tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46011244137397918042024-03-13T06:04:25.569+00:00BSBI CymruBSBI Cymru - from Barbara Brown, Welsh OfficerUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-84521042751417182852020-03-25T11:06:00.000+00:002020-03-26T07:52:58.206+00:00Family HerbariumsDuring this strange time I thought I'd write about a family herbarium project I've come across which might give you inspiration for an on-going project. You could start it this spring even within our currently restricted horizons.<br />
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Whilst researching a talk for a local history society I remembered a pressed flower collection a Radnorshire Wildlife Trust volunteer had made with her mother when she was a girl. Sue Arthur kindly agreed to meet with me and tell me more about this collection.<br />
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Her family had a small farm just outside Llanyre in Radnorshire and during the 1960s she and her Mum had pressed and preserved some 120 species of flowers which were found on their land. They even feature some rarer species such as a small twig of <i>Genista anglica </i>(En) Petty Whin (Cym) Cracheithin which, though commoner then, is now considered near threatened nationally, probably owing to loss of habitat. The collection mostly includes widespread and familiar species though.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Petty Whin or Genista anglica collected in the 1960s by Sue & still well preserved some 60 years later</span></div>
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What is particularly lovely about this collection is that Sue has carried on the tradition with both own daughter and helped her daughter and grandchild with a further edition, making 3 generations of volumes. Sue also admits that it is probably because of this collection that she has become a long-term volunteer on local nature reserves.<br />
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This accords with the research of Wandersee & Schussler (2001) whose research showed that having a plant mentor in one's life makes a pivotal difference on whether one notices, appreciates or seeks to understand plants. So starting a similar collection in the coming weeks could forge a lifetime's connection with plants.<br />
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Pressing plants is easy to do - a carefully constructed sandwich of kitchen roll, paper and heavy books will work well enough. Alternatively, you can easily make a flower press if you have two squares of solid ply and four long bolts with wing nuts. You will also need several cardboard inserts and kitchen towel to sandwich the species in. The only slightly tricky part is making sure the four holes in the bottom piece of ply align with those on the top piece. Drill the bottom holes first, slot the bolts in, and mark the point where they touch the top piece of ply. You should drill the second set of holes on the marks. Children can be co-opted into making the cardboard inserts squares, and decorating the top of the press.<br />
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Bear in mind the BSBI code of conduct when collecting wildflowers, which you can download <a href="https://bsbi.org/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/Code-of-Conduct-v5-final.pdf" target="_blank">here</a>. Do not collect specimens on nature reserves and only collect1 specimen if you can see at least 20 others nearby. It is probably best to avoid collecting any kind of orchid, both due to their relative rarity and the disappointingly dark and shrivelled specimen that usually results.<br />
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However that should still give leave you plenty of scope to start a family tradition, which can be preserved for a surprisingly long time as these photos show.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JR5xko8PUKo/XnsyLV4N4nI/AAAAAAAAAXg/MRWtrYJ5LpsIO7LYuh3IozRk5EsM7EqEwCEwYBhgLKs0DAMBZVoA-PbsDdO4_le2Ck4wtivCYVcTnKvVWHHRpttsY1feoKfH2t0LEf5lmQNf2zuZj8nIl3nvT0LEJtwAGeFgTLC0rs75K-Nk3UtaeJu7qJuhgYXV9QfM94558h6-KP4Fs0jr5qbLPSjRQbNJkyVs_Ig21AzkcuUmmXDvfahZvcsdAp0B5yqcGCiYeX04e2AybkvKQKwAkKdzH35FDlrQBKgF4hfDgpBOP62r4lFHav_SGHhEUe9NOpGHH6s_eXPnmB_F96F7-xhLqVy21Inh-13TNaFHXTcWuGq807tMecsnbr55PZ1ozSPpgBlouvWAhyIcbAxkAeCuVmYOR_V4EjZfnHHeE4TxlWQKTQgCSjxZWtNqHv6X0lZhqFwjfc5F1zocOhFGhQK2JTykEsJPHqq6Rv2bvDcnpcsPSt2lC3WzUTxrM1SRp1sFarY3aldnYi7O02YFRR6gx6xmArTTk3EynIQLEAbwJs2LTxQxPSXHnf8bNiicXitI8xrd0Aul8JENh-e1MZ4nrJLKfMsNjhJkhqHJe8TFKwU419GzTj_L49BaXFxWmdYR3F384I-L9WvAsi2BOD3DoJhH52rpUkLVGmVzk1H5XH0Mw4fPs8wU/s1600/Buttercup%2Bsheet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1235" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JR5xko8PUKo/XnsyLV4N4nI/AAAAAAAAAXg/MRWtrYJ5LpsIO7LYuh3IozRk5EsM7EqEwCEwYBhgLKs0DAMBZVoA-PbsDdO4_le2Ck4wtivCYVcTnKvVWHHRpttsY1feoKfH2t0LEf5lmQNf2zuZj8nIl3nvT0LEJtwAGeFgTLC0rs75K-Nk3UtaeJu7qJuhgYXV9QfM94558h6-KP4Fs0jr5qbLPSjRQbNJkyVs_Ig21AzkcuUmmXDvfahZvcsdAp0B5yqcGCiYeX04e2AybkvKQKwAkKdzH35FDlrQBKgF4hfDgpBOP62r4lFHav_SGHhEUe9NOpGHH6s_eXPnmB_F96F7-xhLqVy21Inh-13TNaFHXTcWuGq807tMecsnbr55PZ1ozSPpgBlouvWAhyIcbAxkAeCuVmYOR_V4EjZfnHHeE4TxlWQKTQgCSjxZWtNqHv6X0lZhqFwjfc5F1zocOhFGhQK2JTykEsJPHqq6Rv2bvDcnpcsPSt2lC3WzUTxrM1SRp1sFarY3aldnYi7O02YFRR6gx6xmArTTk3EynIQLEAbwJs2LTxQxPSXHnf8bNiicXitI8xrd0Aul8JENh-e1MZ4nrJLKfMsNjhJkhqHJe8TFKwU419GzTj_L49BaXFxWmdYR3F384I-L9WvAsi2BOD3DoJhH52rpUkLVGmVzk1H5XH0Mw4fPs8wU/s320/Buttercup%2Bsheet.JPG" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The yellow page from Sue's collection with the colours still remarkably fresh after 60 years </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Musk Mallow from Sue's collection</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #d9ead3; font-family: inherit;">To end I'll note that<span style="color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> this is my last post as Wales Officer though I may continue to contribute to this blog from time to time in the funding interim. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has encouraged and supported me in the role. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"></span>Barbara Brown March 2020<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-1452175432834304022020-01-13T11:02:00.000+00:002020-01-13T14:44:42.921+00:00Green and buzzing!Some of our earliest Spring flowers don't have colourful blooms to attract clouds of pollinators but perhaps their exceptionally early opening is enough of a draw in itself.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stinking Hellebore with its cup shape flowers typically with a slight red tinge on the edge. This helps to distinguish it from Green Hellebore which also has much more open flowers. </td></tr>
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This seems to be the case with the Stinking Hellebore <i>Helleborus foetidus</i> which grows in woodlands on lime-rich rocks. Its discreetly nodding green cup-flowers smell slightly unpleasant to humans. However the odour clearly pulls in the bees as shown by the photos I snapped during a few minutes of observation.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Queen Bumble bee visiting the Stinking Hellebore flowers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very early Solitary bee species looking for nectar on the Hellebores</td></tr>
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Over the centuries, gardeners have selected strains of Stinking Hellebore with slightly more red-tinged petals for planting in gardens but the well known Christmas rose is actually a garden cultivar of <i>Helleborus niger</i> - a species of central Europe. It is quite likely that Stinking Hellebore was originally cultivated in gardens for its wide range of uses in herbal medicines. Even as far back as the first century AD, Pliny the Elder's Natural History records that it was used as a ''purgative for mania'' whilst Robert Burton's "Anatomy of Melancholy" (1621) cites<br />
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" borage and hellebore fill two scenes,<br />
Sovereign plants to purge the veins<br />
of melancholy and cheer the heart<br />
of those black fumes which make it smart"<br />
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The plant is poisonous so it is definitely not recommended to try this in the era of modern medicine! However merely looking at the Queen bumble bees feasting on them after their long hibernation is a cheery sight and might help with the winter blues!<br />
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You may well find Stinking Hellebore growing near Spurge Laurel (<i>Daphne laureola</i>) which also bears green flowers and can sometimes be scented. Correctly this plant is neither a Spurge nor a Laurel and is most closely related to its more perfumed pink-flowered cousin <i>Daphne merezeon </i>which is often planted in gardens by doorways. Spurge Laurel was usually confined to the shrubbery, or at least this is where Gilbert White records planting it in his famous book ''The Natural History of Selbourne'' (1789) It was also often used as evergreen cover in pheasant shoots.<br />
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Spurge Laurel is much more toxic than <i>Helleborus foetidus </i>and in the United States where it is classed as an invasive plant, people are recommended to wear gloves whilst pulling it up.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spurge laurel in flower</td></tr>
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Curiously, a 1978 film featuring Laurence Olivier was named "Daphne laureola<i>" . </i>The film depicts the joys and pains of young love and borrows from Greek myth where the naiad Daphne was transformed into a laurel to escape from Apollo's attentions!<br />
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Paying attention to these understated blooms will almost certainly show how important they are for the early spring pollinators. They may also support precocious insects which might have been lured forth unseasonably early by climate change and so could provide a link to supply continuous food for such insects in woodlands.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-45797817261008677402019-10-11T14:30:00.000+01:002019-10-11T14:30:19.529+01:00The State of Nature Report for Wales 2019The <a href="https://nbn.org.uk/stateofnature2019/" target="_blank">State of Nature Report 2019</a><span id="goog_1660167471"></span><span id="goog_1660167472"></span> was released last Friday and unfortunately it again charts continued wildlife declines across the UK with 13% of declines in average species abundance since 1970. There is also a short summary for Wales which is available to view or download from <a href="https://bsbi.org/wales" target="_blank">the BSBI Wales webpage</a>.<br />
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The vascular plants of Wales do not escape from the general picture outlined in the UK report. Of the 1,467 Wales Red book plant species assessed in the State of Nature report, 38 have been classed as extinct and a further 18% are threatened with extinction within the country.<br />
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As nearly nine tenths of Wales is agricultural land, changes in agricultural practice have been a major factor behind the increasing rarity of plant species. If we take just a single important habitat, more than 90% of semi-natural grasslands have been lost in Wales since the 1930s.<br />
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However, it is important to remember that many farmers are shouldering the extra burden of conserving the wildlife on their farms and they are carrying out this task on top of a harder working day than most of us could cope with.<br />
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As an example, tenant farmers in the Elan Valley have been working with Natural Resources Wales to restore grasslands to wildflower richness. After just 10 years of suitable management (light manure applications and liming) these grasslands were almost as wildflower rich as adjacent SSSI meadows. You can read more about this in a report from <a href="https://www.elanvalley.org.uk/sites/default/files/fileman/Hayes__Lowther_2014_-_Conservation_management_of_species-rich_grasslands_in_the_Elan_Valley_Radnorshire_-_Evidence_report_8.pdf" target="_blank">Natural Resources Wales</a><br />
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Again, the National Botanic Gardens of Wales has successfully been restoring hay meadows in Waun Las. In June I saw how lovely these meadows have become, with plentiful Greater Butterfly-orchids (<i>Platanthera chlorantha</i>), Eyebright (<i>Euphraisa spp</i>) and Yellow Rattle (<i>Rhinanthus minor). </i>You can read more about this <a href="https://botanicgarden.wales/garden-areas/waun-las-national-nature-reserve/" target="_blank">here</a>. An important part of this transformation was the spreading of green hay from nearby meadows by a local farmer.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Greater Butterfly-orchid from the restored hay meadows at the National Botanic Gardens of Wales</td></tr>
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The conclusions for Wales in the report are tempered by fewer robust trends in species abundance than for other countries in the UK. This is because Wales has a smaller human population and fewer people recording wildlife.<br />
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This makes the efforts of the volunteers in Wales who record and survey wildlife all the more valuable - including the BSBI's County recorders and their helpers. We would love to get even more people involved next spring. As BSBI's Head of Science Dr Kevin Walker explains <a href="https://bsbipublicity.blogspot.com/2019/10/state-of-nature-bsbi-head-of-science.html" target="_blank">here</a>, it's thanks to the "national army of volunteer recorders" that we've been able to provide the "most complete picture ever assembled of the state of Britain's wildlife". So why not join us? Just take a look at our <a href="https://bsbi.org/local-botany" target="_blank">Local Botany</a> page where you can find out what recording activities they have planned. You would be very welcome to attend and we can offer lots of help for anyone wishing to get started in recording our wonderful Welsh wild flowers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-29936046345031943212019-10-01T10:16:00.002+01:002019-10-03T08:40:03.325+01:00The National Plant Monitoring Scheme ... time to think about next year!As the botanical field season draws to a close this is a good time to plan next year's outings. We will still get the odd day of reasonable weather and you could use it to recce a National Plant Monitoring scheme (NPMS) square for 2020.<br />
