Botanical BSBI News Societyot tt. Januarv 2oo7 No. to4 British lsles

Edited bv Leander Wolstenholrne & Gwvnn Ellis Close up of Artemisia campestrisssp. muritima at Crymlyn Bunows (1990) All Artemisia photosO J.D. Twibell (seepage 2l )

Prostratelorm of Artemisia campestris ssp. maritima on dunesat Crymlyn Burrows, SouthWales (1990)

Papaverhybridum with ripe capsuleinset, A. campestrisssp. maritima on dunesat Wiltshire.Photos O J. Presland(see page l6) BiscanossePlage, SW France(1989) CONTENTS EDtroRrAL...... 2Bassia scoparia & Echinochloa crus-gulli DrARy...... 2now in Northamptonshire...... B. Lunel' 37 NoTEs Echinochloa crus-galli on roadsides in 'Reporting A Responseto on Local Somerset(v.cc. 5 & 6)...... S.J.Leach 38 Change',...... M. Braithv,uite 3 A Wizard's Weeds'l the poisonous baggage lvfirtuartiarecurva found in Co. Waterford of SoyaBean hul1...... M.Bruithwaite j9 -P R Gret:n4 Boringdon Park - Alien Invasion..D. Fenwic:k 39 ui,,'",,ii.niiiii)";i;ii;bil p Discovery of Pteris multifrda Poir. in Bath S. Pilkington 4 ..H.J. Crouch & F. Rumsey 42 Subspeciesof Ranunculus ficaria.....A. Shov'ler 5 Senctio inuequidens,variation in leaftypes Is proliferationproliferating'?...... A. Hanruth 5 ..|V. llilcor 14 Le af Phenology: Which are Dittrichiu sraveolens a new roadside colonist wintergreen?...... J.Polund 6 in S. Hints (v.c. I I ). M Rond & S.J. Leach 45 Settccioy/.scosus...... M. Wi Icox 6 Another new crop in Britarn, Vein Words: venation for verification Solunum sisymbriifoliunt Lam.. M. SanJbrd 17 .....J.Polancl 7 REQUESTS& OFFERS Looking for hybrids with Rumex pulcher AquaticPIants...... M. ll/ilcor 50 in Co. Wexford .P.R. Green l0 Mistletoeplants in Ireland...... 6.C.Nelson 50 Keepingrecords...... J. Combes \l Plant Amnesty...... J.Poland 50 Herbarium of E. Robson I 763- I ttI 3 Hosts of semi-parasites...... E. Pratt 5 | at SunderlandMuscunr...... M. I ,.t,all 11 Gofynne SeedList 2001...... A. Shaw 5l User for 9rasses...... E.Rich 13 Seedstiom Warc 2006-2001...... G. Hanson 5l What to do with plant records FrELD lv.EErrNG REPoRrs - 2006 - ideasfronr Wiltshire...... J.Presland t4 MagdalenHill Down (v.c. 12)...... 1Poland 52 Colour-blindBo1anists....,,.,...... 7. Paine l8 LangtonMatravers (v.c. 9)...... E.Pratt 52 A six metre Phrugmites aerial stem...-/. Oliyr,r' 18 Soutlrernscales(v.c. 64)...-...... P. Ashton 53 The Red Data Lisl fbr Great Jersey(v.c. 113)...... A. Marshull, et al. 54 Britain: Year 1 Amendments...... 5.J.Leach l9 Gairloch (v.c. 105)....J. Mclntosh & J. Fenbn 57 On llre status of Artemisitr t'ompe.stris Mynydd Cilan (v.c. 49)...... 8/.McCarth.t' 58 ssp.mctritima as a native...... J.D. Twifull 2T Maltby Low & Far Commons (v.c. 6l) Galeopsis hifi,la and G. tetrahit: D. Dupree & D. Brookman 59 some interesting observations... .M. Smith .A Birkdale Dunes (v.c. 59)....D. Earl & P. Smith 60 Further thoughts on the flora ofthe Kirkcudbrightshire (v.c. 73r Islesof Scilly... .R.Parslott, 1A .....C.O'Reilly & B. Wilson 6I Known and unexpectedmicroscopy Bryn Euryn (v.c. 50)...... J.A. Green 62 findings in Ca|1itricha...... J.Ol iver 25 S. Hanis (v.c. 110)....P.Smith & R. Ptrnkhurst 63 SttgittLtrrutrilintrz on roadside verges Salen.Mull (v.c. l0-i) ...... L.Fttrrell 64 .A.C.L,'.tlit 25 CleeveComrnon (v.c. 33)-.....C'.& llt. Kitchen 66 2-5 whorl radially symmetricalpolystachions Borrorvdale(v.c. 70)...... P. Owen 67 and other variants in Ecluisetum Llyn Grvngu(v.c. 46)...... A. Chater 68 polu.ttre populations--...... J. OI it,er 26 LossieForest (v.c. 95)...-...... J. trlttst:ott 68 Orange-trunked trees in Savernake Solutionto crossword,pages 34-35...... -69 Forest...... J. Oliver 28 BooK NorEs...... D.Pearman 7O Botany in Literature 43 Book ReviewsEditor wanted...... M.Sanford 70 l-1.G.Wells' Strange Orchid Wild Kev 2"d Edition: corrigenda Triffidian parallels - A wife-eating and addenda.Jan.2001 ...... C. O'Reill,v 7 | plant ...... M.8.Souchier 29 Good homes neededfor BSBI journals Botany in Literature - 44 ...... PA. Lrt16l,trtr171 an episcopal contribution to instantly Requestfbr BSBI Journals...... M. ,l4urph.v73 fbrgettablebotanical verse ...... f.C'. Nelson 3l OBITUARyNoT8S...... ll1.Brigg.s 73 BotanicalCrossword No. 7...... Crut:iadq 34 ARcHtvrsr No'rEs...... lVI. Briggs 73 ALIENS Rf,CORDERSAND RECORDING Jrtglutt r nigra in \orfo1k...... A. Bull 35 Panel ofReferees and Specialists Glycerio c:anutlensis in Dumbarton J. Mit(hell 36 Abyssinian Mustard, a naturaliscd crop? Pu'.i;ivi;;-.;,,;;; ;;;;;J";,'o',1!"# iii lX ...... M.Bruithtroitt, 36 u':: ulT ":::I:l .::llllY,:::::i::' "t'rl.n,,,, n u

Cover picture Carthamus tinctoria in Boringdon Park (v.c. 3). Photo D. Fenwick O 2006 (seepage 39) Editorial/ Diarv

NOTES FROM THE OFFICERS STOPPRESS From the Hon. General Secretary..D Pearntan 15 More on the rise and fall of Veronica -'Director' '76 Executivesummary post...... /il ilbrmis...... R.M. Henson 79 From the Scottish Officer ...... J.Mt:lntosh 11 Deadline for .BSBINews I 05...... 1 9 '78 Coordinator'sCorner...... A. Lockton ADMINIS.I.RATION& IMPoRTANTADDRESSES....8O

Editorial LEANDERWolsrrNnolME & GwyNN ELLIS

Receiving Editor BSBI News Faith wonders if any member can decipher what 'unable I am delighted to report that Trevor James,v.c. is meant by a plant which is to be Recorder for Herts. has agreed to take over as classified in any botanical category', or perhaps Receiving Editor of BSBI News when Leander someone has purchased the novelty and can relinquishes the post after the April issue. enlighten us ? Trevor will be retiring from his job in Septem- BSBI Conference Report No. 25, Cunent ber and that is when he will be able to take over Taxonomic Research on the Briti.\h & European completely. We are still discussing the gap Flora was finally published in November 2006. between April and September and hope to be All members who placed a pre-publication able to give details of what action to take during order should have rcceived their copy by now. lhc intcrregnumin the next issue. lf you haven't, pleasecontact mc. In the meantime for the next (April) issue please continue to send yor"rrcontributions to New edition of the Sedge Handbook - see Leander who will processwhat he can and send page 75 for an update on progress them on to me. Where are they now? The following fully Congratulations to Marjorie Netta Blamey paid up members have moved without letting us awarded an MBE in the New Years honours list. know their new addresses.Any help in tracing Although not a member, she will be well known them would be rnuch appreciated. My thanks to to many as the illustrator of many books on the those who respondedto the list in the last Ner.r,s, wild of Britain & . as a result some members have been traced and removed from the list but several remain and a Apologies to Eric Chicken for stupidly forget- few more have been added ting to include his drawing of Senecio inaequi- 62285 Mr P Cannon,I CoorrbeRise, Shenfield, dens lobing in the last issue. This can be Essex.CMl5 SJJ found on page 41. 1,8166 Mr D E GreenFLS,297 Bloomfield Road, Faith Anstey has sent a fascinating clipping Bath,Somerset, BA2 2PB 63111 Mrs R F L Hamilton, The Old House, from a copy of a salesbrochure from The Times'. 'A Hitcham,lpswich, Suffolk, IP7 7NN botanical wonder of nature found on the 88144 Miss L Hutchby,8 BullingtonEnd Road. ocean bed, the "Neptune" plant is a wonder Castlethorpe,Milton Keynes,Bucks, MKl9 7ER of nature. Unable to be classified in any 93512 Mr R Kennedy,I t EdmundStreet, Walsden, botanical category. [Faith's emphasis] it Todmorden.OLl4 7ST retain's its luminous green hue for years 98344 Ms M R W Morris, Dysertmore,Via without watering. A natural repellant, it Mullinavat.Co. Kilkenny,Ireland - emits fiagrant secretionswhich drive insects 99626 Mr & Mrs Penfield,2 Croftside,York, YO26 away, especiallyflies.' 5LT 35032- Mr J A Wild,05130 Sigoyer, France

Diary N.B. Thescdates are often supplementary to thosein the2007 Calendar in BSBI YearBook 2007 anc) includeprovisional dates of the BSBI's PermanentWorking Committees.

PermanentWorking Committees 17 Feb Committeefor Wales,Aberystwyth 24 Jan Records Committee, London 28 Feb ExecutiveCommittce. London 7 Feb Meetings Committee, London 3 Mar ScottishCommittee 8 Feb Publications Committee, London l4 Mar CouncilMeeting, London l4 Feb Training& Education 14-16Sept Recorders' Confcrcnce, Shrewsbury 'Reporting Notes- Responseto on Local Change

A Responseto sReportingon Local Change',John Presland,BSBI lYews103: 16-18 MtcHeEI- BRAITHwAITE,Clarilav', IIawick, Roxburgh,shireTD9 8PT

I respond to John Presland's article as the one of page 359 of the report: here it can be seen that the authors of Change in the British Flora I987- the regressionline that defines the adjustmentis 2004 who had primary responsibility for the almost br-rtnot quite horizontal. John Presland's rnathematical treatment of the data that gener- basis assumesit is horizontal. ated the two indices of change,Relative Change Much of his article is criticism of the basis of anclChange Factor, that he takes exception to. calculating the Change Factor. Indeed he 'non-existent First I would thank him for his words of accusesthe authorsofusing data', praise: it is encouraging indeed to read that hc an accusation that I categorically repudiate. 'recommend(s) the report as a fascinating However it is true that the ChungeFactor calcu- account ofan important project'. lations make assumptionsthat are not valid for Ilowever I find it ironic that he criticisesthe all species. The authorswere very consciousof f-ailureto make use of the raw data in a reoorl that and have gone out oftheir way to point out uhich givcs the raw data lor cach and cvery the limitations in the discussion in Appendix 3 speciesreferred to and a simple statisticRelative on pagc 365 and they identify specieswherc the C'hungederived using the simplest of mathenrat- calcrrlaled C'hongeFoctrtr is unreliablc, see fbr ics, when the authors could so easily just have example the commcnts on pages 143 and 141 prcscnted the maps and the statisticscarried out regarding heathland species such as Calluna on the more complicated Change Factor and r.,ulgaris(Heather). lndecd this is one of the have omitted Relalive Chunge, the extcnsive reasonswhy two indices have been presented: tables and the detail of the mathematics. Relative Change is the more reliable index and I categorically repudiate his suggestion that is calculated in just the sort of way that John the authors were disappointed with the level of Presland advocates, but it is unfortunately rccording tn Local C'hange. We rnakenur-ncrous unsuitable as a basis tbr thc statisticson change referenccsto the fact that we considcr the survey lbr groups of species that are central to our to have met its key objectives, starting in the repoft. That is why the Change Fdctor was Executive Surnmary on page iii, and on page needed. 33 1 we acknowledge the outstanding coverage One of the advantagesof the Change Fac'tor achievcd. over the fundamcntally similar Change Index John Presland presentsan altcmative method used in the New Atlas rs that the assumotions ofadjusting the data. I havetried it. lt doesnot rnade arr: clearer and can be more easily yield a useablestatistic. However it doesyield reviewcd on a speciesby specicsbasis. a statistic for the difference in recording inten- John Presland seemsunwilling to accept that sity between the two surveys: the BSBI Monitor- statisticalmethods can be usedto test whetherthe ing Scheme and BSBI Lot'ctl Change. If applied survey data and the indices of change derivcd appropriately, this statisticcan indeedbe usedto from it are robustenough for valid conclusionstc.r generate an index which measurcs change. be drawn. Our work draws valid conclusionsin Ironically it is then closely comparable to many instancesbut there are others where we are Relutive Change, an index that hc decries. Thc unablc to draw conclusionsas the underlying data only difference is that his indcx makes thc same is insulficicntly robust. This is norrnal in such adjustmcnt fbr the over-recording of Loc'al work. Chunge relative to the Monitoring Scheme for I am gratcful to John Presland for engaging all species (about 89;ir in tl.ris case) rvhereas with us in the issuesof data analysis itt Clurttge Relative Change makes an adjustment that in the British Floru 1987-2001 but bclieve his varies in proportion to how widespreada species concems to be misconceived. is. The adjustmentis shown in the chalts on 4 Notes Minuartia recutna in Co. Waterford I Minuartia hybrida on Salisbury Plain

Minuurtiu recurvs found in Co. Waterford Paul R. GR-eEN,46 Bev'lev Street,New Ross,Co. Wexford,Ireland: paulnewross(leircom.net I first found thirty-one plants of the Minuartia curved downwards; sepalswith 5-7 veins. Our onthe28thMay200l onthecliffsofKilclooney specimenhad no veins on the sepalsand the when I named it as M. verna (Spring Sandwort). older curved up a little. Not much help On the 14th August 2006 I visited the Caha as the book said: leaves mostly straight; sepals Mountains with Alastair Stevenson to see the with 3 veins for M. verna. Minuartia recutna (Recurved Sandwort) where As my specimenstarted lo dry out over the it was first found on the 27 July 1964 growing next few days the veins slowly appeared,3 at at an altitude of c.500m, the only known Irish first and a day or so later 5. A visit to the station. Here it grows on the rocks on the herbarium at the National Botanic Gardens, mountain ridge straddling the border of Co's. Glasnevin, Dublin on the 29thAugust solved the Cork and Kerry. The first thing I saidto Alastair identity of the Co. Waterford plant. I could aslsawtheplantwasthatitlookedjustlikethe compare the specimensI depositedthere in plants in the Comeragh Mountains in Co. 2001. It was clear they matched the specimens Waterford. On the 22ndAugust I visited the Co. from the Caha Moutains. Specimens of Waterford site with John Wallace. I thought I M. verna clearly showed 3 veins. It is a shame would bc ablc to walk straightto it: my ..rnory that floras do nol point out the lact that to use was not quite as good as I had expcctcd. John the key you need dried material. The Co. set his GPS to the six figure (5328.094) map Waterford plant would likely have been named reference I had given in 2001. I would have correctly in 2001 otherwise. nalked in thc oppositc direclion otherwise. We counted 37 nlants scatteredover the rock Trying to walk wherethe GPSwanted us to go face(53286.0944) at c.490maltitude. Here,as wasnot easybecause the rocks and the height of in the CahaMountains, the rock surfacehas a the rock face (100m or more) made it tough black lichen growingon it. The two sitesare going.Astherocktypechangedandlookedjust c.l55kmapart. like it did in the Caha Mountains. there was thc Whenbotanists visit theComerash Mountains Rccurved Sandworl. Here it grows on a vertical they always seem to visit the coums with their rock face, while in the Caha Mountains it grows loughs and rock faces, especially Coumshin- 'Pissmire on a gently sloping rock face which is easy to ga:un(Com Seangdn Hollow') which walk over. All the plants we could reach had is a shorl distance to the north of Kilclooney. completely gone over, but there was one clump This may be the reason why the Recurved flowering just out of reach. I tried reaching the Sandwoft has been over-looked for so long there flowering stemsto have a look, at the sametime as it grows on an exposed rock face rather than lost my balance and nearly disappearedover the in one of the coums. ledge. John, being on the ball, caught hold of References: mc, enabling me to be here to write this report. ryEBB.D.A.. pARNELL.J. & Doocue. D. 1996.An In the end John gave me a leg up and I was able lri:h.lloru. Seventhe

Minuartia hybrida on the Defence Training Estate (Salisbury Plain) SnaRoN PILKINGToN,5 Gainsborotrsh Rise, Trov,bridse, I4/iltshireBA14 gHX

Minuartia hybrida (Fine-leaved Sandwofi) is a The Defence Training Estate on Salisbury diminutive annual of dry, open, calcareous Plain may represent one of the largest (and ground. It is nationally scarce,having been currently most stable) populations anywhere in recorded in 79 hectads between 1987-99 the British Isles. Here, it thriveson the regular (Prcston, Pearman& Dines 2002), and is iisted ground disturbance causcd by trackcd vehicle on the new red list as Endangered(Cheffings & movements(see inside Back Cover), and it is a Farrell 2005). In Wiltshire it tends to flower in member of a distinctive trackside ruderal May and June, then sets , leaving only community. Other specicsin this community shrivelledbrown rcmainsbv July. include Clinopodium ucino,s (Basll Thyrne), Notes - Minuartio h.ybrida on Salisbtry Plain I Ssp of Ranunculus fcaria / ls prohferation proliferating? 5

Anagallis ttt-t'ensis ssp. an'ensis (Scarlet lntercstingly,one of the charactersgiven by Pimpcmel) and Arenaria serpvllilolia (Thyme- some floras including Stace(1997) and Rose leaved Sandwort) with which it can be confused (2006)does not hold truefor at leastsome of the by inexperiencedobservers. plants examinedby the author on Salisbury Until recently. its presence on the plain had Plain this year. The petalsare at most only been sporadically recorded at best. However, rnarginallyshofier than the sepals,not signifi- visits by the author and others to different parts cantly,as they are supposedto be (seeinside of the military estate in 2006 have revealedthe BackCover). plant to be widespreadalong most of the heavily References: used arterial roads and many of the moderately- CHEFFINcS,C.M., & FARRet.r.,L. 2005. The Vascular used dirt tracks that criss-crossthe chalk grass- Plunt Red Datu Li,st.fbrGreat Brllalr. .INCC. Peter- land. A conservativeestimate of macro-popula- borough. tion sizeis of at leastmany tensof thousandsof PRFSToN,C.D.. PpanlreN D.A. & DrNEST.D.2002. plants, possibie more. Given the habitat that ,Nett ,ltlas o/ the Briti.sh & lri:;h F1orc. Oxfbrd Minuartia lt-t'briduis associatedwith, it is likely UniversityPress. Oxford. F. 2006. Tlrt' tllild Flou,er Ke1. Pcnguin Books that the tanks and other military vchicles are the RosE, Ltd. London. main agents of seed dispersal, carrying it on SrAcrE, C.A. 1991. Nev, Flora o/ the Briti,sh Isles. mud to new locations. The main population Cambridge University Prcss,Carnbndgc. centresappear to be in the eastem (Bulford) and western (Imber) ranges where tank nrovements are most freouent.

Subspeciesof RanunculusJicaria AI-aN SHowl-zn, l2 Wedgu,ooclDriye. Hughendt:n Valley, High Ww'ombe, Bucks., HPl4 4PA

When recording, there is always sonrethingthat non-committal. So I started looking after the getsaway. Have you noticcd? It may be a) rol llowers had died back. becausebulbils, rvhich noticed, like thc 200 year-old , bccauseyou are characteristicofssp. bulbili/t'r, only develop looked do*'n, not up; b) as.sunadto be on the at this stage. But, get it wrong. and all the list already, likc that Dandelion; or c) needs ycllow leaves have disappearcdand you irave looking al loter like those Corn-salads another ycar to wait. (Vttleriunella) not yet in flower, or a plant with Therc was no troublc finding bulbili/br and a two subspecies.So you make a nrentalnote to lavourite place sccmcd to be a churchyard, retum later, to sce-tlre plant in florvcl and give it r.vlrerethere would be massesof just this sub- a good cxartrination. What happenswith n1c species. Brlt.ficuria seerncdto be rather rnore (not you, of course!) is that I torget whereit was difficult and I had to look much harder fbr this or return to find it has gone (catertor cut down). one, so much so that I bcgan to doubt somc of Or I forget completely. my old records had I looked too early? I dor.r't However this year I listed the things that know the answer to that yet, but had the imprcs- neededchecking, so that I could look for thcm sion that if you look hard enough you will find specially. One of the specieswas Ronunt'ulu,g a bulbil or two in a supposed./icariapopulation, /icaria (Lesser Celandine) to check for the trvcr evcn if not many. So what sub-spccicsis thisl sub-species..lic'aria and hulbili/er. All my 25 Or have I got it rvrong? C'omnrcntsfrom those tetrad cards in the hectad hacl it marked uo. interestedor thosethat know would be welcon.re. somefor one.somc lbr the otherand somejust Is proliferationproliferating? ANcUS HANNAH, Glenmore, Rotltesot',Lsle o./ Bute, P.420 1QU

Checking rccently for Juncus x surrejonus suggesting Festut'u v,iviporu (Viviparous (J. actrtiflortts x J. artictrlattLs, a hybrid rush), Fescue)),and I wonder if othcrs have noticed which is very common on Bute, I cameacross a the same phenonrenon. Have I just overlookcd vigorously proliferating specinrcn. This thcse in previous years, or has this season's remindcdme lirat I had sccna nunrberof nrolif- weather bccn particularly conducire to this erating heads trf C'.t'nttsrrnrlt ri\lttlil\ (Crcstcd behaviour? Dog's-tail) this autumn (fi'orn a distance Notes- Leaf : Which plantsare w reen?I Senecioviscosus

Leaf Phenology:Which plantsare wintergreen? JonN POLAND 9l Ethelburt , Avenue, Southampton.Hants., SO16 3DF. jppl97 @ahtmni.soton.ac.uk I am ertremely interestedin knowing when However for many perennials and annuals, it is plantsare visible in a living state(i.e. excluding impossible to predict what they will do. For deadstems and a few shrivelledseed heads!). I instance, Plantago major (Greater Plantain) is have amassedphenological observations for not wrntergreen but P. lanceolotct (Ribwort over 2,200 species, however I have an Plantain) and P. media (Hoary Plantain) are additionallist of 400 speciesfor which I have wintergreen. Many perennials also appear to no, or contradictory,observations. have their resting stageduring the summer period Sornewhatsurprisingly, I cannotsee any real (they aestivate). Anthriscus sylvestris (Cow correlation between life-form (hemicrypto- Parsley) leaves are visible fron"r September to phyte, geophyte,etc.), life-cycle (i.e. annual/ July. but Myrrhi.sodorun (Sweet Ciiely) Ieaves perennial)and leaf phenologyeven within a only betweenApril and October. I hope to write genus. This is perhapspartly becausethe a more substantial article on the subiect one dav. restingstage is not necessarilyduring the winter English Nalure's (now Naturil Englan-d.) nronths. In many bulbousplants (geophytes), Grassland Specialist. Richard Jefferson, wrote e.g. Mttscari anneniocum(Garden Grape-hya- -buf about the importance (and lack ofdata) ofplant cinth).the leaves emergc during the autumn phenology when undenaking botanicalassess- 'optimum persrstonly until May. Obviouslyautumn ments of grasslands outside the germinatingannuals are visible as a rosette period' (scc BS8l Nerrs | 02: | 6- I 7). However during the winter (and are usually dead by this deficit of knowledge is not confined to summer). In contrast,summer annualsare grasslands,despite the tJK having probably one ncverwintergreen. of the most well-known floras in the world! As a generalrule, stronglyrhizomatous plants lf anyone can contribute any observationson arenot wintergreen(the rhizomeacts as a winter the appearanceand seasonalchanges of plants, - store of food) try f,nding Cir.siuman'eil.te both native and alien. I would be most grateful (CreepingThistle) or a Michaelmas-daisywhen (l can easily email my wanred list.f For this lands on your doormat! By default, tnre example, I suspect that Cirsium acaule (Dwarf biennialshave to be wintergreensince a well- Thistle) is wintergreenbut rvho ever has a picnic developedfirst year basalrosette must persist on chalk grasslandin January?l until the secondyear for the planl to fl()wer.

Senecio viscosus MII'HAEL WrrCox, 32 Shawbridge Street, Clitheroe, BB7 lLZ,michaelpw22k),hormail.corn

In a similar vein to other articles in BSBI Newr. ened this article. In the above paper it shows it was noted tltat Senet.io vist'osust Stickv that S. yiscosasis a derivative ofthe progenitor Groundsel.)had a characterwhich was diffcrenr S. nebrodensi,s.The latter specicsis a rare plant to that published. This plant is said to have found in only fbur mountain ranges in Spain glabrous achenes (), which in Sell & (Emig & Kadereit 1993). The paper describes Murrell (2006) and Stace( 1997) are kev charac- the achenesof S. nebrodenrls as having a dense tcrs. lt uas noted that plants had sornehairs irr indumcntumof shortrlhite hairs. For.S.vir,'r,- the grooves of the achenes. It was thought at sas it just says that they are less hairy, (with no first this could be due to introgressionsimilar to mention of them being glabrous). tlrat in S vtlgaris var. hibernitu,r'. Therefore a This is a clear indicationthat the achenesof project rvasinitiated to compare British material S. ylscoslrshave sontehairs in the groovesofthe with thatolEuropean mateiial and many people achencs.but havinglooked ar quit-ca numberof were contactcd to obtain achenes. achenesthey are very rarely glabrous. Hou'ev- Fortunately, onc of those contacted for er, when compared to other Seneciospecics it is European material (Prof. J.W. Kadcreit) had clear tlratlhey arc neveras hairy as any spccics already clone u'ork on this srrecies and in the key. In the key the closest species, rnentioncda pepcf. which had becn puhlished. Senecio sylvaticus (Heath Groundsel), has (Emig & Kadereit 1993). The paper was densely hairy achenes and so can easily bc obtained through the library selices and has to separated(if not on jiz alone). S vrscosa.ris of sorneexteltt saved quite a bit of work and short- course a distinctive plant and unlikely, to be Notes Seneciovi.rco.rzs / Vein Words: venationfor verification

confused with any other except the hybrid with Acknowledgements S. squalidus (5. xsubnebrodensis), which is Thanks to Prof. J.W. Kadereit lbr pointing out the more or less sterile and the ligules vary in size work done on this taxon. and to all BSBI members between the two parents. It is clear that who sent in achenes. ,S.yrico.rrr.r has hairs on the achenesbut perhaps References not enough to change the current keys. EMIG,W. & KADEREIT,J.W. 1993.The cornparative Senec'io viscosus is classed as a neophyte biology of the closely related Senecio nebrodensi,s being recorded first in Britain in 1660 (Preston and S. vrscosrz.s,a naffow endemic and a widespread ruderal. N o rdi c J ournal of' B o ta ny. 13 : 369 -315. et al.2002, p. 657). And generallythought ofas PRESToN,C.D., PEARMAN,D.A. & DTNES,T.D.2002. non-native possibility with the of sonre dwarf New Atlas o/ tht, British & Irish Flora. Oxford coastal forms being native. Unless evidence University Press. could be provided that S. viscoszsarrived before STACE.C. \997 Newflora oJ rlrc British Lsle.s.Cam- 1500 then all material that has spreadto Britain bridge University Press. makes it a non-native neoohvte in the British Snrr, P. & MURRELL,G. 2006. Flora o/ Greut Brituin flora. and lrelond. Campanulaceae-Asterar:eae. vol. 4. Cambridge University Press. Vein Words: venationfor verification JOHNPOLAND,9l Ethelburt Avenue, Southampton,Hants., SOI6 [email protected]

The veining pattem, or venation, of leaves is tlre midrib is clearly visible (e.g. Cerastium and often invah"rable in vegetative identification. lvlt'osotis). Tlre commonly encountered five Although not always easy to describe, vein catcgoriesof pinnatevenxtion are: pattems are usually exceptionally constant l. Brochidodromous or anastomosing (2' within a species. Of course.veins are not veins forming closed loops) confined to leaves - too oilen have The majority of pinnate-veined plants have distinct pattems (although as I have mentioned anastomosing veins. Clinopodium wtlgore in a prcvious article. petalsare actually modified (Wild Basil) is one suchexample. leaves!). Good cxarnplescan be seen in the petals of some Geranirm species and many Brassicaceae, including Eruca vesic'aria (Garden Rocket) and Raphanus rophanistnnn (Radish). I apologise for the somewhat technical language employed in this article but the 'runnirrg' (Gk. dromus) of the veins gives rise to the scientific terms much used in paleobotany and tropical floras. The commonly quoted main types of venation are pinnate, parallel, palmate and dichotomous. The distinctions aren't always clear and the subdivisions often provide the most uscful clues. Consequently it is best explained in pictures, not wordsl As such, only a few of lhe most typical kinds of vcnatior.rare illustratedbelow. Clinopodium vulgare Pinnate-veined 2, Eucamptodromous (2" r,einsfading towards 'feather-like'. Pinnate simpiy mcans Back to the leaf margin) basics I'm afiaid. but the central vein (midrib), The veins of Origonum wrlgctre(Marjoran) are is describedas the prirnary (l') vcin and the cucamptodromous (i.e. they become indistinct lateral veins branching fl'om it are knowlr as the towards the leaf rnargin and do not anastomose), secondary(2') veins. Dependingon the species, and thus can be readily' separated from tlrc the sequence can continue furthcr into higher commoniy confused Clinopodium wtlgure order veins such as the tertiary (3'), quatemary (Wild Basil) by just a cursory glancc at the leaf. (4") and so forth. Pinnate veins characterisethe In the f-amilyOnagraceae, many genera,includ- lcavcs of dicots, although there are well known ing Epilobiutn (willowherbs) and Ludttigitt exceptionssuch as thc nrollocotArun mut'ulu- (Hampshire-purslanes),are generally eucantp- lr.rzr(Lords-and-Laciic-s). In sonrespecies, only todromous. Notes Vein Words: venatioulbr verification

structureand not connectedwith the German botanist Kranz or the Austrian botanist Crantz). This is where extra chloroplasts thickenthe vein margins(the visible manifes- tationof the C+photosynthetic pathway men- tioned in innumerablebotany textbooks) resulting in opaquereticulations. Atriplex halimus, A. laciniata and Bassia scoparia (Chenopodiaceae)are three examplesbut a similar patterncan be found in the closely alliedA m ar an t hu s (Antaranthaceae).Indeed, recentDNA researchsuggests that thesetwo familiesshould be united.

Origanum vulgare 3. Craspedodromous(2'veins teminatingat the leafmargin, usually in a tooth) For example,in Carpinttsbetultts (Hornbeam) andCastaneosaflva (Sweet Chestnut) com- pare with the anastomosingveins of Prunus and Salix.

Reticulate leaf of Hypericum calycinttm, close- up of glandular swelling (inset)

Carpinus betulus 4. Reticulate (net-veinecl) Tertiary and higher-order veins mayjoin each other tbrming a net-like pattem (e.g. as in the leavesof thc North Americatr .4sferspecies (Michaelmas-daisies)). The similarly reticu- late veins of Solidago (goldenrods) acfually Reticulateleaf of Atriplexhalimu,s, close-up of have a tiny central glandular swelling visible Kranzvenation (inset) under a good lens. Comparable glands are 5. Percurrentor scalariform(ladder-like) found in the reticulate veins of Hypericum ln somespecies. the tertiary(or higher-order) calrcinum (Rose-of-Sharon)as thc leaves are veinsdo not form a reticulatepattem but link not truly translucent gland-dotted unlike, for the secondaryveins in a seriesof parallel example, Hypericum perJbratum (Perforate veinlets,somewhat resembling a ladder. A St. John's-wort). One striking tbrm of reticu- classicexample is clearlyseen in Cornusseri- late vcnation is known as Kranz venation 'wreath' cea(Red-osier Dogwood). (derived from the German meaning Notes - Vein Words: venationfor verification

Furthennore, two frequent modihcations include: l. Cross-veining '\. Generallyconfined to monocotsand those r specieswith parallelveins. cross-veins are '" 1 particularlyuseful in identificationof some I rf ii ,1, grasses,sedges and rushes. Cross-veinsare ',tj . i 'l not true veins sincethey consistof support ./ / )l tissueand do not carry food and water (they (dlI't shouldbe more preciselydefined as cross- partitionssince vascular tissue is absent). ,' \\'i 'lr :'i \ \.'\f;z' I I Cornus sericea Parallel-veined Paralled-veined (or parallelodromous) leaves have the major (1") veins arranged approxi- mately parallel to each otlrer and, strictly speak- ing, converging at the apex. Most monots are parallel veined, as are some dicots such as Plantugo (plantains) and Saponaria offic'inalis 'Bowed-veined' (Soapwort). is perhaps more descriptive. Additionally, some dicots may be 3-ply veined where two very strong secondary veins arise fronr near thc- base of the midrib mirnicking parallel venation in the proximal half of the leaf (e.g. Solidctgoand Helianthus). Carex viridula ssp. oedoc'urpd and close-up of leafnear apex (right) 2. Tessellated veins ,._4:) Generally resh'icted to bamboos, and analo- gous to reticulate-veining in the dicots. Illus- trations can be fbund in the nine plates (pp. 376-384) of barnboos in Clement et al. Illus- trations of Alien Plants o.f' the British Isle.s (2005). Palmate-veined (actinodromous) Parallel-veinc d leaf of P Ia ntatlo media Where thrce or more equally strong (1') veins diverge radially fiom the sarnepoint at the base of the leaf blade and tr.'rminateat the leaf margin usually in a tooth or lobe apcx (like the fingers tt,,1\ of an outstretchedhand). True palmate leaves ,rri r\ are actually quite scarccin the British flora (e.g. Acer, Geranium, Alchemilla, etc.). Many broadly ovate or orbicular cordate leaves, such rffi as Alliuria petiolata (Garlic Mustard) and Petasite.\fi'agran.y (Winter Heliotrope), are not strictly palmate sincc the veins repeatedly / anastomoseinstead of radiatins out to the leaf margln. 3-plyveined leaf of Helianthtrs' xluelilorus 10 Notes .' Vcin Words: venationfbr verification/ Looking for hybrids in Co. Wexford

Ribes sanguineum Pinnae of Pol1podium vulgare f)ichotomous-veined (fbrkcd) In some species (almost confined to fems) the Evergreenleaves, in addition to a thickenedcarli- laginous margin, veins repeatedly fork into two from the base of do not have raised secondary veins the lower (and few the blade. Consequently they do not havc an on surface soeciesare reticulateveined;. In obvious midrib. Adiantum capillu.s-veneris contrast.deciduous trccs and large shrubshave the raised (Maidenhair Fem) and Ophioglos,sumvulgutum secondaryveins below (and are reticulate-veined, (Adder's-tongue) can be distinguished as fems usually and lack by this character(the veins of the widely planted an obvious cartilaginous margin). Please note you Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo) form a similar pattern). that this, sadly,won't help with Cotonea.ster since I that leaves not Additionally, the veins of many are also suspect the are truly (i.e. year). described as free i.e. the vcin abruptly termi- evcrgreen don't last more than one For those wishing nates (usually in a hydathode) inland ofthc lcaf to learn more about venation there are additional terms in r.nargin(e.9. Polvpodirz). No dicot or monocot the (download in Britain has dichotomous veins: the two Manual oJ LeaJ Arc'hitecture at http aberrant ranalean herbs Kingdonio and Circaes- ://www.peabody.yale.edu/collections/pb/M LAintro.pdf), ter are not yet on our alien plant list! Maybe the however these are of limited use in plant identification thcy primitive Ceratophl,llyp (homworts) belongs and usc scvcral here, if onc argucs that the connecting lamina seemingly inseparable terms. Nonetheless, (leafblade) never did evolve! there must be other published literature paleobotanists Incidentally,many existing tree and shrub keys elsewhere can often identify a from fossilised ask you to make the distinction bctween decidu- species a leaffragment! Thanks to Eric for ous and evergreen leaves. Although the best Clement comments. and to RosalindBucknall for her illustrations method is to look for older leaves on 2"d year exccllent clarifying the obscurities that my twigs, this is not always easy (especially mid- descriptions summer u'hcn they may have already fallen). may have introduced.

