trifolium scabrum Rough Clover Trifolium subterraneum Subterranean Clover Ulex europaeus Common Gorse Ulex gallii Western Gorse Vicia sativa Common Vetch Gentainaceae