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The NPMS is a joint citizen science project managed by the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology, including Plantlife and the BSBI as major partners. The new scheme was launched in 2015 and it has been carefully designed by scientists to provide good quality statistically amenable data with subsequently road tested by volunteers. You really don't have to be a botanical expert to take part - you can choose to survey at the "Wildflower level".<br />
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To take part register for a square on the NPMS website <a href="https://www.npms.org.uk/" target="_blank">National Plant Monitoring Scheme</a> choosing one of the randomly selected squares which you like the look of. (This aspect of the scheme is a bit like the Breeding Bird Survey).<br />
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You'll get sent a pack with the survey guidelines, a plant identification guide and a OS map of your chosen square. When a weather window opens, go and take a look at the square, keeping to footpaths or other public access areas. If you still feel happy with the square you'll need to think about which parts of it you will need to gain access to in order to survey the 5 required plots.<br />
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Think about covering a range of the NPMS habitats within the square, prioritising ponds and flushes. Remember that if you are surveying in a woodland your plot will be 10x10m in size and not the normal 5x5m or 1x25m size.<br />
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Finding out landowner information to acquire access permission can be tricky. You could use it as an excuse for a drink in the local pub or just ask at a nearby farm. Obviously you need to be careful not to be too intrusive here and a letter of introduction is provided with the pack.<br />
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Once access permission has been gained you might wish to visit your square again before surveying begins in earnest next May. It is worthwhile spending a bit of time locating exactly where your 5 plots should be.<br />
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A GPS is handy for this and it will help you find the plots again via the "find" feature. However if you don't have one of these you could download a GPS app onto your smartphone ( most are free).<br />
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If you are surveying in an open field and relying on an app it is harder to refind your plot. In this case sketching a map of the features is essential. In particular you might want to note features which line up near the skyline on the corner of your plot. You could do this for both axes of the plot if the area is very open and featureless. This is usually so effective you could actually find your plot more quickly this way than trying to follow a shifting arrow on a GPS unit!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h_KzxJiYCzI/XZMYN89X-1I/AAAAAAAAARU/hcxOiRnBQwcOduq20CjXl7_YmuqtdU85wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/National%2BPlant%2BMonitoring%2Bscheme%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1529" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h_KzxJiYCzI/XZMYN89X-1I/AAAAAAAAARU/hcxOiRnBQwcOduq20CjXl7_YmuqtdU85wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/National%2BPlant%2BMonitoring%2Bscheme%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lining up features on the skyline for a plot in a open field</td></tr>
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Then with much of the ground work done you will be able to focus on the more enjoyable botanical recording next spring. I was lucky enough to find Marsh-marigolds (<i>Caltha palustris</i>) in my wet woodland plot - scatterings of glossy gold gleaming in the filtered green light. I also found some Wood Horsetail (<i>Equisetum sylvaticum</i>) nearby which seems to be only a second record for the hectad. Who knows what you will find?</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u_vxRvghWrU/XZMSRpwZZtI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/BbnXnAuMivMCqTLYZnQ63j_3wHAeP0bGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Caltha%2Bpalustris%2Bin%2Bwood%2Bnr%2B25%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u_vxRvghWrU/XZMSRpwZZtI/AAAAAAAAAQ8/BbnXnAuMivMCqTLYZnQ63j_3wHAeP0bGgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Caltha%2Bpalustris%2Bin%2Bwood%2Bnr%2B25%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A few of the Marsh-marigolds in my woodland NPMS plot </td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-15496087233019770112019-09-16T17:39:00.000+01:002019-09-30T17:58:53.403+01:00Holiday Botany in the Pyrenees Holiday Botany is great for gaining new perspectives on our local flora. Plants which seem to have quite restricted niches in the UK often flourish more widely on the continent and rarer plants which you might have to make a special journey to see might even be found on your accommodation's front lawn!<br />
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So even though it was in September and billed as a geological outing, I expected the <a href="https://www.naturemp.org/" target="_blank">Nature en Occitanie</a> field trip to the summit of Pene Blanque ( 1115m) would also have some botanical interest for me.<br />
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We met in Arbas where the large village square was watched over by a donkey sized Pyreneen Mountain dog. From there Delphine Fallour from the Office National de Foret drove us along forest tracks bumping our way upward and saving a good deal of height gain on foot. Once parked in a shade of a turning circle we took smaller tracks through the forest which graded from Fir to Beech and finally to Hazel trees which were festooned with plentiful <i>Lobaria pulmonaria</i> lichen.<br />
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The erosion of the limestone had created a cave with a collapsed roof system which we explored carefully. The entrances were bordered with flourishing stands of Touch-me-not Balsam (<i>Impatiens noli tangere</i>) which seems native in parts of North Wales and nooks cradled Pyrenean Saxifrage (<i>Saxifraga umbrosa).</i> This last is established in one locality in Yorkshire.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZrSKvOW3Q4/XX-tTz9AZAI/AAAAAAAAAOg/JLJF8k28m9E5D5tbblwHYuufV9LpPW8yACEwYBhgL/s1600/Descendre%2Bau%2BGrotte.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZrSKvOW3Q4/XX-tTz9AZAI/AAAAAAAAAOg/JLJF8k28m9E5D5tbblwHYuufV9LpPW8yACEwYBhgL/s320/Descendre%2Bau%2BGrotte.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Descent into the Cave</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Touch-me-not Balsam at the Cave entrance</td></tr>
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Leaving the cave, we followed the trail further upwards until suddenly we came to a sunlit limestone pavement fringed with softer grasslands which we gratefully relaxed upon for lunch.<br />
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Some of the floristic elements here were familiar with Thyme, Common Rock-rose, Yellow-rattle and Squinancywort.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RD5oymnLaXo/XX-vNr1iqqI/AAAAAAAAAO0/NxPC3TpsOx4ADsNBlmL9JgBTETUw3ZD-wCEwYBhgL/s1600/Rock%2Broses%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bsummit.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="1600" height="291" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RD5oymnLaXo/XX-vNr1iqqI/AAAAAAAAAO0/NxPC3TpsOx4ADsNBlmL9JgBTETUw3ZD-wCEwYBhgL/s320/Rock%2Broses%2Bon%2Bthe%2Bsummit.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Rock Rose</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--b9QaBT0daY/XX-vvo7KJyI/AAAAAAAAAPE/M5jEFedUvBEOYwGc6nJPAAkhhV6r3Q85wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Squinancywort2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1457" data-original-width="1256" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--b9QaBT0daY/XX-vvo7KJyI/AAAAAAAAAPE/M5jEFedUvBEOYwGc6nJPAAkhhV6r3Q85wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Squinancywort2.jpg" width="275" /></a></td></tr>
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Squinancywort - or Hierba de la esquinancia (ES) Estrangla-can (OC)</div>
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Francoise Laigneau's recent book "Decouvrir la Flore des Pyrenees" lists plant names in local languages and cites Squinancywort's Spanish (ES) and Occitan (OC) names as Hierba de la esquinancia and Estrangla-can. The Spanish name seems to be the origin of the English one and means "strangling herb". The Occitan version (Occitan was previously referred to as Languedoc) means "strangle the dog"!<br />
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Reinforced by our lunch we then wove our way around the sharp edges of the karstic rock forms, grateful for the shade of the occasional small Ash tree. These reminded me of the Ash trees at the entrance to Craig Benglog where block scree confines them to narrow cracks and gullies.<br />
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On the pavement we found several geranium species - Herb Robert, Round-leaved Crane's-bill (<i>Geranium rotundifolium</i>) & Shining Crane's-bill (<i>Geranium luridium</i>) . We also found Pyreneen plants such as <i>Clinopodium alpinum</i>, a last flower on <i>Teucrium chamaedrys, Allium ericetorum's </i>delicate white flower heads and bushes of Common Buckthorn <i>Rhamnus cathartica.</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T3RpqHrbTjw/XX-3limpQII/AAAAAAAAAPs/no2GGMDZBnIwO1zEgNC10l_FBkRGwyUaACEwYBhgL/s1600/Le%2Bsommet%2Bkarstique%2Bdes%2BPene%2BBlanche.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-T3RpqHrbTjw/XX-3limpQII/AAAAAAAAAPs/no2GGMDZBnIwO1zEgNC10l_FBkRGwyUaACEwYBhgL/s320/Le%2Bsommet%2Bkarstique%2Bdes%2BPene%2BBlanche.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Across the karst </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FC_fjJzimwQ/XX-3dTIYjwI/AAAAAAAAAPo/P8TR_R73sRUW3pVHmNmufK0wMDCnpRbUACEwYBhgL/s1600/DSC_0772.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FC_fjJzimwQ/XX-3dTIYjwI/AAAAAAAAAPo/P8TR_R73sRUW3pVHmNmufK0wMDCnpRbUACEwYBhgL/s320/DSC_0772.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clinopodium alpinum</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div>
Teucrium chaemaedrys</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUQnJsLF5P0/XX-3iAZw80I/AAAAAAAAAPc/eXLIroJ0D90PFzDbgcVxUqpo20fip3PdACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/sommet_Pene_Blanque3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="864" data-original-width="1152" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUQnJsLF5P0/XX-3iAZw80I/AAAAAAAAAPc/eXLIroJ0D90PFzDbgcVxUqpo20fip3PdACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/sommet_Pene_Blanque3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the top!</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-91186368547233918872019-08-09T15:19:00.003+01:002019-08-09T16:39:57.440+01:00Caerdeon Botanical Residential for Meirionnydd (VC48)<h2>
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<h3>
Sunday 28th of July</h3>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Martyn Stead, Sally Peacock and I headed for the empty quarter of the Arenigs on Sunday. We were looking at two very unrecorded tetrads on the South East side of Arenig Fawr. We traversed across part of Ffridd y Fawnogg noting typical species such as Cranberry (<i>Vaccinium oxycoccus),</i> some of which bore nearly ripe fruit - not quite ripe enough for a snack though!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Sally found Shoreweed (<i>Litorella uniforme</i>) in the reservoir but it's wave-lashed shores seemed to discourage the development of more fringing vegetation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Once we had ascended the SE ridge of Y Castell, the broad ledges I could safely reach were not particularly species rich, although there was plentiful <i>Luzula sylvatica </i>(Great Wood Rush). We entered the new tetrad at around 660m and as we crested the top of this slope we found windswept areas rich in <span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i>Vaccinium vitis-idaea </i>(Cowberry) with the odd patch of <i>Melampyrum pratense</i> (Common Cow-wheat). There were also some significant patches of the Lichen <i>Lasallia pustulata</i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><i></i><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I scoured a small area of rock carpeting sphagnum until I eventually spotted some <i>Drosera rotundifolia</i> (Round-leaved sundew), however the wet weather had really set in now so we didn't press on to the summit. This could still be an area worth prospecting in the future though. We took the easier route back via the track and road and this enabled Martyn to add to the list of road-verge species for another tetrad . Meanwhile Sally and I took a last look at a different corner of Ffridd y Fawnogg bog in homage to International Peat bog day. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: transparent; border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: #444444; display: inline; float: none; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; list-style: none; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-61982654834340528592019-08-09T14:39:00.003+01:002019-09-30T18:01:22.123+01:00Caerdeon Botanical Residential for Meirionnydd ( VC48)<h2>
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<h3>
July 27th: Visit to Craig y Benglog with Martyn Stead and Phil Brown.</h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Craig y Benglog lies next to Allt y Benglog National Nature
reserve which comprises an Ash woodland. These trees grow over underlying basic rocks which give them an extra mineral boost. Consequently, Phil Martyn and I felt we might be in for an interesting
day in this area. On a previous visit I had found an old trackway leading
up the valley so this easy access route quickly led us into the recording area.