Looking for hybrids with Rumexpulcher in Co. Wexford PAUL R. GREaN.16 Bewlev Street, Nev,Ros.r, Cb. Wex/brd;paulnewross(a,lcircont.nct

The Nen, llla.s (Preston et al. 1997) shows that the two frelds.R. pulc:her was growing with four Rume.rpttlcher (Fiddle Dock) has been recorded other species R. conglomeralas (Clustcrcd from thirteen l0km squares in Ircland, two of Dock); R. t'ris7tu.sssp. r'rl.rpa.r(Curled Dock); thesebeing in Co. Wextbrd. On 6'r'July 2006 I R. obtusi/bliu,r (Broad-leaved Dock) and visited the Ballyhack (S70.l0) site, which R. songuineu.s(Wood Dock). consistsofa dry grassy rocky knoll, churchyard R. pulcher was a thick carpet on the higher and two adjoining sloping fields, one on eithcr slopesof the fields, with a few plants scattered sideofthe road. I only looked for the hybridsin lowcr down thc slopes. R. conglomerrlr.! was Notes '- Looking for hybrids in Co. Wexford / Keeping records / Herbariurnof E. Robson at SunderlandMuseum thinly scattelcdabout the fields with a concentra- ll. xpseudopulcher was only fbund in the upper tion of plants at the bottom of the slopes. field well away from any R. crisptts. R. crispus was scatteredover the fields. R. obtasr- Also occurring in both fieids were hybrids fblius formed,large stands by the field gates and between R. crispus and R. obtusi/blius along the bottom of the slopes and with other (R. xpraten,sis) and in the upper field plants dofted about the fields. R. sanguinettswas R. conglomeratus and R. obtusi/itliu,s presentas threeplants togetherin the upper field. (R. xabortivus). Hybrids with R. pulcher and the other four In under an hour and a half four new hybrids species were found. In order of finding them: for the county were found and two possibly new R. v.ogulinenslsthe comrnonest of the hybrids, for Ireland as the BSBI web site only shows probably because R. obtusilblius was the most records for'. R. xmixtas ancl R. xmuretii. both fiequent dock in the trvo ficlds; a f611,plants of tionr Co. Colk. xmurettii R. werc found in both lields always Reference: \mixtLts close to R. conglomeratus',R. was one PRESToN,C.D., PBARMAN. D.A. & DrNrs,T.D. (eds) plant growing between both parents; (2002) New atlos ct/ lhe Brirish & Irish flora. Ox- ford UniversityPress. Keepingrecords JeeN CON4ess,5 Crolion, Woodlield Lane, Ashtead, Surrey, KT2 I 2BH

Botanists have a long tradition of recording the Oak (Quertus robur) first plants of spring celandincs. r'iolcts, Ash (Frax in tr.s e.r c e Ls iorl primroses or whatever. Cilbcrt White of It ncvcr occurred to me my data would be of Selborne was one such pcrson as was also his intcrest to anyone elsc until I read a newspapcr friend RoBERT M.q.nsrrRrll of Norfolk. article in 1995. This statedthat Dr Tim Soarks. Marsham kept a sct of records which he started u Govemmenl Scicntist.uas collcctingsuch in 1736 and rvhich were continued by seven records for possible indications of clirnate generationsof his f-amilyuntil 1947. changeand I senthim nry data. I folloq,cd this tradition as an eleven-vear-old In a reccnt Woodland Trust arlicle (July'2006) child. despiteliving rn London at rhur rimc. Dr Sparks said my oak-leafing dates had bccn When I grew up, howe'r.'cr,I was entbarassed used in two Covcmment publications and he by thesejur.'enilc diarics and I threw thertr away 'Jean's added the follorving - clatais probably and starled all over again. I have now bL-cn unique in phenologicalrecording ancl as {br as rccording the leafing datesof 4 tree spccicsin we know is the longestrccord by a singleperson Surrey for the past 60 yc'ars,of r,vhichthe last 40 anywhere in the rvorld'. years havc bccn records from Ashtead which This illustratcsperhaps the surprisingvalue of lies3km southof Epsom. Thc 4 trcc spcciesare: kccping sirnple records antl might encouragc Horse-clrestrirtt(A a s t uI us h ippo t' usIun t r nt ) otherBSBI Mcrnbersto enrulatc. Comnron Lime (Tiliu xeuropuea)

Herbarium of Edward Robson 1763-1813at SunderlandMuseum MF.c,tN Lv,tlr. l5 Esolanotle ll'e.st.Sunderlqnd. SR2 7BG

Edwarcl Robson ( 176-l-t 813) is crcclitcdwith (Robson 1794)(Stace 1997 calls it the Dorvr.ry writing thc first Flora of the Durharn area in Cutrant).The typc spccimenis in this collcction. 1794, fbllorved by a supplement in I 798 In March this ycar I was askedto curatc and (f{orsman 2005). His hclbarium at Sunderland preparca ctlr)rputercataloquc of this coliection. lruseum includcs carly lccords of Teesdale It was cataloguedusing tlrc rluseurr softrvarc rarities. plants fronr the lake district and near MODES so that it was conrnatibleu'ith thc rcsr Manchcstcr,plants fionr JamesSou'erby. John ol'Tyneand Wcur'scollr'crious. and James Dalton, several plants fronr Norfblk, C'arewas taken to distinguish bctrveenthe data plants grorvn by his fricnd Williarn CLrrtisin prcscnt on the label and that I interpretedeither various Lonclon gardcns and ntanv others bi' using squalc brackets for comnrenls or nraking a total of over [.[00 spccimcnson typing thc actual label cxactly as it n,as into a ncarly 900 slreets.He describcdRiltt'.s spicatunr notesticld. This was inrportantas many of thc Robson rvhich he callcd thc Soiked Curlant sDccimensi.vere labclled rvitl.rabbrer.iations or t2 Notes Herbariumof E. Robson at SunderlandMuseum

'D' 'Nr. partial information such as or D', I Robson. Altematively they could be from his 'J. suggest in this case Robson meant Darlington. brother Jonathon since they are only labelled I also tried to add some biographical details of Dalton'. There are two probably collected by John 'fiom any botanists named, relying heavily on Gough, Euphorbia paralias L. Walney, fr. J. Desmond 1977. Those specimenswhich did not Gough 9198' and Spiraea salicfolia L. 'Hawkshead have field collection data can be sorted out of by J.G. X.98'. There are several 'no the catalogueby searchingfor the text data'. other plants fiom v.cc. 69 and70 several of which The collection was arrangedaccording to Dandy have no collector given or are garden specimens I 958 to be consistentwith the rest of the herbar- fiom Thomas Hutton's garden in Keswick. ium. However it is stored in acid free folders On the question of who discovered the within custom made boxes in a separate Teesdale rarities such as verna L. 'current' sequence,so the name is always the Q.,lelson2006) there are three specimens of the Dandy one even when more up to date names latter in this collection. One, undated, is from 'Nr. are available such as in the ferns (Jermy and Middleton fr. J. Harriman' (specimen 'Nr. Camus 1991). Simple name was only changed number 2006.125 I . I ). The other two are 'plant' from whcn a common name was written Middleton fr. W. Olivcr 12.1199 & 1798' 'Tecsdale on the sheet and someonc with an interest in (2006.1301 . I ) and with Dr. Oliver & J. what the common names were in the 1790s can Binks 1798'(2006.1301.2).Robson quite often search for these. MODES is a hierarchical wrote on the date that he received the specimen databaseso for example vice county and habitat rather than the date it was collected (sec the Scl//a 'place' 'field come under within collection', mentioned later). These are both one year later indexes and lists can be made or specific texts than Binks was credited in Sowerby & Smith such as the plant name can be searchedfor, but with finding the plant. However, Horsman it is not compatible with flat field data bases (2001) in his PhD thesis suggeststhat William such as those from Microsoft. Oliver was the true discoverer of most of the Robson was a Quaker and linen draper from rarities, with Binks working for him, Harriman Darlington, his uncle StephenRobson (1741- acting as a link between Oliver who was 1779) was also a botanist and may have started geographically isolated and Robson who was Edward Robson's interest. Some of the sheets instrumental in sending the specimens on to clearly came from his uncle. Of the two it is authorssuch as Sir JamesSmith. Edward Robson who is the most influential and Lcgg (1998) says that Edward Robson he in tum encouraged his own nephew James contributed descriptions to English Briany Backhouse to become a botanist. It is obvious (Sowerby and Smith 1790 I8l4 in 36 volumes) that Edward Robson corresoonded with and and Sir James Smith (1759 1828) considercd 'a exchanged specimens witli many of the him very assiduous and accurate botanist'. botanists of the day in London, Yorkshire, the Some of the specimens appear to be those Lake District, Liverpool and Cambridge botanic figured in this book, under Pyrola rosea, Smith 'James gardens and elsewhere. I can only speculate writes that it was sent by Backhouse about the role ofQuakers and Quaker education Esq. of Darlington in Hyndon Gill, near in botany at the time but it seems many of Cockfield, Durham', the sheet (number 'Pyrola Robson's conespondentswere also Quakers. 2006.1512) states media, Hendon Gill Many of the specimenshave no data but more nr Cockfield Jas B.' Similarly under Sciila 'obligingly than half do and most of the collection is atttuntnalis, Smith statesthat it was correctly named (sometimes with comments communicated from St. Vincent's Rocks near from other botanists of the day) even for diffi- the hot-well, Bristol by Dr. John Ford 1792'. ',Scil/ru cult groups such as Potamogetons and Mints. Robson's sheet (2006.145l.l ) states Strangely there are no Compositae in the collec- autttmnalis Gatheredon St. Vincents rocks near tion as it now stands. Bristol by Dr. Ford- From J. Sowerby, London Following Charles Nelson's article in the last III. 1793'. So we have the connectionwith issue of BSBI Nev's (Nelson 2006) about John Sowerby, the correct plant and collection details Dalton, I checked in the collection for specimens and the date given as thc one when Robson collected by him and by John Gough. There are received it from Sowerby (Scilla autumnalis nine possibly fiom John Dalton mostly labeled does not flower in March and the specimen is 'Isle 'Westm.' of Walney' or or un-localised. flowering), this makes me fairly sure that this Typically those which have a date are fiom 1795 specimenis the one figured in the book. I have which is after John Dalton moved to Manchester. been unableto locatea full copy ofSowerby and The date could indicate when he sent them to Notes - Herbariumof E. Robsorr at SunderlandMuseum / Usesfor grasses I 3

Smith in the North East but expect there to be 1997), the ones he missed are for the most paft rnanymore suchconnections. without data and were those left in the original I find old herbarium sheets can sometimes folders whcn some partial re-cr,rration of the provide clues to botanical problems. ln the collection was carried out in 1991 . Flora qnd Vegetcrtion o.f County Durham lf members would like more detail of the (Graham 1988) p. 116 tt is written that collection which I think deserves to be more Melantpvrum s1'lvaticum L. is recorded from widely known then please contact me or the woods about Bamard Castle Robson 1780, Tyne and Wear Museum Service. l'794,but that mistakes seemto have been made References with this speciesbeing recorded in error for the BoLroN, J. 1788-1791. .1n History of fungu.sst,s. Larger Cow-wheat (&l pratense) over the last growing about Hali/itr. Vol 1: Halifax 1788, Vol 2: 20 years in County Durharn. On the sheet Huddersfleld 1788, Vol 3 Hudderst-reldl7tl9. Sup- (2006. 1305) which I think is M. pratense, plement Huddersfield I 791. Robson has writtcn Melamp.t,nrm .cylvaticum DANDY, J.E. 1958. List ol'British L'uscular Plant,s. 'M. British Museum. London. and then pratenseWith, auth [new line] This species is more common in the N. of E. DL,SMoND,R. 1977. Dittionatlv oJ British and Itish Botanists und Horticulturlsls. Taylor Francis Ltd., than the pratense out and sylvaticum [crossed London. pencill'. written in This indicates to me that GRAITAM, G.G. 1988. Tln, Fbra and Vegetation o.l' Robson had as much trouble distinguishing the Counly Durhom. The Durham Flora Cornmittec and two as later botanistsdo, not perhapsso much a the Durham County Conservation Trust. problem of the last 20 years as Graham statcs, HoRSMAN,I--. 2001. Botunising in Linnaean Brituin: but the last200! A studlt ct/ Upper Teasdule in Northern Englund. is Durham University PhD Thesis. It in the fungi that Robson's diligence 'Eduqrd becomes most apparent. Along with his friends HoRSMAN.F 2005. Robsor?'cntry in online JamesElolton of Halifax (who wrote An History Dictionary of National Biography. JERMY,C. & CIAMUS,J. 1991. The Illustrated Fii:ld of Fungusses growing about Halifax (1788 - Guide b Ferns and Allied Plants of the British Isles 1791)) and Thomas FlintolT of Knayton, The Natural History Museum, London. Yorkshire (fl. 1780s)they attemptedto describe LEcc, A-W. 1997.The significanceolEdward Rob- in detail poorly understoodorganisms. Many of son's tungal herbariunr - a provisional assessnlent thc specimenshavc letterson them frorn each of The Vasculum82(4): 69-88. these men describing what they have secn. LEcc. A.W. 1998. The association between James Thomas Flintoff in parlicular does a lot of Bolton of Halifax and Edward Robson of Darling- microscopic examination and writcs about a ton A rc h i ve.so f No I u,'dI H i.rnt ry' 25(3) : 355-360. 'the (1766-1844), slime mould of which fibres when recent NELSoN,C. 2006. John Dalton a self'- confessed colour-blind botanist. and a circle of were possessedof a strong spontaneousmotion'. English Lakeland botanists.BSBINr,lLs 103: 22-25. One of the fungi has been nominated as RoBSoN, E 1794. Description of Rlbcs ,tpicdtunt. supporting rnaterial tbr the type of Dctldenia Tran.suttions o./ tlrc Littneon ,tzrciclr' 3: 240-241 concentricaBolton (the holotype is an illustration ROGERS,J-D., YU.MIN(i, J., WATLING,R. & WHII-- in the Fungusses)(Rogers et a|.1999). I like thc LEY, A.J.S. 1999. A reinterpretation of Daldinia comment by Bolton on another one disagrecing conc'entriut basedupon a recently discovered spec- with thc name and saying it is no more like this imen. Mtcotq.ron LXXII: -507-5I9. 'than fungus a mous€ tis like a fine horse'. All SowERBy,J. & SMrrH.J.E. 1790-1814.English Bot- but 10 folders were carefully examined in 1997 anl. London, 36 vols. SrAcrE, C.A. 1997. Ner.r,Flora o/ the British lsles by Alan Legg who felt that the collectior.rwas Second Edition Cambridge University press, Carr- significant and deseryed further study (Legg, brid{:e. Usesfor grasses ELIZABETHP.ICH, Jesmond Dene, Five A,shes,May/ield, East Sussex,TN20 6JG

In conversation, recently, rvith a very elderly enquired if he used any pafticular grass and he 'just man, he revealed the followirrg: replied any grassgrowing by the wayside'. In his youth; which was spent in Waltham- Heexplainedthegrasstumedjuicyafterawhile. stow, he had a bicycle. The tyres had no inner I wouldn't rccommendit today but presuma- tube so could not be pumped up. He resolved bly it worked for himl this situation by stuffing the tyres with grass. I Notes What to do with olant records ideasfrom Wiltshire

What to do with plant records- ideasfrom Wiltshire JonN PneslaNo, I 75c Ashley Lane, IVinsley, Bradford-on-At on. Wilts, BA I 5 2HR Plant records kilometre squares of the National Grid), with Throughout the British Isles, professional and progressively more precise locations for less amateur botanists are reporting locally on the common species. The recordswere enteredinto plants they find. Usually, the finds are recorded a database held at the Wiltshire Bblosical in some kind of database of county records. Records Centre (l4tBRC) and distribution rnaps These records may have come from planned were made from it. The Flora was prepared surveys ofan area or group ofplants, or they may from these data. just record what cropped up when a botanist has Though the Flora was completed,members of been on the prowl. While any information about the newly formed Wiltshire Botanical Society the whereabouts of plants locally is of value in continued to record plants, and a databaseof itself, there may not always be an overall plan for these records was set up and maintained. making use of the body of records assembled in Indeed, that was one of the purposesfor which theseways. Should thesedata just be allowed to it was formed. Eventually, the Flora Mapping sit there until somebody finds a use for them, or recordsat the Biological RecordsCentre and the should there be some regular and systematic way WBS database became interchangeable, of making use of them? enabling both to be nearerto comprehensive. An obvious step is to report back to the body Publishing records of recorders in some way, but this poses From early on, the most interesting of these questions as to what the data are for. Because recordswere published - at first in the Society's the data concerned accumulate in a catch-all newsletterand, from 1995 onwards, in its scien- way rather than as part of an overall plan, they tific journal Wiltshire Botany. At first, this was could not be a main source of information for done on a subjective basis, but a systematic rewriting or updating a county flora, providing scheme was gradually developed. Too many information to help managementof sites,devis- records were submitted to allow all to be ing development plans, protecting plants and published, so there needed to be methods of plant communities against development selection. This brought us back to the question projects, or building up an overall picture of the of what the recordswere for. nation's biodiversity heritage. On the other First thoughts were that the records were hand, they could contribute more significantly likely to be of most use in adding to our infbr- to helping cultural activity and influencing and mation on less common plants. Added to this, informing the general public. For what was a feeling that simply re-recording plants in purposes should the feedback be designed, and the same place, though a valuable activity, was how is the design to be achieved? Below is less important than noting that a taxon had describedan approachto theseproblems by one spreadto new territory. With these thoughts in county-wide association - Wiltshire Botanical mind, criteria were establishedfor publication Society (referred to henceforward as WBS). of a record. They are framed in terms of the Recording plants in Wiltshire taxon (plnval taxa), a general concept encom- The history of botanical recording in Wiltshire passing the genus (plural genera), species, has been summarisedelsewhere (Presland et al. subspecies and vru'iet.v.They werc: 2002). The latest Wiltshire flora is The . The taxon was recordedin 3% or lessofthe Wiltshire Flora (Gillam, Green & Hutchison lkm squaresin v.c. 7 and v.c. 8 combined 1993). It covered the two botanical vice-coun- inlhe Wiltshire Floro Mapping Project and ties into which Wiltshire is divided v.c.7 in as noted inthe 1993 Flora: the North and v.c. 8 in the South (including the o The taxon had not previously been recorded smail parts of them which are outside during the Flora Mapping and onwards for Wiltshire's administrative boundaries).with the the tetrad in which the record was made. Kennet and Avon Canal as the boundary To facilitate selection, a list was eventually between the two. It was written on the basis of drawn up of what were termed eligible tuxa, the Wiltshire Flora Mapping Project, begun in which were taxa to which the 3olo criterion 1983. The project was run by a steering group applied at the time of publication of the 1993 in which the main influence came from the two Flora. Taxa which had not been included in the vice-county recorders. Plantswere recorded for Flora at all but recorded since were added. 'new their occurrence in each tetrad (group of 4 Then, each year, any furthcr taxa' were Notes What to do with plant records- ideasfrom Wiltshire 15

added, so that the list was continually being o To enablecomparisons to be made between enlarged. Tetrads newly noted for each taxon the original Flora Mapping data and subse- since the Flora were enumeratedin the list, and quent records. then, each year, the new ones were inserted. o To provide a sort of'flora' for all the eligi- Subsequentrecords in those tetrads could then ble taxa covering all records over the be omittcd at publication. period from the early 80s to 2003. At first, the tetrads which had already been Understanding the Record List and analyses recorded for a taxon at the time of the Flora In the Record List, the taxa are in alphabetical maps in the were determined from distribution order by their scientific names. The data are Flora for some species, and by searching the presented as tetrad labels, each tetrad being original Flora Mapping database for taxa for identified by its southwest component lkm provided. Following which such maps were not square. The form of the Record Zlsl and the the receipt of the 2003 records, the list of eligi- meaningsof the entriesare shown in the illustra- ble specieswas modified to include a list of all tive sample(p. l7). the tetrads noted in the Wiltshire Flora Mapping To use the list for a particular taxon, it is first Project for each unmapped taxon. There is now nccessaryto look at either the distribution map published (Wiltshire for the first time in form in the I 993 Flora or the list of tetrads in square 1993 Botanical Society 2006 combined with the brackets. These show the tetrads in which the Flora), a hopefully complete record of all the taxon was recorded during the Flora Mapping. tetrads for which a record has been made for Then look at the unbracketed tetrads to see each taxon from 1983 to 2003 inclusive. This which tetrads have been added since the Flora should enable easier and more accurate selec- Mapping. The tetrad recordsalso allorv identifi- tion in the future. cation of I't l0km square records, and the v.c. Publishing an overall account items tells us the vice-counties in which the At this point. also.work beganon a presentation tetrad has been recorded since the Flora and analysis ofthe records ofeligible taxa since Mapping began, so that l't recent county and recording for the 1993 Wiltshire Flora ceased vice-county records (i.e. since the Flora around the end of 1991 and up to the end of Mapping began) can be identified. The nifg and 2003. The work was publishedin the Society's nifs items indicate that earlier records can be journal (Wiltshirc Botanical Society 2006). found in the publications quoted, so that they Since then, further analyses have been carried can be compared with records during and after out and it is planned to publish these in future the Flora Mapping. This enablesidentification issues(Wiltshire BotanicalSociety 2007; 2008). of records which are the first in the county or Articles on bramblc species, willows and vicc-county for all time. poplars, fems and their allies, arable weeds, Analyses of the data woodland indicators and taxa absent from thc The usefulnessof the analysesherc is limited by 1993 Flora but present in the earlicr Flora of the facts that the information on which it is Grose ( I 957) and refound since 199 1, are all in based representsonly recorded additions to the readiness,and there may be others to come. distribution of each taxon covered at the time of The 2006 publication begins with an explana- the analysis; and that it is based on individual tory introduction, followed by the list of eligible interestsand targeted surueys, rather than on a (called their tetradsas taxa the Record Lisl) and systematic study of the flora as a whole. described above. There is then a series of However, some infonnation is worth summaris- arlicles in which thc data are analyscd so see ing becausc it is valuable in itsell-. Other data publication what can be leamed fiom them. The can be checked against, and interpreted in the haslhc lollowingobjectivcs: light of, other sourcesof information. Finally, o To providc easy access to all available even where no conclusions can bc reached, information on the tetrads in which each analysescan raise and clarify matters in need of eligible taxon was recorded inthe Wiltshire further thought or investigation. Below are - Flora Mapping Project a new contribu- examples of analyscs of the data for particular tion to the literarurc. taxa. r To list all the tctrads additional to those in the 1993Flora in which eacheligible taxon Papaver hybridum (Rough Poppy) has been entered into l|'iltshire Botttnical The data for this taxon probably signify a Society records since the F/ora (up to and genuine change in distribution. It is one of the including 2003). many annual agricuitural weeds that used to flourish in land that was cultivated. because 16 Notes What to do with olant records ideasfrom Wiltshire

cultivation produced soil where they could grow Cochlearia danico (Danish Scurvy-grass) with little competition from vigorous perennials This taxon was unknown in Wiltshire at the and becausethe seedswere often inadvertently tinre of the 1993 Flora but has been recorded harvested with the crop and consequentlysown since. It is typically a plant ofsandy and rocky with it. With the advent of herbicides and seed seashoresand walls and banks near the sea. cleaning techniques,they becarneless common. This does not appear to be because it requires Rough Poppy survived in scattered locations, salt. but rather because it is a low and slender mainly in South and East England. The rise of annual which does not compete well with more conservalion has given it ner.r opportunities. vigorous plants, and its salt tolerance allows it Strips at field edgesare sometime left unsprayed to thrive in locations where such competitors to allow growth of weeds. Rough Poppy is can't. This explainswhy it is alsofound inland well-equipped to take advantageofsuch oppor- on railway ballast.roadsides, and in cracks in tunities. It is normally selt'-pollinated, so a buildings. On roadsides, it is likely that single plant is all that is needed for a new competitors are discouraged by salt spread on generation. The seedsremain viable in the soil road surfaces to prevent icing. lt may also for at least 80 years, so it is very likely that some relate to regular nrowing of grass in these will be there ready to germinate when condi- situations, which reduces shading by more tions become right. There is evidence that it is vigorous plants. It hasalso been suggested that becomingmore common in at leastsome local- C. danica is resistant to herbicides sometirnes itics. A study in neighbouring Oxfordsl.rire used on roadsides.such as Glyphosphate,and found that it occurred in two out of 156 fields in can also set seed.grow and fiuit betwecnappli- 1962, but was in 12 of the original 104 fields cations (Greenwood 2001). It crops up that remained in 1991 (Stevensonet al. 1999). increasingly on roadsides and central reserva- This reflects a national trend. in that the olant tions of busy dual carriageways within the was identificd as nationallyscarce on the basis cities of Birmingham and Nottingham, for of the 1962 Atlas of the Brilish .flora, bfi no instance. Here it can occur in large numbers, Ionger has that status (Preston, Pearman & rvith either white or lilac flowers or both. It Dines 2002). [t could be worthwhile to look for particularly favours central resen'ations, it in other arable situations. which may be becausethe salt concentrationis In Wiltshire, Rough Poppy was recordedin 60 higher there than at the sides. An altemativc lkm squares in the Flora Mapping, which is suggestion (Roper 1994) is that the ccntre is a roughly 2%oof all such squares in the County, less favourable environment for small animals but they were virtually all in the south-west that eat the plant. (seeColour Section,Plate 2). quarter. In this area, it was sornetimeslocally It is on busy main roads that the species first common. A 1999 suruey concluded that it was made its entry into Wiltshire in 1989, when 'possibly increasing'in Wiltshire,mainly on the two patches were found orr the central reserva- basisofnew sites(Banks 2002). Therewere an tion of a stretchof the M4 motorway. ln 1990 encouraging 14 new tetrads added to the Flora and 1991 it was found on the ,4303 near Mapping count of 43 during the subsequent Bulford, Mere and Chicklade. ln 1991, it period up to 2003 - 33% of that original appeared in a different kind of habitat the number. The new tetrads are. with one excep- base of a wall in Salisbury. In 1993 it had tion, in new 1Okm squaresadjacent to the area invaded other dual carriageways - the central in which it mainly occurred during the Flora reservation of the 4'429 at Kington Langley. Mapping. There is no reason to suppose that north of Chippenham,and the Swindon-Chip- these squares were neglected earlier. Other penham stretch of the M4. In 1994 it was agricultural weeds were recorded in them, so observed on the .4.120at South Marston. north- there was recording activity, so it is unlikely that east of Swindon. ln 1999 it was abundant the plant was there but overlooked. It is distinc- besidethe A338 south of Bodenham,south of tive in appearance,easily distinguishable from Salisbury, and on the A4l9 at Stratton St other poppies by a fruit about as long as broad Margaret, where there were thousands of coveredin bristly hairs and a srnallish,distinc- plants the following year, especially on the tively crimson flower (sce inside Front Cover). central reservation. lt u,as also seen in ones The fnrits of other speciesare either not bristly and twos in other habitatsin 1999 and 200 l. or much longer than wide. The safcst conclu- Up to 2003, Danish Scurvygrasswas recorded sion is that the plant has spreadfrom neighbour- in l5 tetrads,and its spread seemscertain to ing areasinto new sites,which is a good sign for continue. We know the best situations in its future. which to detectit. Notes- What to do with t records- ideasfrorn Wiltshire

A gro stemma git ltago (Corncockle) References This taxon is ofinterest becauseit is a nationallv BANKS, J. 2002. Rare arable weeds in Wiltshire. rare species. lt is a distinctive plant with iis WiltshiretBotany 5: 13-16. narrow hairy leaves, purple corolla up to 2 GILLrrur,B., GneeN, D. & ilurcHtsoN, A. 1993. I/zc IViltshire inchesacross and poinled sepalsprojecting r.rell Flora. Pisces.Newbury. CnrEHwooo. E. l00l Obscrvations beyond them It has been with us at leasisince on the llora associatedwith street furniture. Roman times. For most period BSBI Netys86 12- of that it has been 15. a conlmon and seriousagricultural weed, partic- GROSE,D. 1957. The Flora oJ lyiltshire. Wilrshire ularly in comfields. poisonous since its seeds Archaeological and Natural History SocieW. make wheat flour unwholesome. lts seedswere Devizes. harvested and sown with the crop. When MannEn, P. 1999 Britain's rure llotters. povser. larmers leamed to remove weed seeds lrom London. crop seedin the 191hcenfury, however, the large PrusIano, J., AIseIrr, R., GRIEN, D., HARDCASTLE. M. size of its seedsmade it an easy target. FurthJr, & HUTcHTSON,A. 2002. Botanical recordins in Wiltshirc. Wilr.s h irc Boranr 5: the seeds were relatively short-lived, with, 2-9. PResroN,C.D.. PEARMAN,D.A. & DINES,T.D.2OO2. allegedly. few of them remaining dormant in the -Bv New Atlus of tht, British & Iri:;h Flora. soil lbr nrore years. Oxlord than a l-ew the ourbreak UniversityPress. Oxlbrd. of the Second World Wai. therefore. it was rare. RoPER,P. 199.1.Motorway Scurvygrass.BSBIrVenr)- It is now growr in gardens, from which it 65: 13. periodically escapes,and it is also sown by STEARN,L.F. 1975. Sultplenent to the LltiltshireFlo- conservation-niinded farrriers. tr. Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History In Wiltshire. Comcocklc had a brief resursence Society, Devizes. STEVENSoN, alier thc war. whcn Grosc,in his 1957Wilishire M., Surclrnns, O., GREGoRY.S. & KAy, S. 1999. The changingfortunes Flora. reported it as comnton or fiequent in of Britain,s rare arable plants. BSBIAtenx 8l: 34-35. variouswidespread parts of the counly afrerold WTLTSHIREBOTANICAL SO('IETY. 2006. Afler the pastureswere ploughed,with over 60 localities in Wiltshirc Flora: Wiltshire Records after the Re- the preceding ten years, which throws doubt on cording for the 1993 Wilrshire Flora up to the End the claim that seedviability is shorllived. In the of 2001. IVilrshirr&ionv B: l-39. 1950s and 1960s it disappearedagain, perhaps WTLTSHTREBorANrcAL SoCrEry. 2007. Ilriltshire because of increased usi-of frerUiiides. In ttre Botany 9. In preparation. Flora Mapping for the 1993Floru, only 5 locali- WILTSHIRE BOTANICAL SOCIETY. 2008. 14ilt,ghire B,ttanr'1n, preparation. ties were found.4 of them in r.c. 7. atirihutedto In bird seedor garden escape.V.c.8 had sornebrief Illustrative samplefrom the Record excitetnent rvhen many plants appcared at a List Wcstbury recreation ground after grubbin_eout of Abie.scephalorica * nif SU 0638.vc8 * a hedge, but it w,as afterwards reported that the Abtttilontheophrasti nrif [ST 8068,SU 3tt80l. local council had sown uild flowcr seedthere. rc7 * Since the Flora, there have been onlv-has 3 new Acer macrophyllum nif ST 9418,vcS tetrads, including onc where a farmer been Acerplatanoides * p226,vc78 planting lvild flower seed. As a genuinelv wild ,4<:era.;anthropornorytha slo p362 [SU 04lS] ST flower it is regarded as cffec-tively extinct 9052.vc8 (Marren 1999). However, the oniy two other Aconitumnatrselltrs ssp. napellus pl36 [ST 8058, post-Flora-Mapping recordsare inhiguing one 8076,8256, 8276, 8452, 8472, 9234, 9648, on a large building site at Trowbridge ii 199S. 9662.SU 0288,0626,t446,2050.24661 SU where lts occurrenceas an arableweed in the oast 0478,9{34,rcTx * is not impossible.and theotlter irr a Bradlbrd-on- Acoruscqlanus slo p307IST 97, 9i]601ST Avon garden, where rnany plants appeared in 8041,vc78 2000 that had not been intentionallv olanted. lt Adiontumcapillu,s-venerls slo pl24 [SU 0858], u'ill bc interestingto sccwhere else it lurnsup. vc78 * Final words Adoni,sennua pl39 SU 1422.1434. vc78 Aesculuscornea * nrif Each county has its own recording historv ISU 1670, 1680|SU and 2662.rc78 practicesand ils own areasolbotanical inicrcst. Agerntumhrnrstrnianum * nrif which will alfect the ways in which rccords are [ST 92_50],i,cS Agrimoniupr()(et'a slo pl95 9054, collccted. maintained and usccl. It ma,,, be. IST 8368. 9426, 9426, SU t222, 1266. however.that experience in Wiltshire.ould. in t154. 1456. 1458.t.l6l. somecases. help thc thinking. | 464, t65:, I844. I 8-{h.I fi.18" 1852, I 856, 2026, 2030, 2044, 2046. 2060, l8 Notes - What to do with olant records- ideasfrom Wiltshire / Colour-blind Botanists/ A six metre Phrapmites aerial stem

2068, 2226, 2228, 2286, 2420, 2422, 2428, a nif - the taxon is not inthe Flora: 2458, 2466, 2622, 2664, 2664, 28181SU a nifg - the taxon is not in the 1993Flora, 1022,1222, 2066, 2238, 2264, 2266, 2420, but includedin Grose's195'7 Flora: 2470,2618,2862,vclS nifs the taxon is not in the 1993Flora, * Agrostemmagithago slo p156 IST 86501ST nor in Grose's1957 Flora, but includedin 8260.8656.SU 1284.vc78 Steam's1975 supplement. * Allium triquetrum nifs SU 2428,vc8 [ ] - there is no distribution map in the Ambrosia artemisiifolia* nifg ST 8650, SU Flora, bttt the taxon was recordedin the 0638.1430.2872.vc18 tetradsin the bracketsduring the Wiltshire (WFMP) By way of explanation Flora Mapping Project for the 1993Flora: * . - the taxon is not native to Wiltshire, Tetrad referencesnot in brackets these thoughit may be nativeto Britain; arenew tetradsin which the taxonhas been . A page number on its own thereis a recordedsince the Flora Mapping and up to distributionmap in the 1993Flora on the 2003inclusivel pageglven; vc followed by 7, 8 or 78 theseare the r slo followed by a page number - the vice-countiesin which thereis a recordfor Flora mentionssome specific localitieson a taxon either before or after the 1993 that page, but without identifying the Flora or both. tetrads; . nrif followed by a page number the Flora refersto the taxon.but mentionsno soecificlocalities:

Colour-blindBotanists TIM PAINE.l3 Limerick Road, Bristol, 856 7DY I was intrigued by Charles Nelson's article in It would be interesting to follow up Charles BSBI News 103 on John Dalton, whose 250th Nelson's guestimate of up to 170 colour-blind anniversary has just passed (6 Sept). Dalton BSBI members. Assuming a majority read concluded that his colour-blindness he saw BSBI News, a simple count could be arrived at if pink as blue and scarletas green was due to the readers test themselves using the standard bluenessof the vitreous humour in his eye. This Ishihara plates, accessible at www.kcl.ac.uk/ was disproved when one of his eyes on his teares/gktvc/vclltlcolourblindness/cblind.htm, 'type' instruction was dissected aI1er his death. In and let me know what they are timpaine@ I 995 Hunt et al. reported that they had extracted blueyonder.co.uk. I shall report back. DNA from the same, preserved, eye, which Members may also like to seehow their digital 'deuteranope' proved that Dalton was a i.e. the flower photos appear to colour-blind botanists notmal M-gene on his X-chromosome (his Dy accessmg: 'carrier') mother being the was replaced by the www.etre.com./tools/colourblindsimulator - L-gene. This type of colour-blindness of Reference - which there are several occurs in 1%oof men HuNr. D.M. et al. 1995.Science 267:984-988. (and0.4Yo of women) in the UK. Ratesvary in different parls of the world.

A six metre Phrugmitesaerial stem Ja.cr OltveR, High View, Rhyls Lane, Lockeridge, Nr Marlborough, Wilts. SN8 4ED Reed swamps are being encouragedby the betweenvertical stemsand stolons.non-flower- Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and the Cotswold ing but semi-horizontal at waist to shoulder Water Park Societyin the gravel pits around height. The nodes were about 20-30cm apart, Ashton Keynes. Three of us were struggling some with short aerial roots, or shoots,or both. through dense stands of Phragmites australis The intemodes were less rigid than the (Common Reed) when we came acrossand surrounding verlical culms, and these stems werepartly entangledby two plants,one 4/, and snaked at mid-heights along through the verti- the other 6m long. These were half-way cals. Are aerial stolons known for this species? Notes The VascularPlant Red Data List: Amendments L9

The Vascular Plant Red Data List for Great Britain: Year 1 Amendments StrtoN J. LEACH, Natural England, Roughmoor, Bishop's Hull, Taunton, Somerset TAI 5AA, simonj. [email protected] Publication of the new Red List (Cheffings & but where there was insufficient information to Fanell 2005) representeda major landmark for assign an IUCN threat category); 220 (12.5%) 'Vulnerable'; 'Endangered'; the conservation of wild plants in Britain. As 90 (5.1%) 35 'Critically BSBI members will be aware, the Red-listing (2.0%) Endangered'; 4 (0.2%) 'rarity' 'Extinct 'Extinct'. process used to work on the logic that in the Wild'; and 9 (0.5%) 'threat' and were inseparably linked, and that if lFor definitions ol the various calcgories.sce a plant wasn't rare it probably wasn't threat- Cheffings & Fanell (2005).) ened. Only rare species were included in Red The Red List attracted an enoffnous amount of Data Books, although various criteria includ- publicity. All the broadsheets,and many of the ing rate of decline, number of localities and their tabloids, gave it extensive coverage a remoteness - were then used to ascertain welcome diversion from the orevious week's 'degree of threat' in accordanccwith the intcr- General Election.perhaps'.' ind membersof 'Species nationally recognised (IUCN) threat categories the vascuiar plants Status Assessmcnt current at the time. The 3'd edition of the Red Croup' found themselves rushing betrveen Data Book (Wigginton 1999) assessedsuch national television and local radio, doing intcr- species against revamped IUCN threat criteria views with joumalists and news presenterskeen (IUCN 1994) and, for the first time, also to tease out the significance of the report's 'storyline' included several Nationally Scarce taxa known findings. The main was clear to have been in sharp decline (e.g. Dianthus enough, and analogies with declining bird armeria (Deptford Pink)). But the new Red List populations abounded. In the public's imagina- - thanks very largely to the work of BSBI tion, skylarks and grey partridgeshad now been members in gathering the millions of recordsfor joined by the likes of Shepherd's-needle the two Atlases in 1962 and 2002 - was able to (Scandix pecten-veneris) and Corn Buttercup go one step further, assessing the shifting (.Ranuncttlusarven,sis)'. two more'Critically fortunes of all our wild plants, not just the Endangered' farmland species losing ground rarities, against the very latest IUCN criteria across great swathes of the British countryside (rucN2001,2003). but plants this time, not birds. Intuitively, of course, we already knew that Things don't stand still for long, however, and many Nationally Scarce and even some quite the list was published in the cefiain knowledge common - spccieshad bcen dcclining markcdly that it would very soon require amending in light 'new in recent decades. For example, even before of information'. Just as the countryside publication of the maps in Scarce Plants changes,so too does our knowledge and under- (Stewart et al. 1994) and the New,Atlas (Preston standing of the plants that iive therc. We are et a|.2002), we were aware of large-scalelosses particularly conccrned to ensure that detailed of A;'roc'omptis(Orchis) morio (Green-winged single-species studies - like the one on Orchid), a dircct conscqucnceofthc widespread Gentianella germonica (Chiltem Gentian) by destructionof unimproved neutral meadows and McVeigh et al. (2005) shouid contribute pastures,especially in the English lowlands;but directly, and speedily,to updatedassessments of now we were able to quantify theselosses in IUCN threat category in the Red List. terms of range contraction and a'thinning' of its Taxonomic perspectiveskeep changingtoo, rvith nationai distribution at lOkm squarescale and new speciesand subspeciesbeing describc'l and assessthem againstthe most reccnt IUCN thrcat cxisting taxa changing taxonomic rank (e.g. criteria. As a result,A. morio was listed in the varieties becoming subspecies, or subspecies 'Near 2005 Red Li.stas Threatened'. becoming species). 'rarv The new list was, in effect, a bald statementof In this way, the materials' from which what had been happening to our native (and Ihe Red List is fashionedare apt to change frorn archaeophyte)flora over the last 40-odd years. one year to the ncxt. Hcnce thc nced for this In all, I 756 taxawere assessed,as follows: I 261 update,just I8 months after the original list was 'Least (71.8%) Concem' (i.e. not threatened); published. Our intention is to post an annual list 'Near 98 (5.6%) Threatened';39 (2.2%)'Data of amendments on the JNCC website, and to Deficient' (species believed to be threatencd, publish a summary of the main changesin BSBI 20 Notes The VascularPlant Red Data List: Amendments

News. There will be a full-scale review of the work, while a fufther 13 have been added to 'Least Red List in about 10 years' time, but meanwhile the main list as Concem'. Thus, lbr our aim is simply to try to keep it as up-to-date example, the widespread Letrcanthemunr as possible. vulgare ssp. vulgare has been listed as 'Least So. what amendments have been made Concenr', on the assurnptionthat its following the first year? Not many, surely? conservation status is the same as that Well, actually quite a few, and we give a assignedto the speciesas a whole. On the summary of the main changes below. For full other hand, L. vulgare ssp. crassifolium details, please refer to the JNCC website (thought to be restricted to the Lizard 'Waiting www jncc.gov.uk, look under species> species peninsula) has been added to the designations,and tbllow the relevant links. List' and earmarked for further study to 'worth', 1. There is just one taxonomic/nomenclatural confirm its taxonomic overall 'threatened' change to taxa listed as in the population size and distribution. Without 2005 Red List: A.sparagus of/icitralis ssp. this kind oldetailed information,we cannot prostratus is now l'istedas A. prcstrcrtus,tn say whether (or to what extent) these infra- line with Kay et ul. (2001). specific taxa are threatened. The only 'Extinct' 2. Tlrere are five taxa Carex dayal- exceptions are Sell & Munell's two liana, Carex trinervis, Pinguicula alpina, subspecies of Galium pumilum. Ssp. Rubus arcticus and,Tric'hophorun alpinum pumilum is now listed, like the speciesas a 'Endangered', which were inexplicably overlooked whole, as whlle ssp.fleurotii 'Data when the Red Li.stwas being compiled, and is assessedas Deficient' we are these have now been added. fairly sLrrethe latter is threatened,but until 3. One species, Lepidium sativum, was we have more detailed information on its included in the Red llsl in error, and has distribution we are unable to assign an now been removed. In the New ,4tlas it rs IUCN threat category. 'casual', listed as not as an archaeophyte. 10.Publication of Sell & Murrell (2006), distri- 4. Two newly described taxa have been butional studies by David McCosh and added: Sorbrs p se u clo me i n i c h i i (' Critically recent work on numerous Welsh Hieracia Endangered') and Sorhus whiteana by Tim Rich and colleagues,have allowed ('Endangered'). us, for the first time, to include all native J. Gentianella germanica, previously listed as species of Hieracium on the Red List. 'Least Concem', has been re-assessedas Previously, only Sect.Alpinawas included. 'Vulnc-rable', following a detailedinvesti- With the help of David McCosh and Tim gation by McVeigh et al. (2005). Rich, the Year i Amendments List incorpo- 6. Buxus sempervirens, previously listed as ratesan updatedassessment ofSect. Alpina 'Least Concerrr', has been re-assessedas (including four new species), along with 'Data Deficient'. Although the native new assessmentsfor the rest of the genus: range is obscured by its widespread distri- 354 taxa in all. Of these, 86 have been 'Vulnerable', bution as an introduction, there are very categorised as l8 as 'Endangered', 'Critically f'ew undoubted native populationsand these l3 as Endan- 'Extinct are now consideredto be under threat from gered', 2 as likely to be in the box blight. Wild', and 5 as probably or certainly 'Extinct'. 7. Senecio eboracen,sis,previously included In addition, 16 speciesare listed 'Waiting 'Data 'Near on the List'. has now been added as Dellcient', 7 as Thrcatened', 'Extinct 'Waiting to the main list as in the Wild' as it and 23 as List' spr'ciesrequiring has not beenseen in the wild since2000. fuilher work. That leaves 184 taxa which 'Least 8. Trifolium incarnatum ssp.molinerii, previ- are listed as Concern'. 'Vulnerable', ously listed as has been re- Il. As for hawkweeds, so also for dandelions! 'Least assessedas Concem', following the New infonr.rationin Sell & Munell (2006), discovery of new popuiationsin S. Devon combined rvith that of Dudrrran& Richards 'Nationally (Smith 2006). It is still Rare', (1997), now allows us to give greatly of course, but now occurs as a presumed improved listings tbr species within the native in three lO-km squares in Great gents Taraxacum. In the 2005 Red List we Britain, ratherthan two. includedjust six speciesin the main list. To 9. 29 infraspecific taxa (subspecies)appearing these we have now added 131 taxa: 3 'Vulnerable'. 'Data in Sell & Murrell (2006) have been added 6 Deficient', 2l 'Waiting 'Waiting 'Lcast to the List' astaxu requiring morc List' and l0l Concern'. Notes Tbe Vascular Plant Red Data List: Amendments/ Status ol Artemisia campe.stris 21 sso.maritima as a native

There is, of course, a huge amount still to do References note, fbr example. the large numbers of species CHEFFTNGS.C.M., F,4.RRbLL,L. (EDS),DtNES, T.D.. 'Data listed as Deficient' or languishing on the JoNEs,R.A.. Lnncs, S.J.,MCKEAN, D.R., PE.qn- 'Waiting List', all of which need work done on MAN, D.A., PRESTON,C.D., RuNlsEy,F.J. & TAy- LoR. I. 2005. The Vascular Plant Red Data List for them. In addition, many specieswere Red-listed Creat Britain. SpeciesStatus 7: 1-116. Joint Nature on account of the small number of locations Consewation Conrmittee, Peterborough. and/or size ofextant populations;and thesenow DUDMAN,A.A. & RrcHARos,A.J. 1997. Dondelions require periodic re-survey/monitoring to ascer- of'Greot Britain uncl lreland. BSBI. London. tain whether their IUCN threatcatesories are still IUCN 1994. ILICN Red List Categories.IUCN Spe- correct. The emphasis within BSBI at the cies Survival Commission. As approved by the 40tt' moment on County Rare Plant Registers Meeting of the IUCN Council, Gland, Switzerland. (CRPRs) is forhritous, and members need to IUCN 2001. IUCN Red List Categories and Criterio: IUCN appreciate how tlreir records can contribute Ilersion 3.1. Species Suruival Commission, 'health' Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. directly to national assessmentsof the of IUCN 2003. Guidelines .for Using rhe IUCN Red List nrany Red-listedspecies. And thereare doubtless 'Least C'utegories and Criteria. IUCN Species Sun'ival speciescategorised as Concern' that others Commission, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. rnay feel are under threat; we knou,. for example, Kev, Q.O.N.,D,\vrES, E.W. & RlcH, T.tl.G. 2001. that botanists in Hampshirc are questioning of the westcrn European endemic ls- whether Gladiolus illyricus should be listed as poragus prostratus (A. ollicinalis subsp. pro,r/ra- 'Least Conccm', sinceon many sitesin the New rzs) (Asparagaceae). Botanital Journal of the Forest it seemsto be declining, and on some has Linnean Sotiel 137 127-131. 'annual McVErcH, A.. C',rRr.r', RrcH. T.C.G. 2005. been lost altogether. Hopefirlly. the J. & Chil- tern Gcntian. Gt'ntianellu gernrrrrz'tr (Willd) B6rn- amendments' process will give the work being er ((ientianaceae) in Britain: tlistribution and done on such speciesan extra impetus,leading to current status. Il/atsonia 25: 339-367 . irnproved estimatesof recentchanges in distribu- PRESTON,C.D., PT1ARMAN,D.A. & Drxus, T.D. (eds) tion and population size and a better understand- 2002. New Atlus o/'the British & lrish Flora. Ox- ing of current and funrre threats. fbrd University Pre'ss,Oxford. Ack nowledgements SELL,P. & MURRITLL,G. 2006. Flora o/ Greul Britain l'he Year 1 amenclmentsto the RezlIlst werc com- und lreland, Iitl. 1, Clampunuldceue Asteruteue. 'Species Cambridge University Press,Cambridge. piledby the StatusAssessment Group', co- 'Lizard'clover ordinatedby JNCICand includrng representatives SMITH.R.E.N. 2006.A in SouthDev- fiom the Biological RecordsCentre (ivithin CEH), on.BSB/ N.'nr l0l: l2-lJ. PI,ARMAN, tlSBl, CountrysideCouncil lor Wales.Natural Eng- STEWART,A., D.A. & PRtssroN,C.D. (eds) 1994. Stan'e Plants in Britain. Joint Nature landlfbrmerly Englrsh Nature), Natural History Mu- seurn,Plantlife. Royal BotanicCarden Edinburgh. Conservation f'orlrnittee, Pcterborongh. (ed). and ScottishNatural Heritage. The prescntnote is Wr(icrNToN. M-J. 1999. Britisll Red Datu Books. plull.r. rvrittenon behalfof that GrouD. We wish to thank l. Vascular 3'd cd. JNCC. Peterborough. I)arid McCoshand Tim Richl'or hclrrful comrnent: anddafa on theHltrirclrlr?r \nccies.

