BSBI News April 2013 No. 123 Edited by Trevor James & Gwynn Ellis ISSN 0309-930X Eric Clement botanising at Thorney Island in October 2011. Photo G. Hounsome © 2011 (see p. 66) Spartina patens in saltmarsh on the east side of Thorney Island. Photo G. Hounsome © 2012 (see p. 66) Frankenia laevis (Sea-heath) growing over roadside kerb, Helmsley-Kirbymoorside road, North Yorks. Photo N.A. Thompson © 2009 (see p. 48) Paul Green (acting Welsh Officer) at The Carex ×gaudiniana Glen Shee, Cairnwell, Raven, Co. Wexford. Photo O. Martin © 2008 v.c.92. Photo M. Wilcox © 2012 (see p. 28) (see p. 86) Alchemilla wichurae, Teesdale, showing 45° angle of main veins. Photo M. Lynes © 2012 (see p. 25) Pentaglottis sempervirens, Kirkcaldy, Fife (v.c.85). Photo G. Ballantyne © 2012 (see p. 64) CONTENTS Important Notices Changing status and ecology of Blysmus rufus From The President.....................................I. Bonner 2 (Saltmarsh Flat-sedge) in South Lancashire (v.c.59) Notes from the Editors....................T. James & G. Ellis 2 ...........................................................P.H. Smith 55 Notes...........................................................................3–63 Aliens.................................................................... 64–67 Eleocharis mitracarpa Steud., not a British plant Malling Toadflax population in Oxfordshire ...........................................................F.J. Roberts 3 ........................................A. Baket & G. Southon 64 Eleocharis: problems with the Flora Europaea account Pentaglottis sempervirens (Green Alkanet) ...........................................................F.J. Roberts 7 again..............................................G. Hounsome 64 Where are they now?.................................................. 8 Pentaglottis sempervirens (Green Alkanet) in Further studies of Sea-lavenders on the Ribble Estuary Hertfordshire.........................................T. James 59 at Marshside, north Merseyside Spartina patens in West Sussex, v.c.13 ................................P.H. Smith & P.A. Lockwood 9 .......................................................G. Hounsome 66 A lost landscape.......................................C.A. Stace 11 Notices......................................................................67-72 Botanical riches at the RSPB’s Minsmere Nature 2013 Annual Exhibition Meeting........................... 67 Reserve, East Suffolk.....................C.J. Cadbury 13 Any thoughts on AEMs?............................L. Marsh 68 Synchronised variation in fruit production in Fraxinus Volunteers needed for Threatened Plants excelsior (Ash)...........................T.H. Blackstock 15 Project ‘mopping-up’ in 2013.............K. Walker 68 Those Myriophyllum turions: an embarrassing blunder The Society for Economic Botany conference, .........................................................J.H. Bratton 16 Plymouth 2013...................................S. Masters 70 The vascular plant Red Data List for Great Britain: a A Fenland flora – an announcement summary of amendments in years 6 and 7 (2011- ................................O. Mountford & J. Graham 71 12) of the annual amendments process Recorders Conference, 6th – 8th September .................72 ....................................S.J. Leach & K.J. Walker 17 Requests................................................................ 73–76 Black Poplar (Populus nigra ssp. betulifolia) in Volunteer wanted to work on threatened plant Cumbria...................G. Halliday & F.J. Roberts 21 specimens at the Natural History Museum......... 73 Tilia cordata (Small-leaved Lime) in gill woodland in Glasshouse weed recording: can you help?..S. Thomas 73 the Weald of Kent..........P. Sansum & K. Ryland 22 Pulsatilla leaf smut: only one British site? Alchemilla glabra & Alchemilla wichurae .......................................................M. Ainsworth 74 ..............................................................M. Lynes 25 Juncus ranarius – inland plants................M. Wilcox 75 Bolboschoenus laticarpus........................M. Wilcox 26 Aphanes arvensis & A. australis..............M. Wilcox 75 Carex maritima – a roadside halophyte? Request for information about the smell of the .......................................P.A. Smith & A. Wilson 27 Stinking Hellebore.......................M. Richardson 76 Carex ×gaudiniana Guthnick in Scotland Offers..................................................................... 76-77 ............................................................M. Wilcox 28 Wiltshire Botany, 14................................................. 