The day developed as a series of deviations upwards or downwards from this
track, either taking in the ledges of the crags above or down to the Afon
Eiddon which cuts down into some basic lavas.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> The first excursion upwards to
the crags yielded little that was unexpected, so we scrambled down to the
river. The river cliffs bordering it soon yielded interesting records of
<i>Helianthenum nummularium </i>(Common Rock-rose), a new tetrad record and a plant which
has only been recorded in 4 tetrads of VC48, and <i>Sedum forsterianum</i> (Rock
Stonecrop) another new tetrad record and only recorded in 10 tetrads. These
were accompanied with <i>Origanum vulgare</i> (Wild Majoram) and <i>Sedum
telephium</i> (Orpine)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CCgnHS2zD9U/XU11A7X4VDI/AAAAAAAAALY/cj-1pIIU01kqN-jJ7dq42Tmc8P7W47FDwCLcBGAs/s1600/Rock%2BStonecrop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1183" data-original-width="1600" height="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CCgnHS2zD9U/XU11A7X4VDI/AAAAAAAAALY/cj-1pIIU01kqN-jJ7dq42Tmc8P7W47FDwCLcBGAs/s320/Rock%2BStonecrop.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sedum forsterianum</i> (Rock Stonecrop)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some of these ledges seem to preserve remnant woodland flora
too with <i>Orchis mascula</i> (Early-purple Orchid) and <i>Primula vulgaris</i>
(Primrose), <i>Luzula sylvatica</i> (Great Wood Rush) and <i>Geum rivale </i>(Water
avens)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Further progress from rock to rock brought new discoveries. <i>Arabis
hirstua </i>(Hairy rock-cress) (another new tetrad record) and <i>Melica nutans</i>
which has only been recorded in 2 other tetrads of VC 48 and a new record for
the tetrad.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p6QHSUrMHJU/XU11amOoDdI/AAAAAAAAALg/ODfoFOs627wJy4Kf3rthp52aViNMYrfzQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p6QHSUrMHJU/XU11amOoDdI/AAAAAAAAALg/ODfoFOs627wJy4Kf3rthp52aViNMYrfzQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5682.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Melica nutans</i> Mountain Melick</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Then Phil explored a meander further up the valley whilst
Barbara and Martyn wove a way through the boulder scree to the upper crags,
soon to be joined by the ever-energetic Phil. Here we found an isolated <i>Populus
tremulus</i> (Aspen) at the base of a crag and then Martyn followed some
intuition straight to a hidden Oak fern (<i>Gymnocarpon dyropteris</i>) in a
scree niche. Meanwhile Phil searched some more crags to find more <i>Melica
nutans,</i> <i>Hyacinthoides non scripta</i> (Bluebell) and <i>Cystopteris
fragilis</i> (Brittle Bladder Fern)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36IHIW6T-L0/XU12DhF7IQI/AAAAAAAAALs/X5i1okpBvU07sSHMW4xtYC3goTb6DyfgwCLcBGAs/s1600/Martyn%2Bdemonstrating%2Bthe%2Bsite%2Bfor%2BOak%2BFern.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36IHIW6T-L0/XU12DhF7IQI/AAAAAAAAALs/X5i1okpBvU07sSHMW4xtYC3goTb6DyfgwCLcBGAs/s320/Martyn%2Bdemonstrating%2Bthe%2Bsite%2Bfor%2BOak%2BFern.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Martyn Stead demonstrating the site of the Oak Fern</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-Cpz-WVduo/XU13J9FwQKI/AAAAAAAAAMA/QAIF51lQb4QbUgtRMSgVaDiQwSCIWaFfgCLcBGAs/s1600/Oak%2BFern%2Bat%2BCraig%2BBenglog%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1307" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w-Cpz-WVduo/XU13J9FwQKI/AAAAAAAAAMA/QAIF51lQb4QbUgtRMSgVaDiQwSCIWaFfgCLcBGAs/s320/Oak%2BFern%2Bat%2BCraig%2BBenglog%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Gymnocarpium dryopteris</i> - the Oak Fern</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Overall 156 records were made but the quality of the finds and
the landscape made for some great plant hunting. We also paid a visit to the
local farmer on the way back, who shared some of the local mining and farming
history of the site and was interested in the special plants. </span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-59094328687769411122019-08-09T14:22:00.000+01:002019-10-03T08:44:39.650+01:00Caerdeon Botanical residential for Meirionnydd (VC48)<h2>
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<h3>
Friday 26th July</h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Caerdeon residential botanical meeting has become a regular fixture of the Merionnydd Field Naturalists programme. It attracts many botanists of national calibre and there is the added attraction of being able to explore the little visited corners of this great vice-county.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So I joined the meeting with happy anticipation on Friday July 26th at the first botanical rendez-vous of Tanygrisiau, joining up with Sally Peacock, Mags Critterden and Phil Brown</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We split into two teams taking either a high route or a low route through the tetrad. I accompanied Phil upon the higher transect and gradually we rambled up slope, bog and crag until we were not far from the summit. En route we found three clubmoss species including <i>Lycopodium clavatum</i> Stag's-horn Clubmoss, a section 7 species in the Environment (Wales) act. A search of these higher crags surprisingly revealed some <i>Achillea ptarmica</i> or Sneezewort as well as more typical members of crag communities such as <i>Phegopteris connectilus </i>(Beech Fern) and <i>Sedum telephium</i> (Orpine)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jgDViTbKY1A/XU1oeeopEOI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/GTWq8e_iENU4DUkINhBfydXvJU2ER6mEwCLcBGAs/s1600/Staghorn%2Bon%2BMoelwyn%2BBach.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jgDViTbKY1A/XU1oeeopEOI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/GTWq8e_iENU4DUkINhBfydXvJU2ER6mEwCLcBGAs/s320/Staghorn%2Bon%2BMoelwyn%2BBach.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lycopodium clavatum </i>Stag's-horn Clubmoss</td></tr>
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<i> </i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We then headed downwards to a broad shelf scattered with bog pools and islets finding <i>Rhychospora alba (</i>White-beaked Sedge) and <i>Sparganium fluctuans (</i>Floating Bur-weed)</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWCQTZ7eggY/XU1tjbmqG-I/AAAAAAAAAKo/AnFQ76BgbicbK4e-CthxDAD8JAX7KWTOwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5656.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cWCQTZ7eggY/XU1tjbmqG-I/AAAAAAAAAKo/AnFQ76BgbicbK4e-CthxDAD8JAX7KWTOwCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5656.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bog Asphodel Islets</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lFKotCS47g/XU1t0lApDjI/AAAAAAAAAK0/0FUxkwGomBwqHRbsz0ux19xQgj-zKl05ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5653%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1113" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5lFKotCS47g/XU1t0lApDjI/AAAAAAAAAK0/0FUxkwGomBwqHRbsz0ux19xQgj-zKl05ACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5653%2B%25282%2529.JPG" width="222" /></a></td></tr>
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<i>Sparganium fluctuans,</i> Floating Bur-weed</div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We then decided to race for the Welsh Highland Railway train at the Dduallt stop, which took us via a large area of <i>Myrica gale</i> ( Bog Mrytle), a pool with <i>Nuphar lutea (</i>Yellow water-lily<i>) </i>and some patches of Hypericum elodea <i>( </i>Marsh St John's-Wort<i>).</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We made it to the Dduallt halt with 4 mins to spare but the return trip via steam train gave a Victorian flourish to the day and one which accorded with our accommodation at Caerdeon.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0sNyaiwnie8/XU1zGUmDXgI/AAAAAAAAALM/K79Lr9Ixe7orwqWMNU6aT5_zIea6eYrmACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5662.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0sNyaiwnie8/XU1zGUmDXgI/AAAAAAAAALM/K79Lr9Ixe7orwqWMNU6aT5_zIea6eYrmACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5662.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phil Brown and Moelwyn Bach</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tSmI9IhIpQs/XU1w9mtblrI/AAAAAAAAALA/wvJOQNNrIagh8sZ0OMli-YDQOiZ5C41YgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_5670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tSmI9IhIpQs/XU1w9mtblrI/AAAAAAAAALA/wvJOQNNrIagh8sZ0OMli-YDQOiZ5C41YgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5670.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wales Highland Railway at Tanygrisiau station<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-14272411014559303772019-04-10T18:06:00.000+01:002019-04-12T09:11:56.586+01:00Twixt Prims and Peggles.....As roadside verges across the county become primrose coloured I have been thinking and looking out for Primulas and their hybrids.<br />
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I had an early introduction to these as I attended Great Bardfield primary school and my uniform sweatshirt was emblazoned with one.<br />
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<img border="0" data-original-height="100" data-original-width="198" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-THJaGrO2WKw/XK4TEBFCIvI/AAAAAAAAAF4/UAumkgjchsQoSd6gkppctigM0RAtvSc_wCLcBGAs/s1600/Bardfield%2Blogo%2B%25282%2529.png" /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Great Bardfield drew Henry Doubleday's attention in 1842 when he described the 2 acre meadow of Bardfield Hall "as a mass of yellow blooms" with Oxslips (<i>Primula elatior</i>) growing by the thousand. On careful observation he felt they were probably a separate species from the False Oxslip ( now known to be <i>Primula vulgaris</i> x <i>primula veris </i>= <i>P. x polyantha</i> ) which was widespread in England at the time. He carried out cross pollination experiments, and the plants always bred true, so as a further check he sent plants to Charles Darwin who did the same and also crossed Primroses and Cowslips. Darwin's results were set out in a paper published in 1868 and left him in no doubt that the plants from Bardfield represented a separate true species which he referred to as the Bardfield Oxslip - now <i>Primula elatior</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"></span><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Bardfield Oxslips - now more often known as just Oxslips, have a fairly limited distribution in the UK and are mostly confined to the boulder clay of the Suffolk/Essex border. They are commoner on the continent, where they are also often found in woodland glades.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kOfPVDTb24Y/XK4YJGbrhPI/AAAAAAAAAGI/_yyiEvMdous71DjhCEhgQ-9rP3IzOBWMgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Oxslip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kOfPVDTb24Y/XK4YJGbrhPI/AAAAAAAAAGI/_yyiEvMdous71DjhCEhgQ-9rP3IzOBWMgCEwYBhgL/s320/Oxslip.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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Oxslip or Primula elatior - here growing on the woodland edge in the Pyrenees</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Owing to a decline in Oxslip numbers in and around Bardfield, the primary school became involved in a replanting project in 2002. Unfortunately they are savoured by Roe Deer and so woodland populations are often heavily grazed.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Here in Wales the only Oxslips you are likely to see outside gardens are the hybrids or False Oxslips. As described by Darwin in his experiments these are the result of crosses between Primroses <i>P. vulgaris</i> and Cowslips <i>P. veris.</i> They do vary slightly in form but generally have flowers which fall anywhere around the stem, unlike the Oxslip <i>P.elatior </i>which usually has blooms falling on one side only. They also often have an orange centre to each bloom.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Primroses often hybridize with a horticultural primulas leading to a variety of strange colours and forms - a few of which I observed in St Mary's Churchyard Abbeycwmhir last week and are pictured below.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">Primrose or <i>Primula vulgaris.</i> </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fyXa-9QCkE0/XK4bL0x5wQI/AAAAAAAAAGk/EFLpuuLlRvAF4v-VmijIG9701bFtBH6fwCEwYBhgL/s1600/False%2BOxlip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="1600" height="305" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fyXa-9QCkE0/XK4bL0x5wQI/AAAAAAAAAGk/EFLpuuLlRvAF4v-VmijIG9701bFtBH6fwCEwYBhgL/s320/False%2BOxlip.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: small;">False Oxslips - the hybrid between Cowslip (<i> P.veris</i>) and Primrose (<i>P.vulgaris</i>) <i>P. x polyantha</i>. The flowers are falling anywhere round the stem and they have orange centres, as shown below.</span></div>
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The other parent, the Cowslip - also known as Peggles in Essex. (<i> P. veris</i>)</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">And a couple of other Primrose hybrids also found at Abbeycwmhir.</span></div>
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<u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-29711532822562254212019-03-13T16:58:00.001+00:002019-03-14T15:23:27.416+00:00In search of the Purple Saxifrage... Saxifraga oppositifolia on Cadair Idris.<h2>
Visitors to the Purple Saxifrage or Tormaen porffor (cym)</h2>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Last Saturday I followed the footsteps of many botanists to
seek out the Purple Saxifrage growing on Cadair Idris.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I have walked up Cadair many times, mostly from the popular
and scenic Minfordd path with its view of Llyn Cau and the Mountain’s cirque of
surrounding cliffs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The hunt for the Purple Saxifrage required a different
approach however, over the wide northerly moor, leaping rain swollen streams, pushing up a steep grassy slope, edging my boots for grip and
finally arriving at the band of basic igneous rock which hosts the plant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Purple Saxifrage is one of our earliest flowering mountain plants and Bill Condry (contributor to The Guardian’s Country diary) Dr Dewi
Jones and other botanists used to compete in a friendly rivalry to find its earliest
flowers.<span style="margin: 0px;"> </span>This link describes a search on
the 26<sup>th</sup> January 1992 </span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">.<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/from-the-archive-blog/2018/mar/01/country-diary-bill-condry-interview-jim-perrin-1992"><span style="color: #0563c1;">https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/from-the-archive-blog/2018/mar/01/country-diary-bill-condry-interview-jim-perrin-1992</span></a></span></div>
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vKPA4-Q5hyU/XIkyr786QjI/AAAAAAAAAEg/tQJ7pEIvH6wK7WeIovH6ycW7UlkNS6sHgCLcBGAs/s1600/Spray%2Bof%2BPurple%2Bsaxifrage%2Bcropped%2Bfrom%2BCader%2BIdris%2B9th%2BMarch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: transparent; clear: right; color: #0066cc; float: right; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-left: 16px; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></a>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A cushion of Purple Saxifrage on Cadair Idris in early March</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Once seen,
you understand the draw this plant exerted. It is a real showman, trailing over
bare rocks with barely noticeable leaves thre</span></span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">aded crosswise down a thread like
stem. But the flowers are vividly purple, open mouthed and almost obscuring the
rest of the plant. It belongs in the Mountains but looks to be transplanted out
of a Chelsea show garden rockery.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Its lovely
flowers are by no means its most remarkable aspect however. It holds the record
for the highest flowering plant in France (and pe</span></span><span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">rhaps Western Europe) having
recently been found growing and flowering at 4070m on the Bare des Ecrin in the Alps.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">At such
altitudes oxygen is thin, frost a daily occurrence and moisture negligible.