On the status of Artemisia campeslris ssp. mqritima as a native JottN D. TwtBELL, NCCPG Artemi.siaCollet:tion, -l I Smith Street,Elsworth, Cumbritlqe, CB23 4HY

I was intrigued to read the two recent articles in the coast of mainland Britain over a number of BSBI Nev,s 103 (Smith & Wilcox p. 3 and ycars. The malitimc subspeciesis repor-tedin Clerncnt p. 4) regarding thc finding ctlArtenti.sio Flora Etrropuca (Tutin et al. 1976) to grow on t'urnpe.strisssp. nnritimo on dunes at Crosby on duncs along the west coast of Europrr, from Merseyside, ancl of the controvcrsy as to its Holland dorvn to Spain. I have sccn and statusas a native. I have coresoonded with the collected this subspcciesin France,Porlugal and authors of the two arlicles and hare been Spain (and have specimens growing in the suppliedwith plant material.which confrrms the Arlernisia Collcction), but have not seen any idcntification. nraterial from Holland or Belgiunr. The coastal In my opinion the plant is ahnost ccrtainly British distributionu'ould ccrtainly fit with thc native to the British lsles. li'lt llr.sia campesti.s Europeandistritrution of the maritirnc subspe- (Field Wonnwood) (without subspecies cies and therc is a site wherc this particular division) has becn occasionally recordedaround subspccicshas been recorded fbr rnany years. 22 Notes - Statnsof Artemisia campestris ssp.maritima as a native

on dunes at Crymlyn Burrows in South Wales more sitesthan the I 962 edition. The 1976 map (v.c. 41) (see inside Front Cover). In 1990 I shows it as casual at various coastal sites. obtained a licence from the then Nature approximating to St Austell in Comwall, Conservancy Council to collect material from Crymlyn Burrows, three other sites in south that site, and still have it growing in the Artem- Wales (from Cardiff to Newport), and a site near isia Collection. More recent information from Speke on Merseyside. This latter site may be the Countryside Council for Wales (Lindi Rich, the one at Garston docks referred to by Smith & January 2000), suggests that the plants at the Wilcox, where the plant had been apparently original collection site have been largely identified in 1934 as ssp. campeslrrs.(Savidge replaced by a newer colony a few hundred et al. 1963). I have not seen this publication. metres away. Whilst the find may have been a chance intro- The maritime subspecies is variable in form, duction of ssp. campestris from the docks, I but the material that I have seen in Eurooe shows wonder whether herbarium or more recent a distinct progressionin habit as it is followcd living material is available to recheck whether it south. Specimens that I have from the Isle de Rhd could have been ssp.maritima? region south of Brittany are of a vcry lax spread- Other coastalsites on the 1976 map are given ing habit, perhapsless than 0.3m high, but south near the north Norfolk coast and near Hartlepool, of the Gironde the plant appearsto be much more Hull, Glasgow and Belfast. The north Norfolk erect, producing clumps around 0.5m high. (As and other inland sites shown may be sites where Eric Clement says,in Francethe plant is normally the Breckland Mugwort / Field Southemwood refered to as .4 llovdii.) (See inside Front (campestris subspecies) lingered in its decline. I Cover). From the coast of Portugal to southem note that the New Atlas of the British & Irish Spain the maritime dune plant becomes even F/ora shows only the Crymlyn Burrows site as more strongly erect and was described from this having a recently verified coastal population for region by Linnaeus(1753 p. 846) asA. uithmiJb- A. campestris (again without subspeciesdivision) lia. The leavesof the plant also show an evolu- and, in my view wrongly, claims this to be a tionary trend along the long narrow distribution naturalised population. range, becoming more thickly fleshy with shorter I have long been of the opinion that ssp. stems and longer lobes, towards the southern maritima probably grows at other coastal sites extremity. Some of the French material shows a in thc British Isles.but due to its semi-prostratc velvety white effect on new leaves, particularly and relatively inconspicuous habit it may not over winter, due to a layer of fine hairs. This have been noticed. lt is perhapsonly a matter of effect is perhaps less noticeable on the Welsh time before this plant turns up elsewhere on (Crymlyn Burrows) form and in the southern coastal dunes, and anyone living near or populations from Portugal and Spain. planning to visit these areas(particularly where The Welsh plant appearsto fit the European the plant has been recorded in the past) may mainland progression in leaf form and in being wish to follow this one up. I would be very a lax, low growing plant, but it is more prostrate pleasedto hear ofany potential sightings and to than I expected from the French material. help in any identification plant prostrate Indeed the was so when I visited Distinguishing between the two subspecies the site that even with a site map it took me a The two subspecies are most easily distin- I while to find it, and I eventually realised that guished by their leaf form and shape. The largely hidden was standing on stems that were campestris subspecies has very thin, almost grass. amongst the In the Artemisia Collection needle-like leaves cut once or twice into long if it behaves in a similar fashion although, leaf lobes, on the ascendingflowering stems. In as a over several undisturbed, builds up shrub contrast ssp.maritima has much fleshier leaves years to a couple of metres acrossand over 0.3m and (in the Welsh, Crosby and French versions) growing high. The form at Crosby appears, much shorter, fatter leaflobes (see photo p. 23). photo- from Philip Smith's dcscription and the From material currently growing in the Collec- graph more to be somewhat erect than the tion, I would not be happy to discriminate Perhaps for a dune Welsh form. surprisingly between these subspeciesbased on whether or plant, form has grown well in my 'keeled', the Welsh not the undersidesof the leaves were garden harsh Cambridgeshire despite our often or whether or not they were microscopically East Anglian winters. hairy. Thc other main discriminatorto my eycs British Flora includes a map of Atla.s oJ'the is the generalhabit of the plants. At this time of the distribution of Artemisia t:ampestriswithout the year (late October) all my (undamaged)ssp. subspeciesdivision. The 1976 revision shows campestrisplants are showing two distinct types Notes Statusof lrlez isia campestrisssp. maritima as a native L-)

of growth namely tall woody flowering stems NCCPG National Collection. and for helpful discus- from this sunmer and basal rosettes of next sions over this article. year's growth (fiom the stool). In contrast the References ssp.rttttrilima plants are shorving both flowering CLEMENT, E.J. 2006. Could Artemisia crntpt'.;tri.s' and non-tlowering stems, the latter branching subso.marilinu be native? B^lBl NeNr 103: 3. from the main stems rather than from the stool LINNAEUS.C. 1753. SoeciesPlantararr. Stockholm of the shmb. PERRTNG,F.H., & WaL'runs, S.M. 1976.Atlas o/ the British Floru, BSBI by EP Publishing Ltd. Specific Rank? PRESToN,C.D., PEARN,TAN,D.A. & DINES, T.D. I agreewith Eric Clement that specific rank may (Eds.). 2002. New Atlus of the British & Irish Flora. be more appropriatefor this plant. I have grown Oxfbrd University Press.Oxford. the Frcnch folms alongside English ssp. Rirur', G.C.C. 1903. Fltn'e de Frunce Asnrdres,Paris cantpestris for over l5 vears and although and Rochclort. J.P.,HeYwc'roo, V.H. & GoRDoN.V. 1963. seedlings appear in the bed they develop into SAVTDCjE, Travis's Fbra ol South Luncashire. Liverpool Bo- one or other ofthe parent types. I have not seen tanical Society, Liverpool. anything suggestive of an intermediate. The SMrrH,P.H., & WILCox, M.P. 2006 Artemisiat'amp- British material (Crymlyn and Crosby) is very eslrls subsp.maritimu.new to Britain, on the Sefton similar to A. lloydii (Rouy) from France,but the Coast, Merseyside..8.!8./ News 103: 4 name l. crithmi/blia (L.) is earlier. The English TLlTrN,T.G., HEywooD. V.H., BURCESS,N.A.. V.\L- name Sand-duncWormwood suggestedby Eric ENTINE,D.H., WAL'IERS,S.M. & WEBB. D. A, Clernent. sounds ideal lbr this plant. (Eds). I976. Floru Europaca. 4 Cambridge Univer'- sitv Press.Cambridse. Acknowledgements My thanksto Phil Smith,Mike Wilcox and Eric Clsment fbr supplyingliving plant rr-raterialto the

{ it 1 f, ,lr \, l ', C,,: J f L I

Specimensof Arlemisitt cantpestrissubsp. murilima (left) and subsp. campestris(right) PhotoJ.D. Twibell o 2006 24 Notes Goleopsi.sbiJido and G. tetrahit / Furtherthoughts on the flora of the Islesof Scilly

GaleopsisbiJida and G. tetrshit: someinteresting observations Manv StttrH,3-1Gaynes Park Road, Upminster,Essex. RMl4 2HJ.01708 228921: mary@smith33gpr. fsnet.co.uk ln 2,000 I started serious recording of plants in Then on 28'h August 2006 the familiar patch the area around where I live in South Essex, was seen again, as we were looking for fungi v.c.18. GttleopsisbiJida (Bifid Hemp-nettle)was following recent rain. There had not been fairly common, mostly in rough grass, scrubby enough rain to make any difference, and almost places or secondary woodland. One patch of no fungi were found, but the Galeopsis bifida about 12 plants was in Whitepost Wood, at plants, at exactly the samc location, had a very TQ5619.8292,recorded in July. In thoseearly ferv flowers open. cven though the plants were days I was checking very carefully which badly wilted. I was amazed to find that these Galeopsi.sI was finding, as bi/ida was thought to late flowers fitted G. tetrahit exactly: the lower be less common than tetrahit (Common Hemp- lobe had an entire margin, flat, and with finc nettle), and I soon memorised the key clifferenc- purple veins in the middle part of the lobe only. cs, which are entirely in the details of the central My County Recorderwas baffled as much as I lobe of the lower lip of the flower (Stacep. 562, was. I was very remiss in not returning with the figs p. 561,Rose 2nd edn p. 374 with figs). All thc camcra.but alas.I haveno pictures1o prove it. onesI found, not just in this location but for some Are wc looking at just one very variable kilometres round about, had a cleft lower lobc. species,of which tetrahit and bifida arc extreme clearly convex, with solid dccp purple right up to forms varying according to climate and/or the edges, showing hardly any white margin. season?My old CTW is uncefiain as to rvhether This patch of plantswas looked at brietly in most bi/ida is a separatespecies or only a variant of ensuing years, as the woodland is also good for tetrahit. Or does anyone else have any bright fungi and has other interests. Always true ideas as to what is going on here? Meanwhile, G. bifida was seen. do I enter both species into my MapMate database.or not'l

Further thoughts on the flora of the Isles of Scilly RosEvaRv PARSLOw. I7 St Mit'hael's Road, Ponsanooth, Truro, Corntt'all TR3 7ED rparslow(cqcix.co.uk The note by Eric Clement in BSBI Nelr,.l 103, Mary's. Olten it is unclear whether plants September 2006 has spurred me to follow his outside Tresco Cardens have been planted or comments with a request of my own. Many have spread naturally. Lepto,spermum.\copar- records of Scilly plants are probably in private ium (Broom Tea-tree) and L. lanigerum notebooks or if published they may. as Eric (SrvampTea-tree) are examfllcs of this although suggests,be somewhcrc-I am unlikely to see they seem to be spreading naturally on Tresco them. Currently I am compiling an update to the Hill. Pelargonium tometllosum (Peppermint- Flora of the Isles of Scilly (Lousley's l97l scentcd Geranium) (with peppermint-scented Flora now being very out of date) so would foliage) has been naturaliscd in the same area rvelcome any new records or references to tbr many years. I can also conhrm that Plet'os- published nraterial in more obscure journals. tuchys serptlli/blia (Hotlentot Tea) grows on Many botanistsvisit Scilly and somc are gener- Newman Battery on the Garrison, St Mary's, ous in sending me their records, sometimesit is but the situation suggestsit may have originally 'l assumed know it all' so I may miss an inter- bcen planted in the area. Due to the excessive estingreport. Recordsof aliensare of especial nurnber of aliens on the Isles of Scilly it has value as it is proving very difficult to keep up been necessaryto take a pragmatic approach to with these especiallyas Scilly seemsto have recording so any plant that appears to be so many. Many aliens are not easy to identify spreadingnaturally is noted. Generally plants in so I am very grateful to E,ricClement and other the Abbey Gardensare not recorded unlcss they 'weeds'. cxperts who have often helped in this respcct. have become But native speciesthat With referencc to Eric's nrention of Senecio have becorre wceds in the Gardens are record- glastilblius (Woad-leaved Ragwort) I can tell ed. Among more interesting examplcs are him it has spread from Tresco Gardens and is Ornithoptrs pinnatus (Orange Bird's-foot), now to be found both on Tresco and also on St Lotus subhiflortts (Hairy Bird's-foot-trcfoil), Notes Further thoughts on the flora of the Isles of Scilly I Microscopy findings in z5 Callitriche i Sacina marititna on roadsideverges

Silene gollicct (Small-11owcred Catchfly), otum (Clustered Clovcr), Poa in/irmu (Early Orobant'he minor (Corlrnon Broornrape). Meadow-grass)and Bri:a minor (Lesser Tri/bliuu striatum (Knotted Clover), T. glomer- Quaking-grass). Known and unexpectedmicroscopy findings in Cullitriche Jncrr OrlvnR. High I'ieu', Rhyl.sLune, Lockericlse,Nr Marlborotrsh, Wilts. SN8 4ED

Two Watcr-starwofi species rvere studied, elcment(width l2p). l-hcvessel has thc appcar- Callitriche sragnalis lrom ponds and ruts in anceof spirally arrangedlignified thickening. Savcmakc F'orcst,and C. obtusongula frorn the (t Green bodies mainly within root River Kcnnet. Microphotos O-O are of cortexcells (diametcr 1.5-3p). Thcseare almost C. .stagnuli.s(Comrnon Wirtcr-starwort) and @ ccrtainly root cortex chloroplasts, activcly is ol' C. obtusungulu(Blunrliuited Water-star- photosynthcsising. wort). @ Root cortex grccn bodies (diarneter 'fan'hair, O Axillary bud cpithelial I -ap). C. obtusangula,locallyat lcast,can have width 60p, showing lour cells. Thc avcragefbr light greenroots: (green rools arc lcssolicn seen (-. .stagnoli.suas 4.2 cells; ibr C'. obtu.sttngulo. in C. slugnull.r; undcrwatcr stcms of both 5.2 cclls(see also L-ansdown l99lJ). speciesarc always bright green). A varicty of- 'rosette' O Stcrncpithclial hair, diarnctcr algaecan occasionallypenctrate thc root codex 75p, showing 9 cclls. The average lbr as individual intrusions,but the appcarancchere C. .;tagnali.srvas [i.4 cclls (c./. Lansdown l99il). rnay bc of cxtruded and somewhat irrcgular O Splayc'd root tissues. Thc rvholly chloroplasts.Distinguishing f-caturclcss 0.5-5p color.rrlessccntral vascnlar cylinder, or stelc endophyticalgac fionr cxtrudcd chloroplastsis (width 509), has bccn completely scparated problcnratic. from thc surrounding laintly green root codex Acknowlegement:My thanksto Joan& BrianDav- tissues. iesfbr helpingrvith thc illustrations. (o Stclc to maxilnLunrnagnification. The Reference: xylcm seert.tsto be rcduced to a sin[lc vcsscl LA\SDOWN,R.V. in RIC.II.T.C.G. & JI]RNIY.A.C. l99tl,eds. Plunt Crib 1998.BSBI. London.

Sagina maritima on roadside verges ALrrNC. LESLIE.109 YorAStrael, Cambridge, CBI 2PZ In BSBL'Vcn.s 103: 4 (2006) Edu,ard Pratt S. maritima joins a lengtheninglist of othcr suggests thal Sagina mttritima (Sca Pearlwort) halophytes on Cambridgcshire road-vcrges may havcjoined the throng ofnative halophytes which now includes: Parapholis .slrigosa, spreadinginland on roadsidemargins. This is P. incurva, Pucr:inelliu dislans, Hordeum cerlainly now the case in Cambridgeshirc(v.c. marinttn, Catapotlitm ntarintutt, Ell,trigiu 29). I lirst detectcd a single plant on bare utherica, Spergularia marina, Cot'hleuria ground besidethc Al4 at Stow cum Quy, just danica, Plantago coronopus, Atriplex littoralis, east of Carnbridge,in Junc 2003 and subsc- Armerio moritima, Juncrts ambiguu.s (conf- cluently had its identity confirmed by' Prof. Tom Cope and perhaps the first report of this Jardinc. the BSBI rct:rcc. Since then I have spcciesfronr inland rnaritime verges),Lt:pidiunt recorded it in 5 other sites (in a total of four lati/olium, L. ruderale and Cerastiunr diffirsunt lOkm squares) in thc Cambridge arca: four in It may be surprisingto recordthat of theseonly the pavement and kerb cracks on or on the the Lepidiunt \oti/blium, Cera.stium di.//irsutrt, approachto bridgesovcr cither the Ml I or Al I Cochlectria donicu and Puropholi,s incurvo hayc and the fifth along thc velge ofthe A l 4just ivest not previouslybu-cn recorded as nalive plantsin of Newrnarket. It is abundant in sevcral of these the county. A detailed account of the earlv sites and accompanied by a range of other history of the spread of halophytes besidc lralophytes. Sea Pearlrvortwus at onc timc Cambridgcshire roads is given by David known as a native plant in thc county along thc Coombc tn Nuture in Combridseshire 36:37 -60 tidal River Nenejust to the rrorthof Wisbechbut ( I 994). was last rccorded there (as a single plant) in 1983. There is probably more of it now in the county then therchas ever beenl 26 Notes Radially symmetricalpolystachions and othervariants in Eqrrselrr?palaslre populations

2-5 whorl radially symmetricalpolystachions and other variantsin Eq uisetum psl ustrepopulations JACKOLlvER, High L'iev', RhylsLone. Lockeridge, Nr ll4arlborortgh. LI'ilts. SN9 4ED

Twelve of fourteen Floras and books on ferns 5 Compound branching (rebranchedbranch- searchedmade no rnentionof polystachions.The es. Seealso Grose 1957;Olivcr & Storey description by Ann Pratt (1855?) of Equisetum I 996). palustre (Marsh Horsetail) polystachions fits 6 Prostrate creeping forms with single (but figure l, or categoriesI & ll (perhapsalso lll) in sometimes rebranched) branches from the ensuing classification. She and Freethy some nodes. (No cones yet seen). (1987) attributethe fonnation ofthese peripheral In short, many of theseN. Wilts. plants were or radial branch-tip cones entirely to environmen- not the neat regular forms illustratedin figs. I -4, 'modem tal causes, Freethy saying that day in Page (1982), Freethy (l9il9). or Oliver & botanists' implicate darrrageto the apex of the Storey (1996). This means that polystachion main stem. Whilst this may be true for category contigurationsmight not look regular or radially le (fig. la), damage to the apex of the central symmetrical until the branches were neatly axis hardly accountsfor most of the remaining 8 splayed. ln particular, the 4 or 5 whorl polysta- categories and sr"rbcategories. There must be chions(lVc & D) could look like a disorganizcd geneticpropensities, whatever the environmental mass when occurring in Iariants 1-3 and 5 triggers. Single rhizolne coloniestend to produce preceeding. To date, my best records are two rather similar polystachion configurations, 5-whorl radial polystachions (tVn) from thc despite fairly frequent riotous variation in the Waterhay reserve east of Ashton Keynes in vegetativeparts. Donalcl Grose (1957) reported August 2006, rather untidy rnassesof ltl-20 E. palustre var. pol.t'stttt'h.vum Weigel at 18 sun,iving 4-9mm mature branch-tip cones Wiltshire sites.often in successiveseasons at the sun'ounding the remnants of the older 30mm same locations. Grose did not sharethe orevail- terminalcone. ing ideasthat polvsllchionswere alwayi exclu- An internet search by my youngest daughter 'Polystachion' sively envirorrmentallyinduced phenomena. turned up 80 or so sourccs:but The classificationherc of polystachionconfigu- nearly all of these related to flowering plants, rationsis basedmainlv on populationsin N. Wilts., mainly Knotweeds (Polygonaceac), Cotton- and W. Berks. (v.cc. 1 & 22). Four of the 9 grasses (Cyperaceae) and Grasses (). configurations are illustrated, but radial symmetry Eqttisetum palustre is distributed throughout of the cones can be concealed or confused by N. America and Eurasia, but rnostly norlhcrn. extremevariations in thc branching. Page(1982) Fully comprehensiveaccounts (c.g. Rook 2004) emphasises'extensive environmentally-induced tnake no mention of polystachionsin E. palustre variation in size and plant habit' in E. palustre. (or any horsetail specics). Linking 'polystachion' This is true for the N. Wilts. populations around and,E. palustre' only gave two the new gravel pit lakes lvest and cast ofAshton hits. Oliver & Storey (1996); and a puzzling Ke1,nes, rvhere there also seem to be genetic German entry seemillgly on old records of variants. Thesc vegctalivevariations are \eD British plantpictures (Stueber 2003). Stueber's much greaterthan thoseillustrated by Page( 1982) drawing shows a single-whorl symmetrically fbr upland and lorivland forms from five Scottish radial polystachion with 8 branches of equal areasand from W. Gloucs. Some were as follows, length all with mature cones of (nearly) the in approx.order ofconrmonness: same sizes and ages. I Very long lower branches,sometimes much Grose's (1957) eighteen sites for E. palu,stre overtopping the ccntral axes;ifalso polysta- polystachionscovered half the arca of Wiltshire, chions, masses of cones bunched above, but the best radially symmetrical multi-whorl cones sometimesof dift'crentages. colonies(categories IV & V) now secmto be in 2 Extremc variations in numbers of branches the cxtreme north ofthe county. and in adjacent per node(0-10). S.W. Berks. I do not undcrplaythe irnportance 3 Extrerne r,ariationsin lengths of undam- of environmentaltriggels in inducing (at least agedbranches (2-25+ cm;. the sirnplerand less regulal categoriesI & If) 4 Unbranched. or hardly branched (from the E. pulu.strepolystachions; but suggestthat there base)shoots (cones infrequcnt). is more evolutionary significance to these populations than transientaben'ations. Notes Radially symmetricalpolystachions and othervariants in Eqrrselrlz lzu/zrstre populations 27

Acknowledgement bioimages.org.ukhrml/P38925, Bl-18231, T172. My thanks to Pat Woodruffe for her photos of altema- htm tive polystachion configurations on ivhich Fig. 2 is PAGE,C.N. 1982. The /?rns oJ the Britain and lre- based. land. Cambridge University Press. PRATT,A. 1855 or 6'l The of Great Britain and References /brns their allies, the Cluhnosses, Pepperworts & Horse- FR-EETIIY,R. 1987. British .s. Crorvood Press, Ialls. SPCK. London. (sce also Freethy above for an Marlborough- I 884 reference). GRoSE, D. (1951). The Flora o/ Il'ilt,shire. Repub- Rclcrr, E.J.S. 2004. Equisetum palustrt'. www.rook. lished 1979 by Wilts. Arcaeological & Natural org/ear1,6wc:/nature/fems/equisetumpal- html History Soc. Devizes. STUEBER,K.2003. Illustrationsof the Britisch OLrvER, J.E. & SroREy, M. 1996.4-whorl [slc.] 'polystachion' Flora (1924). 1214, Equisetum palustre. and rebranching in Equi.setumpalus- rvww.zum.de/stueber/fitch/hi sh/lMG 9572.html tre. BSBI Neus 13: 26-21. Also www. Classification of horsetail cone polystachions lA Central tenninal cone damagcd or missing. radially symrnetricalcone organisation,if Approx. 2-3 randomly organised branch-tip allowanceis made for immature,young, cones,usually on upper whorl(s). harmedor bitten-offbranch-tip cones. (Thc Ig Central terminal cone present (15-35mm). branchesthemselves very oflen of varying Approx. 2-3 randomly organised smaller numbersor lengths). (4-l0mm) branch cones, usllally but not IV All or nearlyall conedbranch tips in: always younger than the tenrrinal conc (see A) 2 upperwhorls (see fig. 3) fig IA & IB) B) 3 upperwhorls For II to V ensuing, central terminal cones C) 4 upperwhorls (scc fig. 4) usually present,usually twice or thrice the size D) 5 upperwhorls of branch-tip cones. usually older br"rtoften the (Radiallysymmetrical organisations of periph- sanle age, rarely younger. Branch-tip cones eral conesnot alwaysobvious, orving to themselvescould vary considerablyin age,even varyingbranch nos and lcngths. immature or on the same rvhorl.) shedcones). II More coned than unconed branch tips in at V Al1,nearly all, or mostconed radials found in leastone upper whorl, but scarcelyapproach- the lowerwhorls, the uppermostI -3 whorls ing radially symmetrical arrangements. havingunconcd branch tips (see fig. 2). III All or nearly all coned branch tips in at least one upperrvlrorl. Complete or sernicomplete Btr, s'

fo

Seniidiagrammaticdrawings of 4 main polystachiontypes. clcl. J.E. Olivcr 28 Notes- Orange-trunkedtrees in SavernakeForesl

Orange-trunked trees in SavernakeForest Jncr OltvER,ltigh View, RhylsLane, Lockeridge, Nr Marlborough, Ittilts. SN84ED

At certain times of year, numbers of trccs in Attcrnpts, adnrittcdly clumsy. to examinc thc Savernakc Forest can develop conspicuously substratum(top left of O) indicated that thc orangetrunks. Oftcn one sideof the trunk, liom orangetutts discemablein O aroscfiorn a close ground to branchcs gocs complctely orangc. rncshof filanrents. From this mesh. filarncnts The shadeof colour matchesexactly that of the appearedto have ariscn fiom, or penctratcdinto, lichen Xanthoria parietina: but the extcnsive thc underlyingliving bark. Thcy were nol just colourationis not causedby a lichcn. sitlingon. or simply stuckto thc bark surface. as Photos O & @ arc of thc bark ol- the situationin rcspect grecn Quercus'l'he ol'conspicuously ruhra (Rcd Oak) takcn in April 2006. subaerial or terrcstrial algac (PlettroLo((usj orangetufis, best seen in @, arealgal concentra- Desmococc'us,Apatoc:ot'cus) which so olien tions, (although some lichen spcciesarc also powdcr branchcs, trunks, fenccs and other discernible.espccially in O). Trce taxa rrotedto surfaces. To thc author. tltc Trentenohlia bc most af'fected in 2005 & 2006 includcd sccrtrcd to look und bchavc rnore likc lhc Querc'tts petruea (Sessilc Oak), 0 robur myceliaand hyphaeofan orangefungus than an (PedunculateOak). p. >:rosucee(nativc hybrid alga,with its rncshcs,tanglcs and tufts ol'irrcg- oak) the hybrid of thc two prececding,Q. rubra, ular granularfi laments. I'ra.rintt.g e.rcelsior (Ash)" Acer plotonoides Thc Tree Advicc Trust docs not considcrthis (Norway Maplc) and Populus xcanuden,sis Trtttlepohlia 1o bc pathenogenic(Rosc 200,s). 'Green (FIybrid Black-poplar). F agu.s sl,lvatit:a It is one of the Algac' (Chlorophyta) (Beech) and Acer pseutkrylutanas (Sycamore) whosc colour is maskcd by orange carotcnoid somctimesdcvcloped similar orangc areason pigmcnts. The most likcly candidatcis Trente- their trunks. OutsideSavernake Forest the same lnhliu ahfutini. which can sontctimcsgrow on phcnonrcnonwas notcd also on thc trunks of linrcstoncrocks in Ireland (John. el al. 2003). '[his lcss comnton non-nativc trccs such as Oslrva suggcstsa subaerialpurcly cpiphyticcxist- , urpiniJblia ( Luropern Hop-hornhcam) and encc, but sotnc closcly relatcd gcncra such as Phellodendron umurense (Amur Corktree) in Cephaleuros can bc scrious pathogcns on two of the four arboretaon the Oare Bstatenear shrubs and trecs in thc tropics (ASCC 2003, Pewsey in Wiltshire. Morc surprisingly, the Cantcr-Lund 1996, Gorsuch 2004, l-opcz- same orange alga patchily infiltrated thinner Bautista et al. 2002). Trenrepohlia itscll'is thc parts of thc mostly vcry rugged bark of some second conrmoncst algal partner in lichcns inland Pinus radiatu (Montercy Pinc) in (Cantcr-Lund 1996),Dobson 1992). However Cornwall in June2006. lt thereforeseems that as indicatcd above, the tree-trunk Trentepohlia a variety of tree spccicscan bc coloniscd,cvcn scemsto achicvcsomc pcnctrationby filarnents includingconifers. into living bark. MicrophotosO & @ derivcd from onc sideol' The orangc pigmcntationdid not survivc on a young Ash trce, with rclatively thin bark. ln rcmovedflakcs of Ash bark. In partialsunlight, March 2005, 6 metres of trunk, from ground tct darnp flakes tumcd brown. On dry bits, thc f-rrstbranch, was complctcly and continuously orange faded in about ten days to turn pale clcar orange on one aspcct; c-xactlyhalf the trunk. -grcy.as bestshown on partsof photo O, wherc From photos, microphotos.and specinrensof sonrc o1-thc prcviously orangc tufts havc'lost 'l'he bark, thc stalf at thc Alicc Ilolt Lodge Forest their colour. idcnticatly colourcd lichen. RcsearchCentre confirmcd the alga as Trente- Xunth,triapttrit'tirtu krscsits orangc pigntcnt:-r- pohlio. Magnifications arc shown in O & @ at tion in shadc.rcvcaling the underlying grccn approx. '300 & r1500 respcctivcly. The colour of the irlgal photobiont. Parictin is the orange filarlents nreasured5-l0p across,the orange pigment which is known to scrccn out 'l cells l5-25p long. he rnainlylatcral and single hannlul ultra-violet light. [t is tcrnpting to 'nodules' tcnninal granular orange may bc speculate lvhcther thc orange Trenlt'pohliu gamctangiaor sporangia,mostly around 15p in pigment is chcmically similar, with thc samc 'I'hc diarncter. granulargrccn nodulcs flanking function. l'ree-trunk Trentepohlia lacks thc one of thc orangconcs in €r were 5p in diamc- protcctionailbrded to pignrcntsand algal phot

colouration cornpared with red, orange. grey- Cantcr-Lund.H. & Lund, J.\.1,.G.1996. l.-rz'shwttter grccn antl ycllow lichcns. a/gaa.Biopress Ltd. Bristol(pp. 2a6, 248,219). Dobson,F.S. 1992. publishine Ac k nowledge me nts Lichens.Richmond ('o.Ltd. Slough. My thanksto Joan Davics lbrphotos O & @land to Gorsuch,C.S. 2004. Algll leo/spot. (.lsmson Univer- Dr JoanRosc of thc'frcc DiscascDiaqnostic & Advi- sity ForestryImagcs. www.fbrcstryimages.org :urv Scnicc. Alicc llolt L.rtige.Farn=hrm (Treu Ad- John.D.M.. Whitton. B.A. & Brook. vice Tnrst), for confirming tlte Trcntalnhliu. A.J. 1993.The /reshu,ctteralgal floro o/ the British /s/cs. Cam- References bridgeUniversify Press. ASCC (Amcrican SamoaCommunity College).2003. Lopez-Bautista,J.M. et u|.2002.TheTrentepohliales Plunt parositit algttc. Pe.st; ond disausa,so/ Am<:ri- revisted.ConstanL:eu 83: l-23. ((ln S.tmj(t N(). 5. Rosc, D.R. 2005. Oronge trees.Tree DamageAlcrt Ntr.20. Trcc Adr iceI rust. Botanyin Literature - 43 H.G. we.lls' SrnaNce onculo - TRlpplorarupARALLELS - A wrpn-terrN(;pLANT MARGoTE. SoucHrrn,264 Dry'tlen.ltenue,LONDON. I+,7 IES