76 Hybrid violets...........................................M. Wilcox 29 Three Teesdale papers on offer.............M. Bradshaw 76 Vicia sepium – a yellow form................D. Pearman 31 News of Members.........................................................77 Useful vegetative aspects of Epipactis helleborines in Hypericum monograph completed...........R. Vickery 77 Britain.................................................M. Wilcox 32 Charles Turner awarded the Albrecht Penck Medal Muntjac and British plants..........................J. Oliver 35 2012...................................................................... 77 ‘Switching on’ of purple colouration: chromoplasts, Report of Field Meeting 2012.............................. 77-80 heterophylly and other genetic aberrations in local Kirkcudbrightshire..................................D. Hawker 77 Sycamores.............................................J. Oliver 38 Diary for 2013............................................................ 80 New Year’s Day Hunt 2013.............T. Rich & S. Whild 40 Obituary Notes.............................................C. Liffen 81 ‘Time travel’ – modelling the historical distribution of Charles David (1948 – 2012).....................A. Haden 81 Sedum villosum in Berwickshire Recorders and Recording.................................... 82-84 ..................................................M. Baraithwaite 41 Panel of Referees and Specialists .........M.C. Sheahan 82 Extinctions in rare or scarce species – what do they tell Panel of Vice-county Recorders............D. Pearman 82 us about change in the flora?......M. Braithwaite 44 Scottish vice-county recorder vacancies: Easterness Will Frankenia be the next Cochlearia danica? & Dunbarton.....................................J. McIntosh 82 ....................................................N.A. Thompson 48 The use of sampling in recording for the next Atlas At long last: the buried story behind the collapse of ..........................................................J. McIntosh 83 the BSBI’s semi-ancestor...................D.A. Allen 49 Notes from the Officers........................................ 84-88 April-fooled by pink Primroses: the case of the From the Ho. Gen. Sec..............................L. Farrell 84 ‘ergastofigofyt’ From the Scottish Officer ......................J. McIntosh 85 ...............T. McCloughlin & Z. Chocholoušková 51 From the acting Welsh Officer....................P. Green 86 From theIrish Officer ................................M. Long 87 Deadline for News 124................................................ 88 2 Important Notices – From The President / Notes from the Editors IMPORTANT NOTICES From The President IAN BONNER, Cae Trefor, Tyn y Gongl, Anglesey, LL74 8SD (01248 852651; [email protected]) As I write this, in late March, I see little sign of One really exciting piece of news is that the spring - indeed many of the new shoots are now Society has appointed a Head of Operations to looking very bleached in the strong easterly improve the coordination and management of winds - but at least Anglesey is not snow covered! all activities. We are delighted to welcome Jane You will find your copy of our Annual Houldsworth, from Bromley Cross, Bolton, Review 2012 enclosed with this issue of News. who will be joining us at the beginning of June This will give you a good overview of our many and expects to be at the AGM in Beaumaris recent activities and my thanks go to all who later in the month to meet many of our members. contributed to putting together the Review Progress towards reconstituting the Society as document. a Company Limited by Guarantee continues Field Secretaries are to be congratulated on and you will find the relevant items amongst the assembling a really comprehensive programme AGM papers included with this copy of News. in the 2013 Yearbook, spread across Britain and Special thanks are due to Antony Timmins, our Ireland and catering for a wide range of exper- Honorary Treasurer, for continuing to oversee tise. As a new venture, the beginners’ plant this important matter. identification course described in the January It is really good that so many of you have News is up and running, with a full quota of booked to come our AGM and the associated tutors and students, which is brilliant news. field visits. I look forward to welcoming you to Thanks go to Brenda Harold and all of you who Anglesey and just hope we get decent weather! are helping with this. Notes from the Editors TREVOR JAMES (Receiving Editor), 56 Back Street, Ashwell, Baldock, Herts., SG7 5PE. (Tel.: 01462 742684) ([email protected]) GWYNN ELLIS (General Editor), 41 Marlborough Road, Roath, Cardiff, Wales, CF23 5BU (Tel.: 02920 496042) ([email protected] / [email protected]) Tim Rich has drawn our attention to a matter of examine the information posted