When the sun shines, the ultra violet light will give you a serious burn in
half an hour. Amongst the plant’s many adaptations to this are an ability to plug it’s
own stomata or breathing pores to restrict moisture loss under the Sun’s glare.
It excretes liquid rich in calcium carbonate which crystallises blocking the openings.
I was lucky enough to observe this on Saturday on the Cadair plants, probably
owing to the warm weather at the end of February. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="527" data-original-width="721" height="233" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-35pNTlttjNQ/XIkzHT6rQYI/AAAAAAAAAEs/31bwblZcWZAvuXmBELEXRE8thVmq74togCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_5036%2B%25283%2529.JPG" width="320" /></span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Limestone crystals on the tips of the Purple Saxifrage leaves</span>.</div>
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<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">My effort to
reach the plants pale somewhat when compared with the French Alpinists, Paul
Guilleman, Andre Salvader and Pierre Gaspard in 1878 though. They were making a
third ascent of the Meije in the Alps when they found Purple Saxifrage at
3700m. Realising they would scarcely be believed, as the find overturned the
botanical knowledge of the period, they endeavoured to take a sample. This
involved Paul standing on Gaspard’s shoulders on the edge of a drop of hundreds
of meters. A demonstration of extreme botany for an extremely alpine plant –
but perhaps not suitable for everyone!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In Wales, Purple Saxifrage can be found in the Brecon Beacons and in Snowdonia
with Cwm Idwal and Cadair probably being the most accessible sites. Ben Lawers
is a great place to see it in Scotland. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: x-small;">Mining Cottages on the North side of Cadair Idris</span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-1167941624873846962019-02-14T17:41:00.000+00:002019-02-18T17:41:30.192+00:00An early gleam of Spring.<h2>
An early gleam of Spring; The Radnor Lily or Early Star of Bethlehem; <i style="font-weight: normal;">Gagea bohemica.</i></h2>
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<i>Seren gynnar Bethlehem (Cym) </i><i> </i></h3>
It seems appropriate to start my term on the Welsh Officer blog with a post about a local herald of spring; the Radnor Lily (Early Star of Bethlehem) or <i>Gagea bohemica.</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Gagea bohemica as photographed by the author on Febraury 6th this year. </span></div>
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<i></i>John Crellin (VCR for Brecknockshire) <a href="https://bsbi.org/brecknock" target="_blank">https://bsbi.org/brecknock</a> organised a visit to Stanner Rocks on the 6th of February especially to see this flower . We were guided by Andy Shaw, a local botanist who has surveyed the plants there regularly.<br />
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Andy gave us an enthusiastic introduction to the history of botany in the area, mentioning the groups of Victorian botanists that used to alight from an old train station less than 100m away, spending their days collecting and botanising in the vicinity. Their attention was drawn by the unusual summer flora which included S<span style="color: #4e4e4e; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">piked Speedwell </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">(Veronica spicata)</em><span style="color: #4e4e4e; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">, Sticky Catchfly </span><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4e4e4e; font-family: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;">(Lychnis viscaria). </em><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal;"><span style="color: #4e4e4e; font-family: inherit;">This had prospered on the rock owing to the thin well drained soils which were somewhat alkaline owing to the underlying igneous rock mass. In consequence, several of the species which flourished on the warmer south facing slope were usually associated with the </span><span style="color: #4e4e4e;">Mediterranean</span><span style="color: #4e4e4e; font-family: inherit;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4e4e4e;">Yet despite all this activity the Radnor Lily remained unnoticed. Its thin, wiry crocus like leaves were hard to pick out amongst the grasses and the botanists were Summer migrants. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The leaves of Gagea bohemicus are not too difficult to find in February but die back quickly as spring advances.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4e4e4e;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4e4e4e;">The years rolled by, the small train station closed, and Stanner rocks became a Site of Special Scientific interest in 1954 owing to those summer flowers. Later the designation was changed to make part of the area a National Nature reserve.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4e4e4e;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4e4e4e;">Due to the designation, surveys were commissioned to study the mosses and liverworts of the site. R Kemp, a moss specialist, carried these out during the winter of 1965. On returning to the lab, he noticed amongst his samples some curious wiry crocus like leaves, which he thought might belong to the closely related Snowdon Lily <i>Gagea seratina . </i>In April 1974 Ray Woods went to search the area to find a better specimen and noticed that the leaves of the plant were not hairy like those of the Snowdon Lily. Suspecting <i>Gagea bohemica</i> he went back the following January and found a flower.. and so the identity of the mystery plant was finally confirmed. It has never been found anywhere else in the British Isles. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #4e4e4e;">Subsequent counts have found as many as 1,000 plants on Stanner rocks, but only a very few of these plants flower at all. This may be because conditions on the rock are not quite right for this Mediterranean plant, and it may also explain why Stanner rocks is its only UK site.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4e4e4e;">The area where the Lily grows is fenced off and visits can be made through Natural Resources Wales (NRW). <a href="https://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en" target="_blank">https://naturalresources.wales/?lang=en</a>. If you do arrange a visit, be prepared for a steep climb and to peer over rock ledges. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #4e4e4e;">If you wish to see the summer flowers, Andy Shaw will be leading another BSBI visit on Saturday 1st of June. See <a href="https://bsbi.org/field-meetings" target="_blank">https://bsbi.org/field-meetings</a> for more information. Please book a place with Andrew Jones on <a href="mailto:aberystwyth1234@gmail.com" target="_blank">aberystwyth1234@gmail.com</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #4e4e4e;"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-63048310098586840812018-03-26T21:52:00.000+01:002018-03-26T21:52:14.256+01:00BSBI Meeting at Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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BSBI meeting at Freshwater West on Sunday 25 March. Six attended the walk. It was a superb sunny warm day to be out. 79 species were recorded including Erodium cicutarium (Common Stork's-bill) above.<br />
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Below is the rosette of Arabis hirsuta (Hairy Rock-cress) on the dunes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPw1MI0CLEWZPG5TLXJy8o5wKx0uSZuAc50MU2liSrR2uVJ-QliWaibSuZyNAPhkXqTsFgXVjlBJN-FqJaKzS53utd0n7IRUEPJaoaAhyyDrSVsGhYSIlvYN4AppWcVe8cFP2fgqpfUyw/s1600/DSC01097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="666" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPw1MI0CLEWZPG5TLXJy8o5wKx0uSZuAc50MU2liSrR2uVJ-QliWaibSuZyNAPhkXqTsFgXVjlBJN-FqJaKzS53utd0n7IRUEPJaoaAhyyDrSVsGhYSIlvYN4AppWcVe8cFP2fgqpfUyw/s320/DSC01097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Below in the view we had while having lunch.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxLAULOyesbFmjayOmC6JNjCwciMGOscI_mXavWtSgNLBS2c_FRkcx7VIiDUAO5gfOgbxcihgVORmudmyEDEdVwZiJASWXHaB_nEg8cBrw0PiSS58SvjAB8gCUarSwre5x4_HuCpE4Y8/s1600/DSC01103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="666" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmxLAULOyesbFmjayOmC6JNjCwciMGOscI_mXavWtSgNLBS2c_FRkcx7VIiDUAO5gfOgbxcihgVORmudmyEDEdVwZiJASWXHaB_nEg8cBrw0PiSS58SvjAB8gCUarSwre5x4_HuCpE4Y8/s320/DSC01103.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
Below are the only leaves of Eryngium maritimum (Sea-holly) we saw.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF94ovoVr7F8PMFghyfkBp6KvzMKuPkl_5TDdyGphtknqo-2taGx98JjuD7BNYnQa6kP0ne_jpfjQk50QE5zxPqXmnEqFZ8IXDmr9I2jlcTMoqZiQ179hDsCrCwzNGHzAzOzHjZferuxE/s1600/DSC01107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="666" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF94ovoVr7F8PMFghyfkBp6KvzMKuPkl_5TDdyGphtknqo-2taGx98JjuD7BNYnQa6kP0ne_jpfjQk50QE5zxPqXmnEqFZ8IXDmr9I2jlcTMoqZiQ179hDsCrCwzNGHzAzOzHjZferuxE/s320/DSC01107.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Wexford Wild Flowershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09962168772685500245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-76879348676597489332017-10-19T20:00:00.000+01:002017-10-19T20:00:42.989+01:00Polycarpon tetraphyllum (Four-leaved Allseed) at Pembroke Dock<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPPdOeaWSY81OcaWarPUdCLPrJy2Bg1SKaPmJk2ORu6aN8M8BMFA-pBMoEVnux7ls4M53ZfWOv-w3wRSFKGGvTVOw8ItvO2vSp_gu3aUteXr8eOyNR75l4syrXeV4t6GTU-jrQrB2ZgQ/s1600/DSC00759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="666" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPPdOeaWSY81OcaWarPUdCLPrJy2Bg1SKaPmJk2ORu6aN8M8BMFA-pBMoEVnux7ls4M53ZfWOv-w3wRSFKGGvTVOw8ItvO2vSp_gu3aUteXr8eOyNR75l4syrXeV4t6GTU-jrQrB2ZgQ/s320/DSC00759.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As Polly said in the last blog I would be taking over as BSBI Welsh Officer. I would like to thank Polly for the wonderful job she did.</div>
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Haven't really had any chance to do much botany yet since I started back as Welsh Officer. It is nearly two and a half years since I posted here. </div>
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<i>Polycarpon tetraphyllum</i> (Four-leaved Allseed) grows around the car park on the sea front by ASDA filling station, Pembroke Dock. Known here since Jon Hudson found it in 2009. This is the only extant site in Wales. Last recorded from Barry Docks, Glamorgan in 1927 by J.H. Salter and R.L. Smith. </div>
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<i>Polycarpon tetraphyllum</i> (Four-leaved Allseed) is not the most stunning plant, the whole plant is green, very small, not always easy to tell if in flower or fruit as the heads are very small. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUFaIWzNxejtaq0fgSZPrOjWYiaP2j9xBvrw3FXoR7jiLG5zK6COWdJ4I2MhQNY3fT3cpp5Wg8gIj8ePfJmceB3eHx2dW72RBjJWTwK1JYgV1arQg8o31d6odeGuDm3L8H8lEJJPkQIY/s1600/DSC00760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="666" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUFaIWzNxejtaq0fgSZPrOjWYiaP2j9xBvrw3FXoR7jiLG5zK6COWdJ4I2MhQNY3fT3cpp5Wg8gIj8ePfJmceB3eHx2dW72RBjJWTwK1JYgV1arQg8o31d6odeGuDm3L8H8lEJJPkQIY/s320/DSC00760.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />Wexford Wild Flowershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09962168772685500245noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-18589463894409257702017-10-13T15:19:00.002+01:002017-10-19T19:40:57.310+01:00Welsh Officer change<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Today is my last day as Welsh Officer for the BSBI. I am relocating to Scotland with my family, and it just isn't practical to work in Wales! I am very glad that Wales will be welcoming back Paul Green, who has been Welsh Officer before and knows the ropes. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE2GUwfsx7ZUw8sDbcuY5YgXuuupL4xZJxHPFjevyvTVNF6h_S6FWlx2kyVMtkyvnA7MW91HlMAI4wnT0e8MHzx2R3RJDemRwpB8agFAIegD3U9mXPTn-bBDcP-rXxvNe1Z0mOHGoRjWXR/s1600/20170928_142042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE2GUwfsx7ZUw8sDbcuY5YgXuuupL4xZJxHPFjevyvTVNF6h_S6FWlx2kyVMtkyvnA7MW91HlMAI4wnT0e8MHzx2R3RJDemRwpB8agFAIegD3U9mXPTn-bBDcP-rXxvNe1Z0mOHGoRjWXR/s320/20170928_142042.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hymenophyllum wilsonii, </i>Wilson's Filmy-fern</td></tr>