The English writer Herbert George Wells (b. has little to upset thc equilibriurnof his exist- Bromley 1866 d.1946 London) worked as an cnce, he is fascinatedby thc seemingly eventful 'Nothing apprentice draper, then schoolteacher, before lives of others: ever does happen to coming under the influcnce of T.H. Huxlev at me' he rentarkedpresently fto his housekeeper], 'I rvhat is now lmpcrial Collegc.and gaining a beginning to think aloud. u'onder why:) First Class Honours degrec in Zocilogy, from Things enoughhappen to otherpcople. There is whence he embraced joumalism and literature Harvey. Only the other week on Monday he as a career, wliting over a hundred books and picked up a sirpence.on Wednesdayhis chlcks stones. However, although he is known for bis all had the staggers,on Friday his cousin camc cornic social novels, suclt as Klpps (1905) and home tionr Australia, and on Saturdayhe broke The Histotl, o/ 1l4t.Pollv,(1910), he is, despite his 'l ankle. What a whirl of excitement! his avowal of had ratherbe calleda iournalist comparedto me.' And thus he wondershow it 'to than arr artist'. best remcmbcredlor his scicn- feels have something happen to you, tific fantasies,The Time Machine (1895) and sornething really remarkable', until, that is, hc tr4/aro.f thc Wut'lJt ( 1898).and his shorl stories _qoesup to London for a saleof orchids from the (espccially The Country- of the Blint{), which Andanrans and the lndies, and retums with, 'splendid 'Vandas' dcrnonstratenot only his economy' alrong solne and a Dendrobium, an and pou'ers 'nrav of irnagination,but rank as litcratuie unidentifiedshrivelled rhizome which bc (rather journalisrn) than and earn him, unlike a Palaconophisor ir may not. ll may be a ncw Wyndham (see SouCHrER,2006), a place in specles,oreven a new genus.And it was the last suclr u,ortlry contpendiruns as Thc C'ont.i.se that poor Battenever collected',Batten beins a Cambridge Histor-y o./' Engli.sh Literature young orchid collector who died in a mansr;ve (SeuesoN, 'with 1970). swamp one of thescvery orchidscrushcd What is more is that his storiesarc memorablc. up under his body' and bled by leeches. This is thc casewith the short stor"yl/re Flou,er, The housckeeper takes an intense dislike to 'a ing ttl rhe StrongeOrt hitl loneol'a collcctionin the orchid, describingit as spidersharnming a group of his stories, called The Stolttr Bqt'illu,s dead' with aerial rootlets that look like ,littlc and (in Other Incidents Wr.ns, 1998). which I white fingers... trying to get at yor"r',their being rcad 'a very many ycars ago in a collection as Wedderbum remarks, little flattened at thc publishcd 'of by Benn, and *,hich has stayeclin rny cnds', while the leaves are the orciinarv rnind virtually intact. hroad lorm. and a decp ulossl grccn. witir The story concems one Winter-Wedderbum" 'a splashesand dots ofdeep red tou,ardsthe base. shy, lonely,rathcr ineffectual man', as Wells, He knew of no otherleavcs quite like thern.' As possibly either synrpatheticallyor condcscend- the aeriairoollets gro\r lo rnorc lhana loor long. ingly, 'iust 'tentaclcs describes him, who has enoush and begin to look like reachinst,ut income to keep ofT thc spur of nciessiry', aicl alicr something'.Wedderhum begins lo ltrok u'ith no exacting employmcnt to hindcr.him, lonvard lo the orchid's flor.rering: grows 'ambitious' orchids in one little sreen- And at lastthe greatthine happened.Dircct- horrse. As olle who. with a housekeeocrta ly he entercdthe little glass househc knew remolc corrsin).and odd-job nran in nttcndance. that the spike had burst out. although his 30 Notes Botanv in Literature 43

greatPalaeonophis Lowii [sic] hid the comer minute she had releasedhim and was drag- where his new darling stood. There was a ging him away from the horror. new odour in the air, a rich, intensely sweet, He was white and bleeding from a dozen scent that overpowered every other in that circular patches.s little greenhouse. Direc! crowded, steaming NOTES ly he noticed this he hurried down to the In BSBI Meirs 103: 25 I mentioned that strange And, behold! the trailing orchid. Wyndham rnhis The Day of the Trffids derived green spike bore now three great splashesof inspiration from Wells. Apart from the direct blossom, from which this overpowering reference to him and his The Country^of the sweetness proceeded. He stopped before '...In Blind, viz. the country of the blind the them in an ecstasyof admiration. The flow- 'Oh, one-eyedman is king.' yes Wells said ers were white, with streaks golden '...Wells of orange that, didn't he? ... imagineda people upon the petals; the heavy labellum was who had adapted themselves to blindness...' coilcd into an intricate projection, and a won- (WYNDI{AM,2000 [prius 1951]: 66), thcre are derful bluish purple mingled there with the several instanccs in Wyndham where the gold. He could seeat once that the genuswas material is obviously either commentary or altogether a new one. And the insufferable dcrivative, hence the parallels as outlined below scent!How hot the placc was! The blossoms in 1, 2, 3(b), 4, and5. si.ram beforehis eyes. .... l. hothouse'.'We in temperatezones were not At half-past four his cousin made the tea, ignorant of insectivorous plants, but we were according to their invariable custom. But unaccustomed to find them outside special 'He Wedderburn did not come in for his tea. hothouses.and aot to consider them as in some is worshipping that horrid orchid,' she told way slightly indecent, or at least improper.' 'His herself and waited ten minutes. watch (WvNounra.2000: 32). must have stopped. I will go and call him.' 2. rootlets'. the fact that here they are swaying She went straight to the hothouse,l and open- freely is a possible source of inspiration for the ing the door, called his name. There was no triffid's violently lashing tendril, if not, a reply. She notice that the air was very close, triffid's three rootlets. and loaded with an intense perfume. Then (a) The transferenceby she saw something lying on the bricks be- 3. leech-like suckers'. Wells of the actuality of leeches taking every tween the hot-water pipes. For a minute, drop of blood out of Batten ('... and in the cnd perhaps,she stood motionless. He was lying, he was killed by jungle-leeches.It must have all face upward, at the foot ofthe strangeorchid. it must have The tentacle-like aerial rootletsz no longer becn vcry troublcsorne, but then very interesting, you know- except, swayed freely in the air, but were crowded been perhaps, the leeches.') to thc concept and together,a tangle ofgrey ropes, and stretched foreshadowingof a plant that acts like a leech or tight with their ends closely applied to his would-be vampire is hcre apparent. (b) chin and neck and hands. She did not under- Wyndham's to Wells is here (i.e. stand. Then she saw from under one of the debt shown compare the adhesivepads (suckers)ofa triffid exultant tentaclesupon his cheek there trick- (seeSoucutln, 2006: 26). led a little thread of blood. With an inarticulate cry she ran towards 4. tentacles'.Again, compare the stinging tendril him, and tried to pull him away from the of a triffid (1.c.)and the way it aims for the face leech-like suckers.r Shc snapped two of (c.f. Wedderbum'schin and neck). these tentacles,aand their sap dripped red. 5. a dozen t:ircular patches'. c.f. Bill Mason's .... She caught up a flower-pot and smashed 'blotchy-red raised weal' on the side ofhis face in the windows the the greenhouse at end of (seeWvNnuav, 2000: 30). .... tugged now with renewed at She strength Similarly, a parallel exists between the Wedderbum's motioniess body and brought orchid's overcoming of Wedderburn and the strange orchid crashing to the floor. It 'one Mason's being hit terrific slam, [that] still clung with the grimmcsttenacity tt-r its knockedme out...' by a triffid (1.c.). victim. In a frenzy she luggcd it and him into the open air. NorE: Just as Wells inspired Wyndham, Then she thought of tearing through the Wyndham's triffids inspired, no doubt and no sucker rootlets one by one, and in another less,the following lyrics, written and performed by one Tenifid (and also, obviously, the artist's Notes Botany in Literature 43 / Botany in Literature 44 3l

name). The lyrics, written in the time of Chuck I live alone Berry's Roll Over Beethoven (and tell Tchaiko- as happy as I can be, 'Cos vsky the news) are not especially elegant or my wife she used profound, but do, when sung in a deep Elvis-like to nag and aggravateme. guitar voice and accompanied by the zany I can remember when I came home playing, glimmer (and bring more than a of mirth that fateful night, possibly to some thoughts of mischiefl) to thc I was greetedby a listener's lips. Obviously, the song is not to be truly awful sight. played or cited on auspicious occasions,but if, perhaps,things have come to a pretty pass('You The plant it grew up roof, say eether,I say eyether[either]'), then behold: to the It looked almost like it had The Plant that Ate My Wi.fe a smile upon its face. My wife and I were And where my wife not on speaking tems, once had stood, We had a row and Only a pair of slippers things were not too hot. were in her placc. So I drifted into an The Plant that cxoticplant boutique. saying. 'l Ate My l4/ife need a presentfor my wifc, It's the best thing that has what havc you got?' happened in my l4/b. A selection of geraniums and Obviously this was not hyacinths greetedme, a normal plant, But I neededsomcthing But one who liked special for rny wif-c. the tasteofbones. He rummaged at the back of What clever people in his room behind, 'l the flower shop, Hc said, believethis To rid me of the problem isjust going to be right.' ln my home! I had it delivered to REFERENcES rny wife's abode. SAMPSoN,G. 1970. The Concise Cambridge Hislory With a note that said, oJ English Literature. (3rd ed.) Cambridgc Univer- 'Please forgive mc, Dcar.' sity Press,Cambridge. SoucHIFR, M.E. 2006. Botany in Literature - 42: My wife she took Wyndham's The Day oJ the Trffids - Camivorous the plant insidc, plants- PolysyllabicLatin in BSBINexrv103:25-27. But after that date, TERRIFID(Terrifld). 2005. The Plant thut Ate Mt' shedisappeared. i/i/e. Bonus track No. 12 in Rock'n' Roll Legend.s. Daily Star, Express Newspapers promo- The Plant that [TS032: tional CDl. Ate My lt/ile, WELLS, Il.G. 1998. The Flowering of lhe Stronge It tlus the best thing that hus Ort:hid in The Complcte Short Stories r,tfI'[.G. Wclls. happened in nq' life. (Hammond. J., comp. & ed.). J.M. Dent, London. WYNDHAM,J. 2000. The Day ol the Tri/fids. Penguin Books. London. I I st ed. Michael Joseph I 95 I ]

Botanyin Literature- 44 AN EPISCOPALCONTRIBUTION TO INSTANTLYFORGT]T'TABLE BOTANICAL VERSI] E. CHARLESNELSoN, Tippiti\4'itchetCottage, Hall Road, Outv,elL WisbechPE14 8PE

One of the oddestcontribution to the enshrining 190l, by the Club's Vicc-prcsident William of botany in literaturefollows. lts author was Henry Phillips (1830 1923) who was a fcm fbr a long period most elusivc. Moreover,this c-nthusiast(see BSBI Nev's 62 (1992): 26). '1\4y piece of literaturc was known to me only, until Phillips' addresswas cntitled hobby about very rccently, from an address to thc Bclfast fems and its rcsults: personal reminisccnccs', Naturalists'Field Club, deliveredon l9 March and towards the end of the published vcrsion Notes- Botan in Literature 44

(proceedingso/ the BNFC t900-1901: 15-16\ description[Phillips continued] is very humor- our we readthis: ous, and would alnrostdescribe some of Oneof ourpoet bishops, since gone to his rest. Ulsterscenes, say Newcastle:- wrote as follows to a clergyman"ofhis diocese DERADDA LODGE, CONNEMARA' who hadpromised to go with hirn to Connema- August1895' ra, but was preventedby engagements.The DearFowler, I think, on thewhole, you'll agreewith me, Thisplace is delicious(l wishyou could be with mel); But especiallycharming to otrewho hasgot any Fancyfor fishing,conjointly with botany' Justthink, when on landfrom yourboat you getout' Havingcaptured a salmon,or ten or twelvetrout, As you loungeon themargin, enjoying your lunch, You suddenlyfind thatyour cushion'sa bunch Of whatwe considerour fairestof spolia, Menziesiato wit. speciespolifolia' Thento stretchyour crampedlegs, you strolloff a shortway, And lo! there'sthe heath that is nam'd from Mackay; Or perchanceyou may find (you know it mostrare ts) Anotherheath bearing the name ciliaris; Or evenby luck oneoutrivalling any - a Bushof theErica Meditenanea' Thenlook in thatditch thcre'sa prizefor herbaria! li:'#i'Tj:Ti:;T#:.i.":,;1\1*., orfru i,, By the groupsof smallbladders apart from theroot. Thenin castingyour fly you hook into a weed Draw it in why, what is it? a rushor a recd? No. thetreasure you've hook'd in thatcast so unwary Is the EriocaulonsePtangulare! ' andsk' r' ry"?:'.*?;iffi #:#.'iff i,{:ilf#i,:if And there,on ihe rocks(it's no l-tctionor phantom), Growsthe real unmistakeable true Adiantum: ra*on' X'iH'iiiT:l'jifffi ilii:['Aseabreezes (ln vain the greendepths ofits watersdcfy us), With a gaff we securethe much-coveted Naias. Now I think, my dearFowler, I've well provedmy case, Ihat this is a mostundeniable place; And oncemore I wish you werewith me to fish up Big troutand rare plants!- Your affectionateBishoP. Accord- Nothingin thatbotanical hymn couldbe saidto Roundstonein conncmara(v.c. Hl6). Tim describi Newcastle,Couni' Downl Phillips' ing to the gazetteerthat accompanies (1990) plantgeography rvas a trifle askew.The n'c.seis Robinsorr'ssuperbly detailed Connemara leasedthc intir.iy.6n".t'fo.Connernara thebishopknew map,in 183_9 JohnRobertson' lllcot, forms lno.. ihurl Phillips. even though his tbrture

About 1840 Robertson (see Robinson 1990: gone to his rest', and in a databaseI maintain of gazetteer,p. 75) built a fishery cottagewhich by botanists and horticulturists with multifarious 1850 had been convened into a hotel. In April lrish connections.I had noted How but queried 'why 1865 Robertsonwas among the signatoriesof an his entry: did he die in Leenane?' 'Address by the Magistrates,Clergy. Gentry, and How was ir.rdeeda fishemran and a botanist. Inhabitants of Comcmara, to Thomas Dillon He wrote about the botany of Great Orme's Head Fitzgerald, Esq., R. M., Late of Clifden' (Zle and contributed a list of plants to Roberts' Cork examiner 25 April 1865: Gossiping guide to Wales. He assembled a 'tolerably http://u.wrv.irelandoldnews.com/Cork/I 865/AP large herbarium-devoted, however. R.html). Subsequently.Walter Blackadder. the rnainly to the rarer species'(Menoir:450) which 'was manager of the fishery for the Ballynahinch given to one of his nieces... when press of estate,rebuilt the hotel and in 1872. named The work preventedhis giving attcntion to it'. How Angler's Return, it was advertiscd (Robinson also wrote verscs about other olants and other 'beautifully 1990)as situatedfor Salmon and Sea placestPDF filr.'scan bc suppliedon request:): 'Thrift Trout Fishing, Sea Bathing and Seal Shooting.' the Plant'. Written for the first number The rvebsite for The Angler's Retum presently of the Periodical'Tluil1'. 'nestled 'London proclaims: at the foot of Derradda Hill, Pride. (Saxifiaga umbrosa) (An 'The is an eighteenth[.llc] century sporting lodge, now apology.)' because author received a a small family run guest-house...'. remonstranceagainst the last line of the preced- The poetical bishop evidently stayed in ing poem' in the 1800s,for fishing, DeraddaLodge late the ... Our Thrift shallfcrtilize the springingblade. and he ccrtainly kncw his Conncmara botany And fenceour lilb-plotsu'ith a firiry braid; plants into 'Tis very well. Of the he wove his verse betterlvorth, and comelier besidc, (maidenhair fern) is Adiurtum c'apillus-venens Thanthat rank Saxifragccalled'London Pride!' perhapsthe most indicative becauseit is known '... 'Mountain-pansies.(Moelydd, nearOswestry)'. only to occur on one solitary boulder: And 'Golden-saxifrage. thcre on the rocks (it's no fiction or phantom) / (Pont-Vacn. near Chirk.)', and Gron's tlre real unmistakeable [.rrrJ trle Adian- 'Gentleman rurn.' Thc fern was first found in the vicinity of John.A tale told at a village inn to Roundstone bcfore June 1836 by William a Naturalists' Ficld-club on a wet day': it ends McCalla. According to D. Webb and M. Scanr.rell after I 8 pagcs (1983 Flora of Connemaro and The Buten, p. ... Well, gentlcmen,I will closer.r.ry tale. for it's 'occunencc 266) its orr an isolatedboulclcr by L. brighter ovc-rhead, Bollald is unusual...'. And the rain has stopped.and I think there'll be tinreto look at the fbssil-becl.... Tracing'your affectionateBishop' I tried for many years unsuccessfullyto identify Finally, I obtained a copy of l-rcderick Douglas the episcopal author of this hymn to heathers,a How's biography of his father: Bishop Walshont man 'rvho was clearly addicted to fly-fishing, How a memoir (1899: cited as Memoir). This possibly thanto containsa chaptelon'The bishop as a fisherman' lnore bollnizing. 'The The brcak-tlu'oughcame whcrr I was readingJ. (tufemoir:432447), and anothel on bishop Hanis 1906 book Connenaru and the as a botanist' (Memoir: 449459). The bishop Stone's 'several neighbottringspot.s of beautyond intere.st.lnitl visited Connernara times' on fishing happenedon a referenccthe death on l0 August expcditions,thc first in 1867 rvith his cousin Mr 1897 at Dhulough flouse. near Leenane in the G. F. King. They stayedat Deradda Lodge but 'spofi 'He nofihrvestem rcaches of Connemara, of the the was not good'; chronicledthc visit Bishopof Waketield,the Most Rcvd Dr William in rhyme. whish he illustratedwith spirited perr- Walsharn How. Stone commented that the and-ink skctches.' The whole poem is reprinted 'had bishop only arrivcd about a forrnight befbre (Memoir'.436 438). in seirrchof rest and health.' According to How's DAY I. cntry in lhe Or/brd dictictnar.r o/ narional biogro- 'Horv, Calmly bright phf (J.H. Oveflon, William Walsharn Is the morning light; ( 1823-1897)', re\'. M.C. Cutthoys, 2004 Lovelily bluearc thenrountain ridges: ://www. oxforddnb. corn/vieu'/article/I 3882, [http 'a Gently ripplc the waters accessed23 Aug 20061),he was keen flsher- Like the prattle of Erin's daughters; man. an accomplished botanist. and a most But oh! Confound thesevenomous midges! popular writcr, both in proseand vcrse. His datcs 'since were more days,'stanzas. fitted too. Phillipsstated that thc poet had And, therc fivc -lq Notes - Botany in Literature 44 / BotanicalCrossword No. 7

Horv visited Deradda again in 1869 with a So the Bishop of Wakefield wrote the poem 'he friend Colonel Lloyd, and in 1895 took about Deradda Lodge, perhaps the only one in several members of his family for a short tour in any language to contain the names of no fewer Ireland, spending ten days at Deradda Lodge.' than.fourheathers and certainly the only one ever 'I He wrote on 14 August 1895: have managedto to include the binomials Erit'a ntediterranea and get in a bit of botanising,and have fbund two or Eriocaulon septangularel The bishop is three rare plants, but I am going to cut the fishing undoubtedly befter known for his other hymns: as 'For one day, and have a botanical ramble on Round- a chorister I sang all the saints who from stoneHill [slc, Errisbeg].three or four miles from their laboursrest ...' countlesstimes. here, where there are two or three very rare heath- The hapless Fowler to whom the poem was ers, as well as some other rarities.' addressed, was the Rector of Liversedge in Prior to this trip, the bishop wrote to that well- Wakefield diocese,the ReverendWilliam Fowler known plantsman and expert on Hieracium, (1835-1912),a Lincolnshireman who is known FrederickJanson Hanbury (1851 1938)who was for his contributions to the botanical recording of a former neighbour (Menoir:454): tlrat county. Fowler was described (Memoir: 'chief I am going on this day week to Connemarafor 456) as one of How's botanicalfriends'. sonre salmon-tishing. and shall be at Ballinahi- So the poern's addresseeis also identified. nch. not far from Roundstoneand Clifden. Can William Walsham How may not have caught you tell me what plants I should look for if the many salmon or sea-trout,yet he must rank as an wcather does not do for fishing and I can get a incomparablerhymer. Considerhis couplets: little botanising? It is the heatherthat are said to ...more rare is / . . Ciliaris; be specialitiesherc. E. Mackaiana is said to be ... Or even by luck one outrivalling any a I firrdable,but E. ciliaris very doubtful. I was there Bush of the Erica Mediterranea. long ago but did not get to the heathhabitats. The ... that castso unwary / ... Septangulare; bogs at Ballinahinch were full of Menziesiapolif- ... seabreezesfall on /... Eriocaulon. olia and Drosera anglica, but little else interes! I wonder, idly, what he would have donc with ing. Yes. by the way I found Utricularia minor 'orange'? the famously rhyrnelessplant narne there. If you know anything of the region, and can give me hints, I shall be greatly obliged.

Botanical Crossword No. 7 by Cruc'iada Across Down l. Cyperaceousplant observedat sideoffence l. Symbol of killing fields portrays father (4,5) againstindecision (7) 6. Meadowspread over daleand hill (3) 2. Her couchis cold,admitting true Galium(5, 8. Gulpedice-lolly - leftwith just thestalk! (7) 8) 9. Doctordeleted, direction to bury(5) 3. Plaintive instrumentalsound producedby 10.Preserve mixed florver receptacle (4) pouches(4) I l. Eternalband ofbrothers loses other ranks in 4. How Adamproverbially dug the garden while hecticremedy (8) his wife wasat thedistaff (6) I 3. Thatcheris soundlecturer (6) 5. Niger ore fabricatedinto bugbearof bugs 14.Embroider shade (7) (s.1.)(8) 17.Capacit,r, for pulp in fungus(8) 6. Appearingin aufumn.dead before fine de- 18. She'slanded batchelor - Robert.perhaps (4) grading(4-9) 20.Nodules risen in driedstems (5) 7. Grassspecies (not a grass)despatched with 21. Twistno riots(7) bow (5) 22. Hear upper-classelectorate rnake unlikely 12. Get harrow without a combineto produce plea!(3) new shoots(ti) 23. Gardenhay scatteredaround garden shrub 15.Bird andI rvitha treepea (7) (e) I 6. Lockedup. ranaway and went over (6) 17. Oak treeshave such bryophytemoots in Linden6 (5) 19.It's not oddson fair decad. . . tetrad.hcctad. Solutionpage 69 v.c.. whatever(4) Notes- BotanicalCrossword No. 7/ Aliens Juclans nisra in Norfolk 35

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ALIENS

Jugluns nigro in Norfolk At-pc Burr. Hillc'rest, East Tuddenhom, Dereham, Norlblk, NR20 3JJ Rcferring to Eric Clcnrent's note on Juglun.s We actually visited the palent site this last nigrtz (Black Walnut; tn BSBI iVo.r's103, rny sulluner,and it was notedthat anrongthe line of wifc and I discovered a line of these trccs. now quite mature trees.'"'"'ere a nunrber that *'ere probably during the 1980s, though no record obviouslyyounger, and alsoout of line with the was kept as we considered them to bc obvious original planting. exotics. They were fiuiting liberally at the time, The site, in Thetford Forest,is a Forest Enter- and a number of walnuts wcre brought home. priseplantation which includesa number of other We soon discovered that the only way to crack exotics including Box Elder \Acer negunclo). them was with a hammer on a concrete surface, For anyone wishing to pay homage to these and. when once cracked. the somewhat scanty Black Walnuts. of rvhich therc must be 12-15, contentswerc almost impossiblcto whittle out though I have nevcr countetl them, thcy are on from the remainder of the slrells. tlre rvestside of the minor road which runs from As they appearedto bc lather nice trees, one the A 134 to Santon Downham. anclprobably in walnut u,as put in a ilowc-rpot of compost and. Lynfnrd parish. Norfolk, bctrveen GRs in spite of the hardncssof the shell genninated TL829.899and TL824.89 l. no later than thc following spring. The subse- Bearingin rnind the lengthof time which has quent sapling was duly plantcd out when largc elapsed since wc first fbund them, I would cnough and is now a fine young tree about I 5 to irnaginethat they must be approaching45-50 Iti feet high, and threatening to shade that yearsofage. (SeeClolour Section. Plate I fbr a corner ofthe garden. photo of a Kew spccimen). 36 Aliens - G/l,cerlacanalensi.s in Dumbarton(v.c. 99) / AbyssinianMustard, a naturalisedcrop?

Glyceria canadensisin Dumbarton (v.c. 99) JoHNMIrcHErr,22 Muirpark Way,Dtymen, by Glasgow,G63 ODX It was the 2006 Scottish Open Golf Champion- planted in the water garden sometime in the ship shown on television that prompted past, as such the speciesfailed to gain a place in thoughts ofa return botanical visit to this rather the comprehensive card index Allan compiled exclusive golf course at Rossdhu Park on the for his projected, but sadly uncompleted, Flora west side of Loch Lomond. Just for once the of Dttnbartonshire. weather held fine for the four day event in mid By comparisonwith relevant herbarium sheets July, with the wetland habitats which could be held at the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh, seen in the background to the coverage ofplay the mystery grass was eventually identified as looking as inviting as ever. So in the following canadensis by Keith Watson from week after the media bandwagon had moved off material he collected in Seotember 1995. A to the next news-worthy sporting event, I found specimen from Rossdhu was subsequently myself heading back to Rossdhu. shown at the BSBI Scottish Annual Exhibition One of several objectives that day was to Meeting held at Glasgow University on 7'h photograph Gl,,-ceria canadensis (Rattlesnake November 1998(Watson 1999). Grass) - a native of the easternstates of North Today Glyceria canadensisis well established America (ref. Hitchcock 195l) which had in severalclcarings within damp woodland (see previously been recorded within the park, Colour Section,Plate 1) on both sidesof thc Am apparently its only British station . Although a Burn where it flows past the old water garden thorough search has yet to be undertaken, this before finding its way into Rossdhu Bay. A alien grass would appear to bc confined to the bonus for botanistsvisiting the immediate local- general vicinity of a l9th century ornamental ity is the presence of the Scottish or Loch water garden and fish pond (NS358.892), Lomond Dock Rumex aquaticus in more open features now almost unrecognisable having ground, with a clump or two of this nationally become totally overgrown. To the best of my rare speciesreadily seen from the norlh side of recollection it must getting on for thirty years the road bridge over the bum. ago that this grasswas first pointed out to me by References: the late Allan McG. Stirling, but beyond pinning HITCHcocK,A.S. I95I. Manuulof the Grasseso.f the it down to a Glyceria he was unable to go UnitedStates. Washington: United States Depart- further with a name. Prcsumed to have been mentof Agriculture. introduced to Rossdhu Park as nursery stock WATSoN.K. 1999.Glyt:eria conadensis at Loch Lo- mond.BSBIScottish Newsletter 2L 12. AbyssinianMustard, a naturalisedcrop? Mlculnl BnattrtwRttg, Clarilav,, Hav,ick, Roxburghshire, TDg 8PT

As reported in BSBI News l0l: 35, Crambe particular whether the plants represent escapes hispanica L. (Crambe abyssinica Hochst. ex R of seed from a cultivated crop or whether they E Fries.) (Abyssinian Mustard ) is now grown in are evidenccof naturalisation. Britain as an industriai crop for its oil-seed. In I have now establishedthat the source crop September/October2004 I found a few speci- was grown in 2003 in a field above Coldstream mens of this plant as a casual in two places by at Lees Haugh adjacentto one of my initial finds the river Tweed 7km apart but did not trace the by thc river. A local merchant had offered source crop. In 2006 I have found about 2,500 contracts in that year and several farmers near plants widely scatteredover a lOkm stretch of Coldstream grew the crop. Although the crop river from Lees Haugh, Coldstream NT844.38tt was successful,the businesswhich crushed the to Ladykirk House NT894.461 in v.c. 8l seed for oil in the nor-thof England withdrew Berwickshire, 34 plants have also been found from the market and contractswere not availa- within a lkm stretch upstream of Norham ble in the subsequentyears. Bridge from NT896.459 to NT893.467 in v.c. Mr Letham of Firebummill grew the crop in 68. No plants were found in a l%km stretch 2003 in a field well away from the river at upstream of Lees Haugh. I had never seen so NT823.394. I visited the field on 30 Seotember much of any crop species by the river and 2006 and found it to be in stubbleafter a wheat wished to try to find out what was going on: in crop. Thc Crambe was everywhere. There was Aliens Abyssinian Mustard, a naturalised crop? i Bassia scoparia & Echinochloa crus-galli 3'7 now in \oflhamntonshire at leasta l0o%ground cover over the l0ha field Impatiens glandulifera (lndian Balsam), givingan estimateof upwardsof 100,000plants. Svmphl;tum \uplandicum (Russian Comfiey) or While 90-95% of these had either not yet by speciesof the river gravels such as Rorippa floweredor werejust cominginto flower, the rest s1'lt'estri,s (Creeping Yellow-cress). hadset seed. This contrastsu,ith similarstubble When the Crambe was seen at the end of fields wherethere are oilseedrape volunteers as Septemberand early October not all the plants theseseldom flower in theautumn. found were in seed (with a few flowers still Mr McGregorfarms the fieldsby the river at open): they were accon'lpaniedby severaltimes LeesHaugh. The LeesHaugh field had grown a as many plants with a much rnore lush growth- wheat crop in 2005 and the stubble was form that were not yet in flower, or barely so. unploughedon 12 Octoberwhen the Tweed Thesehad apparentlygerminated in the autumn. c-xperienceda record t'lood. The fleld flooded. It A few dried-offplants which had dropped nrost seemsvery possiblethat much Crambeescaped of their seedwere also found, these had appar- to the river: both dormantseed from 2003 and entlygenninated in thespring. seedingvolunteer plants of2005. I conclude that it is impossible to separatethe The Crambeplants fbund by theriver in 2006 riverside plants of Crumbe seen in 2006 into have almostall been nearthe drift line of the plants secded from the original escapein 2003 record October2005 floods as much as four and those derived fiom seed escapedin 2005, nretresabove normal river level. Their habitat but that one must assumethat most fall into the is a dry openone colonised by a rangeof ruderal second class. Nevedheless even the 2005 species such as Allioria petiolata (Garlic escapesderive frorn the one sowing in 2003, so Mustard), Carduus cri,sptrs(Welted Thistle), a degree of pcrsistenceis implied. I will now Dipsacu,s.fullontrm (Wild Teasel),Glec'homa watch the fortune of this speciesby the Tweed hederttcea (Ground-ivy), Mttlva $,lvestris with interestto seeif it doesol doesnot estab- (Common Mallow). Resedaluteola (Weld), lish a naturalisedpopulation. Silybummarianum 1Milk Thistle),Sisymbrium An excellent illustrated account of the officinale(Hedge Mustard) and only rarely by Crambe is given in Dr Sally Francis' British the dominants of the river-edge such as Field Crop.s,2005. Bassia scoparia & Echinochloa crus-galli now in Northamptonshire BntRN LaNev. 5 South Clo,se,Lony Bttckby, Northants, NN6 7PX Rcgarding Bassia scoparia (Summer Cypress) I have afso tunrcd up Digituriu .sanguinali.s and Echinochlou c:rus-galll (Cockspur), both (Hairy Finger-grass)in the centralreservation of are now in Northampton shire. Paul Stanley the A45 near the turn off and roundabout for tirst spotted Bassiu on the central rcsen,ationof Wilby. There was a good clump on the roadside the A43 near Towcester in 2005. This year I here so the hazard lights went on and, pretend- have seen it as large single plants or small ing to look at the front to the car, I grabbeda bit groups on thc A45 betwecn junction 15 of the ofthe grass! M 1 up to the tuming off the A45 for lrthlingbor- In the Fl

Echinochloa crus-galli on roadsides in Somerset (v.cc. 5 & 6) StnoN r' L'actr' Naturatt'{K,i:::r#::;,:r::;r:^:^{:{t' raunton'somerset rAI 5AA:

Further to notes on the occurrenceof Echinoch- fewerthan 64 (77.l%) arefrom roadsides,with 'road-related' loa crus-gallt (L.) P. Beauv. (Cockspur) on six (5.6%) from habitats roadsidesin S. England(BSBI News101: 37-38, (pavementcracks, street kerbsidesand car- 'rush' 102:46), there has been a considerable of parks), and just 12 (14.5%) from cultivated new records in 2006. By way of illustration, ground/arablefields (mainly maize). Fig. I shows the distribution of records in v.cc. Arable habitats are probably less well 5 and 6, using data gatheredby SJL and fellow rccordedthan roadsides;but, evenso, it seems members of the Somerset Rare Plants Group clearthat in the lastfew yearsroad verges - and (SRPG); closed symbols indicate lkm squares particularlythose beside major trunk routes with first records made during the period 1998- have quite suddenlybecome the predominant 2005, while open symbols indicate lkm squares habitatfor this speciesin Somerset.To under- with first recordsmade in 2006. One can clearly line this point: for the sevenyears 1998-2004, pick out the M5 as a more or less continuous just l2.5ohof E. crus-gallirecords on the SRPG line ofrecords, from north to south, and there is databascwere from roadsides,compared with also now a second string of records - not so 88.5%for theperiod 2005-2006. continuous, this one - running west-eastalong Clearly,here is a specieswhich is currently the line of the ,4.303. There are severalroadside undergoinga quitedramatic extension of range populations elsewhere in the county, but none along Somerset'sroad network. And for yet to match those on the M5 and 4.303. anyonewho gets a'btzz',like me,from finding lnterestingly, Green el al. (1991) describedE. new plants in new squares,Echinochloa is 'waste crus-galli in Somersetas a rare casualof certainlyworth a closerlook! and cultivated ground... and rubbish tips', with Reference no indication in the mid 1990sthat it might also GREEN,P. R., GREEN,I. P. & CRoucH, G. A. 1997. occur on roadsides. Yet, ofthe 82 lkm square The Atlas Flora of Somersel. Wayford & Yeovil: records for which we have habitat details. no privately published.

'7

6

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I .J

I I r. f

I rrr ! . - r..

Figure 1. lkm distribution of Echinochloa crus-golli in Somerset:closed squares,1'r record 1998-2005; open squarcs, l'1 record 2006 (mapped using MapMate, version 2.1.6. A Teknica Ltd. 2006; base map (O Batholomew 2003) Aliens A Wizard's Weeds? - the poisonousbaggage of Soya Bean hull / Boringdon Park - 39 Alien Invasion

A Wizard's Weeds?- the poisonousbaggage of SoyaBean hull MtcHaEl BnetrHwa.trn, Clarilav,, Hawit'k, Roxburghshire, TD9 8PT Ditncan Gill of Hutton, Berrvickshire, phoned There were other aliens with the Thom-ap- me at the beginning of August 2006 to say he ples, some only found on subsequentvisits by had found a Thom-apple plant Datura stramo- Luke Gaskell and myself. There were about 60 niunt in the lleld next to the church at plants of Solanttm nigrum (Black Nightshade), NT908.539. A rnonth later he phoned againto 200 of Amoranthus retroJlexus (Common say that he had now countcd over 300 plants in Amaranth). and lbur of Persicaria pensylvanit'tt the field. I was down the next day and wc had a (Pinkweed). The grassesincluded 100 plants of walk round the potato field in qucstion. He had Echinochlou crus-galli (Cockspur), 30 of done somc asking around and had found out that Setaria verticillata (Rough Bristle-grass),ten of the farrner had had some manure frorrr his S. italica (Foxtail Bristle-grass) and two of S. neighbour who had been f-eedingSoya Bean hull pumila (Yellow Bristle-grass). All of these 'Ihe (Gl.vcinemax) ro his cattle. Soya is thought species are unheard of in field crops in thcse to have been grown in America. The rnanure pafts even in a hot sumrner like this one. I had had been spread. the potatoes planted and pre- a look at the Goosefoot plants, which also emel€ellce wccdkiller applied. Although the seerned odd, but, while alrrrost all kcyed to crop came up clean to start with it was f-estooned Chenopodiumalbtrm (Fat-ben),a couple of low- with fumitory when I visited and thorn-apples growing plant with broadly oval entire leaves were easily seen dotted around the field though key to C. polyspermum (Many-seecledGoose- most of them were at the margin where there fbot) and one late-floweling plant is probably 'nvasa set-asidestrip. The thorn-appleswere up C'.pro hst i i (Probst's Goosefoot). to l.5m tall and still in flower though there were I did not handle the Thom-apples but I did also plenty of ripening fruit. Thorn-apple is a pick a couple of specimensof the Black Nighr very poisonous plant and, despite its relatively shade with contrasting leaf shapes. Within a recerrt introduction to Britain at the end of the minute I felt a tingling at the tips of my fingers sixteenth century, it has already built up a folk and thought I had better wash theln in a puddle. lore and Richard Mabey quotes an arlicle in a Thc next day I laid out the specimensfor press- British Rail newsletter where it was claimed to ing and had the same sensationagain even have been used by wizards. I was not surprised though I had only handled the spccinrensvery to hear that the fanner at Hutton had decided to lightly. The tingling took about two hours to renrove the Thorn-apples f}om his crop by hand, wear off. All a bit too much like rrragicfor my wearing protective clothing to guard againstthe liking! However there were no repofts of illness poisons,as he was not inclinedto have more of in the cattle to which the Soya had been fed. their very long-lived seedsin his land than he Referencc presumably has already. MABEY,R. t996,Floru Britannica.Sinclair-Stelen- son.London. BoringdonPark - Alien Invasion DAVID FEN\\,tcK,96 Wu.stluleGardeu.s, Estover, Plvmouth, Dct'tstt,PL(t STII' In 1997 detailedplanning permissionwas site. How lnarvellousthat it should now become grarrted for a 27 hole Golf Course with such an amenity for peoplcto enjoy. All summer Clubhouseand Driving Range;with approxi- long I said to myself I must take a look up there matelytwo-thirds of the courscarea within the one aftemoor.r,just to chcck what is up thelc. the ciq, limits of the PlymouthCity Bounclaryand site lying just across the valley, clearly visiblc onethird in the SouthHarns District. The golf from the top of the hill where I live. course,previously arable farmland, will span I first visited the site on Bank Holiday PlyrrrbridgeRoacl. a roadrunning from Plymp- Sunday, 27rr'Ar"rgust 2006. and found that there ton to the South-Eastacross the River Plym at were two sites north and south of Plym Bridee Plym Bridgeto Estoverin theNorth-Wcst, its Road. The landscaping on the south side, the ccntreat 5X529.571. Plymouth side, was more advancedand you The constructionwork overlooksrnost of the could alreadysee all the harrowing and raking southand eastof Plymouthand therearc some that had been donc. and r.r,heretbe greens were absolutelysuperb views to be gainedfiorn the to be. So I decidedto conductmy searchon the n Park Alien Invasion

South Hams side of the site, and where the like water-pepperbut there was just something landscapingwas obviously less advanced. Less else about it, my initial thoughts were that it advanced was really an understatement for could just possibly be a hybrid between water- thousands of tonnes of topsoil had been pepper and Per.sicaria laputhifolio (Pale Persi- scrapped from the site and placed in bunds for caria), as to me that's what it looked like. later use, and an even larger arnount of demoli- Fortunately, I was suspiciousenough to make a tion nrbble, top soil and sr"rb-soilhad been voucher and take photographs as I'm very imported for the landscaping of the course. in pleasedby this find. some areasthe ground has been built up by 9m I just had to go back the next day, especially or more. with it being Bank Holiday Monday, and the On walking across the site for the first time, weather was much better for photography so I and looking al thc flora. in areas it was very decided to spendan aftemoon taking pictures of difficult to tell the natural and the imported what I had seen the previous day and look substrates.as so many aliens were sharingthe around a little more. It wasn't lone before I was ground with so many natives, although the site finding morc plants.aliens yet alain. bur this was overall quite sparseof vegetation. The term time of the vegetablekind, 'native' Marrows, Pumpkins as usedhere includcs ntany taxa that are and Tonratoes;later being followed by Amarun- nrore correctly termed'archaeophytes'. Rather tltus relro.flexus (Conrnron Amaranth). notably there were very t-ew docks, dandelions Nicandra ph1'sulodes (Apple-of-Peru). or grasses,this was probably due to the fact the Nicotiana alata (Sweet Tobacco), Setaritt topsoil had been taken of}. and the demolition pumilct (Yellow Bristle-grass) and the native rubble would have been quite alkaline. thus Thlaspi atnense (Field Penny-cress). leadingto a sitelow in leniliry. Of course having just had a very enjoyable Two mounds caught my attention from a Bank Holiday, I just had to inform a friend distance,they were both about 1.8m high and about the site, local antateur botanist Phil covercd in sunflowers of an equal height, I Pullen, and Phil was very interestedin coming thought them worth investigating more closely. along as there was quite a few plants he hadn't The first plants I found amc'rngstthe sunflowers seen betbre. It had already been sornethinq of were Panicum milittceun (Common Millet). an alien summer fbr Phii as he had alre-ady Phularis t'anariensis (Canary-grass) andSetaria provided records for Rctstraria ('ristata italica (Foxtail Bristle-grass) but these were (Mediterranean Hair-grass), Erucastrum galli- lbllowed by dicots such as Cannabis sativa cum (Hairy Rocket), Senecio inaequidens (Hemp), of which there was quite a lot, (Narrow-leaved Ragwort) and Aster squamatus F-ugopyrum esculentum (Buckwheat) (see (South-eastem Annual Saltmarsh Aster), from Colour Section, Plate l) and Carthamtts tincto- the centre of Plymouth, the latter possibly a first rir.r (Safflower) (see Front Cover), the latter record for the UK. trvo I'd never seenbcfore. On thc 3'd SeptemberI picked Phil up and we Beside thesetwo mounds was an area covered made our way to the site. I first took him to see rvith brightly coloured horticultural species, a the plants I'd found cln previous visits, but after 'The small area I now syrnpathetically call this we resumed our search across more of the Garden'; an area containing Aubretia, Califor- site, and it wasn't long befbrc we startedfinding nian Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Early Goldenrod, more plants. Aliens worthy of mcntion included Hollyhock, Nemesia, Pansy, Pot Marigold, Grrizotia abyssinica (Niger), Bassia sc:oparia Cypress Spurge and Argentinian Vervain, hence (Summer-cypress),Lepidi trm sativum (Garden the name. However, amongst all the garden Cress), Scrophularia sc'orodonia (Balm-leaved plants were a couple of very interesting finds, Figwort) and Datura ,etromonium var. tatula the first possibly being there as a horlicultural (Thorn Apple); among the native plants found escape,the secondcertainly not. TIie very small that day wastrilercurialis annua (Annual Mercu- Chaenorhinum origctnifolium (Malling ry). We finished the day by discussingthe site. Toadflax) was the first find, a find that took trying to piece togetherjust why there were so days to identify; and the second took even many aliens and why so many noteworthy longer, but was finally identified with the kind natives, and I will come to this later. There was help of Dr Akeroyd, the Persicaria Referee, it one thing that we did agree on; same place, was a plant previously seentwice in East Devon sametimc, the following Sunday. since 1900, Persicario h1'droltiper var. densiflo- So on the 1OthSeptember we embarked on yet t't.tnt (Dense-flowered Water-pepper) (see anotlrer search of the site and yet again new Colour Section,Plate I ). The plant itself looked plants were found. As this is now getting a bit Colour Section I

Gltceria cuttadensis(Rattlesnake Grass.) in RossdhuPark, Dumbarton(v.c.99) with close-upof panicleinsct. PhotoJ. Mitchell O 2006 (seeDage 36)

Juglansnigra lBlack Walnut).Thunes towpath, Kew Photo S. Taylor O 2(X)6(see page 35 & 103: 33) Senet:ioinaequiden,s, showing short lobed leaves. Shipleyrailwav station (v.c. 63). Photo M. Wilcox O 2006 (seepage 4-5)

f'a,Etpt'rumt.;culentmn. Boringdon Park 1v.c.3) P( r.\i (t r i tt hltl ntp ip er v ar. den s i-fl o r unt, Boringdon PhotoD. Fenwick O 2006 (seepage .10) Park (v.c. 3). PhotoD. Fenwick O 2(X)6(see pagc- -10.t ColourSection

Curex marilimu on Taransay.S Harris (v.c. I l0). PhotoP Smith O 2006 (seepage 63 )

Persicaria t'iv'ipara(top) and Otobancheulbcr Cot:hleuriadanit:u on centralrcservation of dual (bottom),S Harris(v.c. I l0). PhotosR. Pankhurst& carriageway,with closeup of flowcrs insct,Wiltshirc P Srnith respectivelyO 2006 (seepagc 6.1) PhotosO J. Presland(see page l6) Colour Section