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It has been a privilege and a pleasure to be employed by the BSBI for six years - I have learnt so much about Wales and Welsh botany. I will miss Wales, and the botanists, many of whom I now count amongst my friends. </div>
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So that's it really - goodbye Wales and best wishes for the future. This from a recent visit to Merionethshire - near Abergynolwyn where we found a new record of <i>Hymenophyllum wilsonii. </i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me on a hillside above Abergynolwyn with the Merioneth Nats</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-76465796008539714952017-07-28T15:53:00.001+01:002017-07-28T15:53:36.534+01:00Caerdeon (Merionethshire) 2017<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Setting off to Caerdeon last week I received an email which mentioned the "dire" weather forecast for the weekend. I was meant to be meeting a few others at lunch-time and heading up the slopes of Cadair Idris, and my heart sunk at the thought of a weekend botanising in pouring rain.<br />
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True enough, as I arrived in Dolgellau I met Andy, who had just purchased a new umbrella, and along with Flora and Phill we headed up. It was indeed a wet afternoon and by tea-time I was soaked more or less to the skin, but we had collected nearly 100 records, in a new monad, although we hadn't reached the "interesting" part of the tetrad! We headed back to Caerdeon to meet the rest of the group, find a hot shower, dry clothes and a hot dinner, followed by an evening of botany with microscopes, ID books and computers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The workroom at Caerdeon</td></tr>
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However, for the remaining three days I remained dry (apart from dampness in the feet, from bogs) and explored several upland areas of Merionethshire. On the second day we were lucky enough to be offered a lift a mile up a track in a 4x4, saving us a walk in. Exploring the shores of Creiglyn Dyfi, we found mostly species-poor upland sheep-grazed vegetation. However, in the lake we found <i>Isoetes lacustris</i>, with its diagnostic non-spiky megaspores (viewed later under a microscope).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltsa9CR3e4WdYFwz0XEEZtZLFeBvzj1vgRvaRGXPKaXqKZT6S_VmLj5VyegZ1hfWy_VBnP2pBdAueRt2GnMYuvshdrYmTk89VR0woysHR_WusnS0PIGmN9k15ox_2e7QB2EJblAfjvcx3/s1600/20170722_114538.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhltsa9CR3e4WdYFwz0XEEZtZLFeBvzj1vgRvaRGXPKaXqKZT6S_VmLj5VyegZ1hfWy_VBnP2pBdAueRt2GnMYuvshdrYmTk89VR0woysHR_WusnS0PIGmN9k15ox_2e7QB2EJblAfjvcx3/s320/20170722_114538.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aran Fawddwy and Creiglyn Dyfi</td></tr>
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Ascending below the crags of Aran Fawddwy, we found a range of "nice" plants including <i>Succisa pratensis</i> (Devil's-bit Scabious), <i>Campanula rotundifolia</i> (Harebell), two carnivorous plants - <i>Drosera rotundifolia</i> (Round-leaved Sundew) and <i>Pinguicula vulgaris </i>(Common Butterwort) and three species of clubmoss - <i>Huperzia selago, Selaginella selaginoides</i> and<i> Diphasiastrum alpinum</i> (Fir, Lesser and Alpine Clubmosses).<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrEj3W2eHLeqT1lWyGjAFY3onGDL4sdSDiwlSKexvkGo36PlhFX7cfRnIJJ2FmpGlhwGFe-5taYSc8LVw_wpGKwX32nefnUAyMo1LrJ3JobLVkWJbJkiDOdpyE7vg0dA9fhy-bK8Uzb9t/s1600/20170722_122246_001.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1412" data-original-width="1600" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDrEj3W2eHLeqT1lWyGjAFY3onGDL4sdSDiwlSKexvkGo36PlhFX7cfRnIJJ2FmpGlhwGFe-5taYSc8LVw_wpGKwX32nefnUAyMo1LrJ3JobLVkWJbJkiDOdpyE7vg0dA9fhy-bK8Uzb9t/s320/20170722_122246_001.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Drosera rotundifolia</i> (Round-leaved Sundew)</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIK4J2NvKaIqet4F46Rnju_o-V40I5PQpFjzOftFFJXA7_2RljgXstvQLtJ3F6V9bhQoQeDJlG-T9F2qdSbj8lAmZH8ksSViiYZ3jQWf5tbRPoXkfHfHEQ87x6wy9L5RgQV3rx2fZNpcwl/s1600/20170722_132859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrMzceDh0mbY8fEDTr2n3UtaUX2ZseQRUzjS4bNrBorETaqSoJdL28VmL9K2BVw9SZ2zxidG21oCTv664cjOJ0obju8FhfM17BeDYsB0a7b3XMw6xr_iIG5OeSxoljq97ukfGUjrA2xAIC/s1600/20170722_122246_001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Pinguicula vulgaris</i> (Common Butterwort)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Diphasiastrum alpinum</i> (Alpine Clubmoss)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Campanula rotundifolia</i> (Harebell)</td></tr>
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The next day we headed onto the slopes of Y Garn, through the western fringes of Coed y Brenin, and had a very fruitful day where we stayed entirely within one monad. However, after beginning in relatively "nice" forestry (mature, well-thinned trees with an understorey and diverse flora along the roads) we emerged into a beautiful bog [see blog background - from July 2017], full of <i>Rhynchospora alba</i> (White Beak-sedge) with a small colony of <i>Wahlenbergia hederacea</i> (Ivy-leaved Bellflower) and many other species. We then explored the ruin of a disused gold mine, which provided some wall ferns including <i>Asplenium ceterach </i>(Rustyback) as well as closely grazed nutrient-enriched turf for some common weeds including <i>Bellis perennis </i>(Daisy) which my group did not record on any other day! Climbing up through a <i>Pteridium aqulilinum</i> (Bracken)-covered boulderfield to reach the small crags, we discovered <i>Hymenophyllum wilsonii</i> (Wilson's Filmy-fern) under boulders and in cracks.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrcfEPtHqHh4RaSs09TCDeZLE6qBz41OU_ZQFo8bJLv9gyLTVJpubMjrvq5VMCoadUsQ5uhmY69io3bCiDX51aq4nrFsDQhM6YevFyz8suUeSeo_9PB70xwsIFRv6gAkZYImxBHh1R6t6/s1600/20170723_133915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOrcfEPtHqHh4RaSs09TCDeZLE6qBz41OU_ZQFo8bJLv9gyLTVJpubMjrvq5VMCoadUsQ5uhmY69io3bCiDX51aq4nrFsDQhM6YevFyz8suUeSeo_9PB70xwsIFRv6gAkZYImxBHh1R6t6/s320/20170723_133915.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Examining a specimen - with lots of bracken.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
For the final day, a small group of us headed a long way up a forestry road by car (thanks to Sarah's preparation in obtaining permission) to explore the area around Rhobell Ganol. As we were at nearly 500m altitude before starting we did not record such a diversity of species, but we did find the fourth clubmoss of the week - <i>Lycopodium clavatum</i> (Stag's-horn Clubmoss) in profusion as well as a really good range of sedges. The forestry in this area was a monoculture of <i>Picea sitchensis</i> (Sitka Spruce) which did not make for easy walking on our way back (working hard to create a circular route and cover as much of the tetrad as possible)! But it was another enjoyable day in good botanical company.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT_dWituECZP5Dq89s6GpdgbspoEICJJIKIJ1l4X8OyAVQ2KuIjG4sLKvbk2LtOZsdW909Wn9YKYU7BQIcubiFzlMbnNTvaiv-Isl2UwcoVdYO5_I1HEUVNlnFmeJ8VLJtCxdp7r4qxg8/s1600/20170724_135328.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT_dWituECZP5Dq89s6GpdgbspoEICJJIKIJ1l4X8OyAVQ2KuIjG4sLKvbk2LtOZsdW909Wn9YKYU7BQIcubiFzlMbnNTvaiv-Isl2UwcoVdYO5_I1HEUVNlnFmeJ8VLJtCxdp7r4qxg8/s320/20170724_135328.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Lycopodium clavatum </i>(Stag's-horn Clubmoss)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-89166560819839123392017-07-26T16:16:00.003+01:002017-08-04T14:33:18.286+01:00Glynhir (Carmarthenshire) 2017At the end of June (after spending two days in Montgomeryshire) I was able to join the regular recording residential at Glynhir for two days. The first day the whole group visited Talley Lakes, which provided a really good range of sedges, although the lake appeared disappointingly eutrophicated, with bright green algae, most likely due to the presence of excessive numbers of waterfowl. However, there were a few sedges to look at, and <i>Comarum palustre </i>(Marsh cinquefoil) was flowering, which is always a treat.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_SrGQh-JlL6MwFPWAwjjt8cx1Ke5FbmGEfVIKObLwEdjGmEuO8_ZST-4Nrabrdu0ZX3XOo9Y7t4yMOjao3-0Em6CS93MiX9MDAkpKnKxJb7engn5QhzExo5uMa1kgNdu89YAdB6okZIu/s1600/20170726_160455.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_SrGQh-JlL6MwFPWAwjjt8cx1Ke5FbmGEfVIKObLwEdjGmEuO8_ZST-4Nrabrdu0ZX3XOo9Y7t4yMOjao3-0Em6CS93MiX9MDAkpKnKxJb7engn5QhzExo5uMa1kgNdu89YAdB6okZIu/s320/20170726_160455.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Carex aquatilis, Carex leporina, </i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Carex vesicaria </i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">and Carex rostrata</i><i style="font-size: 12.8px;"><br /></i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">(Water Sedge, Oval Sedge, </span>Bladder-sedge and Bottle Sedge)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABGeJRu-G4LPdHmQR19-3QGpA_ZHO5EiBilhiLlbKVWZI2ow1NBAfVq3aTklwjmSQb5PZfoI0zhOHDPRxIjAoe2gF-CHTKHO6LjHHDdDWi-4o-QVDcGyv72Y8aOjXAS6peXSGjao-QhYQ/s1600/20170629_111502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABGeJRu-G4LPdHmQR19-3QGpA_ZHO5EiBilhiLlbKVWZI2ow1NBAfVq3aTklwjmSQb5PZfoI0zhOHDPRxIjAoe2gF-CHTKHO6LjHHDdDWi-4o-QVDcGyv72Y8aOjXAS6peXSGjao-QhYQ/s320/20170629_111502.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Comarum palustre</i> (Marsh Cinquefoil)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The next day I headed with a small group to an un-recorded tetrad, north of Llandovery, which included somewhat varied habitats, from a small section of the River Towy next to a bridge, to paths and tracks around farmland, including small wooded areas and hedges. I always enjoy the interest of visiting a completely unknown square and although we didn't find anything earth-shattering, we had some interesting finds like this <i>Fumaria muralis </i>(Common Ramping-fumitory).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsDeN364shL7lkfXKZgEz1R82lsa0qX6PV-0enS-fFgjUyyvQrv9EZb4V0LIfDTIHkl7mgXdo3_yW9VULoGRV3h7YfHVYc9MTaz9KST9Pn20OJ2us7V-WijWpBH0oQSDJZ0DfNznPAjWz/s1600/20170630_145741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihsDeN364shL7lkfXKZgEz1R82lsa0qX6PV-0enS-fFgjUyyvQrv9EZb4V0LIfDTIHkl7mgXdo3_yW9VULoGRV3h7YfHVYc9MTaz9KST9Pn20OJ2us7V-WijWpBH0oQSDJZ0DfNznPAjWz/s320/20170630_145741.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i style="text-align: start;">Fumaria muralis </i><span style="text-align: start;">(Common Ramping-fumitory)</span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-36026597131607052582017-07-06T09:44:00.000+01:002017-07-06T09:47:29.485+01:00Montgomeryshire Intensive Recording Sessions<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The botanical delights of west
Montgomeryshire - a short report on Mont Flora Group's intensive recording
sessions, 26-28 June 2017 (Guest post - contributed by Gill Foulkes, photos: Polly)<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The weather forecast did not look promising; the intense heat
of the previous week had abated and the barometer was dropping rapidly but in
fact we escaped the anticipated deluge and over-trousers were mostly worn to prevent a soaking from the wet vegetation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">On Day 1 we met at Cemmaes Road (some came from home, a
couple were staying on a local caravan site and others in a local B & B)
and split into three groups. Kate
Thorne, Glenys and Aubrey Evans recording locally and were treated to fine
views of Cadair Idris as well as a good variety of plants and a bank of sand
martins’ nests. The two other groups recorded further down the Dyfi, just to
the west of Llanwrin in a secluded, wooded valley. John Clayfield, Rachel Meade and Peter
Foulkes found the Enchanter's Nightshade hybrid <i>C. X intermedia</i>. Gill
Foulkes, John Thorne and Sheila Turner were pleased to find Red Bartsia <i>Odontites vernus</i> in profusion along a
farm track. The third group found Lesser Skullcap <i>Scutellaria minor </i>in a good bog.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UJfKOjLoDGqk4UNXSzUGXbh1pYw4615UdqroE2LSilN4NoNo5hljSfXmzpklHQxNlc4jhFRiaiO7-1Qz8bk3xO5Qe8gzzckiy82th0O6RBMqHuXudiMzZ8U_2n-F-pPOVtnH4NKEeefA/s1600/20170627_153648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UJfKOjLoDGqk4UNXSzUGXbh1pYw4615UdqroE2LSilN4NoNo5hljSfXmzpklHQxNlc4jhFRiaiO7-1Qz8bk3xO5Qe8gzzckiy82th0O6RBMqHuXudiMzZ8U_2n-F-pPOVtnH4NKEeefA/s320/20170627_153648.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gill Foulkes with<i> Dactylorhiza maculata </i>(Heath Spotted Orchid)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The same groups (joined by Polly Spencer-Vellacott, BSBI
Welsh Officer) all recorded in the Talbontdrain area on the second day.
Intrepid as ever, John Clayfield, Rachel Meade and Peter Foulkes found Parsley
fern </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Cryptogramma crispa</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> and Brittle
Bladder-fern </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Cystopteris fragilis</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> on
some old mine buildings. After a steep climb across thistly fields, Polly Spencer-Vellacott, John Thorne, and Gill Foulkes were rewarded with a small boggy area
(someone's private nature reserve by the look of it) with a very large colony
of Heath Spotted orchids </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Dactylorhiza
maculata</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The third group found
another good bog. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF_6LQogCOBRnsTG3hNtDKtE0pUVJTX4RlL8tbsAuKjbaPdt0rnvIy_XKnNQM6ec1f1OA7WC-U4li1kisJW366yC7GirRqOKwc4rp_8pmkhAi8iqWga2NSupKlmt42ceEC9duxTFjvgtP/s1600/20170627_113914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF_6LQogCOBRnsTG3hNtDKtE0pUVJTX4RlL8tbsAuKjbaPdt0rnvIy_XKnNQM6ec1f1OA7WC-U4li1kisJW366yC7GirRqOKwc4rp_8pmkhAi8iqWga2NSupKlmt42ceEC9duxTFjvgtP/s320/20170627_113914.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Acaena novae-zelandiae </i>(Pirri-pirri bur) - possibly a relatively new invasive in the area?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Two different groups in two different monads found
Pirri-pirri bur </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Acaena novae-zelandiae</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">;
the second reported record for Montgomeryshire (the Montgomeryshire Field
Society found it earlier this year near the Centre for Alterntaive Technology).</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This plant can become especially invasive
when it establishes in the wild. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: red; font-size: 12pt;">Perhaps it should be listed on Schedule 9 of the Wildlife and
Countryside Act in England and Wales before it's too late???</span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRUmn5976eR_f2v0FQdG-dYaUhNxmzn3j7B239vTpFUb6NDGdoXmDWpM7Q7tz10_NQQSxzjysneekTq20tSs-uSPPZ9YxfJE1iHjqoRcMFGB9AQVz8AX4MENSKul7hNCm9TbaGAkVf6r1/s1600/20170628_121720.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVRUmn5976eR_f2v0FQdG-dYaUhNxmzn3j7B239vTpFUb6NDGdoXmDWpM7Q7tz10_NQQSxzjysneekTq20tSs-uSPPZ9YxfJE1iHjqoRcMFGB9AQVz8AX4MENSKul7hNCm9TbaGAkVf6r1/s320/20170628_121720.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dramatic landscape of Pistill-y-llyn</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">On the final day, the group recorded at Pistyll-y-llyn where
the Afon Llyfnant marks the border between VC46 (Cardiganshire) and VC47
(Montgomeryshire). Mark Lawley (county
recorder for bryophytes) and his friend Ralph Martin joined us and recorded </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">105 bryophytes (24 liverworts and 81 mosses).
However, it was </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">Ralph who
spotted Brittle Bladder-fern <i>Cystopteris fragilis</i>
in an old mine wheel pit. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl50fBvIicYZGrMs0xrqTrYLBqiF48opTnKZYUi-8ep5O2Z1xojH6AeGyCRoU8daBi5-0yKc-1iX_hmPQ2ygkWV3pbpZcLjyPUPZGkvHdl9d-TaxsBJd6_-dIaLwwz65UbXumRP6XHkDqe/s1600/20170628_120048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl50fBvIicYZGrMs0xrqTrYLBqiF48opTnKZYUi-8ep5O2Z1xojH6AeGyCRoU8daBi5-0yKc-1iX_hmPQ2ygkWV3pbpZcLjyPUPZGkvHdl9d-TaxsBJd6_-dIaLwwz65UbXumRP6XHkDqe/s320/20170628_120048.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cystopteris fragilis</i> (Brittle Bladder-fern)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Five colonies
of Wilson's filmy fern </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Hymenophyllum
wilsonii</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> were found (and there were undoubtedly more) by John Clayfield in
his relentless search amongst large boulders.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">We had hoped to refind Mountain Male- fern </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Dryopteris oreades</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">, but although a specimen was taken this has not
been confirmed. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A steep, gravelly </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Calluna</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> slope provided great habitat for
a delightful small eyebright (possibly </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Euphrasia
micrantha</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> but still to be verified).</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At the very end of the day and within sight of the cars, Kate Thorne
found more hybrid Enchanter's nightshade </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">C.
X intermedia.</i></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In total the
three days produced over 1300 records and participants were introduced to the
delights of west Montgomeryshire. It is appropriate
that the county flower, the delicate Ivy-leaved bellflower <i>Wahlenbergia hederacea</i>, was found in most monads visited. <span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjLc36T7Ne__3USt0vAw_4Nge9t0ksYsCWgPhjDBpMDJwrtkpRuLDxAe8iCvAsN-zxvWEfQFAR6RE9ZxRsW-nMnJ_LbZ2h6Yds3qpeidcgLiMf9AcyF0txD_Oww0LA4ngjOGRC8_ox7b7/s1600/20170627_154725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimjLc36T7Ne__3USt0vAw_4Nge9t0ksYsCWgPhjDBpMDJwrtkpRuLDxAe8iCvAsN-zxvWEfQFAR6RE9ZxRsW-nMnJ_LbZ2h6Yds3qpeidcgLiMf9AcyF0txD_Oww0LA4ngjOGRC8_ox7b7/s320/20170627_154725.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i style="font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Wahlenbergia hederacea (</i>Ivy-leaved Bellflower) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-638434765804941022017-06-14T11:36:00.000+01:002017-06-14T11:36:21.363+01:00BSBI Welsh AGM and ASM - part IILast Wednesday evening at the Stamford Gate we were treated to a talk about Flintshire from the Emeritus Recorder, Dr Goronwy Wynne.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJSFntC3ew-ceaHvK5qUiKwaUrbNgdwC-1asMgjGyjOCAoqsY9_HsfSy6zzO1x0l7IeSV0nUc_X5F-woZ_s951vCc1963MHdcioW4SSGBV6OkGX4114sHU8h4zwrfSlvVVeALGwAuUezI/s1600/Goronwy+Wynne+photo+PSV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJSFntC3ew-ceaHvK5qUiKwaUrbNgdwC-1asMgjGyjOCAoqsY9_HsfSy6zzO1x0l7IeSV0nUc_X5F-woZ_s951vCc1963MHdcioW4SSGBV6OkGX4114sHU8h4zwrfSlvVVeALGwAuUezI/s320/Goronwy+Wynne+photo+PSV.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr Goronwy Wynne, the BSBI's <br />Emeritus Recorder for Flintshire</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Goronwy has lived most of his life in Flintshire, and was recorder for over 40 years from 1963 to 2009. He spoke of the geology of the county and the altitude, and also talked of the way geology affects the vegetation on every scale from large to small. He also described some of the botanists that have worked in Flintshire, including anecdotes about Thomas Pennant. He finished off by telling us a few of the most common and rarest species in Flintshire. Goronwy was a colleague of my grandfather, who also contributed records to him for the Flora of Flintshire. He spoke without any PowerPoint or slides, but managed to hold the meeting's attention completely. <div>
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On Thursday I joined the BSBI President John Faulkner, and Gillian Faulkner, and Oxfordshire VCR David Morris (see <a href="http://oxbot.blogspot.co.uk/">David's blog</a>). We were allocated a square and delighted to find Maes Hiraddug SSSI (a <a href="http://www.northwaleswildlifetrust.org.uk/reserves/maes-hiraddug">Wildlife Trust Reserve</a>). This grassland was lovely to see with many orchids: <i>Dactylorhiza fuchsii </i>(Common Spotted Orchid) and <i>Neottia ovata</i> (Common Twayblade). Then, as a special treat, we found a few fronds of <i>Ophioglossum vulgatum </i>(Adder's-tongue) and then a few more. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP11MRCS8W_wnOW3SsDjsa_5AbkybjYGhFhCR1zJsz-kiov5SOjJpACt4_hBq9kuYTYhyphenhyphenWsD_q6mhYUkPwTiJbuWESJCYG3wN2w5hcddqfOIKwYssAA3U8PV5kj3sZ3QaCpyUyR0JE65Vu/s1600/Adders+tongue+-+photo+PSV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP11MRCS8W_wnOW3SsDjsa_5AbkybjYGhFhCR1zJsz-kiov5SOjJpACt4_hBq9kuYTYhyphenhyphenWsD_q6mhYUkPwTiJbuWESJCYG3wN2w5hcddqfOIKwYssAA3U8PV5kj3sZ3QaCpyUyR0JE65Vu/s320/Adders+tongue+-+photo+PSV.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ophioglossum vulgatum (</i>Adder's-tongue)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
Having explored these meadows thoroughly we went on up a cycle track, into an old quarry, and down some lanes finding <i>Fumaria capreolata </i>(White Ramping-fumitory) in a hedge, we then eventually found access onto Moel Hiraddug, a limestone outcrop where we saw <i>Helianthemum oelandicum</i> (Hoary Rock-rose) over large areas near the summit. By this time the weather was threatening again, although we only had a few showers, and I failed to take any more photographs. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
I was unable to go out botanising on the final Friday, but it was wonderful to see so many botanists enjoying Flintshire, and to spend a few days in the field in good botanical company. I know Flintshire will be grateful for the extra records, which must be several thousands! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbi4OL3SXDG3pRB1rj7raN59VNyvsGw-PG1-PMXrRVGyHTAiu1Dhl25bbRgCQ7jGS6tcFNiLz7lJHieENdbuBGLNu_torR4kVfJ1DfmNp5zTQJsweyezFXK3UttLn6uGZFTEfd3P9r1_H/s1600/JF+and+DM+-+photo+PSV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbi4OL3SXDG3pRB1rj7raN59VNyvsGw-PG1-PMXrRVGyHTAiu1Dhl25bbRgCQ7jGS6tcFNiLz7lJHieENdbuBGLNu_torR4kVfJ1DfmNp5zTQJsweyezFXK3UttLn6uGZFTEfd3P9r1_H/s320/JF+and+DM+-+photo+PSV.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David Morris and John Faulkner with Adder's-tongue</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-31794879971333465252017-06-09T16:47:00.005+01:002017-06-09T16:47:58.922+01:00BSBI Welsh AGM and ASM - part IThis week has been a busy week although I for one did not have to stay away from home in order to join the BSBI Welsh AGM and Annual Summer Meeting, as both events (rolled into one) took place in Flintshire this year.<br />
<br />
Monday afternoon was wet and I had no childcare available so I remained at the Stamford Gate hotel to meet new arrivals, watch Jonathan Shanklin's fascinating talk and then even with my young proto-botanists in tow joined Lynne Farrell for dinner.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tbukiQI4c4ROrtallg5c_7r-q2RxHkHRL8CBfUs4DxjYwLFpPiypM00unlMTrjar19iYdsedtb2mYZJZjU-HZtpfffBmq4ufI6i3JVC7h_zlUUJfWIcXr3s9DrHijzGmEOeDGIdtApPq/s1600/20170605_185657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tbukiQI4c4ROrtallg5c_7r-q2RxHkHRL8CBfUs4DxjYwLFpPiypM00unlMTrjar19iYdsedtb2mYZJZjU-HZtpfffBmq4ufI6i3JVC7h_zlUUJfWIcXr3s9DrHijzGmEOeDGIdtApPq/s320/20170605_185657.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The most junior attendees!</td></tr>