* ,tt Orange-trunkedTrees in SirvernakeForest. Photos Top: J. Davies,Bottom J. Oliver O June2(X)6 (see page 2tl)

Pteris mulriJidaon a basementwall in Bath (v.c.6). PhotoJ. CrouchO 2006 (scc page212.1 ColourSection

L Axillary Bud "Fan" hair

-1.Stele separaled flurn eortc\ {r(x)t) 21.Single central xylem vessel(root)

5. Root cortcx ccll chloroplasts 6. Root cortex grr-enhodies (extrudedcholorplusts /) l. 5. Cullitrfuhestugrurli.s. 6. C. obtusungula PhotosJ.E. Olivcr O 2006(see page 251 Aliens Borinsdon Park- Alien Invasion 11

lnonotonous. plant list after plant list, I must I decided to look around one evening the describe the search in a little more detail. The following week and I just couldn't believe my 'the site itself',and here I mean area of interest', luck. Growing just off the path beside a storage and not the complete field. is probably just 250 area, quite close to where I park the car, a to 350 metres square,not necessarilya large site crearny-white flower took my cye, it turned out to search, but the searching was made much to be Misopates c'alycinum(Pale Weasel-snout) rnore difficult purely because of the fact we and I found another plant that positively didn't know what to cxpect. It was all too easy confirmed the identification later that week. for the eye to be drawn to something brightly Other plants I found that week included more coloured, and miss seeing something literally hofiicultural annualssuch as Busy Lizzie, Salpi- under your feet; and a case of'plants being glossis and Petunia. and the shrubby Solanum easier to find if you'd come acrossthem befbre capsicastrum (Winter-cherry), quite hardy in syndrome', so a lot of methodical searchingand parts of the south-west; but Myrrhis odorata concentrationhad to be employed. (Sweet Cicely) and Solanumphvsalifolium var. Initially, we actually concentrated our nitidibaccatunr (Green Nightshade) were the searcheswhere we saw brightly coloured horti- best finds; the latter I'd originally dismissed for cultural annuals for we realised it rvas in these Solanum nigrum but having read about cefiain areas where we would initially find a wider subspeciesof S. nigntm in StaceI decided to go variety of plants. natives included. these areas back and look at it again, good thing I did. 'really' probably being more suitable for the germina- At this stageI am thinking that we've tion of a wider range of species. However', it covered the site fairly well, but no, I continue to later bccame apparent that literally anything prove rnyself wrong and on writing this I am could be found anywhere acrossthe site and so expecting to continue to add new plants to the lcssdensely populated arcas also became impor- plant list for this site for some time yet. Every tant for searching. tirne I go, I find something else. it is such a The lOthSeptember proved to be another very remarkable site. On showing friends to the site interesting day for aliens, another Amaranth Phil and I have continued to find more plants 'uvasfound, this one still has to be identified, whilst taking thent around. One of theseplants similar to A. retroflenr.r but glaucotts,Amltro,sia was tentatively identified by John Crellin of artemisiiftilia (Common Ragweed), Borago (www.floralimages.co.uk), who visited thc site oflicinalis (Borage), Oxttlis incarnata (Pale recently. asLinario xdominii, (L. purpurea x L. Pink-sorrel), Ga Ii nsoga q uadr iradia ta (Shaggy- repens) (a hybrid toadflax); othcr alien finds soldier), P hys al is p eruv iana (Cape- goosebeny) include Campanula poscharslEana (Trailing and Sisy'inch ium cal iforn iczrn (Yellow-eyed- Bell-flower), Beta vulgoris ssp. cicla var. grass). Four alien grasses werc also found, flat'escens (Swiss Chard), Dia.st'icr burberae Ec'hinochloa crus-galli (Cockspur), Echinoch- (Twin-spur), H),nsc),amus nlger' (Henbane), loa esculenta (Japanese Millet), Poly-pogon Ficus carica seedling(Fig) and posslbly Linaria viridi.s (.Water Bent) and Polypogon monspe- nevadensis (Roadside Toadflax) but yet to be /lerusl.r(Annual Beard-grass). confinned. With natives (or archaeophytes) The natives this time included Choenorhinum including, Chenopodiumficifoliun (Fig-leaved rnintts (Snall Toadflax), Linaria repen,s(Pale Goosefoot), Chenopodium murole (Nettle- Toadflax), Lac'tuca virosa (GreaI Lettuce). Beta leavedGoosefoot) and Seneciollsco.sr.rs (Sticky vulgaris subsp.maritima (Sea Beet) and Lovat- Groundsel). era arbnrea (Tree-mallow); the latter suggest- Further visits are planned during October and ing that at least some of the imported soil and November 2006 but as the autumn draws to a demolition material might have come from close and the likelihood of finding much else areas on or close to Plymouth's Devonian diminishes there will be more time to conduct LjmestoneBelt, and possibly somervhereclose research into fincling out where ntuch of tl.re to the watcrfront. The best flnd of the day flora came from. The flora on this site can though, was without a doubt, Sperguloria roughly be divided into four main groups, Alien bocconei (Greek Sea-spuney), and we are both (Horticultural), Alien (Seed Aliens) - probably very grateful to Tim Rich for his confirmation. bird seed,Local Natives and Imported Natives. After such a good day, or good couple of According to the site manager, demolition weekends we both considered that we misht material and subsoil has been brought in from a have.justaboLrl found everythinglhere was to be multitude of places and I have already hinted at found, but givcn the urgency to record as much the potential for the origin of some of the plants. aspossible because work is on-goingon the site, My first idea was that a proportion of the rubble A') Afiens Borinsdon Park - Alien Invasion/ Discovervof Pteris multifida Poir. in Bath

and soil might have come from an old allotment main.php) or information gained from Roger site, where animals were kept, or old walled Smith, the South Devon BSBI Recorder; using garden,but this would not explain why all these such plants as Persicaria hltdropiper var. densi- unusual plants are occurring acrossthe whole site .florum, Hyoscvamus niger, Mercurialis annua, in such numbers. However on driving back from Spergularia bocconei, Linaria repens, Scrophtt- the site one day an idea came into my head, and I laria scorodonia and Chenopodium murale, thought I might have to think bigger. Could all natives that rarely occur in the Plymouth area. the imported material be coming from a local zoo Here I must thank Roger Smith for all the help or wildlife park? It would explain a lot. and assistancehe has given. I first contacted the nearestwildlife park, the It is likely that by the time this is published, Dartmoor Wildlife Park at Soarkwell. which is the only plants to be found on the site will be reasonablyclosc to the site.sidly the reply was. amenity grasses and hundreds of trees and 'No recent demolition'. So I then contactedthe shrubs; at least by then we will have a good Curator ofPlants at Paignton Zoo and askedthe record of what was found, and possibly a better same question, I received a similar reply but the insight and understanding of why so many curator was very interestedin what I had to say. unusual spccies,some new to Devon, occurred He stated that most of the aliens found were in such a small area. 'Bird indeed Seed Aliens' and thought I was on To finish I would like to thank thc site the right track by thinking the material could manager at Boringdon Park for allowing us to have come from the demolition of a wildlife record whilst constructionwork was in progress park, although he suggestedthat it was probably and making this article possible. for from a Bird Park, as this would account the David Fcnwick is a qualified horticulturalist (Horlicultural), Alien (Bird and Alien Seed) with a long time interest in wildflowers. He Imported Native. He also statedthat a Bird Park produces a photographic wildflower website in 2005. so this is a in East Dcvon closeddown called Wildflowers of Devon and Cornwall. lead to be fbllowed up. In the meantime I might which can be found at www.aphotoflora.com. be able to roughly target where the Imported lmages of all of the flowers described in this from the BSBI Natives might have come using arlicle can be found there. Atlas Project (http://www.bsbiatlas.org.uk/

Discoveryof Pterismultilida Poir. in Bath HELENAJ. Cnoucg, Bronv,en, Farrington Road, Paulton, Bristol, B539 7LP FREDRUMSEY, Dept of Botart', Natural Historv Museum, Cromu,ell Road, London, Sll/7 5BD

At the 2005 BSBI Exhibition Meeting, onc of us healthy plants. Upon revisiting though, their (FJR) exhibited a definitivc list and keys to the fronds lookcd naffow and more winged than cstablished pteridophyte aliens in Britain (see expected,which threw up doubts as to whether BSBI Nev,s 102 20-21, where it is mistakenly indecd this was P/erl.r cretica at all. Early attributed to Prof. John Edgington). This attempts to collect a spccimen failed the reminded the other (HJC) that she had seen a substantial, spikcd basement railings are too Pterls specimengrowing in a basementin Bath. close togethcr for adult arms and the basemcnt Green e/ a/. (2000) mcntion two sightings of is locked. A return visit was nradc after dark, Pteris cretica L. (Ribbon Fern) in Bath (v.c. 6), with a long-armed teenager and small skinny- both of them found on the walls of bascmentsin armed child in tow. Sadly the long arms were the late 1970sby Mr R.M. Payne. Neither is too wide and the skinny arms too short to reach bclieved to have persisted. The only other a frond! Undaunted by the growing interest of record for v.c. 6 is from Gough's Cave, passers-by,a portion of frond was collccted by Cheddar. where Pteris cretica was recorded in the helptul small child by an alternative 1979,also by Mr R.M. Payne,but againit is not technique. believedto have persisted(Green et a|.,1997). The fronds are typically about 30cm long and It thus seemed that this new sighting in Bath are once or twicc pinnate, with narrow, pointcd may be theonly onein thevice countl. so it u as prrrnae.Thc cdgcsol the pinnaearc sinuosc. revisited to make a proper record. The newly Wings fiom the pinnae extend down the rachis, found site is a rather derelict-looking bascment, below the first, secondand third pairs ofpinnae ofan apparentlyunoccupicd housein Pierrepont (scc Colour Section,Plate 3). Thc plants are Street, Bath. There are now four separate clearly not Pteris cretic'aL.but Pteris mttlti/ida Aliens Discoveryof Pt.,rlsr?,r/rililr Poir. in Bath 43

Poir. (Spider Brake). This species is not present in 2000 and checking on its continuing included in the New Atlas of'the British & Irish survival promisesto be an enjoyable excursion! Flora (Preston et a1.,2002), nor does it appear P. multiJida was apparently first recorded as a on the British List. naturalised alien, as P. serrulata L. f., by Pteris multilida Poir. is an attractive small McClintock (1975), in his review of exotics for ferr, widely grown as a greenhouse,or window- 1974 ln the Wild Flov,er Magazine. That plant sill plant. A native of Japan and China, it is had been discovered by Mike Mullin in a similar to the better known and more widely basement area in Bristol (v.c. 34). where it distributed P. cretico L.: it may indeed reportedly persisted for a few years. Unlbrtu- occasionally be overlooked fbr that species. nately this record subsequentlysuffered from a P. multifida, however, has narrower pinnae and mistake in identity in a few definitive sources, can easily be distinguished by the + completely of which Stace (1991) is the first we have winged rachis below the upper 2-3 pinna pairs. traced; an error then perpehlated by all later (ln P. cretirc the rachis is winged at most to authors, e.g. Clement & Foster, (1994). The mid-way between the first and second pairs of confusion has been caused because more than pinnae from the tip, and sometimes all are one fern has been described under the name unwinged). Both speciesare somewhat tender, P. sen'ulata'. the plant described by Linnaeus' although Hoshizaki & Moran (2001) regard son is now known under Poiret's earlier name of P. multi/ida as the hardier of the fwo. In spite of P. multifida, whereas that of Forskk6l is the this, the majority of British records, primarily plant we now know as P. int'ompleta Cav. The from urban walls (e.g. Green e/ ai., 2000), arc latter, striking f-ern(to over 2m tall), is native to for P. c'retica. This may reflect the greater the shelteredLaurel woodlands of the Atlantic abundanceof that speciesin commerce,but may islands and is found as a great rarity in coastal also result from an elenrentof misidentification. Macaronesianenclaves on the Iberian peninsula as the altematives are often not explicitly stated and northernmostMorocco. It is extrerlely rare in floras and as a result identification of horti- in cultivation and not commercially available cultural escapesis often unsatisfactory. and yet this is the name under which the ex- Examinatiorr of herbarium material, in prepa- Bristol basenrentplant curently rnasqueradesin ration ofthe definitive list and keys to the estab- our floras. P. incompleta Cav. should thus be lished pteridophyte aliens presentedat the BSBI deletedfrom the British List and be replacedby Exhibition Meeting in 2005, revealed an P. mult(ida Poir. This species.although appar- additional and earlier record of P. multifdu and ently now gone from its fonner location in that a rather unfortunate error had been rnade Bristol (v.c. 34) is, however, alive and rvell in a following taxonomic changes elsewhere. lt is similar situation in Bath (v.c. 6) and perhaps now timely to report on these following the alsoin v.c. I l. recentdiscovery of this plant as an established Our thanks to Jenny Crouch for her assistance alien in Bath. in collecting a specimen. At BM there is a soecimen collected in References Deron. by a Mr Gooch. in October l9l5 and CLEMENT,E.J. & FosrEn,M.C. 1994.Alien Plonts o/ identilied correctly on the sheet, perhaps by its theBritish Isles. BSBI,London. recipient C. Waterfall, or more likely at some GREEN,I.P., HrccrNs. R.J., KrrcHEN, C. & Krrc'HEN, later stage. The label statesthat the plant was M.A.R. 2000. The Flora of the Bristol Region. 'on found a terrace wall quite a rnile from any Bristol Regional EnvironmentalRecords Centre greenhouse' but unfortunately gives no other andPisces Publications. P.R.,GREEN, LP. & CRoucH,G.A. 1997.The information as to its locality. The record is not GREEN, Atlos Flora of Somerset.Published by the authors. included in Keble-Martin & Fraser's (1939) HosHrzAKr.B.J. & MoneN. R.C. 2001. Fern covnly Florct, which was then in active prepara- Grower'.sllfanual. Reviseded. Tinrber Press.Port- tion, and has been overlooked in later accounts land,Oregon. of our alien flora. Attempts to trace additional Kner-EMaRrrN, W. & FRASER,G.T. 1939.Flora o/ past records in other major herbaria and through Devon.T.Buncle & Co..Arbroath. literature sources have been largely fruitless. McCLrNrocK,D. 1975.Exotics 1974. I|/ildflower Searchon the NBN gateway, however, revealed Socie4'hlagl.ine 374: 9. a 1995 record, from SU5.2, in S. Hants. (v.c. PRtsSToN,C.D., PEARMAN, D.A. & DINES,T.D.2OO2. New Atltts of the British & lrish Floro. Oxford I 1). Martin Rand kindly filled in some lnore UniversityPress, Oxford. details. The plant rvas originally tbund by Paul STACE,C.A. 1991.Neu. Flora of the British Isles. Stanley and is in a unique situation: a covered CUP.Cambridse. well-shaft actually within a pub. It was still Aliens Senec.io , variationin leaf

Senecio inaequidensrvariation in leaf types Mtcreel wrLcox, 32 shav'bridgestreet, Critheroe, BB7 ILZ:michaerpw22(d,hotmair.com Recently.Senecio inaequ ( iden.sNarrow-leaved in_Shipley around the railway station, (approx has appearedin BSBI l:gy".Tl Nens. {Sept S8149.-373)(see Colour Section,plate l).' Like 2006,103). Thecontent of thetwo articleshas Fric it was immediatelythought that thesc could prompted this article a little earlier than bc hybrids. However it waiclear that in these proposed. Eric Chicken'sarticle (p.36) plants, the flowers had been and gone in most of mentionsrhe possibility of a hybrid andQuenrin them and the young ones wouldiot flower that Uroom-s(p. 35) is in relation(o lhenunrbers of year. Thc lollowing year plants werc checked this plant in Britain. Though known front a Inroughoutrhe spring and suntnrer. A total of numberof placesin Britain,and still spreading, 47 plants had lobes ofone kind or another. Leaf its strongholdin Yorkshireappears to bethe ciiy silhouettesare pro'r'ided below. The leaveswere of Bradfordwithin the l0km2 of SEI .3. Th; either the typical narrow leaves 3-5mnr. often estlmatefor Bradfordwould be between1000 with cither entire rnarginsthough sornetimes and 1500plants, perhaps more. In termsof remote.lydentate, parlly revolutJlfig. a), very numbers it is probably the most abundant rarely broad 9-11mm (fig. b), but ociasionallv Seneciotaxon in Bradford but not the most coarselydentate (fig. c), with widespread. some having short Iobes (very similar to Eric Chicken's) (ng O) Like Eric Chicken's plants, some strange and a few plants were found with pinnai lobed-leavedplants lv_ were encountcred.rnairilv lobed leavestlig. e.). I

1! til l

Silhouettesof Ieaves of senecio inaequiclenswith Eric chicken's drawing inset

All of the plantswere fertilez7r sirl; but when In Stace(1997) andSell & Munell (2006)the transplantedto thegarden for further studvthev key leaturesshow that the leavesare entire to did not producefruits the first year, o. upp.u..i remotely dentate. Searching for other descrip_ sterile.However, they did start to produiea few tions, the EPPO data sheet(2b06 web versioir) achenestowards the end ofthe year. All ofthe describesnot only the spread of S. inuequide;s involucralbracts becomefully reflexedeven in acrossEurope but slalesthat: ones thal at 'Cauline firsl appeared sterile, (jn leaves are mostly linear-lanceolatc sterile/partiallysterile hybrids, involucral6raits to eJliptic-lanceolate,apex acute, margins do not open lully). The plants wcre clearlv denticulate to coarsely and irregula*rly- fertile.il'.not quirc producingachenes. ,,inaequiden.s,, 'wild bur toothed. referring to its name tendedto do soin siruations.' mcaning "irregular tooth" in Latin. Upper Aliens Senecio inaequidens,variationinleaf types I Dittrichia graveolens inS.Hants (v.c. 11) 45

leaves are occasionally pinnately-lobed, et al. 2003). As a species,it could be ancestrally shortly petiolate, subsessileor sessile.' ofhybrid origin orjust more variable than previ- Plants in Shipley, Bradford, can have the lower ously described. The flowering time of leavesshofily lobed to shortly lobed throughout S. inaequidens in Britain varies greatly and (see Colour Section, Plate 1) and occasionally starts as early as May/June and can still be in the whole plant can be pinnate (as in fig. e). The flower Nov/Dec, perhaps longer as it can be lobes on the leaves are very evident in younger tolerant of low temperatures. As it comes in to plants but they are lost particularly in lower contact with other Senecio soecies it mav leaves,which tend to shrivel and fall off as the hybridiseat some point but at presentit seem! plant becomes larger. The plant, which exhib- that those with lobed-leaves appear to be ited the pinnate leaves of fig. e in all leaves variants of S inaequidens that are not when young, at maturity shows little or no mentioned in British floras, though generally evidence ofhaving had iobed-leavesat all. This they appearas mainly linear leaved plants. seemsto be the casefor most plants with lobes, Acknowledgements and may be one reasonwhy they are not evident Thanksto Eric Chickenfor his handdrawing of the in populations, which tend to be most noticeable leaf type from Elland,South Yorkshire, which was in late summer. accidentallyomitted [by the Editor!] from his article A study at St Andrews University, using DNA inBSB/News103. techniques,will be looking at the genus Senecio References. (as well as other genera) and may provide EPPO,2006(doc05 11836) - datasheet on Invasive further information in time but is beyond the Plants,Seneclo in ae q u i de ns. http://www.eppo.org/ scope of this article and its author, though QUARANTINE/plants/Senecio_inaequidens/ material from Bradford has been provided. At SENIQ_ds.pdf the present, it is known that S. inaequidens is a LAFUMA,L., BALKWILL,K., IMtsERT,E,, VFRIAQUE, tetraploid in Britain and Europe, which is said to R. & MAURIcE,S. 2003.Ploidy level and origin of the Europeaninvasive weed Senecioinaequidens have originated from the Lcsotho region of Asteraceae.Plant S.vst. Evol.243: 59-72 South Africa where 2 diploid populations occur SELL,P. & MURRELL,G. 2005.Flora of GreatBritain and it is thought that the tetraploid may have und lreland Campanulaceoe-Asteraceue.Yol. 4. arisen through hybridization of the two DNA CambridgeUniversity Press. types of diploids in the Lesotho region, (Lafuma STACE,C. 1997.Flora o/ theBritish Isles. Cambridge UniversityPress. Dittrichia graveolens - a new roadside colonist in S. Hants (v.c. 11) MRnrtN RAND, 21 Pine Road, Hiltingbury, Chandlers Ford, Hants., SO53 l LH SIMoN J. LgRctt, Natural England, Roughmoor, Bishop's Hull, Taunton, Somerset,TAI 5AA On lSrhSeptember 2006, SJL andLiz McDon- just outside the Premier Travel Inn nell (EJMcD) were on their way from Somerset (5U4476.1674). They parked the car and made to a meeting of English Nature botanists, at a dash for the plant, and found - to their aston- Wisborough Green in Sussex. They raced up ishment that it wasn't Bassia at allt It had the .4303, then onto the 4.36, down through something of the'jizz' of Bassia, for sure, but Salisbury and on to junction 2 of the M27, looked like a largc Erigeron, or possibly an watching out for Bassia scoparla as they went. Inula or Conl,za; very narow-leaved, glandu- 'thick' The central reservationof the M27 was lar-hairy, a pungent smell of camphor when with Bassia. On reaching Eastleigh, they left crushed, and small flower-heads that, infuriat- 'in 'gone the motorway to pick up a colleague,Ian Taylor, ingly, seemed to be either bud' or who was flying in to SouthamptonAirport from over'. Ian thought it had the appearanceof a Manchester. They arrived at the airport about narrow-leavedlsler. an hour early, so decided to do a bit ofbotanis- Once back on the M27, from Eastleighat least ing on the neighbouring industrial as far as junction 8, they began to wondcr estate,/businesspark. whether all the Bossia was, indeed, Bassla Having seen large quantities of Ba.sslaon the were there not other plants oftaller stature,less 'open' M2l , and more patchily on the 4.303 and ,436 rounded outline, more branching and (on the latter, in some abundancealongsidc the darker foiiage, which seemedto look quite a bit 'airport dual carriageway to the south-eastof Salisbury), likc the Aster'? But the light was they were unsurprisedto come acrossa Bassia- failing, and by thc time they reached Havant it like plant on the roadside leading to thc airporl, 46 Aliens Dittrichia praveolensitt S. Hants(v.c. I I )

was pretty well dark. These plants would have SU4.1: SU44.15, M21 near SouthamptonAir- to wait... port, 1tt/10/06,MR; SU4476.1674,Eastleigh So, for the next two days the mystery compos- Airport, in shrubbery/flower beds outside Pre- ite sat in a vaseon the meetingtable. All those mier Travel Inn, 1819106, SJL & at the meeting were botanists, or so they E.J.McDonnell; SU44.16. M27 Stoneham, tlrought. but the A.rter/Cont':o/Erigeron/ Inula I 8i l0/06,MR; SU485.135,A334 HedgeEnd, was a constant reminder of theil collective 1611006.R.C. Rand (conf. MR. l8/10/06); ignorance! Only on retuming home, and with SU48.14,M27 WestEnd. l8r'10/06,MR. 'alien Stace, Sell & Murrell and handbooks' to Thus, between 17tr'Septenrbcr and I 8thOctober. hand, was it discovered that the plant was, in D. graveolens was found in l5 Ikm squaresand fact, Dittrichia graveolens (Stinking Fleabane). five hectads. It is highly unlikely that Dittrichia No doubt at all: it keyed out very easily, and was a new arrival in 2006. MR now realisesthat perfectly matched the descriptions and one of 'in he had been awarc of its oresence without the buds had opencd up u'hile captivity', lecognisingit - for the prei ious two years.on rer.'ealinginconspicuous, but bright yellow, ray- thc central reservation at the point whcrc the florets. 'first' M27 becomesthe A3l at the boundary of thc Was this a lbr S. Hants (v.c. I I )? Nerv Forest. This is a dangerousand unpleasant Initially, we thor"rghtit ri'as,but then MR heard spot, where three lanes funnel into two at speeds from John Poland that on l71r'Scptcmbcr - just of up to 80mph,so it is not surprisingthat it had one day before the cliscovery in Eastleigh! 'funny-looking beenrecorded simply asa A.ster' Alan Lewis had found D. graveolenson thc A.3I until this year. in the Ringwood area (exact locality unceftain), Spotting Dittrichio frorn a moving vehiclc is and during the following week had also seen it probably jolly difficult before fruiting timc (late at the A31lM2l interchange at Cadnam Septernber-October);especially whcn growing (SU28.13). John Poland collected specimens in close proximity to Bus,siu,as is so often the fionr Cadnam, and theseu'ere later confinncd as casein its Hampshirclocalities. But then,once Dittri(hia graveolens by Eric Clenrent. in fnrit, it becomes surprisingly easy, with Following these sightings,MR surveyedthe conspicuous pale involucrcs and pappuses A3 l-M27+A27 tiom ltingwood to Havant. rathcrcvenly distributedover almostthe wholc the A.3(M)-A3 from Ha'nantto Petersfield,and height of the plant, renrinisccntof a decorated the M3 from Southampton to Winchester. Christmastrce (seeinside Back Cover). In fiuit Dittrichia was found to be widesoread and it is more likely to be confused with an A.cter locallyabundant in two areas:( I the A3 | M27 I species than with Bassiu, but A.ster inflores- on either side of Cadnarn,with smaller outliers cences are either domed corymbs or elongated to the west on the A3 I at Bratley and Ocknell, panicles that do not extend down to the basc of and to the easton the M27 at Ower: (2) the M27 the plant (nor does Aster ltat'e quitc the same betrveen Eastieigh/Swaythlin-eand Hcdge End gror.r'th-form, Dittrichid bein-v shaped like a (including, no doubl. those plants glimpsed in rather t-at,straight-sided 'spirc'). Like Bo.c.sia, the gloaming by SJL et al. on their way to well-establishcdcolcrnies of Dittri('hia are densc Sussex). Voucher specimens,from the Cadnanr and can extend over scoresofrnetres but once roundabout, are to bL' deposited at HCMS. one is familiar with the jizz, stands of fruiting Details ofall records to date (30il'October 2006) plants can be spottedfairly casily, even at speed. are given below. As yet, we cannot say ntuch about its ecologi- SU1.0: A3 1, exact locality uncertain,17109106, cal prcfcrcnces.It is mosl prominent on ccntral A. Lewis. reservations,but seemsalso to thrive by slip SU2.0:SU22.09, A3l Bratley,l0/10/06, MR. roads, fccdcrs and neighbouring roundaboutsto SLI2.l: SU24.ll , l\3l Ocknell, l0/10/06,M R; a nruch greater extent than Bu.ysia. Sites are SU26.l l, A3 I StoneyCross, 10,,10,106. MR; nrostlyrvherc thc undcrlying geology is gravcl. SU27.12, A'3l Malwood, l0/10/06, MR: sandor alluviunr. usually free-drainingbut oticn SU28.12,,A3l Shavc Grccn, l0/10/06,MR: with someavailable rnoisture. We have not. scr SU28.13, ,\3ll M27 Cadnam. Sept. 06, A. far, recorded it frorn roadsidesoverlying chalk. Lewis, voucher specirnenscoll. J. Poland, A photo inside the Back Cover shows part of its conf'. E.J. Clement, site visited by MR site at Cadnam, wherc there is Spergularia 10/10/06;SU29.13, M27 Cadnam,l0/10/06, marina, Plantago spp. and a little Put:cinellia MR; SU29.14,M27 Cadnam,10/10/06, MR. distans in front of it on the vergc, and a tall-herb SLr3.l: SU30.14. M27 Copythorne, l0/10/06, community with much Pulicario d.vsenterica MR;SU32.16,M27 Ou'er.l0i l0/06,MR. behind it. On thc outcr verse ofthe roundabout Aliens Dittrichia graveolens in S. Hants (v.c. lI) I New crop plant - Solanum sisymbriifolium 47

at Cadnam,its nearneighbours include lgroslls Eric Clement tells us that D. graveolens has capillaris, Ulex minor and Epipactis helle- never before been reported in Britain in any borine;while on the nearbycentral reservation quantity, having occurred only very sporadi- of the M27, it is co-dominantfor hundredsof cally as a wool-alien and casual of disturbed metreswith Bassia,Echinocltloa crus-galli and ground. He is not aware of any other estab- Atriplex spp. lished colonies on the near continent. Its D. graveolensis a nativeofsouthern Europe, appearance in southem Germany, however, has the Mediterraneanand SW Asia, but is now been reported by Nowak (1993), while the apparentlywell establishedas an alienin many recent spread of Dittrichia along motorways otherparts of theworld, includingAustralia and and nrain roads in parts of Bavaria is 'google' North America. We seefrom a quick documented in some detail in a doctoral thesis that this speciesis salt- and drought-tolerant, by Hetzel (2006). Given its success in 'estuarine andits habitatsinclude both margins' Hampshire, we would be surprisedif it were not 'roadsides'. and ln partsof Australiait seems already present but undetected elsewhereon that Dittrichie is a quite frequent, and the trunk road network in southern England, and sometimesnotoriously abundant,colonist of would anticipate that this is another roadside roadsides and disturbed places (including speciesset to increaseits rangein coming years. overgrazedpastures); in Victoria, it is found One possible constraint on the spread of '...on sandyand otherlight texturedsoils in Dittrichia, as with many other motorway aliens open,unshaded areas with annualrainfall of300 and roadsidehalophytes, would now seemto be to 500 mm... It occursover broadareas of the increasing practice of paving or concreting grazing land and on roadsidesand neglected central reseryations. Our observations this areas... [it] invades dry coastal vegetation, autumn, however, suggest that Dittrichia (mluch mallee shrubland,lowland grassland...grassy like Echinochloa crus-galli) is able to survive woodlandand dry sclerophyllforest' (Parsons quite well in less extreme roadside situations, & Cuthbertson1992). In New York Statein the such as on roundabouts and slip roads - and 1940sit was recordedas an abundantcoloniser possibly on the outer verges/hard shoulders of of road construction sites (Flora of North motorways and dual carriagewaystoo - and so .lmerica2005). In Calilonria.where it arrived could be less aff, ted by these changerS'han in theearly 1980s, it is now spreadingrapidly in some otner soecle.. a rangeof disturbedhabitats including railway References tracks,roadsides and the spillwaysof torrent Flora of North America Editorial Committee,eds. creeks,and is consideredto havethe potential to 2005.Flora of North America19:473.New York becomea 'noxiousweed' (Preston1997). and Oxford. Interestingly.given its occurrenceson HF.TzEL,G., 2006. Die Neophyten Oberfrankens. roadsides,D. graveolensis known to be very Floristik, Standorlcharqkteristik, Vergesell.schaf- tolerantof high metalconcentrations (including twrg, I'erbreitung, Dynantik. BayerischenJulius- mercury, zinc and nickel), and has been Maximilians-Universitiit, Wiirzburg. proposed polluted NowAK,R., 1993.Massenvorkommen von DittricJtia asa bio-accumulatoron sites graveolens(L.) Greuter(Klebriger Alant) an Auto- in easternand southernEurope. Zinc and (less bahnenin Siiddeutschland.Fktrist. Rundbr.,21: consistently)nickel have been documented 38-40. from severaldeveloped temperate and subtropi- PARS0NS,W.T. & CurHBERrsoN,E.G. 1992. Stink- cal countries as roadside oollutants- zinc wort Diltichia graveolens(L.) Noxious Weed.so/ claimedlo comeparticularly irotr., ryre abrasion Australiupp 281-283.Inlata Press,Melbourne. and the use of galvanisedcrash barriers, and PRESToN, R.E. 199'7. Dittrichia graveolens nickelfronr heavy brake use. (Asteraceae)new to Califomiarveed flora. Madn> no 44 (2\: 200-203.

Another new crop plant in Britain, SolunumsisymbriifoliumLam. MARTTNSaNroR-o, Suffulk Biological RecordsCentre, Ipswich Museum,High Street,Ipswich, Su/'- .fblk IP I 3QH; sbrc(@globalnet.co.uk In October2006 two local botanistsdrew my lilac-floweredplant, obviously planted in rows. attentionto anunusual crop in fieldsat Waldring- Oneof my callershad suggested it mightbe the field,East Suffolk (TM26.44\. I hadnoticed one CarolinaHorse-nettle, Solanum carolinense and, of thefields from theA I 2 showinga tall (c.1m). asI couldnot think why anyonewould grow such 48 Aliens - New crop plarft - Solanum sisymhriifoliunt

a toxic plant as a crop, I visited the site to investi lifted before PCN complete their life cycle had gate. Two large fields of several acres on light, been tried, but the timing was difficult and could sandy soils were full of the plants, in full flower, result in increased infestation if they were left rnaking an attractive display. The crop was in even a few days too long before harvesting. fact another annual South Arneican Solanum,the Dutch researchers at Wageningen University Red Buffalo-bur or Sticky Nightshade, S. sr,syrn- investigatedthe use of other Solonun speciesas briifolium. a trap crop tbr the nematodes.In the 1990sKlaas The olant has been known as a rare casual Scholte tested about one hundred soeciesfrotn arriving in oil-, bird- and agricultural seed,with the polato lamily in pots.in order to find a plant only two previous Suffolk records, both of which produced the hatching agent. singletons in gardens. The ly'ew Atlas has only Solanttm sisymbriifoliun showed promise; like one recent record (from Bristol docks) and potatoes, the plant roots produce exudates that reports that although it was grown in Britain by induce hatching of nematode lalae from eggs in I 815, and was first recorded in the wild in 1922 the cyst. Although the nematodesare able to feed (W. Gloucs.), it appears to have declined, on the roots of S. sisyn brii/bl iu nt, they are unable perhapswith the declining use of wood shoddy. to reproduce (perhaps because of the lack of This rather handsome.spiny plant is regarded tubers) and complete their lil-e cycle. The result as a noxious weed in the southem states of is a drastic decline in the density of viabie cysts America and in South Africa. As the specit-rc in the infested soil. Field-scale trials in the name suggests,it has divided leaves like Sl^ryn- Netherlands have shown this to be an effective brium, except that they are fumished with many trap crop for PCN with no risk of population sharp spines. The flowers are quite large, similar increase regardless of how long the crop is left in shape to potato, and come in a variety of growing. Dutch plant breedershave selecteda shades ranging from mauve through to white. number of varieties of S. sisymbrifolittm wtth Although the tomato-like fruits are apparently inrproved field performance and from 2005 these edible (known as Morelle de Balbis in France) have been available commercially in the UK 'dense-thorned the altemative English name of from Branston Ltd and Greenvale AP Ltd, 'DeCyst'. bitter apple' suggestedthat it was unlikely 1o be nrarketedas Furlher researchon the cultivated in quantity tbr culinary use. lndeecl. ootimum conditions for establishrnent and the calyx is so covercd in needle-sharpspines that giowth of the crop in cliffbrentsoil types is being it would be very dilllcult to harvest without carried out in Britain at Rothamsted (see injury (see drawing page 49). http ://www.rothamsted.bbsrc.ac.uk/ppi/pcnco A little researchon the internet soon revealed ntroVSA%20project%20s isym.htm for details). that the plants were actually being used as a The idea is to cultivate S. sisymbriifblium biological control for nernatodes(ecl worms). somewhere in the period betwccn potato harvcst Potato cyst nematodes (Globodera pallida and and the planting of the nexl potato crop. As well 'PCN') G. rostochiensr.rknown as are serious as promoting a nematodehatch of up to 70%, the pestsfor the UK potato industry. More than 60% crop can also be usedto produce I 0- I 2 tons/haof of potato lar.rdis infcsted, and tbl somc growers green manure which is easy to plough in at the the cost of counterins PCN is the highest of all end of the season. It has beentrialled in Notting- their inputs. In Britain it costsan estirnatedf47nr hamshireand Norfolk and, even though costsper each year to control the pest with chemical acre are roughly equivalent to those for chemical sprays. The nematodesattack the roots ofpotato treatments, its use will probably become plants and, after harvest,they remain in the soil widesoread if the reductions in PCN can be for up to 20 years in the form ofcysts. Theseare sustainedin the long lerm. the dead bodies of female nematodes that are Although this is being heraldcd as an environ- filled with eggs. 1'he eggs remain dormant until nrentally friendly solution to the problems of they come into contact rvith a substanceexuded PCN, I cannot help wondering r.r'hetherif it will frorn the roots ofpotato plants. beconre another membel of our introduccd In the past goocl results were obtained r"rsing weed flora. The plants at Waldringfield wcre potatoes that were resistant to the nematodes. fruiting well, and although it requires wanrt However, the nematodes always managed tcl temperatures for gemination, I think we can overcome each line of resistance. There have expect to see it turn up there in future years, becn similar problcms with the use of chemical possibly as a competiti'"'e wced in the subse- nematicidesand soil furnigants,thc use of which quent potato crop. is strictly controlled by EU regulations. The idea It is interestingto seea significant pest specics 'trap' of using a sacrificial, or crop of potatoes in tropical parls of the world (In S. Africa thcy Aliens New crop plant - Solanum sisymbriifolium 49

are investigatingbiological control of this warming does not mean it will follow that well- Solanumusing chrysomelidbeetles) becoming worn path of apparently benign introductions 'crop' a useful in Britain. I hope global that later become problem invasive plants.

2 3

Solanumsisymbriifolium from Britton,N.L., & A. Brown. l9l3.Illustratedflora oJ'thenorthern statesand Canada.Vol. 3: 167. 50 Requests& Offers Aquatic Plants/ Mistletoein Ireland/ Plant Amnesty

REQUESTS& OFFERS Aquatic Plants MICHAELWtt-ctox, 32 Sha*-bridge St, Clitheroe, BB7 lLZ; [email protected]

In order to gain experiencefor a small study on sub-aquaticplants in any genus,ifyou havc any Utricularia,I would be grateful to receive live spare material preferably fresh, these would be material (sent in sealable bag, damp, between gratefully received. Send usual recording newspaper or kitchen towel). Flowering details, (A.S.A.P) postage can be paid if material would be very useful in relation to required (anyone in Europe krowing U. bremii identification but would welcome vegetative would be welcome to send matcrial) to the malerial (live) in order to carry out a growing author at the addressabove. trial. Also for general experiencein aquatic and Mistletoeplants in Ireland E. CnnnlEs NELSON,Tippitiu,itchet Cottage, Hall Road, Otttwell, Wisbech,Cambs., PEI4 8PE I arn attempting to co-ordinaterecords of mistle- Waterford, Wexford, Carlow, Wicklow, Limer- toe (Viscum album) plants in Ireland, both ick, Dublin, Armagh, Down, Antrim - and has within gardens, orchards and demesnes,and in formerly been recorded (and may persist) in the'wild'. If you know of any mistletoeplease Cork, Roscommon and Tyrone. Allen & send me details of the locality (if possible with Hatfield (Medicinal plants in Jblk tradition) an OS grid reference),county, host tree (if you notc that mistletoe was employed in folk can identify it), and approximate number of remedies in Cavan and Meath - oddly therc are plants. I intend submitting all accumulateddata no records, ancient or modern, for Viscum tn to lrish botanical news. those counties. While not considered native, mistletoe is Mistletoc has been reported in Ireland on the clearly under-recorded in lreland. There is no following hosts: Norway maple (Acer plata- entry for Viscum album tn either An lrish flora noides) and sycamore (A. pseudoplatantts'); red (1996, 7th edition) or Census catalogtte ofthe horse-chcstnut(Aesculus cf x carnea'Briotii'); flora of lreland (1987,2"d edition), but it is in birch (Betula sp.); cotoneaster(Cotoneaster cf Sylvia Reynolds' A cotalogtte o/ alien plants in horizontalis); cultivated apples (Mahs 'Bramley Ireland (2002). The map in New atlas of the Seedling' and other cultivars); crab- Britislt & Iri.sh.flnra has only 6 grid squaresfor apple (Malus cf sylvestris); poplar (Poptrltrs Ireland, yet the on-line Flora of Northern cvs); willows (,Sailx spp); rowan (Sorbus Ireland has two additional souare for the aucupario); lime (Tilia spp or cultivars). There Province (http:'wr.rr.r .habitas.org.uk' is no record ofit on . flora/species.asp?item-3624accessed 10 Pleasesend the recordsto me either by post or October2006). At thetime of writing,thanks to by cmail ([email protected] when variousinformants, I haveinformation for about sending data by email, please do not add any another dozen squares. Viscum is known large attachmentssuch as photographs). presentlyto inhabit the following counties Plant Amnesty JOHNPOLAND,9l EthelburtAvenue, Southamptut, Hants., SOI6 [email protected]

The text to the Vegetative Key to the British and aliens. Many helpers havc alrcady contrib- Flora is fast approaching completion. Conse- uted garden-grownmaterial, and my gratitude is quently, as the keys are being constantly re- extendedto them. However I wondercd if there written to permit fast and simple usc, a great were even more who may be able to help at number of queries are being thrown up and leastin somesmall way. Additionally,I'm sure 'missed' many or conflicting observationsare thcrc is an untapped resource situatcd in many emerglng. botanic or physic gardens of which I arn I know that many members out there surrepti- woefully unaware. tiously grow unusualBritish plants,both nativcs Requests & Offers Plant Amnesty / Hosts of semi-parasites/ Gofynne Seed List 2007 / 51 Seedsfrom Ware 2006-2007

Although UK provenanceis most desirable, to determinefrom herbariumspecimens and are foreign material grown from seed will sulfice oftenessential to clinchidentification. since, although the morphology rnay be differ- If anyonecan assistby eithersending me a ent (e.g. leaf size, shape,hairiness, etc.), the shorl list of unusualaccessions, or offeringto anatomical characters usually remain help with my problemplants as they arise,I unchanged. lt is the latter which are impossible would be extremelygrateful. Thanks!