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Tuesday was notable for gale-force winds, but we boarded a coach and spread the day between Gronant Dunes and Graig Fawr. There was very little rain but the wind made reaching the summit a struggle. However, after making our way over the summit where non-flowering plants of <i>Veronica spicata </i>(Spiked Speedwell) were spotted by the most intrepid, we returned along the bottom of the crag, where various special plants including <i>Silene nutans</i> (Nottingham Catchfly) were easily seen.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fb1Arr47Yr1k6k8rpnlsqC9l-F0_nj4tvTJV9CnLvDVjJyROdR1LK961_1aVQX4Aexl04R_mr2liQJMy_h7n1HwEDiXEZRj6wNJW_kfIlzPeOmvbpN0EB7D0XLl6M-sHR4k2h2zvNluL/s1600/20170606_152034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fb1Arr47Yr1k6k8rpnlsqC9l-F0_nj4tvTJV9CnLvDVjJyROdR1LK961_1aVQX4Aexl04R_mr2liQJMy_h7n1HwEDiXEZRj6wNJW_kfIlzPeOmvbpN0EB7D0XLl6M-sHR4k2h2zvNluL/s320/20170606_152034.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photographing <i>Geranium sanguinum </i>(Bloody Cranesbill)</td></tr>
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Tuesday evening was occupied by the Committee for Wales meeting (before dinner) and the Welsh AGM (after dinner). However, a most pleasurable moment was provided by John Faulkner presenting the Presidents' Award to Tom Humphrey for his work in developing and maintaining the BSBI's Distribution Database. This was warmly applauded by the audience which included many vice-county recorders who have benefited from this powerful and informative database.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc06jV1ZijCSvrLw9ccN-PjXLp5GrOTIRdrTokzjCW0L1RF9dLo0UmaKBsiNmgkR0lv85myWbZ_vDlVfp9RNsgMVr38nx9KVQ4ElclpvBadQ5li5hBVH9hJ7Q9Os-a2XAgzZqGt8eTIjV0/s1600/Tom+H+and+John+F+photo+PSV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc06jV1ZijCSvrLw9ccN-PjXLp5GrOTIRdrTokzjCW0L1RF9dLo0UmaKBsiNmgkR0lv85myWbZ_vDlVfp9RNsgMVr38nx9KVQ4ElclpvBadQ5li5hBVH9hJ7Q9Os-a2XAgzZqGt8eTIjV0/s320/Tom+H+and+John+F+photo+PSV.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tom Humphrey being presented with the Presidents' Award by John Faulkner</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
On Wednesday I joined Laura and Graham to record a tetrad along the coast near Mostyn, where we spent a significant amount of time keying out various species (and improving our knowledge) while adding to the species list. There were 136 taxa listed for the square since 2000; hopefully (subject to analysis) we will have improved this significantly. It was a lovely sunny day although still windy enough to keep our coats on.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UQPeF3ow2AwuqmC5dGiKf46nfz1DXeG1PAS3xInywH1muv2lGdN51xSEC3N-kjKlrR62VjVAU0YLkwTNeLXeMuVVFE-9CRTNu2WFrTsJdyenuNYov9A539F9gsMb3B8sprm206qEvq5D/s1600/P1100219_Polly-S-V_and_Graham_Wright_S-Mostyn.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UQPeF3ow2AwuqmC5dGiKf46nfz1DXeG1PAS3xInywH1muv2lGdN51xSEC3N-kjKlrR62VjVAU0YLkwTNeLXeMuVVFE-9CRTNu2WFrTsJdyenuNYov9A539F9gsMb3B8sprm206qEvq5D/s320/P1100219_Polly-S-V_and_Graham_Wright_S-Mostyn.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Keying out a tricky specimen with Graham - photo Laura Gravestock</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-87953309226584152842017-04-19T16:22:00.000+01:002017-04-19T16:23:14.242+01:00Rare Plant Register coverage updateFor anyone who was hoping to watch the item on Heno (S4C), it was actually shown a day later than I was originally told. An iPlayer link is <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p04ycbzv/heno-tue-11-apr-2017" target="_blank">here</a>. A transcript (with translation at your own risk - apologies for any errors) is available <a href="http://bsbicymru.blogspot.co.uk/p/radio-interview-transcripts.html">here</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-29287884387230339272017-04-07T12:15:00.002+01:002017-04-19T14:45:56.575+01:00More Rare Plant Registers/ Rhestrau Planhigion PrinIt's been great to see the response to the Rare Plant Register launch.<br />
<br />
Following the event in Aberystwyth and the interview with Good Evening Wales, I went to the BBC's Wrexham studio to record an interview with Rachel Garside for Country Focus - the link is available <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08l6shn">here</a> (until 3rd May 2017, you can start about 7 minutes), and a transcript can now be seen <a href="http://bsbicymru.blogspot.co.uk/p/radio-interview-transcripts.html">here.</a><br />
<br />
This week I met Gerallt Pennant at Loggerheads Country Park, to show him the Rare Plant Registers (also to be known as Rhestrau Planhigion Prin). After some discussion I recorded a few soundbites (in Welsh) to be included in an item on Heno on S4C. We expect it to be broadcast on Tuesday 11th April 2017 at 1900, and after that it should be available on <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p04ycbzv/heno-tue-11-apr-2017" target="_blank">iPlayer</a>. English subtitles are available for those who need them.<br />
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You can read more about it over on the <a href="http://bsbipublicity.blogspot.co.uk/">BSBI News and Views blog</a>.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WnI9F_fKB5Oity2uGvSpowFLYUYkZTvfXWXQYTo_uM9X7GDmeHohPPTq29yLazY3u9Y9Q5_iYTaQkoLXRKv2kbWgkCQwuE4AS-VAbG08J7tK_YS6VjA5fApOMmq659WBgfkAk65ILrNJ/s1600/20170324_170530.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0WnI9F_fKB5Oity2uGvSpowFLYUYkZTvfXWXQYTo_uM9X7GDmeHohPPTq29yLazY3u9Y9Q5_iYTaQkoLXRKv2kbWgkCQwuE4AS-VAbG08J7tK_YS6VjA5fApOMmq659WBgfkAk65ILrNJ/s320/20170324_170530.png" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rare Plant Registers for 13 counties of Wales</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-25351463408553131692017-03-27T22:07:00.001+01:002017-03-27T22:07:25.874+01:00A Welsh first - the launch of the Rare Plant RegistersToday in Aberystwyth we celebrated a tremendous Welsh achievement. This year we have completed the series of Rare Plant Registers, making Wales the first country to have a Register for each county, showing the locations for all the rare plants.<br />
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The project was begun in 1978 following a request from Glyn Jones of the Nature Conservancy Council to Arthur Chater, for a list of the Rare Plants in Cardiganshire. Arthur gave the matter serious thought, and after significant discussions, produced the first Rare Plant Register in spring 1979 (for me, the year of my birth). In the next 20 years, while I was growing up, rare plant registers were published in Carmarthenshire and Radnorshire. Then in 2005 the Committee for Wales met and decided these documents were so worthwhile that they should work towards a Register for all the counties in Wales. In 2005-2009 a further five Registers were produced. In 2011 I was appointed as the BSBI's first Welsh Officer, and was able to support three (fairly newly appointed) vice-county recorders to produce Registers in 2014. Finally, this year in 2017 we have managed to produce Registers for the missing counties, making a complete set.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMEKhoTUMa1kucMLzGzWe1jcz9-osYMVZJL3hSPkFOGw_FHwi4MbeOQDu2XkqMGB_qJ7YmKCw_UFrz1sjVztX9KZAGx9t2edsIOiWdp2bNJBUAiGQkro1uLmIhpYZ1XcdgXODickcERld/s1600/Wales+dates+2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMEKhoTUMa1kucMLzGzWe1jcz9-osYMVZJL3hSPkFOGw_FHwi4MbeOQDu2XkqMGB_qJ7YmKCw_UFrz1sjVztX9KZAGx9t2edsIOiWdp2bNJBUAiGQkro1uLmIhpYZ1XcdgXODickcERld/s200/Wales+dates+2017.png" width="141" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Wales showing the vice-counties with the year in which their Rare Plant Register was first published.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This achievement makes us the first county in the world to be able to list the locations for all of our rare plants - there are some other Rare Plant Registers in England, Scotland and Wales, but we are not aware of more beyond Britain and Ireland. The Rare Plant Registers provide a very important resource for those working in conservation.<br />
<br />
Today in Aberystwyth we had a welcome from Emyr Roberts, the chief executive of Natural Resources Wales, who talked of the achievement and how Wales can punch above it's weight!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRG7qyJCWk2bqgvgX26oHJtr30zq_1cKZPf50vBMPuqjMlKf0urcT6ZbQDvWhVTLzkS6xNq0k_XE6CrPPzXFs72rgLzCPT4AsnvzXUzVzNtbdUS67QD1wYyMmGzrsnNYj-6GBX6J5DXIRP/s1600/20170327_141332.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRG7qyJCWk2bqgvgX26oHJtr30zq_1cKZPf50vBMPuqjMlKf0urcT6ZbQDvWhVTLzkS6xNq0k_XE6CrPPzXFs72rgLzCPT4AsnvzXUzVzNtbdUS67QD1wYyMmGzrsnNYj-6GBX6J5DXIRP/s320/20170327_141332.png" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emyr Roberts</td></tr>
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Then Kevin Walker, the BSBI's Head of Science, talked about the value of the BSBI's data collection to conservation - from Atlas recording to the Rare Plant Registers but also the Threatened Plant Project.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49rgNo9mwwS226iqT_F0lKftBIlgDkUWkvklgBnG27KpOyJtGMz2Xqq-PWricjiioWk8vLpZTdLUSn6WU1vzMhLBX-MZFszT2PrdJuTwTUyXYGVAWo25vrETrOT1s4YmVA97ojeazW-5H/s1600/20170327_142540_001%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj49rgNo9mwwS226iqT_F0lKftBIlgDkUWkvklgBnG27KpOyJtGMz2Xqq-PWricjiioWk8vLpZTdLUSn6WU1vzMhLBX-MZFszT2PrdJuTwTUyXYGVAWo25vrETrOT1s4YmVA97ojeazW-5H/s320/20170327_142540_001%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin Walker</td></tr>
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Later Andy Jones and I shared a platform and a talk on the Welsh Rare Plant Registers as a Domesday Book of plants.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCy3kk18_Lmb2cx9lBk45xBIZCzOXyON-GKmt9myRnP6MSVrgwR6x_SviPjpZoFMhfSy68KMEZyBzulOsKNAM_eE6X8uUjVBphoNihlKyitBqn1Bh5zrbRWgtXfNV-XRzbBZ-KVjJcRuBh/s1600/20170327_165030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCy3kk18_Lmb2cx9lBk45xBIZCzOXyON-GKmt9myRnP6MSVrgwR6x_SviPjpZoFMhfSy68KMEZyBzulOsKNAM_eE6X8uUjVBphoNihlKyitBqn1Bh5zrbRWgtXfNV-XRzbBZ-KVjJcRuBh/s320/20170327_165030.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Polly Spencer-Vellacott (me) and Andy Jones</td></tr>
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As if the day hadn't been busy enough, I finished off with a live (if short) interview on BBC Radio Wales. If you want to hear it you can follow <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08jtfgh" target="_blank">this link</a> and start about 1:54 to hear me.<br />
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I would like to congratulate all the vice-county recorders of Wales who have dedicated so much work to recording the flora and to producing the Rare Plant Registers. It really has been a labour of love for them.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-4446370190316015222017-02-08T10:39:00.000+00:002017-02-08T10:39:13.317+00:00Caernarvonshire 2016<div class="MsoNormal">
Next in the series of county reports - Wendy McCarthy writes: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recording is currently aimed at trying to update records for
Atlas 2020 and Polly helpfully produced useful lists for each hectad of species