Hostsof semi-parasites EDwARDPRATT, 7 Btt,t.Close,Sx,anage,Dorset, BHl9 lRE

I am sorry I have been slow to thank Chris Bartsia, Melampyrum) in the same family also Gibson for his most inibrmativearticle Host use a range of hosts: though I realise there is a Rarrgeof Rhinanthusminor (BSBI News102: possibilitythat such a presurnptionis wrong. l5-16). Frornwhat he writesabout that, and But what of Thesium please can anyone tell aboutPedicularls species, I presumethat other us whose food supply it gatecrashes? seni- parasites (Oclontites, Parentucellio, GofynneSeed List 2007 ANDREw Suaw. Gofinne, Llan.t'nis.Builth W/ells,Pouvs, LD2 3HN; andrewgshaw(lthotmail.com A small quantityof seedfrom Damasonium alisma Runtex rupeslris anyolthe followingspecies is D i htts gra t i an op o I i tanus Rumex maritimus scntfree upon receipt of a SAE. Epi lo b iu n Ianc'eo la tu m Ruma.rpalustris ( (bulbils) Bromusinteruptus Geraniun purpureum Srt.ti/rugrtL'rnuu Carexdepauperata Juncus capitatus Sorbus leyona Corex muricqta ssp.mttricata Juncus pt,gmaeus Sorbus minima C'entaureac)'anu.t Po lycarpon tetraph.t' I I um Sor bus porr ige n t i form i,s Ct'tisusscoparius ssp. nuritimus Ranun c u lus oplt iogl oss i/b I i us Torilis arvensis Seedsfrom Ware 2006-2007 GoRDONHANSoN, I Coltsfoot Road, Ware, Herts., SHl2 7NW; gordon2T(rltesco.net

Please send labelled packets or Cucum i.smyr i o c arpus (cult.) Meum athamant i cum (cult.) small envelopesand a S.A.E. Datura dis color (cnlt.) Nonea lutea (cult.) Dieranttt pulcheruima (Devon) A g r

FIELD MEETING REPORTS_ 2006

Reports of Field Meetings are edited by, and authors ofreports should note that they should not shouldbe sentto: Dr Alan Showler,12 Wedgwood be much longer than 500 words (half a page of Dril'e. Ilughenden Valley, High Wycombe, Nens) for a one day meeting and 1000 r.l'ords(l Bucks, HPl4 4PA, Tel.: 01494 562082. Potential pageofNers) for a weekend.

Magdalen Hill Down, Winchester, North Hants. (v.c. 12). 23'd April (& 30thSeptember) JOHN POLAND

Following on from last years successful New rosettes of Plantago lanceolata (Ribworl Forest nreeting concentrating on \cgetative Plantain) and P. media (Hctary Plantain); P. identification,another sirrilar training day was mediahas long silky brown hairs at the extreme arranged to explore chalk grassland.The adver- leafbase(in the centreofthe rosettc)u,hilst the tised April mecting attracted so much interest hairs are white in P. lanceoluta. It was deuron- that a secondmeeting rvas arrangedfbr Septem- stratedhow similar the pinnate rosette leavcs of ber. A limited total of 30 members attcnded. Sanguisorba minor (Salad Burnet) and Magdalen Hill Down, a Conserva- P i mp i ne I I a,s a.r ifr aga (Bum ct-saxifrage)can be, tion resen,e,consists of original chalk dov",nland rvith many opinions on which leavesbelonged and tbrrner farmland now reverting, through to which plant! Thankfully thcre are many extensive management,back to chalk grassland. vegetative differences, such as the presenceof Close to thc car park, attendecswere shown thc white latex in the petioles of P. saxifraga. burdock-like leaves o1' Brunnera mocrophylla Moving on to an area o1-re-seeded former (Great Forget-me-not). The sharply hispid arable and exposed chalk scrapes, we were unicellular hairs of the plant arc typical of the treatedto a wide anay of arableplants. Particu- borage lamily (most unlike burdocks and other larly exciting, on the September visit. was members of the daisy family). Nearby, two Geranium r:olumbinum (Long-stalked Crane's- common species causing confusion were bill) - a new site record. As many readers are Stac:h1'.ss.ylvatit:a (Hedge Woundwort) and now aware! thc petiole hairs provide the best Ballota nigra (Black Horehound). A sharp vegetative character sparseand adpressedin break of the petiole providcs the answer thcrc G. colwnbinurl but densc and deflexed in the are thrce vascular bundlcs in Slac'lr'.rbut only remarkably similar G. di.ssecttrm(Cut-leaved two in Ballota. Crane's-bill). The original chalk turf supportedan cxccllent My thanks 1oPhil Budd for jointly leading the flora, with notable species such as Thesittm event, and to all those who attendedand contrib- humi/i.srrtn (Bastard-toadflax) causing much uted to the day. pafticularly Eric Clement and intcrest from thosc attending liom the Black Martin Rand. Thanks also to Butterfly Conser- Country! Members rvere shown the rnost relia- vation (Hampshire& lslc of Wight Branch) fbr ble method of separating the ever-variable permitting access.

Langton Matravers, Dorset (v.c.9) 1lth May E,nwrraoPRntt

Nineteenmembers of the BSBI and the WFS. species which appearcd at frequent intervals enjoyed a sunny day on The Purbeck Wares. during the walk, sometimesin many hundrcds. This was a repeat of the overbooked walk of a A walk along a narrow sccnic path yielded the year ago, tlrough some of it was on a clifferent first plants of l'alerianella eriocarpa (Hairy'- routc becauseofthis year's grazingplan. fruited Comsalad). Purbcck is the nationalHQ The tlrst species of interest was again Rumex for this National Rarity, with a numbcr of new pulcher (Fiddle Dock; in lcaf. Next wc saw sitcs recently discoveredon Purbeck Limestone Cerastitrtnpumilunt (Dwarf Mousc-ear) on top and two on chalk. We then turned ir.rtotwo of a fonner spoil heap. together with the first nreadows. where a large population of Orchi,s terv Oplul's sphegodes(Early Spider-orchid), a xrcrio (Green-winged Orchid) had just come into tlower; thcre was morc of the Conrsalad, Field Meeting Reports - 2006 LangtonMatravers / Sor"rthernscales 5_l

and sorne Sctxifraga tridacry,liyss (Rue-leaved and Ophns sphegodes, and plenty of Brassir.ct Saxifrage) by flat surface stones. Clare Kitchen oleracea (Wild Cabbage) in ftrll flower on the 'fhere pointed to seven plants of OTtltioglossum vulga- cliff-top. we stopped for a late lunch. tum (Adder's-tongue) at our feet, and thereby Naomi Bailey and another member found they made the first record for the tetrad! had sat down to eat by plants of Spring Sedgel Moving out on to the rough downland again, During lunch the leader took small parties into we looked at Asplenium ruta-muraria (Wall- the nearby cliff quarry to see Asplenium rue) on some rocks. Though these may be an marinum (Sea Spleenwort) and other maritine old small quany face, it was the first time that specles. most of the party had seen it away from a Late plants of Myosotis ramosissima (Early manrnade building. The leader had asked for Forget-me-not) were the first sighting of note sightings of Carex carvophyllea (Spring after lunch, and then the party descended to Sedge),which is not easy to spot after its pollen Dancing Ledge to see small plants of Carex has been shed, and Mark Kitchen made one di.stans(Distant Sedge) and the first flowers of there. Spergularia ntpicola (Rock Sea-spuney). Then we descended an old track down the I 7 of us choseto go an extra half mile to try to slope, and more beautiful patches of Polygala see Gentianella anglica (Early Gentian), but, calcareo (Chalk Milkwort) appeared, in light though it had been in full bloom 8 days earlier blue as rvell as its usual colours of royal blue last year, there was no sign of it. and pink. One Orchis mttscula (E,arly-purple As last year, on the way back to the car park Orchidl was spotted by a party member in an we saw Lotu,s glaber (Narrow-leaved Bird's- area where it had not been seenbefore. foot-trefoil) in leaf, and we visited a pond to see On reaching the Coast Path. under the east Ranunculus trichoph.t'llus (Thread-leaved sidc of a stonewall the leaves of Arum italicum Water-crowfoot). ssp.neglectum (ltalian Lords-and-Ladies) were Appreciation was expressedat the end of the seen,but no flowers. Entering White Ware the walk. party enjoyed the large colonies of Orchis morio Southernscales(Ingleborough) Mid-West Yorks. (v.c.64) 20thMay PRur-AsHroN

The appeal of In-qleborough to botanists has grassland with Blue Moor-grass (Sesleria long been known. In 1660 John Ray wrote ca e ru Iea), Spring Sedge (Carex cary ophyI I e a), '.....and especially Ingleborough Hill, ..... for Fairy Flax (Linum catharticum), Field Wood- variety ofrare plants, exceedsthat ofany I have rush (Luzukt campestris), Sweet Vemal-grass travailed in Englatrd'. It must have been this (Anthoxanthum odoratum) and Limestone reputation that encourageda dozen hardy people Bedstraw (Galium sterneri) all being abundant. to visit the Yorkshire WT reserveat Southems- This vegetation also gave the group practice in cales despite the presenceofanother feature for separatingvegetatively Red and Sheep'sFescue which the Yorkshire Dales is occasionallynoted (Festuca rubra and F. ovina respectively) and torrential rain. Glaucous and Camation Sedges (Care.r.flatt,a Organised as part of a BSBI commitment to and C. panicea). running introductory excursions. our group We then examined the restricted but suoerfi- featured a pleasing mixture of ages, sexes and ciallysimilar looking flora of themirc aboic the botanicalabilities. lirrestone pavement. Deergrass(Trichophorunt The late spring meant that there was not a cespitosum) was in flower making it easily the great deal in flower on the limestone grassland, most distinctive species. Beyond this the group the most conspicuous being a profusion of considered separation of pairs of Ericaceous Early-prrrple Orchid (Orchis masculu) with slrrubs, Cross-leaved tleath (Erico tetralix) and Comnrorr Dog-violct (l'iolu riviniantt) and Heatlrer (Calluna vulgaris) plus Bilberry Meadow Buttercup (Rarunculus acrls) also (Vaccinium myrtillus) and Cranberry being abundant. This absenceofearly identifi- (Vaccinium oxycoccos). We then moved onto able flowers necessitateda traditional hands and the distinguishing featuresof the various grami- knees. nose to the ground approach to enable noid monocots; Heath Rush (Jlnclrs squarro- identit'ication of species with more cryptic sr.rs), Common Cottongrass (Eriophorum flowers and those with vegetativematerial only. angustiJblium), Hare's-tail Cottongrass This revealedthe glorious diversity of limestone (E. vaginattrm),Wavy Hair-grass(Desr:hampsia 54 Field Meeting Reports - 2006- Southemscales/ Jersey

.flentosa), Purple Moor-grass (Molinitr Green Spleenwofis(Asplenium trichomane,gand caerulea) and Common Sedge (Calex nigra). A. viride), Brittle Bladder-fem (Cystopteris After this set of green and dun delights, the fragilis), Rigid Buckler-fern (Dryopteris distinctive Bog Asphodel (Nartheciunt .subntontana) and Limestone Ferr oss ifragunt) and Tormentil ( P otentil la erecta) (Gvm no c arp ium r o be rt ia n um). provided welcome contrast. Among the speciesin flower were Mountain Dinner on a dilterent limestone srassland. in Everlasting (Antennaria dioica), Dog's the partialshelter ol a shortwall 6f limesrone Mercury (Mercurialis perennis) and Rue-leaved pavement provided additional speciesin flower Saxifrage ( Sa.ri /ra ga trido c h' I it e,s). in Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifiage Additional unusual speciesnot in flower were (Chrysosplenium oppositilbllan), Wild Straw- Field Garlic (Allium oleraceum), Baneberry be.r), (Fragaria ve.rcu), Lady's Bedstrau, (,4ctaea spicata). Hairy Rock-cress (Arabi.s (Gtrlium verum), Primrose (Pt'imula vulgaris), hirsuta), Wall Lettuce (lvlycelis muralis) and Moonwort (Botrvchium lunaria), Yarrow Lesser Meadow-rue (Thali(trum ntinus). (Achillea millefilium) and Germander Speed- Finally we closcclthe day with a discovery of well (Veronica chamaedrvs). Democracy and Hutchinsia (Hornungia petaea), described by 'quite relative inexpcrience also led to a tentative one of our membersas a twitch'. Despite identification of a Lady's-rnantle as Small the weather a successfuland hopefully intbrma- Lady's-mantle(A I c h emi I la minima). tive day was enjoyed by the mernbers of the As the rain finally lifted. a visit to the excursion. As the organiser,I would like to limestone pavement was made. This eternally thank Mike Wilcox, Clarc O'Reilly and John fascinating landscape had the pleasing mix of O'Reilly for their help in aiding the group. It woodiand and grasslandspecies. The full range would have beenmuch lesssuccessful rvithout of distinctive pteridophyte flora, common and them. rare was found. This included Maidenhair and

Jersey (v.c. 113) 20th-26thMay ToNyM,q,nsHALL, DA\rrD BEVAN, SHETLA& TERRY WEr_r_s, Cr,qnE "r-tr"J,Yi#,r{,,+:"uJS*tL.

This week-long excursion f'or a party of 20 chids (D. tnac'uluta and D. firc'hsii), and, a members, organised by Jane Croft, used the number of putative hybrids. kind and knowledgeable sen'ices of local We then explored the narrow strip of land botanists Mrs Joan Banks and Mrs Margaret between the sea wall and the coast road along the Long (BSBI vice-county recorders) to guide us northern half of St Ouen's Bay, which occupies to the most flower-rich parts of this fascinating the whole west coast. There werc swathes of island. Hardly a leaf went untumed, as we saw Lagunrs ovatus (Hare's-tail), naturalised here for almostall thebotanical specialities Jersey had to at leasla cenftlry,together with anotherintroduc- of-terand still fbund time for leisurely lunchesof tion of similar age: Centtturea a.rpera (Rough fresh-caughtlobster saladand chardonnay! The Star-thistle). Native plants included Geranitmt only limitation was unseasonableweather that purpnreum (Little-Robin) and Poa bulhosu sometimes drove us to shelter when we would (Bulbous Meadow-grass). have preferred to explore cven furthcr. After lunch at the Jersey Pearl near L'Etacq The highlightof our first rainy rrrominguas we set off across a nearby sandy field full of undoubtedly a visit to the wet meadows north- Musc'ari comosum (Tassel Hyacinth), also east of St Ouen's Pond, rvhere Orchis laxiflorct known from this sitc for more than a hundred (Loose-flowered Orchid) grorvs in imprcssive years. Hcavy rain and slect forced us to take nurnbers. This rnagnificent orchid used to be shelter under a conveniently placed Cupre.sstts more widespread in the island, but intensive mocrocarpa (Monterey Cypress). When the farming practices and other developnrentshave rain eased,we drove furlher south. Close to the led to its demise at severalsites. and its distribu- sea wall, on stony ground created during the tion is now very lirniteclin Jersey. Since 1972 German Occupation, we adlnircd an extcnsive the National Trust for Jersey has owned and population of Limonium nurmunni(um managed these trvo fields, and here at least its (Aldcmey Sea-lavender). In the same gencral future seems secure. Other orchids growing in area there were sevcral patches of Parupholis the fields inciuded Dactylorhiza praetermi,ssa incurva (Curved Hard-grass),the South African (Southern Marsh-orchid), the trvo Spotted-or- introduction Disphtma cras,sifitlium (Purple Dewplant) and Cerastium pumilum (Dwarf Chamaemelum nobile (Chamomile) but on Mouse-ear). Two speciesol Thriti occur here nearby rocks, though out of reach, a robust (Armeria ntaritima and,4. ttrenariu). The latter clump of Sedum praealtt,tm (Greater Mexican- (Jersey Thrift), flowers severalweeks later than stone-crop) with bright yellow flowers was an the widespread species,and *'e were too early easier target. A vivid orange plant also caught to see it in flower. We did, however. see i our eye on a 45o rock-face above the boatyard. convincing hybrid between the two which was A few intrepidmembers scaled up to inspectit. in llower. (Naturally we then found some at ground level The secondfull day in Jerseywas very windy, just round the cornerl) This was later identified but mainly dry. We visited the cliffs of the as Lampranthus aureus (conf. E.J. Clemcnt). a south-west home to warmth-loving species. new record for Jersey. Lavatera cretica We were taken to three sites. with a well- (Smaller Tree-mallow) was hanging on in the planned lunch (indoors!) to sustainus. The first hedgerows. stop at Beau Poft was a wonderful headland After lunch at the JerseyPottery in the pictur- with many treasures,of which the highiight was esquevillage of Gorey, we drove south along Tuberaria guttota (Spotted Rock-rose) some Grouville Bay, dominatedby the ancientMont flowers being without spots. We searchedclose Orgueil Castle. In grassland above the beach to the turf for ltatches of Junttr.s t'apitutu.s Silene conita (Sand Catchfly) and S. gallicct ( Dwarf Rush1,the fruir and leavesof R,inuncu- (Small-flowercd Catchfly) could be compared lus paludosus (Jerscy Buttercup), Filago closely, the latter being variably pink or white, minima (Small Cudweed) and thousands of whlle Thesium hrtmi/ilsun (Bastard Toadflax) plants and secds of Romulea columnae (Sand lurked here and there. We crossed the golf Crocus). Inland heath sported other little gems course, past a spectacular bank of Lupinu.s - Ornithopus perpusillus (Bird's-foot), Myoso- arhrtreu.rlTree Lupin) with both yellow and li.s discttlor (Changing Forget-nre-not)-and white flowers, and an unusualFallopia japonica Vicia lathyroides (Spring Vetch). (Japanese Knotwecd) rvhich our London After lunch, walking past a host of member. David Bevan, recognised as var. H1;pochaerisglabra (Smooth Cat's-ear) in full compacta. We returnedto Gorey thr-ougha Iush flower, we clung in the wind to the precipitous meadow with scattered old trees of Populus rocks of La Corbiere headland. amons brown alhtt and P. nigru (White arrd Black Poplars), rvind-seared clumps of Ru.st'us ittleutus finishing ofl a warm day with ice-creami. On (Butcher's-broom), to see superb specimensof the way back, near St Helier, we stopped to Orobunche rapum-gen i.stae(Great Broornrape). inspect St Matthews Church. known as the .4spleniumohtnatum (LanceolatcSplecnworl). Glass Church, from its unique interior created and Mtun

ous soils, whereas at Gros Nez it grows on Catchfly led us to our quest of the morning, a granitic acid soils. We were fortunate to have in strong colony of the cryptically marked Himan- the party Terry Wells. who had studied this toglossum hircinum (Ltzard Orchid). Though plant (Journal o/ Ecologv 64, 1976 ppl 51-77 4). these tall orchids were relatively easy to spot One of the purposesof his visit was to compare from afar. the same could not be said of the the size of the existingpopulation with what he dirnintrtive Bupleurum hulclense(Small Harc's- had recorded 30 years previously. Unfortunate- ear) and, flowering surprisingly late, Horntmgia ly, gale-force winds prevented a complete petraed (Hutchinsia), both being strictly hands suruey, but 55 plants were counted on one slope and knees jobs! Although not in flower. large we could reach relatively easily. most of them tufts of Corynephorus cunescens (Grey Hair- robust with 6-12 large leaves in a basal rosette. grass) were conspicuouswith their grey leaves Nearby we found more Spotted Rock-rose and and purple sheaths. Colonies of Rosapimpinel- Small Cudweed, Potentillo xmirt(t (Hyblid lilitlia (Bumet Rose) bore bright red round galls Cinquefoii), and two notable t-escues,Festuca of an as yet un-named gall midge. huonii (Huon's Fescuc) on exposed ledges,and In the aftcmoon we moved on to Le Ouaisne F. longi/blia (lllue Fescue),its glaucous leaves Common in the island's south-westcorner. We conspicuousin more shelteredclefts. were by now well accustomed to the rnix of Despite these riches, we gladly moved to a acidophilous dwarf clovers (including Western, more sheltered site at L'Etacq. Here we saw Rough, Clustered & Subterranean Clovers - large quantities of seaweedon the shore. ln the Trilblium occidentale, T. scabnrm, T. glomera- past this would have been har.restedand dried to tum, T. subterraneum) and associateclheathland provide manure for thc early potato crop of annuals. Here they included a white form of Jersey Royals. Nowadays arlificial ferlilisers Changing Forget-me-not (var. pal I ido). Unfor- are used, some say to the detrinrent of the tunately the party were unableto refind Scleran- flavour. A speciesol-broomrape growing near thus annuus (Annual Knawel), not seen in Dauc'us carota (Wild Carrot) here was recent years in the wake of car park works. suspectedtobe Orobant'he minor var. maritima However, it was pleasing to see a Dartford and Margaret took a specirnenfor confirmation. Warbler at close range and in a damp hollow a A good stand of loriiis nodosa (Knotted Hedge- Great Green Bush CJricketpresided over a carpet parsley) was found on the roadside verge. of Eleocharis uniglumis (Slender Spike-rush) Lunch was taken at the Prince o1'Walesoub in and L i t to re I Ia trnifl or a ( Shoreweed). Hrp er it:um the pretty harbourat Lx Creve dc Lecq. On the elodes(Marsh St John's-wort) was found by one wall across the road from the pub was Medicago ofthe ponds. mininra (Bur Medick) and in the car park a On the llnal day anothervisit was made to Lcs specirnen of Conl,za bonariensi.s (Argentinc Quennevais dunes, but much further inland, Fleabane), recognisable from its red-tipped where Sand Catchtly andPetrorhagia nunteuilii bracts. (Childing Pink) were found in quantity. A short In the aftemoon we moved inland to Cooke's stop at Bouley Bay, on the rocky north coast, Rosc Fann to scc a wet rneadow wherc a colony provcd',vorthwhiIe, as Scro p hu I a ri tt .tttt rodo ni u of Docrynlorhizamaculuta (Heath Spotted-or- (Balm-leaved Figrvofi) hung from the cliffs in chid) was in flower. The meadow contained a some quantity, whilst many of the party rich rnixture of species including Carum verti- nrarvellcd at the aerial nranoeuvres of a cillattrm (Whorled Caraway), which most of the Humrnirrg-BirdHawk-moth. The geologically- parly had not seen before, and a sedge that inclinedcollccted pebbles of spheroidalrhyolite might have been Care,r distans, which aw'aits frorn thc beach,where a specimenof our largest confinnation when the fhrits are lipe, as it is crane-fly Tiprrlttnttrxint r was scen. A t-ewmiles cunently known only tiom one site in Jcrsey eastwards,at La Tour de Rclael,there was a finc (SamaresMeadows). flowering Mespilus gerntanica (Medlar) ln the evening two of the parly took a long growing in an ancient hedge. Here an cafthen walk north of the hotel in St Mary to Mourier bank besidc a car palk enablcd comparison of Valley and fotnd Sibthorpia europaea (Cornish two sinrilar species, Lotus .subbiflont.\ and L. Moneywort) on a damp roadside bank in deep angustissimus (Hairy and Slender Bird's-fbot- shadc. trefoil). Along the headland Cltsctrto epith.t,- The fifth clay startcd with a visit to Les mum \Dodder) cast a pink vcil or,er the host BlanchesBanques SSSI, part ofa vaststabilised gorsebushes, while a mist beganto roll in that dunc systemon the island'swest coast. Green- would disrupt €vervonc's departure plans - but winged Orchid and srvathesol Nottingharr that is anolherstory! Field Meeting Reports - 2006 - Gairloch 5'7

Gairloch, Wester Ross (v.c. 105) gth-lzth June JIM MCINTOSH & JAMES FENTON

On a -eloriouslysunny aftemoon sevenus met in species such as Sqnicula europaea (Sanicle), the centre of Gairloch before proceeding the Galium odoratum (Woodruff) and Alliunt short distance to the sand dunes at Bis Sand. ursinum (Ramsons), which tend to indicate We made our plans lol rhe weekend and then ancient woodland in the area, although people began botanising where we sat on dry, rabbit- fiom the south are less than imoressed! grazed turf- a challenging place for botanising The rvoods here are almosl erclusively at the best of times! However the sand dunes dominated by Betula pubescers (Downy Birch), seem to lack significant amounts of shell-sand and the extensive natural regenerationthat has and so are acidic and not parlicularly species- been taking place here over the past few decades rich. makes one wonder at the need for the woodland We managed to identify most of what we planting that has taken place recently over most found, although did get confused by comnron of the moorland of the area. A characteristicof speciesgrowing out of corrtcxt. such as Athen- this area is the flushes of Schoenus nicric'ons atherum eltrtius (False Oat-grass) growing (Black Bog-rush)that wend throughthi more amongst the Ammophila arenaria (Marram acidic moorland, and which often contain Grass). More interestingwas one clump of Pinguicula lu,sitanica (Pale Butterwort) and Cttrex renrctttr(Ren.rote Sedge) growing in an Drose ra i nternezli a ( IntennediateSundew). We cxposed site at the top of the high tide line, were mostly too early for the butterwort but did together with a few plants of Carex otntbae plant, and there was plenty the see _one of (FalseFox-sedge). Thcse are both ncw records sunoew. fbr this l0krn square.indeed for the wider local- The loch level was low, with extensive stands ity, as shown inlhe Ney'Atla.r. However, fbr C. of Littorella uniJlora (Shoreweed) exposed, otrubae this is an error! as I previously recorded often growing with heathland plants more this specieshere in I 979 and it was good to see characteristicofdry ground. and also in the loch it is still present. It was still gloriously sunny, were Subularia uquatica (Awlwort). Lobelia not a midge in sight, as we drove back to dortmantn (Water Lobelia) and Juncus bulbo- Gailloch in the evening with the Torridon .sr.s(Bulbous Rush). However. most interesting mountainsclear in the distance. was the large extent of L.r,topodiella inundata Heat and sunbum were the main problems of (Marsh Clubmoss) that we found in two areasof the next day. We met at the north end of Loch open, stony ground that is flooded when the Maree.aiming to explorethe Tollie birchwoods loch is at its highestlevel. One site is a previ- along the loch shore and back inland, in effbct a ously known locality, but the biggest extent. circular tour of Tollie Rock. We were ten in extending along at least 100m of shore.could be number as we set off in the sunshineand headed a new site. down to Tallie Bay. We almost misscd the We were too hot and tired on the retum home extensive stands of H.r-menoph.vllumwilsonii to do much botanising,but some of us did re- (Wilson's Filmy-fern) as they were looking so find a srnall stand, 20 plants, of Lycopodiella dried out; this forms cxtensive stands on the inundata right beside the path which I first largeboulders throughout the wood. tbund in 1979- which luckily had managedto Although we looked at fems closely, aparl sulive both pattr improvement works and frorn the filmy-f-em, all thc others were species recent tree planting! conrrnon to the area such as Dryopleris alfinis The Sunday was thankfully a bit cooler with (Scaly Male-fem), Oreopleris limbospernttt sorne cloud about and a breeze to keep the (Lemon-scerrted Fem) and Dryopteri,s dilutata midges at bay, but as the day progressed the (Broad Buckler-fern). There was great excite- cloud dispersedto leave full sunshine. We met ment when Jirn Mclntosh announcedhe had in Poolewe and set off to look at some pattemed fottnd l/ioltt canina (Heath Dog-Violet). very bogs around Loch Kemsary, passingon the way rare in Wester Ross; however aftcr much delib- a rich marsh where the presenceof Dryopteris eration we decided it would havc to be sent to a carthusiano (Nanow Buckler-fem) needs to be rcferee for confirmation. One problem of confirmed later in the seasonwhen the plants botanising in Wester Ross is that spcciesthat are are fully developed- if contlrmed, this is a neiv often rare in the areacan be common elsewhere. 1Okmsquare record. and vice-verscr. Hence one can set excited bv 58 Field Meetinq Reports - 2006 - Gairloch/ Mynydd Cilan

Near Loch Kemsary we fbund the diminutive this is not common in the west and was perhaps Utricularia minor (Lesser Bladderwort) introduced along with the trees? Thereafter growing amongst flushes of Schoenus nigri- through a small oasis of fannland at Kemsary, cals, wilh which it is usually associated,and where we made a quick record of everything we then walked through some calcareousheathland saw, and then back along the track to Poolewe. where the first orchids were beginning to appear ln the evening we risked a barbecueon the shore everything very late including Gymnadeniu outside my cottage, it being remarkable for conopsee (Fragrant Orchid) and Platanthera being a) dry, b) sunny, c) warm, and d) breezy bilblia (Lesser Butterfly-orchid) and quite a lot enough to keep midges at bay! of Carex pallescens (Pale Sedge)and one small The sun was still shining on the last day as we area of Eriophorum latifolium (Broad-leaved set off to the south side of Loch Gairloch with Cottongrass). the aim of surveying a complete tetrad, starting Then over the moors, largely Callnna vulgaris at the Shieldaig Lodge Hotel. We began along (Heather), Erica tetralix (Cross-leaved Heath), the roadsidebut soon came to an excellentbog Trichophorum cespitosunt (Deergrass) and where there was abundant Carex limosa, one Molinia caerulea (Purple Moor Grass). We Plattmthera bifolia and also a stand of the Carer passed a stand of Carex lasiocarpn (Slender paut'iflora (Few-flowered Sedge) - the latter Sedge), which also contained. afler much being a plant that I am sure is often overlooked discussion, Curex limosa (Bog Scdge). The as it is only obvious for the short period it is in small patterned bogs on National Trust tbr flower. There was also a peaty Lochan Scotland land between Lochs Kemsary and surrounded by C'ludium marisc'us (Great Fen- Ghiuragarstidh are some of the 1-rnest in sedge),not a common plant in these pafis. Scotland for their small size. with very obvious As we returnedalong the road, in the event not parallel pool systems. Of particular note here is having time to cover the whole tetrad, we were the Rhynchospora .filsca (Brown Beak-sedge) surprised to see Carex laevigala (Smooth- and also of interest is Phragnites qustralis stalked Sedge)growing right on the road verge. (Common Reed) growing in blankct peat. And so ended a long weekend when it did not We walked acrossthe bogs to a long line of rain oncel The good weather encouragedus to Scots pine wood planted by Osgood Mackenzie dawdle, which made it easier to achieve one of in the l9th Century along an esker; this was the aims of this meeting which was to improve relatively speciespoor but does contain much people's identitication skills. i hope wc Trientalis europaea (Chickweed-wintergreen)- achievedthis. Mynydd Cilan, near Abersoch,Caerns. (v.c. 49) 17thJune WENDY MCCARTTIY

l5 of us met olr the common at Cilan in beauti- through thc heather for Radiolo linoide,s ful weathcr. This coastal headland. which (Allseed) arndwere soon rewarded, tinding it on consistsofheath and grassland,sea-cliffs and a the damp sides of the track where the ground seriesof small pools is now managed by the was kept open by trampling. Here too, we saw National Trust. We began by exploring cach of the flowers and fiuits of Ornithopus perpusillus the pools in turn. finding mrlch of interestin and (Bird's-foot). Passingby the third pool. we ar

around our feet, and were entefiainedby several (Spring Squill) on the way. We were unexpect- species of dragonfly. At the edge of the water, edly shown the hybrid between Hypericum Baldellia ranunculoides (Lesser Water-plan- hwnifusum (Trailing St.John's-wort) and tain) was flowering and we inspected its basal IL Ii na r i ifoI iun (Flax-leavedSt. John's-wort) by parts to find that it does indeed smell of Corian- local botanist lwan Edgar who had discoveredit der,just as the book says! Andy Joneswaded here previously and we were pleased to count into the water and came out triumphantly with over 30 plants. The commoner parent was Pilularia globuliJero (Pillwort), a nationally present but the other was not, although it is in scarce species for which the British sites are the vicinity. On arrival at the cliff-top, some of particularly important as it is sadly in decline in us decided to sit in the sunshine,while the fitter many of its European sites. In this pool, we members set off down the winding path to the were dismayed to find severalclumps of a varie- fbreshore with orders to refind Carex punctata gated Iris with blue flowers which we decided (Dotted Sedge) so that we could enter an to uproot and despatch to the garden pond of updated record in the county rare plant register, one of the participants. One of the aims of the now in preparation. On the rvay down, we meeting had been to check the identity of a lound Asplenium obovalum (LanceolateSpleen- STtargoniumspecies in this pool. but although it wort) in crevices in the clills and lots of was plentiful, it was not yet in flower. (A retunr Erodium maritinun (Sea Stork's-bill) on the visit later in the year found it in flower and fruit bare sandy ground. The sedge was eventually and revealed it to be S. emer.sum(Unbranched located and a count revealed over 100 thriving Bur-reed) not unfortunalely S. natans (Least plants, enabling us to take a specimen to those Bur-reed) as previously identified). With some waiting at the top. A very rewarding day with reluctance,we left the pools behind, and set off useful updates for severa'lscarce species, and to explore the cliffs, seeing the pretty star-like my thanks go to those who helped with the f'lowers of Sagina subulqtq (Heath Pearlwort) counts. and a few lingering plants of Scilla verna

Maltby Low & Far Commons,nr Rotherham,SW Yorks.(v.c. 63) l7th _ lgth June DAVID DUPR-EE& DOR()THY BROOKMAN

On Saturday lTth June about a dozen members After lunch we moved to a lower level of the gathered at Maltby to view the rich flora of the woodland looking at Carex digitata (Fingered Magnesium Limestone. Due to an Orienteering Sedge)en route andthen confirming a colony of exercise some alteration had to be made to the Hordelymus europaeus (Wood Barley) consid- programme and we thcrcforc set out for the ered to be the best find of the day. We then nearby Anston Stones Wood where we were returned to the cars pausing to admire a good soon being instructed on the spccial grassesof colony of I''icia ,s.vlvatica(Wood Vetch). the area such as Brut'hypodium sylvatitunt During the day one of the features was the (FalseBrome) and the two speciesof Helic'totri- number of shrubs,such as Euonymuseuropaeus c'lzon (Oat-grasses). We then crossed some (Spindle), Viburnum lantana (Wayfaring-tree), grassland with rock outcrops viewing large Cornus sanguinea (Dogwood) and a single numbers of Dactylorhiza fuchsii (Common specimenof Rhamnus cathartica (Buckthorn). Spotted-orchid). Orc h is pvram idaI is (Pyramidal Another genus of interest was Hyperic'um (St Orchid) and Ophrys api./era ( Orchid). John's-wort). Hypericum perforatum (Perforate Unfortunately the Ophn's insectifera (Fly St John's-wofi) was common but H. pulchrum Orchid) were past their best. We also spent (SlenderSt John's-wort)in the woodland was sonretime discussingthe possibilitythat one of nrore unexpected. H. hirsutun (Hairy St the plants with unspotted leavesmay have been John's-wort) was scattercdovel the open areas Duc ty lor h iza p rae Ienn is s a ( Southern Marsh-or- and there were two or three plants of FL montu- chid). On sucha hot, sunnyday wc moved with num (Pale St John's-rvort). More surprisingly some relief into the rvelcome shade of the one plant of H. humifusrol (Trailing St John's- woodland area where a fine soecimen of Tilia wort) was found. plunphyllo.s1Large-leaved Limc) was admired On the Sunday a slightly different group of and lunch was taken near a colony of Aconitum members met at Maltby to visit the Low and Far >

members were amazed by the vast colony of some of the plants of Rhinanthu,s minor Valeriano dioica (Marsh Valerian) mainly in (Yellow-rattle) in this area were Rhinanthus seed and some good-sized colonies of Cirsium minor ssp. stenophyllus with flowering dissectum(Meadow Thistle). It was interesting branchesfrom the middle and lower oarts of the to see how the flora changed as we moved from stem. This open areahas benefited enormously a predominately calcareousarea to a more acid from the clearing ofovergrown shrubsand trees one as indicated by finds of Pediculari,ssylvati- in recent years. Moving towards the woodland cus (Lousewofi), Calluna vulgaris (Heather), we found severalcolonies of Aquilegia vulgaris Erica cinerea (Bell Heather), Nardus stricta (Columbine). Walking through the remaining (Mat-grass) and Danthonia decumbens(Heath- woodland we admired a mature tree of Sorbus grass). Some time was spent examining the tonninali.s (Service-tree) and shortly afterwards sedges which included Carex pilulilbra (Prll we were delighted to be shown Astragalus Sedge), C. nigra (Common Sedge) and C. hirta glycyphyllss (Wild Liquorice) the highlight of (Hairy Sedge). The differences between C./rex the day. As we left the Commons we wcre viridula ssp. oedocarpa and C. viridttla ssp. shown a small colony of Thalictrum .flavtrm brachyrrhyncla (Yellow Sedges)were demon- (Meadow-rue) and surprisingiy a thriving plant strated. The hybrid betwcen Juncus effusus of Lychnis chalcedonica (Maltese-Cross) (Soft Rush) and J. conglomeratus (Compact presumably a throw-out from nearby gardens. Rush), -ftrncrl.sxkern-reichgeltii was also identi- Our thanks for a most successful weekend fied. The whole of this area supported a large must be given to our Leader, Geoffrey Wilmore colony of Dactylorhiza Juchsii (Common and also to four most knowledgcable local Spotted-orchid). As we left Low Common the botanists. George and Beryl Griffith, Everald hybrid betweenLolium pererne (PerennialRye- Ellis and Robert Beevers grass)and L. multiflorum (ltalian Rye-grass),l. Some members may think that this part of >''boucheanum,was found and demonstrated. South Yorkshire, so near to Rotherham, is just After lunch we moved onto the Far Common an industrial wasteland but we hooe that this which had a somewhat different flora including report shows that lhere is most atiractivc and dramatic quantities of Platanthet'a chlorantha interestingcountryside in the area. (Greater Butterfly-orchid). It was noted that Birkdale Sand-dunes,Merseyside (v.c. 59) 24thJune Davp Eanr-& Purr-Svrru Over 20 enthusiasticmembers from as far afield The margin ofan excavatedscrape supported as Cumbria and Yorkshire assembledat Weld a vigorous translocatedstand of Scftoenopler:ttt,s Road, Birkdale, to samplcsome of thc dclights pungens (Shary Club-rush). Birkdale is now the of the extensive Sefton Coast sand-dunesystem. only locality in Britain for this distinctive First we were treatedto Mikc Wilcox's exoer- specics,originally collected at Ainsdalein 1909. tise on hybrid willows. comparingwell-grown The jury is still out on whether it should be specimensof the nationaliy rare Salix x/riesiana considereda native here. (5. repens (Creeping Willow) x S. viminalis After lunch entertainedby dragonflics cavort- (Osier)), S. v'angu,sensi,s(5. repens x S. vimina- ing over the scrapc, the party resortcd to the lis x J. t:inerea (Grey Willow)) and S. nearby Birkdale Green Beach, a biodiversity x.subsericea(5. repens x S. cinerea). Nearby hofspot of developing sahmarsh, dune and *ut 5. r'Jbrbyana (Fine Osier), a basket-willow dune-slack habitats less than twenty ycars old. which is abundant on the Sefton Coast. Hundreds of newly ernerged Natterjack We then moved to a series of slacks that Toadlets were a brief distraction from the suppofi many local specialities, including remarkable olant communitics and a new taxon Dat:tylorhiza incttrnata ssp. t:oct:ineo (Early was soon added to the Green Beach list. This Marsh-orchid), Epipactis palttstris (Marsh was Carex xpseudoaxillari,s (C. remoto Hcllcborine), Parnes.cia paltrstris (Grass-of- (RemoteSedge) x C. olrubae(False Fox-sedge) Parnassus). Eleochari.s uniglumis (Slender with both parents. A literature check later Spike-rush) and abundant Bl.vsmuscompressus revealed that this was the first vice-county (Flat-sedge). Recent sun'eys show that the record sincc thc 1990s! Nearby was a standof latter species is actually increasing here, in Blt,smusrzrlr.r (SaltmarshFlat-sedge), also new contrastwith its nationallv declinins status. to the site, while a flooded channel produced Rttppia maritima (Beaked Tasselwced) previ- - - Field Meeting Reports 2006 Birkdale Sand-dunes / Kirkcudbrightshire 6l

ously only known on this coastfrom Southport Ophrys apy'bra (Bee Orchid) and,Anacantptis MarineLake. Malerialgathered by EricGreen- p1'ramiLluli.s(Pyramidal Orchid) and rhe group wood was later conf,rrmedas Juncuscompres- was delighted to see Juncus balticus (Baltic srrs (Round-lruited Rushl. not recordedin Rush) doing well in its only English station. Seftonsince 1933but doubtlessoverlooked in Another scrape produced a single plant of the tlre large standsof the rather similar J. serardii alien L1ts i ch i t on ume r i can us ( America' Skunk - {SaltmarshRush). Otherintcresting spicies in cabbage),new to the dune-system,and masses some abundance were Trifolium fragiferum of Equisetum xlitorale (Shore Horsetail) (Strawberry Clover), Centaurium littorale (8. .fluviatile Water Horsetail) r 6. an,ense (Seaside Centaury) and the related (Field Horsetail). C.pulchellum (Lesser Centaury). A spectacular The visit concluded for a few hardier display of severalmarsh-orchid taxa included members with a diversion to Southoort Marine putative Dactt,lorhiza xwintoni (D. praeter- Lakc dunes to see Colrcy u monensis ssp. nrrssa(Southem Marsh-orchidl r p incurnata\ monensis(lsle of Man Cabbage)and the dried- with hugerrumbers of theparents. up remains of llfiborer mininta (Early Sand- Retunringthrough slacks recently cleared of grass),the latter in its only English native local- invasive Hippophae rhannoicles (Sea ity. A pleasing end to a rewarding dayl Buckthom) by the local authority,we found

Kirkcudbrightshire (v.c. 73) 24th- 26thJune CIRREO'RErr_r_y & BErHWlr_soN

Botany at its best involves exploration and this villosum (Hairy Stonecrop),despite the fact that three day recording meeting provided an oppor- hc had worked them hard to cover the whole tunity to search where no botanist has gone tetrad, however they did find plentiful Saxif.agu belore.amongsr the miles of granite.schistiand ,stellaris (Starry Saxifrage) and recorded Listera calcareous crags of Kirkcudbrightshire. The cordata (Lesser Twayblade). David McCosh hills in this quiet part of southern Scotland are and Vince Jones' hawkweed hunt also proved relaxed rather than dramatic but remote, onlv fruitlessbut nonethelessrc-located H. caesnito- accessible via winding. alrrorphous lbrestry sun and, H. spursifttliurrr. the latter in jome tracks and little frequentedby walkers. quantlty. Nine members met David Hawker. v.c. By day two around Curleywee the competi- recorder for Kirkcudbrightshire and Jim tion between Jim's group and ours was mount- 'come Mclntosh, BSBI Scottish Officer and v.c. ing and Jim set the pace with a on team', recorder for Perthshire at St John's Town of striding off up the hill while we were still decid- Dalry before car-sharing to drive up to the ing where to go. We didn't move far from the Merrick Hills. The airn of the meetins was to species-richbanks of the bum beside the cars, record in upland areas off track in sEarchof with various sedges including Carex laevigulct montane speciesto about 800m. We split into (Smooth-stalkedSedge). C. pullest'ens \Pale threegroups to recordrctrads. with no more rhan Sedge), and C. dioica (Dioecious Sedge) but five in a group, so that there would be plenty of apparently no sedgehybrids. When we finally one to one leaming opportunities for anyone did get up the hill, a crag somewhere up ncw to recording. Drigrnorn Hill was covered with a good popula- Day one produced several important records. tion of Saussurea alpina (Alpine Saw-wort), There was an unscheduled stop on the forest only the 5'h record for the county, as well as drire up into the hills ro look at thc cxtensive plentiful Thalictrum alpinum (Alpine Meadow- areas of Meum athantanticum (Spignel) with rue). Jim's group also found plentiful Thalic- thousandsof plants in full tlower. Five previ- trunt alltinunr together with Diapha.siastrunt orrslyunrecorded populations were addcdto the alpinum (Alpine Clubmoss). Carex pauciflora existing 60 known sites. Rl;bl.r chamuemorus (Few-flowered Sedge)was observedaround the (Cloudberry), an uncommon and under-re- edgeof a small lochan after lunch. along with an corded species in the area, occurred in a small inquisitiveherd of feral goats! The m6st inter- patch at about 550rn, while around 580m both esting find of the day for Jim was Sedum rosecr groups found stately stands of Carex bigelowii (Roseroot) high up amoltgst the crags. The (Stiff Scdge) wirh its stifL triangulai srem hawkweed group ventured turther atield and curved to one side,just like the picturesin thc recorded H. daedalopedioide,s from the Grey books. Jim's group could not refind, Sedum Mares Tail waterfalls. 62 Field Meeting Reports - 2006 Kirkcudbrightshire/ Bryn Euryn

Prompted by complaints regarding too much Cryptogramma crispa (Parsley Fern). We gave acidic vegetation, day three featured a botanical up recording the S. rosea population here - it hot spot, along the Cairnbaber crags. The was just too numerous! David McCosh spotted climb-up passedplentiful populations of Listera one plant of Vicia orobus (Wood Bitter-vetch) cordata (Lesser Twayblade), nestling under the high on a rock face, easily identified with binoc- Calluna among Sphagnum and some convinc- ulars, as well as a hawkweed collected by Jim ing examples of Potentilla erecta ssp. strictis- that could not be identified and may be a new slza (Tormentil), although the existenceof this microspecies, in addition to new records for taxon was debated. At the top we fomd, Poten- H. urit'um and H. conops. tilla crantzii (Alpine Cinquefoil), the only site Thanks to our leader David for organising the in the county, along with a range of ferns includ- meeting (and the weather!); to Jim for leading a ing dryopteris (Oak Fern), group; and to David and Vince for sharing their Cystopteris /iagilis (Brittle Bladder-fem) and hawkweed exoertise. Bryn Euryn, Colwyn Bay, Denbighshire(v.c. 50) l,t July JEANA. GngEN

Bryn Euryn is a limestonehill, rising to 131m. Rosa agrestis (Small-leaved Sweet-briar), first It is surrounded by houscs and much used. for recorded here in 2000 (by Wendy McCarthy & recreation. The woods on the lowcr slooeshave Martyn Stead) and refound by Graeme Kay. many introduced spccies.such as Lc.vccsteritt This is a British RDB species and one to be fctrmc.tsu( Himalayan Honeysuckle,).Cotonca.t- looked for on the many limestone sites in the l€r ssp., Buddleio davidii (Butterfly Bush) and county. Allium carinatum (Keeled Garlic). Nearby on the cliffs werc scatteredplants of Five of us met to explore this well botanised Erigeron karuinskianus (Mexican Fleabane). hill. By the path was Daphne laureola (Spurge We watched many Humming-bird Hawk moths Laurel), AIlium vineale (Wild Onion) and Carex feeding on thyme and the rare Cistus Forester divulsa ssp. leersii (Grey Sedge) (det. D. moth, a beautiful metallic green, which is Pearman). The woods gave way to ungrazed known for this site. On the way down we saw grasslandand scrub, where we foundAnacamp- self-sown Querc'us cerrrs (Turkey Oak) and tis pyramidata (Pyramidal Orchid) and Dac'ty- Arbutus unedo (Strawberry-tree) and one plant lorhizo /itchsii (Common Spotted-orchid) and of Epilobiun montanum var. yerticillata patches of Filipendula vulgaris (Dropwort). (Broad-leaved. Willowherb) its leavcs in Two grasses,rare in the county, were Bromopsis whorls of three. erecttr (Uprtght Brome) and Brachypodiunt As a complete change we spent the afternoon pinnatum (Tor-grass). In the longer grass were on the shingle beach at Llandulas, whcre the Hvpericum montanum (Pale St John's-wort), Afon Dulas runs into the sea. Glaucitrm flavum Cynoglossum fficinalis (Hound's-tongue) and (Yellow Homed-poppy), Crambe maritima a flowering stand of Astragalus glycyph,,-llo.:; (Sea-kale), Lepidium draba (Hoary-Cress), Z. (Wild Liquorice). campe,stre(Field Pepperwort) and 6 plants of It was a very hot day, so we had lunch on the Ery"ngiumgiganteum (Tall Eryngo) were there. top in a cool breeze. Superb views were had of This uncommon non-native has been known the sea and the Little Orme and southwards to from this site since 2000 (Wendy McCarlhy & the Conwy valley and the Cameddau. Below MS). It has leathery, cordate, basal leaves was the ,A55, crowded with holiday traffic. The which over-winter, and a beautiful branched south facing cliffs are windy and exposed. inflorescencewith blue flowers, very attractive Plants are low-growing, e.g. Helianthemunt to bces. On the fine shingle wcre Coronopus oelandicum (Hoary Rock-rose), H. nummular- didymus (Lesser Swine-cress), Puccinellia irrz (Common Rock-rose) and Thalictntm distans (Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass), Sagina minus (Lesser Meadow-rue). Under the cliffs maritima (Sea Pearlwort) and Spergularia on the lower slopes is one (male) plant of marina (Lesser Sea-spurrey). By the river a Juniperus communis (Juniper) in its only clump of Stac'hys ambigua (Hybrid Wound- Denbighshire site. It is being managedby CCW wort) was flourishing with no sign of the and Conwy County Council and appearsto bc parents. It was a fitting end to an interestingday. unthreatened. Another raritv on this slooe was Field Meeting Reports - 2006 - South Harris 63

South Harris, Outer Hebrides (v.c. 110) 4th- 7thJuly Pnul Srrrrs & RrcnRnoPANKHURST 'Oh no, not another Corex maritimapopulation...' new site for Carex maritima, in a locality where Nineteen people joined this meeting, with an golf balls were a very real danger! The third initial rendezvous at Borvemor on the evening group managedto avoid C. maritima, but found before the meeting proper. a widely scattered population of around 30 The first day was sunny and unusually hot, Platantltera bifolia rn some rich marshy areas and we pottered gently through a machair and round Loch an Duin, and added a range of hayfield owned by a local crofter, admiring the moorland speciesto the tetrad. splendid show frorn I/icia cracca (Tufted The second day was devoted to a trip to Vetch) in one area, as well as Rhinanthus minor Taransay, and two boatloads were whizzed (Yellow-rattle), Euphrasia nemorosa (an acrossthe sound. Two intrepid groups tackled eyebright), Thalictrum nrinlr.s(Lesser Meadotv- four tetrads(two each) in the west of the island, rue) and in places Centaurea nlgra (Comrnon though none of these were very rich. The Knapweed) attempting to take over the pasture. highlight from this area was a last-minute find Where a stream ran through the pasture we of Carex muritimo (see Colour Section, Plate 2) debated Rorippa species, cventually agreeing at the east end of the beach separatingthe two that only R. nasturtium-aquaticum s.s. (Water- parts ofTaransay, before both groups had a long cress)was present. Other damp machair species and tiring walk back to be picked up by the boat. included Veronica anttgallis-aquatica (Bl:ue Meanwhile nearer the landing place at Paible Water-speedwell) and Eleocharis palustris one group investigatedthe machair, which was (Common Spike-rush). We moved on along the very heavily sheep-grazed,but managed to find sea shore to a graz,edarea of machair, r.l,herein several interesting plants including Euphra,sia a former sand quarry in the machair which now osten/bldii (an eyebright) , Eleocharis uniglumis has a seasonallydamp, level bottom we admired (Slender Spike-rush), E. quinqueflora (Few- a new population of around 15,000 spikes of llowered Spike-rush) and Anagallis minima Carex maritima (Curved Sedge), which the (Chaffweed). The tradition of wading for leadershad discovered befbre the field meeting Potamogetons turned up P. pectinatus in a had even started. Returning after a gentle tirst brackish loch and finally some quaking bog and rnorning we examined a possible hybrid Dacty- a second, more inland loch had Carex limosa lorhiza (marsh-orchid), and compared it with (Bog-sedge),a large population of Platanthera the other species present, D. purpurella bifolia and one of only a handful of British (Northern Marsh-orchid) and D. incarnata ssp. records for Armillarict ect!-pa (a. BAP fungus). cocc inea (Early Marsh-orchid). At the end of the day another population of In the aftemoon we split into groups, one Carex naritima was found just east of Paible. heading to Loch Cistavat where despite finding A more active group walked up the coast to Iwe Polamogetons (.and starting a trend for Corran Ra, a large sand spit with dunes behind, wading in after them) P. gramineus (Various- where they found Arabis hirsuta (Hairy Rock- leaved Pondw eed).P. /il ifonrrs ( Slender-leaved cress). The BSBI Scottish Officer's designs on Pondweed), P. pectinatus (Fennel Pondweed), Carex maritinn were superabundantlyfulfilled, P. perfoliatus (Perfoliate Pondweed) and P. to the point where the group becamebored with polygoniJblius (Bog Pondweed) they did not estimating populations in the thousands. Given rediscover P. xsltarganilo/fus (Ribbon-leaved that there were no records of this species from Pondweed), previously reporled therc by Taransaybefore the meeting, it's clear that it has lJeslop-Harrison. Their other objective, to been under-recorded! A fifth splinter group retind an old site for Carex rnaritima at the north walked up Ben Ra, and in many ways had the end of Borve sands,was *'ell fulfilled with four most interesting day, tinding a ravine with separatepopulations, and starting offon another Populu,stremula (Aspen) and also Polystichum target species for the BSBI they also found a aculeatum (Hard Shield-fern) in one of its very single P Ia t ant he r a b ifo I ia (Lesser Buttertly-or- few sites in thc Outer Hebrides. They also chid). The second group moved south into managed to find Pol.ypodium interjectum another tetrad at Scarasta,finding quite a range (lntermediate Polypody) and finished the day of interesting local species,including Conopo- with a ttw plants of Ethium vulgare (Viper's dium majus (Pignut) (very scarce and possibly Bugloss), once extremely common on Corran introduced in the Outer Hebrides). and a further Ra and now restricted to a relativelv ungrazed Field Meeting Reports - 2006 SouthHarris / Salen

slope. It seems likely that it will be lost if The final day was a half day for most groups, grazrng pressure continues. as many people were booked on the afternoon The third day saw a much lnistier start,but we fcrry, but three sandy areas in the Luskentyre had an early stop to admirc the Orohatrche albu Banks and Saltings SSSI were covered Traigh (Thyme Broomrape) (see Colour Section, Plate Nisaboist, Corran Seilebost and Luskentyre. 2) near Northton and a salutary lesson for the The first two are less rich but Traigh Nisaboist leader in how hard it is to count as the 1hll group had Carex maritima and Equisetum variegatum managed to ahnost double his tally from a few (Variegated Horsetail), and Corran Seilebost days previously to 27 spikes. Then we parked at turned up a second population t:f Spartintt Northton, only for a new VCR to tum up in the anglica (Common Cord-grass) for the vice car park of the MacGillivray Centre - Acaena county; this was originally introduced, but anserinifo lia (Bronze Pirri-pini-bur). The group seems hardly to be spreading. The group at dealing with this area of cultivated nrachair, Luskentyre had the most interesting finds, with beach and salt marsh found many nice weeds two possible Dach'lorhiza hybrids. Also, including Lanium pupureum (Red Dead-nettle), emboldened by the previous day's discoveries, L. confertum (Northern Dead-nettle) and they managedto refind Shoolbred's locality for L amplexicaule (Henbit Dead-nettlc-). But Persicaria vivipora and also locate a single perhapsthe find of the day was a population of Platanlhera bifolia. Persic'aria vit'ipara (Alpine Bistort) (see Colour One hardy group made a full day excursior.l Scction,Plate 2) on a low hill, looking extremely covering hvo of the bigger hills in the centre of tall and lush in the grasslandrelative to its more South Harris. An Coileach and HeileasbhalMor. normal size on the mountain tops. This species The species here were characteristic of rocky had last been recorded fol South Hanis by the rnoorland.and substantiallydifferent liorn what Rev W. Shoolbred in 18941 A seconclparty did had been recorded elsewhere during the week. two coastaltetrads on the cast side of Toe Head, Among them were Thulictrum alpinum (Alpine and they too found a single plant ofP. vivipara in Meadow-rue), Salix herbacea, Dryopteris the smallestscrapule of land and anotheruncom- oemula (Hay-scented Buckler-fern) and Hymen- nrorrplant for Harris,llc'hentilla glttbru (a lady's- oplry'/I11* v'iLs ort i i (Wilson's Filmy-fem). mantle). Both partiesalso managedto hnd (you Overall a great many records rvere made, guessedit) populationsof Carex marititna. many interesting and tbrmerly unknown, and it A third party, taking on the rockier westem seems that the concentration on underworked shore of Toe Head covered three tetrads includ- areascaused by the tetrad recording approach is ing one u'ith spectacularsea cliffs rvith rtrany greatly increasing our knowledge of the flora. nesting birds, Vicia sepiunr (Bush Vetch), and We were astonishedby both the number of sites [,igusticum scoticum (Scots Lovage). In other and the size of the populations of Cttrex mariti- places along tlre coast were Sagina maritima (Sea za, which clearly seernto make South Harris a Pcarlwort), and Anagalli.s ntinima. Coming back stronghold. There are also substantialnumbers over Ben Chaipaval they also found Listertt of Platanthera by'bliu. and clearly cven such an cordata (Lesser Twayblade), Salix herbacea attractive species as Per,sicaria vivipara has (Dwarf Willow) and a single plant of beenoverlooked. Wc would like to thank all the ll{elampvrum pratense (fiommon Cow-wheat) participants for their enthusiasm and various (also a scarceplant in the Outer Hebrides). landownersand boatmen for enablins our visit.

Salen, Mull, Mid Ebudes (v.c. 103),9th -14th July LYNNEFnnnpll

Over the six days of the field meeting. 29 peoplc sedgeand rush identificationand ecology, whilst took part, which was a tremendous help for my Chris Chetfings searchedfor fems; and Kevin rvork on the Flora of Mull. A total of 32 tetrads Walker and Clare Pinches considered grasses. were visited, rvhich only leaves 150 tetrads to Everyone lcarnt something, even the teachers, record. and therewas a significantincrease in the records A Beginners' Day was held in thc middle of the for all thesegroups in thc following days. week and everyoneparlicipated in this, including We also had a break from tetrad-bashingon staff from the Forestry office in Aros, and two the Thursday, when most of the party went on relative newcomers to Mull. now livine at the regular boat trip to Staffa and the Treshnish Craignure. Richard Panlhursl lecl a group on Isles. Six rninke u,hales were scen on the Field Meeting Reports - 2006 Salen 65

outward journey. Unfortunately the swell was Kilmore. We ranged from the ridge walk, into too rough to land on Staffa, but we enjoyed the the valleys, over the raised bogs, by the wide waves splashing into Fingal's cave and over the River Bellart, and into the forestry areas. Utric- basalt columns. This meant that we achlally had ularia minor (Lesser Bladderwort), masses of more time on the Treshnish lsles themselves, Rhyn ch os p o r a a I ba (W hrte Beak- sedge), Care-rr which was to our advantage. Six people landed lasiocarpa (Slender Sedge), and the hybrid on Lunga, with four walking south to count the gorsy xfillva were among the wetter elements. expanding colony of Mertensia maritimct with Dryopteris oreades (Mountain Male-fern), (Oysterplant), where 267 plants were found. Polystichum aculeatum (Hard Shield-fem), Because of the exceptionally low tides, two Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort), Phegopteris intrepid explorers were able to walk across the connectilis (Beech Fern) and a suspected rocky causeway to the adjacent islet of Sgeir Dryopteris expansa (Northem Buckler-fern) a'Chaisteil, where 40 specieswere recorded, representingthe more interestingpteridophytes. though the once thriving colony of Mertensia Species of the higher places included Galium was confirmed as having been totally washed boreale (Northern Bedstraw), Thalictrum away in the winter stonrrs of January2005. The ulpinunt (Alpine Meadow-rue), Sedttm roseu remaining four sailors were rowed ashore in a (Roseroot) and Rubus saxatilis (Stone small rubber boat on the two adjacent islets of Bramble). SeveralHieracia were collected and Carn Burg More and Carn Burg Beg. The first are awaiting attention before sending to David islet yielded 66 speciesand the second63, but McCosh. Whilst most of these speciesare not more excitingly for sorne,two Comcrakes were of great rarity in the UK, they are of significance both heard and seenon the More. in v.c. 103. and these records from what But back to the beginning and thc basic appeared an unpromising area of ground, botany. On the first day, Sunday 9th(yes, I had proved that it is always worth looking. not quite got nly pre-planning right and it rvas As the weather was improving slowly, and the the World Cup final and Wimbledon finals but cloud level lifting, most people set off for the later in the day) we all drove across to the Ardmeanach peninsula on the Tuesday. Many north-west side of the island to survcy the wished to sec for the first time Koenisia i.sland- headland north of Calgary Bay. We were in lca (lceland-purslanc).one of'Mull's nationally glorious sunshineuntil 2km from the area,when rare species,but they were askedto record in the we became envelopeclin the sea ntist. It soon high-level tetradswhilst they were in the vicini- cleared, and we split into groups to visit six ty. The landscapeof Ardmeanach is fascinating tetrads, which led to the complete coveragc of steppedbasalt cliffs like layers of a cake, and this headland. This rvas an excellent start and the views acrossthe islandsprovide outstanding showed the value of having a team of willing 180 degreepanoramas. It is one of my favourite volunteers in the field. There were some sood places. Juniperus communis (Juniper) is lrnds.but otherpatches were surprisinglydLlll. widespreadbut nowhere abundant,whilst Perrr- The more interesting, and indeed typical, caria vivipara (Alpine Bistort) is quite restricted species of these island aspects included to the mountains of the central massif and Gerattium sanguineum (Bloody Crane's-bill), Ardrneanach,and L'ic ia .sylv a l i ca (Wood Vetch ) Ligusticum scoticum (Scots Lovage), and is relatively rare. Trollius europcteus Orobunche alba (Thynte Broomrape). A clump (Globeflower) used to be common in the north of Inula helenium (Elecampane) was found far of the island and apparently also in the south, from present habitation. This plant was often accordingto Ross in 1879,but until this visit I ir.rtroducedby rnonks in the past becauseof its had only found it in one locality. On this field mcdicinal properties. so this clump could be day several colonies were seen on wct clills in very old! Meconopsis cambricq (Welsh remote places. Both,Saxifraga aizo ides (Yellow Poppy), Carex distan.s(Distant Sedge), Carc.r Saxifrage) and Saxifraga oppos itifolia (Purple ext e ns u (Long-bracted Sedge) and G.r'mn ade n ia Saxifiage) are unconlmon in v.c. 103, and we conop,\ea(Fragrant Orchid) were ali good finds located several new areas,as well as over 100 around the coast. Ranunatltts bulbo,su.s plants of Dnas octopetala (Mountain Avens), a (Bulbous Buttercup), restricted to the srnall very rare plant on Mull. At the end of the day areas of machair on Mull, was a particularly severaf groups came acrossEquisetum telmateia u,elcome record. (Great Horsetail), known only from the north- On Monday. we again divided into groups and em, grassyslopes of Ardmeanach. set to work in the lOkm square NM4.4, west of Whilst most of the groups were on the plateau, Loch Frisa, in thc clistrictsof Kilninian and some were exploring the Glen Forsa square 66 Field Meeting Reports - 2006 Salen/ CleeveCommon

NM5.4 on the east coast, south of Salen. and attracted a small group, who recorded Rabas making a full list for this part, with highlights nemoralis and R. polvanlhennts, two of the few being Honkenya peploides (Sea Sandwort), brambles known from Mull. Atriplex praecox L),thrum solicaria (Purple Loosestrife), an (Early Orache) was found near the waterfall but uncommon species in v.c. 103, Ranunculus the best finds were Pl,rola media (lntermediate hederaceus(ivy-leaved Crowfoot), and several Wintergreen), only previously known from two hybrids. Another group went into NM7.3 south areas near Tobermory, and Pseudorchis albitla of Grass Point to verify and count both Platan- (Small-white Orchid), which has a scattered thera bifolia (Lesser Butterfly-orchid) and P. distribulionbul is rare. A rlore energeticgroup chlorantha (Greater Butterfly-orchid). The set off into the challenging hills southeast of remaining group explored the environs of Duart Ben More in NM5.3, and treated themselvesto Castle in NM7.3 before departing for the the delights of Coladoir Bog in the same tetrad mainland. at the errdofthe day, where they saw Rhynchos- On the trnalday. Friday l4'r'.wc endedwith a pora /isca (Brown Beak-sedge)in flower, only diverse programme some clambering up the recorded from there in the last l0 years. Other cliffs above Gribun in NM4.4. with others species of note on the hills themselves were recordingin the adjacentvalley. Speciesofnote So I i.r her hacea ( Least Wil low), D ip has i a.stru nt on the cliffs included Orchis mascula (Early- alpinum (Alpine Clubmoss), Lycopodium purple Orchid), here in its main niche in v.c. clavatum (Stag's-hom Clubmoss), and Luzula 103, Popultrs tremula (Aspen), Gvmnocarpium sp icata (Spiked Woodrush). dryopteris (Oak Fem) and Gentianella campes- The tlnal evening was spenthaving a convivial lrls (Field Gentian). Both subspeciesof Pedic- dinner in the garden ofthe rented cottage at Aros ularis palu,stri.s(Common Lousewort), sylvatica Mains, admiring the P. chlorantha and Dact.t- and hibernicct, were growing close together. lorhiza purpurella (Northern Marsh-orchid) on The waterfall near Eas Fos also in NM4.4 the 1i'ontlawn, uhilst watching the sunset.

CleeveCommon, E. Gloucestershire(v.c.33) 15thJuly Cra,nE& Mnnr K]TCHEN Cleeve Common is one of the most extensive bronchitis and it is possible that it was brought areasof limestonegrassland in the Cotswolds to Cleeve by quarrymen and miners suffering and is of ir.nportancefor its botany, geology and frorn problcms causedby the dust. f

Passing further down the steep-sidedvalley, beenrecorded in the previousyear this species thoroughly pock-marked by extensive quarry,- is very elusive on the Common. It is often ing and covered with scree slopes derived from searchedfor but seldomfound. with up to 70 spoil tips, great standsof Gymnocarpium rober- yearsbetween successive records at this site. tianum (Limestone Fem) were observed. The We briefly left theCommon to walk alongthe short turf between these areas contained a old Cheltenham- WinchcombeRoad, now little number of flowering spikes of Herminium morethan a dirt track,where a smallnumber o/ monorchis (Musk Orchid) which was having Rosapimpinelli/blia (Bumet Rose) bushes grow one of its better flowering years. Flowever, a and having locatedthese we returnedto our search for Antennaria dioica (Mountain startingpoint. Everlasting) proved fruitless. Although having

Grasses,Sedges & RushesTraining Duy, Borrowdale,Cumbria (v.c.70),22"d July PergnOwEtr

This weekend training sessionand field meeting grass). Close inspectionof the wet flush revealed was led by Clare and John O'Reilly. Saturday rushes not shrdied in the moming;,Iuncus ocuti- 22ndwas a joint BSBI/WFS grasses,sedges and liorus (Sharp-flowered Rush) and J. articulatus rushestraining sessionfor beginners. The course (Jointed Rush) were compared. We also saw attracted participants fronr a wide age-range and Curex echinata (Star Sedge). C. pulicaris (Flea an equally wide range ofbotanical experience. Sedge)and Rh1'nchospora a/ba (White Beak- The morning session took place at the wet sedge). Other plants seen and compared were grassland at Canon Dub near the head of Derwent Festuca ovina (Sheep's-fescue) and F. ruhra Water. Our tutors introduced the morning (Red Fescue). Cynosurus crislatus (Crested sessionwith a discr.rssionabout the differences Dog's-tail), Nardus stricta (Mal-grass) and between the grass,sedge and rush families. The Anthoxanthum odorahrm (Sweet Vernal-grass) key characters used for identification were also were also srudied. Also seen were Carex viridula discussedand explained. The tutors' clear expla- (Yellow-sedge), C. hostiana (Tawny Sedge), nations were backed up by a number of well- Juncus bulbosus (Bulbous Rush). Eriophorum presented worksheets summarising the key angusti/blium (Common Cotton-grass) and points. We then sct to work keying out sedges Tr ichop horum cesp it os um (Deergrass). using Stace. During the morning sessionwe Members of the WFS ended the day with an examined a variefy of sedges including Care-r extra excursion to some nearby woodland to rostrata (Bottle Sedge), C. vesicttria (Bladder look for Cit'caea alpina (Alpine Enchanter's- Sedge), C. ovalis (Oval Sedge) and C. nigra nightshade), C. lutetiana (Enchanter's-night- (Common Sedge). We also looked at rushes shade)and their hybrid C. xinternedia (Upland during the morning session and examined Juncus Enchanter's-nightshade). Whilst heading lenrls (Slender Rush) and J. elJu.su.s(Soflrush). towards the grid-reference for C. alpina we saw Belbre lunch we looked for and found the Festuca alti.ssimo (Wood Fescue) gracing a delicateJuncus./ililormrs (Thread Rush). rocky woodland stream. After much searching After a pleasant lunch admiring the scenery of and close study of a number of Circaea popula- Borrowdale we sought some welcorne shade in tions we eventually found Circaea alpina under woodland close to Bowder Stone car park. This bracken and the more common hybrid gave us an opportunity to look at the commoner C. v'intermediaclose by. specics associatedwith woodlands and also to This course proved to be an excellent intro- study a species-rich tlush in a clearing. Wc duction to grasses,sedges. rushes. The course reviewed the strr.rctureof grasses with more materialsand the tutors' explanationswere well excellent worksheets and practised keying out suitcd to meeting the objectives of the course. grassesusing Hubbard. Both tutors incorporated Moreover, the tutors' patience and great enthu- short periodsofrevision into the sessionshelping siasm helped everyone further their knowledgc the participantsto consolidatetheir knowledge of and appreciation of the plants of this very the plants seen. We keyed out ,4gro,stist'opillaris beautiful part of northern England. lt was also (Common Bent). Molinia caerulea (Purple pleasingthat the organisershad madc the course Moor-grass), Danthonia decumbens (Heath- accessibleto thosetravelling by public transport grass) and Deschumpsia .flexuosa (Wavy Hair- and had encouragedthe use ofcar-sharing. 68 Field Meeting Reports - 2006- Llyn Gwngu / LossieForest

Llyn Gwngu,Cards. (v.c.46),Sth August ARTHURCHATER Ten members (including two stalwarts who came demonstrated its giveaway signs and effects on for the day from Somerset and Devon) and the vegetation to us. We wondered too what the friends met at the county boundary on the effects on the vegetation may have been of the mountain road east of Cwmystwl'th for an flocks of geese that were driven here fiom arduous two-hour walk to this remote and rarely Cwmystuyth, 5km away, for summer grazing a visited upland lake. lt was mostly through century or more ago, as related in Enlryd monotonous, dense Molinia fussocks, made Howells's recent book Good Men and True. worse for walkers in the last few years by a Flushes on the slope west of the lake had reduction in the numbers of sheep, but on a Galium uliginosum (Fen Bedstraw), its only other welcome stretchof eroding blanket bog on top of site in the county being in the lowlands in calcar- Banc Cerrig-fendigaid we saw numerous plants eous fen near Cardigan, Carex hostiana (Tawny of Andromeda polifolia (Bog Rosernary), Sedge) and its hybrid g. x/ulva, Euphrttsia recently elected by Plantlile as Cardiganshire's su)tt ica (Scottish Eyebright), L i ntrm cathart i cum county flower. The lake, grandly sited in a wide (Fairy Flax), Scutellaria minor (Lesser Skullcap) hollow in the hills at 435m altitude, has a very andTriglochin palustre (Marsh Anowgrass). On peaty substrate, and except for a part ofthe east the walk back we examined the cleistogamous margin where Littorella unillora (Shoreweed) inflorescences of Dantfutnia decumbens (Heath- was abundant, has no sloping or gravelly shore. grass) with anlattracting elaiosomes on the The marginal swamp elsewhere had extensive paleas,and the strangecleistogenes or specialised stands of Carex ro,\trata (Bottle Sedge), cleistogamousspikelets concealed in the sheaths C. lasiocarpa (Slender Sedge), Phragmites at the base of the culms. On a flushed slope by australis (Common Reed) and Equisetum.fluvict- the Nant Cerrig-fendigaid Wahlenbergia hedera- tile (Water Horsetail), with a small amount of cea (Ivy-leaved Bellflower) was abundant, along Utricularia minor (Lesser Bladderwort) and a with more Euphrasia scottica. Those of us with great abundance of Eleogiton .fluitans (Floating energy and time remaining ventured onto the Club-rush) spreading out into the open water. extensive and partly eroding bog of Gors Lwyd Nuphar luteu (Yellow Water-lily) was in flower, and were rewarded by spectacular sheets of and Potamogeton natans (Broad-leaved Rhyn cho s p ora a I ba (White Beak-sedge),unprec- Pondweed) was the other main floating species. edented in the county and perhaps encouraged Roger Maskew recordednine speciesof dragon- into such prolific growth and flowering by the flv. and Richard Birch saw a Water Vole and recentdrousht.

Lossie Forest, Moray (v.c.95) znd- 3'd September JACKIE MUSC]OTT

Some 20 peoplc gatheredfor the iast British field June,Leontodon saratilis (LesserHawkbit) and meeting of the season,led by Ian Green. The quantities of Gentianella campestris (Field Moray Fith has a good reputation for fine late Gentian). Anagallis minima (Chaffiveed) and summer weatherand we were not disappointed Filago minima (Small Cudweed) were found in we had 2 days of warm sunshine,give or take the well-trodden areas, with plenty of Schoenus odd healry shower. nigricans (Black Bog-rush) in damp patches and Lossie Forest covcrs a considerable area a small amount of Carex maritima (Curved between Lossicmouth and Spey Bay, much of it Sedge) in a wet hollow. The Scotch Argus on old sand dures, bordered on thc seawardside butterfly, (food plant Molinia caerulea (Purple by large shinglebanks, which are still accumulat- Moor-grass)) and the irnmigrant Rcd Admiral ing. Near Kingston at the eastem end there are were both on the wing. dune slacks between the shingle and the forest, At this end ofthe beach there is a considerable and this is where we started our explorations. amount of shingle behind the first ribbon of trees, The vegetationhere included grassland,maritime but the Ministry of Defence has cut through both and heathlandplants with wetland speciesin the shingle and trees at one point to crcate a firing damp hollows. Highlights included Anthvllis range, and this too proved of interest. Viola vulneraria (Kidney Vetch), larval food plant for tricolor ssp. tricolor (Wild Pansy), Lepidium the rare Small Blue butterfly which flies here in heterophyllttm (Smith's Pepperworl) and the Fiefd Meetine Reports - 2006- LossieForest / Croswordsolution 69

beautiful sky-blue Jas ione montana (Sheep's-bit) were busy laying on the pond. The Highland were all to be found on a sandbank at the back of Darter is very close to, perhaps identical with, the the rangc, while the short turf was dotted with the Southem Daner rvhich is currently moving north tiny yellorv flowers of Hypochaeris glabra and will perhaps soon meet up with its close (Sntooth Cat's-ear) along with Teestlulia nudic'au- northernrelative. /rs (Shepherd's Cress), Ornithopus perpusillus Further into the wood a small patch of (Bird's-foot) and a few plants of Filago tulgaris Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (Grey Club- (Common Cudweed). There were also Field rush) was just hanging on in a damp patch with a Mushrooms (Agaricu.ssp.) and bright yellow Wax lilIle Juncus gerardii (Saltmarsh Rush); then we Caps (H.1'groc.ybespp.) in the grass. were into a clearing where motor-cyclists are 'into We had lunch on the rangeand then it was apparently being trained and where Centaurium the woods' dominated by Pines and rich in entthraea (Cornmon Centaury) and Gnaphalium mosses and fungi as well as interesting plants, sylvaticum (Heath Cudweed )were both in flowcr. including typical pinewood species such as We emerged onto the beach amid a splendid Trientulis europaeo (Chickweed Wintergreen), patch of Ligu.sticumscoticum (Scots Lovage) and Goodyera repen.s(C.reeping Lady's-tresses) and quite the most vertical plant of Astragalus P)lola minor (Common Wintergreen). ln one danic'us (Purple Milk-vctch) I have ever seen, wet area a single splendid plant of Osmunda struggling to get its head above the surrounding regalr.s (Royal Fern) was growing with Carex vegetation. Herc we had lunch among the sand panic'ulata (Greater Tussock-scdge), while in dunes that begin to replacc the shingle as one anothcr C. diandra (Lcsser Tussock-sedge)was approachesLossiemouth, and were surprisedtcr growing u,ith C'. crrrrcr (White Sedge) and firrd ourselves sitting near plants of Huperzio Eleot'lruri.s multicturlis (Many-stalked Spike- .selago(Fir Clubmoss) growing in sand at sea rush). Perhapsthe most interesting fungus was level. We walked along the sand for some the grey, wrinkled, Helvella lacunosu related to distance before retuming to the forest, and one of the Morcls. the par-ty, Ian Evans, was able to identify non- We cnded the aftemoon by driving to another flowering Elyn'igia juncea (Sand Couch) by its part of the wood to see quantities of ,,lpiunt -uall.caused by a fly, Tetrame,sqh)'olipensi.s. intutlqtum (Lesser Marshwort) in a dricd-up were again in evidencc - Cor.rurrcn pond and E Ieo git on .fl u i tans (Floating Club-rush) Blue (whosc food plant Lotus cornicultttus growing vertically in damp grass instead of float- (Bird's-foot-trefoil) was abundant), Scotch ing on water; I suspcct few of us would have Argus, a Small Copper (food plant Sonels) and noticed it let alone recognisedit in this curious several Whites. The woodland fungi included situalion. At this point, horvever.a heavy shower colourful Russulas,Boletes and milking Luctar- tenninated activities for the day. and perhaps lus spp. and another member of the party) helped to provide both plants with more suitable RosemarySrnith, departedwith a lunch-box full conditions. of them for identification, not eating, though On the following day we investigatedthe west some were indeededible. end olthe forest closer to Lossiemouth. Our first The visit endedwith a trip down an old railway stop was a pond. to vieu., Lemna trisulco (ltry- line (whcre yet more Hi-ehland Darters were leaved Duckweed) at its most northerly British sunning themselves)to seethe nearestspecimen site, along with one of those nasty grass-like ofthe rare Corynephorus canescens(Grey Hair- Pondweeds (later identified as Potamogeton grass). It was well over, but the tufts of fine grass berchtoldii (Small Pondweed). Botl-r Sparga- could easily bc recognisedby the blue coloura- nium ert,c'tum and S. emersan (Branched and tion of the lorver stems (they otherwise look UnbranchedBr-rr-reed) were growing in the pond rather like Fescuetufts). Ian assuredus il was and Kn ip ho/ia pruecox (Creatcr Red-hot-poker) plentiful on the dunes close to LossiemorLth fomred a surprising component of the pond-side which a couple of us afterwardsverified. vegctation. Pairsof Highland Darler Dragonflies A most enjoyableend to the field season.

ee3ue.rp,{g'[Z :.r{c1'aZ :uorsroJ 'lZ '61 'll '02 '81 'LI ecrv i,{sso141 :pellog 9l :,t\€rls :qreH :rrroorr{snlN :rno 'gl 'ZI 'l '71 'g1 'g :erurqod :ql&o$od :,\\oxv -loJ lrepaea i.ue;;e,tag1 1 iesen 1 iSur-re,royge7e-l'g iuo.re8r;E 'g :pa,r1eq'y :ratul'6 :lcarped'8 :ecl '9 ieSpegeled 'l :sors '[ :,l.lerlspogs.,{pe1 '7 i.ra,tede4'1 ssoJJV uA{oo gg-ygsa8ud'pJo,r{ssorJ ol uollnlos '70 Book Notes- Book ReviewsEditor wanted

BOOK NOTES DAVID PEARMT*:t,,Algiers, Feock, Tnrro, Cornw,all, TR3 6RA: Tel: 01872 8633t18; dpearman4(a,aol.com I am sorry, but I have had no time this autumn Plants - Evolution and Diversi4.'. Ingrouille, M after my exefiions last time. Sue Atkins has J, and Eddie, B. CUP, 2006. 440pp, colour again kindly agreedto let me use her notes, and photos,drawings. Pbk f29.99. I reproduce those as given. Well-illustrated look at the array of form and habitat in the plant kingdom, the ways in Botany Illustrated: Introduc'tion to Plants, Ma- and which lives are inextricably linked with this jor Groups, Families. our fascinatingworld. Includes: the origin of pho- Glimn-Lacy.J. and Kaulman.P B. 2ndcdition. tosyntheticorganisms; growth and diffcrentia- Springer2006.146pp, drawings. Pbk fl9.95. tion; interaction with the Clear drawings illustrateplant structure,major environment; reproductionand phylogeny; adapta- groups, and a selection of flowering plant fam- dispersal; tion_to habitat; plant history ilies; descriptionsare oppositethe illustrations, uses; ofbotanical and the reader is encouragedto become famil- stuoy. iar with botanical structures by colouring in the ln addition I have had notice of the following, 'color plant pictures using the code' provided. with the publisher'snote: Orchids of Europe, N Af ic'a and the Middle Nattrre Conservatittn: C'onc'eptsand Prac'tice. Ea,sl. Delforge, Picrre. A&C Black, 2006. Dan Gafta & John R. Akeroyd (eds).Springer, 640pp. 1,270 colour photographs.Hbk f29.99. 2006, pp.460, with photographs, figures and The new edition, in English, of this compre- tables.€159.95, f 123.00. hensiveguide is now in stock. Witl.rdescrip- This book, which includes 42 papers by 86 tions of over 520 species, and notes on contributors from l3 countries, provides a subspeciesand varieties,this fully revised and rnulti-disciplinary coverageofthe broad field substantially enlarged edition provides the of species,community and landscapeconscr- fullest referencefor the identification ofEuro- vation. The wide panel of contributors, who peanorchid species. includc botanists,zoologists, ccologists, ar- Iri.ch ll/ild Plants Mvths, Legend.s& Folklore. chitects, lawyers and joumalists, consider a Mac Coitir. Niail. The Coilins Press.2006. rangeoftopics in vegetationand biodiversity 376pp. 36 col. Plates, linc drawings. Hbk asscssment,planning and managementof con- f 18.99. servation zones and protected areas.together An attractivcly illustrated and well-presented with historical and social/legalissues of the account of the folklore of Irish flowers. with environment and nature conselation. The much referenceto Celtic legend.traditional and case-studiesreported emphasizc thc impor- medicinal uses and superstition. Gaelic, local tance of traditionalphytosociologal, floristic lrish. Englishand Latin namcsarc giren. as and faunistic rescarch.in combination with also thc spccics' associatedstar signs. The cutting edge molecularbiology and genetics. book is nicely illustrated,with watercoloursby The book celebratesthe life's work of Profes- Grania Langrishe and black-and white draw- sor Franco Pedrotti. who has done so nruch to ings taken from Sowerby's English Botany. propagatea holistic vicw ofconscrvation.

Book Reviews Editor wanted MARTIN SANFORD,Receiving Editor, Iltatsonia, SBRC,Ipsn'ic'h Museum, High Street. Ipsv,ich, Stllolk. IPI 3QH, Tcl: 01473 433541

We are looking for a new Book Reviews editor alsonccd to rcclucstrcvicw copicsofbooks that lor Watsonia. The post is not too der.nanding should bc covcrcd tn Ll/atsoniafrom publishers and would suit a bibliophile with good contacts who do not ah.r'ayssupply thcm automaticalll'. in tirc botanical rvorld. It mainly consistsof You havc thc advantageofseeing nervbooks as receivingncw books,passing thcm on to appro- thcy appcar and may even choose to review priate reviewersand collating the reviews ir.ra some yourself. lf you rvish to discussthc work standard fonnat suitable for the joumal. lt nray furthcr plcasccontact mc or ouc ofthc previous somctimcsrequirc a little chasingto extractthe incumbents(David Pearrnanor Chris Preston). promisedreview fiom sorneauthors! You may Book Notes - Wild Flower Key corrisendaand addenda 1l

Wild Flower Key 2ndEdition: corrigenda and addenda, Jan.2007 Clann O'REILLy, 3 Station Cottages,Lantbley, Northttmberland, CA8 7LL

Details of important corrections to the Wild p I 6-3couplet 16 Florer Key are set out belorv, in addition to P. loporhifolitt (p168 B) replace rvith D corrections appcaring in BSBI New:; 102: ll. P. ntacukt.sa(pI68 A) replace u,ith C pl63 coupletl7 Many of these are conections to the original P. hvdropiper (p168 ++)- replace with A edition. The publishers have now agreed to P. minor (p168 e) replace with E make corrections on a forthcoming reprint, due P. mitis (pl68I) replace with J rn 2001 . Apologies: to those whose contribu- p164 I line 5 tions to the book were edited and the result not habitat as for I replace with H sent to them for checking as already explained pl85 Viola key couplet 5 line I to them individually and in my note in B,SB1 (vr, Teesdal,e) replace with N Eng Ncn,.r 102, in linc with urodem digital publish- pl86A.l line4 ing procedures allowing even rnajor changes at N En_q:vr on limestone reeles-inileesdale replacc u,ith gslds the last minutc, this checkin-ehad been agreed to p198 couplet5 line I take place alongsicle proof-reading; in tact Arabis petraea(p21 A. I ) replacewith p2 I 2 neither were penrrittccl in order to meet the p226F.l line I publishing deadline. Pht,llodoce eoeruka replirce with ctteruleo Acknowledgements: p242 couplet 7 Many thanks to Mary Smith, for proof reading the S. stellaris (p244 G.l) entire text. and to all ofthose who have sent correc- Line 2 replace 9 with 8 tions keep them comin-eas together we can make p242 couplet 8 line 2 the book even betterfor beginners. Replace 8 with 9 p2.12couplet 9 line 2 pT .lllustrationsAcknowledgenrents Adtl text: lf-stalk hairy or hairless W replacewithli/zr- p246 couplet7 line 2 la r-std rl:a rts of Eu ropt' Insert I I at end of line Add text: copyright BSBt. p249 D line3 pl3 para4 as in B replace with A 2 Pctals5 lvs alt .... delete2 p252L line4 p24 couplet 6 line 5 Add text: panicleof pink fls (La) yellov* or white fls replace tvith coloured p253 lD Tips line 3 p46 couplet3 line 3 lvs or *-stalks replace with hip to read hip-stalk stamensffl l0 - replace with < p253 couplet 6 lines I & 4: p254 couplet 9 lines I & 3; p'{7 para 3 line 9 p254 coupletl0 lines 1 & 3; p254 coupletl3 lines 1 ({V) replacc with V & 2; p254 couplet [4 lines I & 2; p254 couplet I 5 p50 Master Key couplet.l line .i lines I & 3; andp254 coupletl6 lines I & 3 Insefl ,1at end ofline fr-stalks replacewith hip, to readhip-stalks pl09 Table2 p253 couplet8 line 2 Add text: There is no rcliablc characterto distinguish Delete text: with an+nf+hrtyr+xresinou\ scent Ranunculus penicilldtus ssp ltscudolluittus fion.r p254 couplet l0 line 3 ssppenit'illan.s when both lack laminar lvs. shrub with wi+dir+gsterns replacewith flexuous pl l8 I line 3 p256 B line 5 three-seeded replace with 2-3 segmentsthan in 379 and Sift replacc with A and C pl l8 K line I p258 couplct I line 3 iike t replacewith J fls yellew--(+ately whire) replace with colourcd or pl35 ID Tips Orachesbullct 3 rvhite eausal introd spp replace *'ith casual Linc 4: replace5 with 4 pl56 C.1 p264 C line 2 fl-stalks shorter than sepals replacc with fr-stalks 8-20 pairs oflarger lfts repllcc u'ith snraller shorter than fr p265 iliustrationBa repiacervith Bb p 158A line 6 lnsertBa besidoillustratitln of lower leaf gd by pou*ds replace u,ith ponds p267 couplet 14 line I pl6-j coupletll (p286 F) replace with p284 Persicuria amphibia (p 168 F) - replace with H p268 E line 3 pl63 coupletl2 Dcletc text: bracteoles(E*) P. vit'iptu'o (p 168 E) rcplace with G p268 F line 4 P. hi.storta(p 168 D) replace with F Delete text: bracteoles(F+) p270 para3 line 2 72 Book Notes- Wild Flower Key corrigendaand addenda/ Home neededfor BSBI Journals

Deletetext: solitaryin lf-axils.pink p428D line4 p277illustration D Add text:pale rnauve to blue InsertDa nextto illustrationoffruit-head p436couplet 9 line2 p278B line3 p44(H - replacewith 440-2 only 4-6 together replacewith 3-6 p446F p280couplet 7 line 2 Insertupwards pointing triangle to left oftext - (p?84D) replacewith p282 (illustrationfor this specieson previousplate) p292A line8 p448G line 5 Deletetext:@ habitatas for 9-l-l replacewith F p300A line2 p453B line3 Add text: lvs opp,oval, truncate-rounded f-ewerthan in 9?0 replacewith A p310E line8 p454couplet 6 line 1 .rvith Replace seatd scattered oil glands( Aa below)- replacewith B p312A line2 p454couplet 6 line 3 Add text:lvs alt or a opp oil glands(B below)replace with Aa p3l7C line2 p455E.1 line 3 Add text: fls in umbel-likecyrnes Deletetext: Br Isles,,ri+.wa,r: on ar .... p325lD Tips Umbellif'ersline 7 p459A line I Add text: Sanicle(.Sanicula europueu) 50-30crn delete0 p342B line 1 p46ttD.l line4 Ratherbushyaer replacewith annor bi narrow as in 950 replacewith D p342 E line 2 p4tl9couplet 12 line 2 Add text:stems usually slightl), hollow or solid (p492E) replacewith D p344E line4 p493I line I Add text: like parasols,on ofisnhairy stalks with a l,eafsheathstructure like H - replacewith stipule p359couplet 9 line4 p495 illustrationon left add labelB and scaiebar Add tert: shinylike porcelainor grev-brown 5mm long p359couplet 9 line 1 p505B line4 Delete text : ler#es+-lvs]sfl€-sta+k€d Add text:habitat as A. Fl 5 6. p359couplet 9 line3 p510B line5 Del ete text : l,elxes|+vs{€arc€tiLsta+ked 1operianth-lobes - replace with segments p360B line4 middleof thel,obe - replacewith segmenl fr-stalks3J times - replacewith 2 fi - 5 p5l3 coupletI line2 p364H. I line2 Adcltext: !5 variouscolours I 0-20cm in 80? - replacewith H p515E. I line3 p367couplet 12 line 3 Add text:Comwall, IoS, NW lre only.vll: (p376 F) replacewith E p532B line5 p3613couplet l3 line6 Add text:Fls many. usually more than 15 . . . (p376E) replacewith F p536D line 1 p37l illustrationD re-labelE usuailyl,esstall rcplacervith taller illustrationE re-labelD p546A line6 p390C line2 Scotabs - replacervith one site onl)' Add text: lanceolatelvs minutelyhairy l.t yeartwigs p546D line4 p390C. I line2 Deletetext: (but fadingto whenolder) Add text:has oval lvs: hairless l.ryear twigs p562Index to Keys p394A line2 Roadsides[i2 - replacewith ti3 Add text:but + without(or < I mm) wings p562ID Tips p394B linc 3 Add text: Orchidi j22 staminoderounded as in F replaoewith C p562Keys to Genera p402D linc 2 Stone*e*s and pigmyweeds replace with lorverlips asin 7*6 replaceu.ith B Stonecrops

Goodhomes needed for variousBSBI journals PATRICIAA. LocKwoon, I3 Stunlel'Road, Formbr,, Lit,erpool, Mersetside L37 ZAN The followingjoumals are offered. BSBIll'elsh Bulletin: Volunrc 26 February1977 Proceedingso/'the BSBI: September1960 to to rrinter 200J May 1969inclusive BotanicalSociety and ExchangeClub of the BSBINev's: Vol. l, No. I Januaryl9l2 to BritishIsles, Volume 12 part 6. Reportfor September2003 t943-44 Watsortia'.Vol. I part4 January1950 to Febru- Freeto anyonewho cancollect or pay carriage. aw 2005 Book Notes - Requestfor BSBI Journals/ Obituary Notes / Archivist Notes 73

Requestfor BSBI Journals MATT MURPHY,Direttor, Slterkin Islctnd Marine Station, Sherkin L;/and, C'o. Cork, Ircland Tel: +353+28+2018'lFax: +353+28+20401

I have8'981 Nelrrs Nos: 38-49'5l-57' 7l-80' I wouldlike to havethe full setof all theabove 82-81'91-91 ' 100'l0l' journals. lf anyonecould help me hll in the BSBIAbstracts: 8-20,26-21 . gapsI wouldbe very grateful. BSBIYear Book: 1991. 1996. I 998-2001.2003-6.

OBITUARY NOTES MARYBRIccs, Hon. ObituariesEditor, 9 Arun Prospect,Pulborough, West Sussex, RG20 IAL

With regretwe reportthe death of VeraGordon, flung places,were alsonumerous a quick a membersince 1950 who was electedas an searchof our databasecame uo with 4.42I HonoraryMember in 2005. Many membershad records(and that'sjust the Phanerogams).' the plcasureof Vera'scheerful companionship, We also report with regret the deaths of the sharing both her u'ide and reliable botanical following membersnotified since September knowledgeand her lively personality. 2006 (year of joining in parentheses):Mrs M Vera was Recorderfor v.c. 59 (S. Lancs)for Cowlingof Marlow (1953);Mr R A Finchof 36 years,from 1959to 1995.John Edmondson Cambridge(1965); Mrs P Gregoryof Birming- writes: ham(1977); Mr S N Griffithsof Brough(2002); 'She was,as you know, one of the principal Mr A S Lewisof Swansea(1999); Dr J Proctor amateurbotanists in N.W. England and a of Bumley(2005) and Mrs R Ryanof Guernsey long term Vice-countyrecorder. Her over- ( 1999). seascollections, made on holidaysto far- All theabove will be sadlvmissed.

ARCHIVIST NOTES MARY BRIGGS.Hon. Ohituaries Editor,9 Arun Prospect, Pulborough, West Su,gsex,RG20 IAL BSBI ConferenceReports No. 23. Colston. A. & Perring. F.H., eds. The Society is currently missing a number of the (1995). Insects, plants and set-aside- BSBI, Reports ofpast BSBI Conferences. London. The missingvolumes are: lfany memberhas a sparecopy ofany ofthese No. 12. Valentine,D.H., cd. (1972). Taxonomy missing reports the Society would be delighted and phytogeography of plants in relation to to hear from you. Please send a card to me evolu ti on. Academic Press,London. letting me know of the availability or, if easier No. 13. Green, P.S., ed. (1972). Planrs v'ild and for you. email the General Editor of rgellisqg cultivated. E.W. Classey,London. ntlworld.com. You will then hear from us. No. l6. Richards, A.J., ed. The of The BSBI Archives, including the series of by insetts. Academic Press,London. .flov'ers Conference Reports, are housed in the British No. 19.Jones, M., ed. (1988).Archaeologl'and Herbarium at the Natural History Museum, the of the British 1sles.Oxford Universi- flora London, where they are available to BSBI ty Committee for Archaeology. members for reference. No. 20. Noltie, H.J.,ed. (1986). Thelong tradi- tion: an exploration of a flora. Scottish Natu- ral History Society, Edinburgh. 74 Recorders & Recording - Referees& Specialists/ Vice county recorders/ Scottish Vice- Counfy RecorderVacancies

RECORDERSAND RECORDING Panel of Refereesand Specialists Manv CInRE SHEasaN, 6l Westmorelttnd Road, Barne.;, London Slltl3 9RZ; [email protected]

As usual there are a number of alterationsto the in the Year Book. and we look forward to list: Philip Nethercott(Sorbus) 1966and Keith hearing how they get on. Ferguson (Salit'ornia) have both said they There are several addresschanges in the list, would like to retire: they both began as referee so pleasemake sure you use the addressesin thc 40 years ago, and they are much thanked for 2007 Year Book. lt would be useful if referees their contribution over the years. We are very whosc email addressesaren't already in the list glad to report that Tim Rich has offered to take could sendthem to me them for inclusion. on Sorbus, and also Brassicaceae and Referees are reminded that the BSBI is Gentictnella. anxious to receive records of their cxoeft deter- The new beginners' referees are starting this minationsand confirmations:they ihould be year. They have provided detailed instructions sent to the BSBI Coordinator. Alex Lockton.

Panelof Vice-countyrecorders DRvtoPEenvAN, ligiers, Feock,Truro, Cornwall, TR3 6RA: Tel: 01872 863388

Recent Changes since SeptemberNen,s. These retire frorn this half of Northumberland. will all be reflected in the 2007 Yeor Book,but wherehe hasbeen recorder since I 96I .! are reproduced here for easeofreferencc. V.c. 68 (N Northumberland).Mr ChrisMeth- joint Changes ofRecorders erell to be recorder;all correspondence, V.c. 6 (N Somerset).Helena Crouch to become asbefore, to Prof.George Swan. (Clare). joint recorder;all correspondenceto Mr R.D. V.c. H09 Dr Shanon Parr & Dr joint Randall. Ian Green recorder since 1993. steos StephenWard to become recorders.Fio- dou n. na Deveryto transferto Co. Offaly. (Offaly). V.c. 2l (Middlesex). Dr Mark Spencer to be- V.c. H18 Fiona Devery to beconre come recorder. Rodney Burlon, recorder recorder.Mrs AideenAustcn to retireafter l0 since 1998,to retire. yearsin thepost. Y.c.62 (NE Yorkshire). Mr Vince Jonesand As ever,I would like to thankall thoseretiring Mr Mike Yates to become joint recorders. for their often mighty efforts over so many Tom Medd retires after servicehere and in v.c. projectsover so manyyears. 65 dating back to 1975. ChangesofAddress V.c. (Co. 66 Durham). John Durkin to becomc V.c.50 (Denbs).Mrs J.A.Grccn has nroved to recorder. Gavin Hardy retires. 3 Karen Court, Denbigh, LLl6 4RB. (S V.c. 67 Northumberland). John Richardsto j. green4 5 6 (gbtintern et. co rn become joint recorder. Prof. George Swan to Scottish Vice-county recorder vacancies JIN4McINTOSH. BSBI ScottishOfficer, c/o Rclyal Botanic Gardcn, Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR;Tel: 0l 3 I 2482U94;j.mcintosh(a)rbge.ac.uk West Perthshire - V.c. 87 rising to more mountainous terrain to the north Thc old county of Perthshircis divided into - including ten mountains over 3,000 feet. thrcc vice-counties.West. Mid and East Perth- It is inrportantfor its lowland raisedbogs, ancl shire. West Perthshircis boundcdby the Rivcr includesFlanders Moss. the largestlcnraining in Forth to the south. and the Forth-Tay watershcd Britain, its scmi-naturaloak woodiand, and its to the north and includesClackmannanshire. It rivcr systems and associatcdriparian habitats. is a remarkably diverse vice-county, with the Parlicularlynotablc speciesin the vicc-county flat and fertile Carse of Stirling to the sonth, include Elutine hydropiper, Lyt:hni.s vi.gr'oria and,Piluluria glohuli/bra. Whilst the montanc Recorders & Recording - Scottish Vice-County RecorderVacancies / Notes from the Officers - 75 Hon. GeneralSecretary habitats hold fringe populations of several gratefulfor herinvaluable contribution over the Breadalbane rarities, such as Bartsia alpina, past19 years. Veronica./ruticans and lloodsia alpina. We are looking for one (or more) keen and The present Vice-county Recorder, Neale physicallyfit botaniststo take over in eachof Taylor, has tendered his resignation, for the two vice-counties,either singly or in personal reasons, and we would like to thank partnership. Working in partnershiphas many him for his work during his term. advantagessuch as mutual support,splitting the Dunbarton - V.c. 99 workload,etc. Living in or nearthe vice-county The vice-county of Dunbarton, to the west of canbe an advantage,but is not essential- some Glasgow, is rich and varied. Despite being the VCRs live remotelyand operatevery success- third smallest Scottish vice-county, it has the fully. But you would haveto be ableto spend sixth highest number of species listed in the time in thevice-county each year. Vice-County Census Catalogue in Scotland. It The principal VCR task is, of course,the straddles the highland boundary fault, with low collection,validation and maintenance of vascu- and fertile ground to the south, and more lar plantrecords in thevice-county on behalfof mountainous terrain to the north, culminating in the BSBI. Being a reasonablecompetent Ben Vane and Ben Vorlich its highest point at botanistis important,but knowing one'slimits 941m. It includes Loch Lomond, Britain's is even more important. No one can be an largest freshwater lake, and much of the Loch expertin all aspectsofa county'sflora and our Lomond and the TrossachsNational Park. refereesare on handto supportand help VCRs. Its western boundary is formed by Loch Long BSBI staff,and neighbouring and retiring VCRs and the Clyde estuary,whilst its easternbound- will be happy to provide generaladvice and ary is Loch Lomond. Apart from Loch support.Competency with computers,particu- Lomond, and its islands, its key natural features larly e-mail,the internetand MapMate,would are its extensive Atlantic oakwoods, the River be highly desirable(although some training can Leven and the Clyde Estuary. It holds important be provided). populations of Callitriche palustris, Carex For full details of what a vice-county elongata, and Rumex aquaticus. Recorder'sjobentails, or ifyou areinterested in Alison Rutherford has been vice-county either vacancy, please contact me, Jim Recorder since 1987, and has given notice that Mclntosh,by e-mail or post at the addresses she would like to retire. The BSBI is very above. NOTESFROM THE OFFICERS From the Hon. General Secretary- David Peurman Algiers,Feock, Truro, Cornw,all, TR3 6R4; Tel: 01872863388;'DPearman4(@aol.com

'Director'post The full review is available from me to any The exercise referred to in the last two Neus has interested member as a Word file and the 'Executive been completed and approved by Executivc and summary' is given on the next page. metamorphosedinto Review what Council. It a of Publications BSBI really wanted to in the the do, especially I apologisc to those who have sent off for the recording field. and I append the summary below. new Sedge Handbook. Illness to two of the probably most you - it It soundsdull to of certainly authors has meant an unexpected delay. We to me when I had to to write it in did struggle cannot seethe book out before late spring. blissfully warm May and June! But after thc Presi- dent had taken my efforts in hand and produced a Website much better focus, we all felt enthusiasticagain. I appreciatethat not all members have comput- Thc focus for the first year or so will be the build- ers or accessto them, but plcasetry and see our ing up of the proposed Plant Unit. website (bsbi.org.uk) sometime. On the rare We advertisedthe job under the new title of occasionsthat I find time to look. I am amazed Head of Research & Develooment. which wc at the amount Alex Lockton and his contributors felt bcrterrcflected what we are after - in mid- have put up there, with access to all sorts of December, with interviews to take place at the interesting information and now, of course, to end of January. QuentinGroom's Reticulewebsite too. 'Director' 76 Notes from the Officers - Hon. GeneralSecretary Executivesummary post

ExECUTIVESUMMAR\' -'DtRfcton' posr

An introductionto the BSBI is provided 38 millionrecords exist, only about a (ch.2),describing its aims,the way it is thirdof whichare currentlvavailable via organised,its volunteerskills base, its the NBN Gateway. The diversenature achievements to date and the of the differentdatasets is emphasised challengesit faces in the future. The and the difficultiesof makingthem more latterdemand that the Societv:- generally available are highlighted, . Strengthenits capacityto d-evelopand Particularlyacute is the shortageof lT carry out an ongoing programmeof skills,time and moneyneeded in order field survey,monitoring and botanical to beginto remedythe situation. The researcn. Society'sdata management challenge is . Develop,with partners,its capacityto outlinedand a solutionis proposedthat manage, interpret and disseminate envisagesthe appointmentof a Data botanicaldata and information. Managerto overseethe integratronof . Developits activities,in collaboration the databases as the core of the with partners,in botanicaleducation, proposedPlant Unit. trainingand outreach. (ch.5) . Volunteersupport availableto Develop its administrativeinfrastruc- the BSBIis highlightedas oneof itschief ture, includingan abilityto seek the assets. At the top of the pyramid are necessaryfunding, in orderto achieve 150 key workers, our vice-county tISarms. recorders, each in charge of and Thesechallenges are discussed under intimatewith their countv. Behindthem four main headings:science strategy is a coreof about500 skllled, enthusias- (ch.3),data holdings(ch.4), volunteer tic field workers,up to 2000 members support (ch.5) and BSBI Plant Unit and many more from local flora groups (ch.6). The mainthrust of the reviewis can be mobilised on surveillance to makea casefor establishingformally projects to collect plant records. The a professionalwing of the BSBIto help potentialbenefits of a Plant Unit in the Society meet the challenges providingorganisational support, co-or- describedabove. dination and encouragementto this Science Strategy (ch.3) is summa- botanicalteam are emphasised. risedand reviewed.Two areasare the The Plant Unit (ch.6)would be based focus of the Society'swork: around the ASBI's extensive data . taxonomyand relatedwork holdingsand its dedicatedvolunteer . biogeography workforce.Establishment of a PlantUnit Both underoin conseryation would:- programmes.The firstcovers chiefly the r makedata gathering and interpretation key product of a list of acceptedtaxa, activities more efficient, better studiesof criticalgroups and of infra- managedand morewidely known; specificvariation. The second deals . improvesupport for the volunteerwork with a) monitoringnational distributions force; and trends.and b) monitorinorare and . provide interpreted data to those scarce species,iircluding eidemic or organisationswho need it to inform near-endemictaxa. A considerationof governmentaland other biodiversity current, ongoing and future projects conservationprogrammes. leadsto the conclusionthat they could all be integratedinto a national plant The Plant Unit would be staffedas surveillanceprogramme. This would follows:- best be deliveredunder the ausoicesof . Director(to be appointedasap) a BSBIPlant Unit (ch.6). . Secretary (to be appointed shortly Data holdings (ch.4) owned by or after) available the BSBI r Data'Manager(to be appointedasap) to are describedand . summarised.lt is estimatedthat about Countrv Officers. based on the Scottishmodel Notes from the Officers - From the ScottishOfficer 17

Fromthe ScottishOfficer - Jim Mclntosh BSBI Scottish OlJicer,c/o Ro-val Botanic Garden, Inverleith Rou,,Eclinburgh, EH3 sLR,. Tel: 0 I 3 1 2482894:j.mcintosh(lrbge.ac.uk Computerisation considerablevolunteer efTort will be requiredbv Computerising Vice-county Recorders, records participatingrecorders to preparerecord cardi vastly increases their usefulness. It is an imoor- for computerisation,and to checkrecords once ta_ntfirst stepin projects suchas checklists, Rare compr"rterisedagainst the originalpaperwork. I Plant Registers and floras, and it allows VCRs will keepyou posted. to nrap and analyze their records and respond to quenes more easily. The data contributesto the SGOTTISH Atlas Updating Project and you can already see N I\TU RA L the newly computerised data frorn the first HERTTAGE Computerisation project on the BSBI Maps 6}Esmee Scheme u'ebpages. It should benefit conserya_ Fairbairn tion too as the r-ecordswill be available to FOUNDATION SNH, and other conservationists. and used to Educational Work hclp in thcir day to da1 work. Conscqucntlv.I Ovcr the summer I was involved in a nuntber of havedevoted a lot oftime and energyto a seiies very enjoyable educational initiatives. One of of computerisation projects. The liist of which theseinvolved helping Biological Recording in is almostcomplete, the secondis undervay. and Scotland (a group which encouragesrecording a third will commencein autumn 2007. and supports Local Record Centres) with fou-r First tsSBI Scottish Computerisation project one-day Wildflower ldentificationcourscs for 106,000 vascular plant paper records from lour the public. We had a total of 65 people attend Scottish VCRs have been computerised bv these courses. For the last two Vears.-orcanised the BSBI contractorsand handed backto the VCRi National Trust lor Scotland havc rn MapMate format. By the tinre you read this wildflower idenrificatiorr courses foi their we hope that the final step will be complete and rangers and I was very pleascd to be invited to that the data will have been uploaded onto the help again at this year's event, in Galloway. BRC VascrrlarPlant DaraBaseand rhe NBN Together with my Field Meeting volunteer. Gateway. The BSBI is very grateful to SNH for Dot Dahl, we organiseda nurnberof'eclucational lts support for the project. field meetings for BSBI members. We particu_ larly welcomed mentberswho had never been Second BSBI Scottish Computerisation on a BSBI field Project meeting before. The feedback fronr these nteetings was very enthusiasticand We have just started another project to compu_ we are planningmore this sumnrer. Look out terisea further 135,000records. this time thanks for the cntries in the Field Meeting programme to the help of Esmde Fairbaim Foundation in the 2007 Year Book. funding. Like the first it usescontractors

reallyinteresting places andis a lot of fun. We enoughtime to do it in! Thisis probablya sign needvolunteers to leadon eachsite (to organise of a successfulevent - the conversewould be fleldwork& write the reports)as well asvolun- far worse! After usingthe previous progralnme teers to help out with the fieldwork. If you for many years,I tl.rinkwe probablyought to would like to get involvedplease get in touch. allow the new format time to settle-inbetbre ScottishAnnual Meeting makingany furthermajor changes. Judgingby the recordnumber, 129,attending ScottishBSBI WebPages this season'sScottish Annual Meetingat the For more information about what the BSBI Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and the ScottishOfficer and the BSBI are doing in positivefeedback received after the cvent,the Scotlandcheck out theBSBI ScottishWebPag- new confcrence-stylefomrat was very success- es. Follow the link fiom the main website.or ful. The secondmost commonly madepoint type"BSBI Scotland"into a searchengine! was that there was too much to do and not

Coordinator'sCorner ALE.\LocKroN,66 Ntnh Slreet,Shrewsbun,, Shrop.shire, SYI 2-rI; [email protected] Web Site and rve can promote it as well as provide up-to- It is said that the average web site has only one date information. visitor a day: the site's own There is a creator. Recorders' Conference lot for people's the of competition attention on Feedback from the Recorders' Conferencc last intemet, so you have to work quite hard if you Septembcr was sufficiently enthusiastic that I want people read your postings. It to to seems am organising another at Shrewsbury again in me people really want from our web that what 2007 (Fri l4th Sunday 16thSept). Shropshire site resourcesto dorvnload. When we are useful has not yet run out of interesting places to visit put Mick Rare Plant Register of Crawley's on the field trip. Last year'swas fun, with a day Berkshire it immediately the most on, becanre on Introductions that sparked some intcresting popular feature, so we've followed that by thoughts. Tim Rich presentedwhat I think of as making publications fieely such more available, the traditional phytogeographer'sview that re- as Botanical Ner.rr Watsonia (wrth lrish and introductions should only be done as a last-ditch thanks to Brian Rushton and Martin Sanford). effort to save a rare plant; but Mary Gibby The 2003 edition of IBN was read by 54 people showed how intenrational conventions. as in November, the most popular paper in and applied in UK law, are going to causea lot more Watstntia month was 1993 one on that a of this sorl of thing to happen. Heather Mctlaf- Alan Tim Cardanrine btrlby'eraby Showler and fie gave us a glimpse into a future of secretive Rich (34 These huge numbers. readers). aren't plantingsacross the country, which a lot of us but how many peoplc do you suppose read an suspectis already happening far more than we paper w-tttsctnia month'/ A old copy of each know, and David Pcarmandisplayed the BSIII's good proportion visitors fiom abroad, ofour are databaseof introductions. The sheer scope of and it is quite unlikely that the BSBI will I think thcse,mainly for BAP plants, surprisedmany of lose members by off-eringsuch resources many those present. Finally lan Trueman demon- over the intemet. stratedwhat seemslhe more sane and sustaina- now about a month Our hit rate is 175,000 ble approachof habitat creation, with cxamples from rl,500 visitors, plus at least that unique of rarities that have successfully been intro- nlany linked Botani- on Qucntin Groom's duced in this rvay. calKeys Another thousand peoplc a web site. The theme fbr ncxt year's confcrence is thc to vieu, month visit the Maps Scheme web site way our data is used. Evcryone is familiar now maps. peak in the current distribution The latest with specicslists and dot maps, but these clon't usage whcn David Pearman was inter- came actually tell you much that wasn't explicit in the Radio 4 about work the viewed on BBC his on records when they werc collected. What we island I was pleased that we were of Rum. need to explore is what the data can tcll you that prepared for that and had on our web the story you could not possiblyknow just fiom looking in planning sitc already. lf anyone the BSBI is at a plant in the wild. For example,we have anything such the launch of a intcresting. as been researchtng Clarex maritinttt (Cun'ed book lct me know beforchand or a conference. Scdge) which. frorn the data available in thc Nev, Atlas, appeared to bc one of the rnost Coordinator'sCorner / Stop Press - N'loreon the rise and fall ctf I'eronicaJili/itrmis I 79 Deadlinefor News 105 dramatically declining species:but it turns out survey of a site is a good way of monitoring that it is irnpossibie to prove that from the data, changes. The problem is perhapsthat ecologists and in fact it may just as easily be increasing have traditionally thought in too short a times- overall. There is as yet no scientific way to cale: in reality a monitoring processtakes place answer this cluestion,for many species. over decadesrather than months or years. What visit Site surveys we do is to a site many times during the year so we are reasonably that we As if you didn't have cnough to do, we havc a confident have found rnost the plants new and interesting challenge tbr BSBI of that occur there, and that gives genuine baseline which members. ln 1975 Frank Perring produced one a from to changes. In a site of Atting- of the first thorough site survey when he wrote describe the size ham Park, you would need the Flora o./' Attingham Park. A few other something like visits to to similar studieshave been done, most notably, twenty be able do that. idea thorough perhaps,Tinr Rich's Flortt of Ashdov'n Forest - So our is that site sun'eys like this should be for more interesting although that is a more ambitious project. Last done and important places, and the results published year Sarah Whild repeatedthe Flora of Atting- so they have a reasonablechance ham and found that it worked rather well as a of surviving for a decade or two until someone wants to repeat u,ay of monitoring changesin a site. Since then it. I shall mzrkea pageon the web site to give Michael Braithwaitc has produced a Flora of St for it, Abb's Head NNR, based on a similar process fuller details anyone who wants to try and I'd like to hear from has and timescale, and he has also made interesting anyone who experience projects findings. I can't believe that no-one has really of similar that I don't know aboul. cottoned onto the fact that a rcallv thoroush STOPPRESS

More on the rise and fall of VeronicoJiliformis RocER M. HpNsclN, 9 Harlov' Manor Park, ltarrogate, NLtrth Yorkshire, HG2 )EG', henson -a.r@),zetnet. co. uk

In an email Dr Dirk Albach (of the Institut fiir the plant. I have not investigatedthe rcason for Spezielle Botanik JohannesGutenberg-Univer- L'tt'onica /iliforntis but the pattem is common sitat Mainz Bentzelweg 9b 55099 Mainz, arnong introduced plants. It is likely that the 'A Germany) writes. colleague sent me your species is spreading vigorously up to a point two notes IBSBI News 101: 46; & 103: 341 on when pathogensin the soil have adapted to thc 'rise the and fall of Veronica.fili/brmis'because newcomer. After that the soecies remains I am currently investigating thc introduction of presentbul al markedly lowcr density. I am thc species. My emphasisis the questionrvhy grateful thal you confirmed my casualobserva- the plants do not produce seedsin Europe but I tion from Germany.' have also observed the fluctuation ofdensity of

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The ReceivingEditor Dr LeanderWolstenholme can be contactcdby phone on 0l6i ?15 2671 or email: Leandcr.Wolstenholme(riNlanchester.ac.uk The (ierrcralEditor Gwynn Ellis can be contactedby phoncor fax on 029-2019-6042or email: rgcllis(a4ntlrvorld.com All tcxt and illustrationsappcaring in BSB1,\'ewsand its Supplementsare copyright and no reproductionin any form may be madewithout written permissionfrom the GeneralEditor. Offers and spccialterms apply only to mcmbersofthe Societvand copiesare not availableon an exchangcbasis. BSBINex:t (ISSN 0309-930X)is publishedby the BotanicalSociety ofthe British Isles. Enquiriesconccnting the Society'sactivities and nrembershipshould be addressedto: The Hon. GeneralSecretary'. cio Dept. of Botany, The NaturalHistor",, Museum, Crornrvell Road, London SW7 5BD. Tcl:0207 942 5001. Cameraready copy producedby Gwynn Ellis and printedby J. & P. Davison.3 JamcsPlaoe. Treforest, Pontypridd, Mid GlamorganCF37 I SQ (Tcl. 012143-400585;email: davison-litho(9ukt'.nct) ADMINISTRATION and IMPORTANT ADDRESSES

PRESIDENT Dr Richard Gornall Biology Dept., University of Leicester, Leicester,LE1 7RH Tel. 0 I 16-252-339 4; [email protected] HON. GENERAL SECRITARY (GeneralEnquiries) Mr David Pearman Algiers, Feock, Truro, Cornwall, TR3 6RA Tel.:0 I 872 863388;DPearman4(@aol.com HON. TREASURER (All iinancial mattersexcept Nlembership) Mr Michael Braithwaite l9 BuccleuchStreet, Hawick, Roxburghshire,TD9 0HL Tel. 01450-372267. F ax 01450-37359I MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY (Pavmentof Subsand chances of address) Mr Gwvnn Ellis 41 Marlborough Road. Roath, Cardiff, CF23 5BU (Pleasequote membershipnumber on all correspondence;see address label on post, or MembersList in lear Book 2007 Tel. 02920 496042;[email protected] HON. FIELD SECRETARY (Includingcnquiries about Field Meetings) Mrs Jane Crof( 12 SpaldwickRoad, Stow Longa, Huntingdon,Cambs., PE28 OTL stowlonea(@tiscali.co. uk HON. ASSISTANT SECRETARY (Generalenquiries) Mr PeterFry c/o Dept. of Botany,The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD Answerphoneonly: 0207 942 5002 BSBI PROJECT MANAGER & Mr Dal'id Pearman VICE-COUNTY RECORDERS Algiers, Feock, Truro, Cornwall, TR3 6RA (Commentsandior changesof address) Tel.:0l 872 863388;DPearman4(Daol.com PANEL OF REFEREES & SPECIALISTS Dr l\Iary Clare Sheahan (Commentsand/or changes of address) 6l WestmorelandRoad, Barnes,London, SWl3 9RZ Tel.: 020 8748 436 5 ; [email protected] WATSON IA RECEIVING EDITOR Mr Martin Sanford c/o SBRC, Ipswich Museum, High Street, lpswich, Suffolk, IPI 3QH Tel.:0147-l 433547l. fax: 012173433558; sbrc(4globalnct.co.uk BSBI NEWS RECEIVING EDITOR Dr LeanderWolstenholme The Herbarium, The ManchesterMuseum,University of Manchester,Oxford Road,Manchester, Ml2 9PL Tel : 016127 5 261l: Leander.Wolsterholmefti'Manchester.ac.uk BSBI NEWS GENERAL EDITOR Mr Gwynn Ellis 4l Marlborough Road, Roath, Cardiff, CF23 5BU Tel. & Fax 029-2049 -6042; rgel I [email protected] BSBI COORDINATOR Mr Alex Lockton 66 North StreetoShrewsbury, Shropshire, SYI 2JL Te].: 01743343789: coordinator(gbsbi.org.uk BSBI VOLUNTEERS OFFICER Mr Bob Ellis I I HavelockRoad, Norwich, NR2 3HQ Tel.: 0 I 603 662260: bob(@elymus.denron.co.uk BSBI SCOTTISH OFFICER Mr Jim Mclntosh c/o Royal Botanic Garden, lnverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR Tel. 013I 248 2894(w): 0141 5527322 (h); j.mcintosh(rz,rbgc.ac.uk RESEARCH FUND APPLICATIONS Dr PeteHollingsworth Royal Botanic Garden,Edinburgh, EH3 5LR p.ho I I in gsworth (rqrb ge. a c. uk. BSBI PUBLICATIONS Mr & Mrs Jon Atkins c/o Summerfield Books, Main Street, Brough, Cumbria, CAlT 4AX Tel.:0l 768341577; Fax: 017683 41687; bsbipubs(itbeeb.net BSBIWEB SITEADDRESS www.bsbi.org.uk ResistercdCharitv Numbcr :212560 Dittricllia p,rutveolens roadsidecolonist in S. Hants (v.c. I I ). PhotosM. Rand/ S.J.Leach O 2006 (seepage 4-5)

Minuartia hr-bridaon the DefenceTraining Estate(Salisbury Plain) PhotosS. Pilkington O 2006 (seepage 4) Minuurtiu ft'(unto in the ComeraghMountains, Co. Watertbrd.Habitat aboveand truiting specimen{ l) below. Flowering plant (r) below from Co. Cork. PhotosPR. Creen O 2006 (seepage 4)