recorded in the last date class which need re-finding. In early March I set
off, with Mari Roberts and Lesley Ball, to search for <i>Stellaria pallida</i> (Lesser Chickweed) in SH24. Ann Conolly had
recorded it in all 6 monads so it is curious that I had never found it as I
have visited the delightful Porth Dinllaen area many times. Eventually Mari
spotted a tiny patch of plants at the sandy edge of the golf course, proving to
be the only sighting that day too. We were pleased also to update <i>Artemisia
verlotiorum</i> (Chinese Mugwort) as it apparently hadn’t been seen here since
Ann first found it in 1978, on a bank by
the car park. We spent some time looking at Whitlow grasses (<i>Erophila</i> sp.) but could find only <i>E. verna</i> s/s. A few weeks later I
visited a sandy hill known as the Vardre in Deganwy SH77 and found a patch of plants along a grass
bank which fitted perfectly the description of <i>E. glabrescens</i>, looking quite different to <i>E. verna</i> s/s which was plentiful nearby. Also here was <i>Vicia lathyroides</i>, (Spring Vetch) with
much <i>Aphanes arvensis</i> (Parsley Piert)and
<i>Torilis nodosa</i> (Knotted Bur-parsley).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyz-lwCMSMMALS9S-xnkFSgVecaPpstV3gV_RS5WL5_NdgGqeWgbM5Ucc-EUzDb3USsvlZFZNiLpLt9pnVNoPF1vSvblAlQKdH1Ev0D_H0tWm1PezxPO7qMZUtacoGYWHlRcFwdo4mSoJM/s1600/Stellaria+pallida.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyz-lwCMSMMALS9S-xnkFSgVecaPpstV3gV_RS5WL5_NdgGqeWgbM5Ucc-EUzDb3USsvlZFZNiLpLt9pnVNoPF1vSvblAlQKdH1Ev0D_H0tWm1PezxPO7qMZUtacoGYWHlRcFwdo4mSoJM/s320/Stellaria+pallida.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Stellaria pallida</i> (Lesser Chickweed)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Our first recording meeting of the year found us at Porth
Ysgaden SH23 on the Lleyn peninsula. The best find here was a small colony of <i>Inula crithmoides</i> (Golden Samphire) on
rocks above the sea. Debbie Evans found
a new site for <i>Crassula tillea</i> (Mossy
Stonecrop) in gravel at the edge of a small lay-by. A week earlier Martyn Stead, Mari and I had
found a new site at Borth y Gest SH53, making these the 4<sup>th</sup> and 5<sup>th</sup>
records of this tiny plant which is an alien in vc 49. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In May Martyn and I went to Pwllheli SH33 and managed to
update records for several species. An unexpected find was a small patch of <i>Convallaria majalis</i> (Lily of the Valley)
in dunes above the beach, undoubtedly a garden throw-out but very attractive none
the less. Later that month we were pleased to find 100’s of fronds of <i>Ophioglossum vulgatum</i> (Adder’s Tongue)
in three separate colonies on a grassy slope above the sea at Porth Llanllawen
SH22. I had previously made several searches in Ann’s location at Porth Oer in
this hectad without success. Another pleasing update was a small patch of <i>Carex acuta</i> (Slender Tufted-sedge)
almost lost in a sea of <i>Carex acutiformis</i>
(Lesser Pond-sedge) at Bont Newydd SH22, only the second currently known record
for this species.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvY9xSIAjF1SmaBfTsXuGsR1YvwM9uWnrgOQquyWKEYgpZSC0HMzQw-_BPT-QxkFhunMpOqbK4GWpheyGTDjUVL9VkwCmhP3NCtK1nkukTnhszAHJ1CfDeSIsY8AYMnJ-PtIdm5t7fhUc/s1600/Ophioglossum+Porth+Llanllawen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvY9xSIAjF1SmaBfTsXuGsR1YvwM9uWnrgOQquyWKEYgpZSC0HMzQw-_BPT-QxkFhunMpOqbK4GWpheyGTDjUVL9VkwCmhP3NCtK1nkukTnhszAHJ1CfDeSIsY8AYMnJ-PtIdm5t7fhUc/s320/Ophioglossum+Porth+Llanllawen.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Ophyioglossum vulgatum</i> (Adder's Tongue)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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One of the aims of our recording meeting in May was to check
up on <i>Sanguisorba officinalis</i> (Great
Burnet) in SH85, where it grows on a damp shaded lane bank near Padog. We were
pleased to see it thriving, with at least 60 plants counted, as this is one of
only two sites in the county. An unexpected bonus on this meeting was a single <i>Botrychium lunaria</i> (Moonwort) just
pushing through on a bank in the neighbouring square SH84, a new hectad record.
All of the party were pleased with good views of a Cuckoo calling on a fence
post.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Sedum forsterianum</i>
(Rock Stonecrop) and <i>Vicia sylvatica</i>
(Wood Vetch) were two species which needed updating in SH75 and in June we
scrambled up a couple of steep gulleys above Llyn Crafnant, finding the first
in one gulley, along with <i>Geum x
intermedium</i> (Geum rivale x urbanum) new to the hectad and <i>Adoxa moschatellina</i> (Moschatel) the
latter also a good update, and the vetch flowering nicely on a high ledge in
the second gulley. Further up the hillside, on a single basic rock in otherwise
acidic ground, there was a fine display of <i>Hieracium
carneddorum</i> (Carnedd Hawkweed) which proved to be another update on
checking at home later. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVb3G_80tVcmwZA6ekLXVvrjjQRNw0T8oBr_kWcvfs1ByGYdbbKuj-GbPZMpITvvaDprdMQuX8ZSCEZiWjS8pfeWIEvmd9BtpzV3PIobhIkcBg_TIlbPwklcTSHS7LbSQyh5NaCqI0WY3_/s1600/H+carneddorum+Crafnant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVb3G_80tVcmwZA6ekLXVvrjjQRNw0T8oBr_kWcvfs1ByGYdbbKuj-GbPZMpITvvaDprdMQuX8ZSCEZiWjS8pfeWIEvmd9BtpzV3PIobhIkcBg_TIlbPwklcTSHS7LbSQyh5NaCqI0WY3_/s320/H+carneddorum+Crafnant.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Hieracium carneddorum </i>(Carnedd Hawkweed)<i> </i>above Llyn Crafnant</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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We are fortunate in Wales to have had some excellent
training workshops with experts and these of course help us to produce new
records with our new-found skills! <i>Fumaria
purpurea</i> (Purple Ramping-fumitory) is now recorded in 11 monads, 4 of these
found in 2016. <i>Rubus</i> records are
slowly accumulating, although it should be said that, in my case at least,
these are mostly of easily recognisable ones such as <i>R. lentiginosus</i>, <i>R. nemoralis</i>
and <i>R.incurvatus</i>. The alien <i>R. procera</i> is turning up all over the
place and could prove to be an invasive problem in the future. Two garden
brambles were found this year, <i>R.
loganobaccus</i> (Loganberry) and <i>R.
laciniatus</i>, in different sites near Caernarfon SH46. Also at Caernarfon a
pond below a derelict farm had <i>Crassula
helmsii</i> (New Zealand Pygmyweed) and a nearby pool by a stream was full of <i>Hydrocotyle ranunculoides</i> (Floating
Pennywort) an undesirable third county record. The <i>Dryopteris</i> training meeting with Fred Rumsey was a great help in
learning the differences in the D. affinis group. Martyn, Mari and I were
fortunate to follow this up a week later with a day out at Nant Gwrtheyrn with
BPS local organiser David Hill. He showed us <i>D. affinis</i>, <i>D. cambrensis</i>
and <i>D. borreri</i>, all good updates for
SH34, and it was good to see these three again, helping to consolidate what we
had learned from Fred. Another good <i>Dryopteris</i>
find was that of <i>D. aemula</i>
(Hay-scented Buckler) 9 plants amongst boulders on the shore of Llyn Cwm Silyn,
which proved to be new for SH55.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In June I went to some species-rich grassland near Bangor
and was delighted to discover 7 flowering spikes of <i>Epipactis palustris</i> (Marsh Helleborine) new to SH57 and bringing
the total of orchid species at this site to 8. <i>Juncus subnodulosus</i> (Blunt-flowered Rush) and <i>Galium uliginosum</i> (Fen Bedstraw) were also present.<o:p></o:p></div>
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An excellent record of <i>Neottia
cordata</i> (Lesser Twayblade) was sent from Ian & Linda Fraser, 88 plants
in total, some flowering, from the slopes of Tryfan and, rather surprisingly, a
new record for SH65. In August I received a message from Lesley to say that she
had found ‘a huge blue spike’ which on checking turned out to be a magnificent
specimen of <i>Echium pininana</i> (Giant
Viper’s-bugloss) undoubtedly self-sown in the middle of brambles on a piece of
waste ground near Ysbyty Gwynedd, needless to say a new record for SH57. Julian
Driver sent a good list of mostly upland species with several updates, the best
of these being <i>Asplenium obovatum</i> (Lanceolate
Spleenwort) near Yr Eifl SH34, last seen there in 1988. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our September meeting to explore the village of Llithfaen SH34
was hi-jacked by Iwan Edgar, with promises up a nearby hill of <i>Hymenophyllum wilsonii</i> (Wilson’s Filmy
Fern), <i>Phegopteris connectilis</i> (Beech
Fern) and <i>Melampyrum pratense</i> (Common
Cow-wheat), how could we resist? We were pleased to find the first two, along
with <i>Cryptogramma crispa</i> (Parsley
Fern) but dismayed to find that a cairn had been erected at the summit
eradicating the third.<o:p></o:p></div>
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My thanks go to everyone who have attended meetings,
accompanied me in the field and sent me records. <o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-9146203805877238842017-02-02T11:27:00.001+00:002017-02-02T11:52:55.552+00:00Glamorgan 2016These are some extracts from the Glamorgan Botany Group 2016 Excursion Report - with thanks to David Barden (main author), Karen Wilkinson and Julian Woodman.<br />
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<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Cwm Dare & Daren y Dimbath – Saturday 26 March </h4>
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There are two species of filmy-fern in Glamorgan, <i>Hymenophyllum wilsonii</i> (Wilson’s Filmy-fern) and <i>H. tunbrigense </i>(Tunbridge Filmy-fern), and our aim on this excursion was to survey their populations at two sites – the first discovered in 2014 by Tim Rich, and the second known for about 100 years.<br />
<br />
The recent site is in Dare Valley Country Park, so it was here that nine of us met on a cloudy and occasionally drizzly morning. After a brisk walk up through the park, Tim indicated to us the area high on the screes where four patches of <i>H. wilsonii </i>had been found in 2014 (see Wild flowers of Dare Valley Country Park by T. Rich and C. Gait).<br />
<br />
Having listened to Tim describe what we were looking for, Caroline Langdon said “is this it?” and pointed down at the rocks in front of us, where to the astonishment of all some fronds were present! We quickly found lots more, giving us a total of 52 patches, even though we only covered about a third of the area of scree in the time available.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7bOZd2C3IUnxoiUb3mp3t-RCP9YJFBwNBXYMx6wPMDEAYsaCiXv5T8FPB_uAAB2N69BxJjydYgFjb2eCxuLglXzIeaarB8T8or8kTbGI1nV9tHqjiC79doIiSJegMZ1HjNTZfunAZKK0/s1600/Hymenophyllum+wilsonii.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7bOZd2C3IUnxoiUb3mp3t-RCP9YJFBwNBXYMx6wPMDEAYsaCiXv5T8FPB_uAAB2N69BxJjydYgFjb2eCxuLglXzIeaarB8T8or8kTbGI1nV9tHqjiC79doIiSJegMZ1HjNTZfunAZKK0/s320/Hymenophyllum+wilsonii.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The delicate fronds of <i>Hymenophyllum wilsonii</i> (Wilson's Filmy-fern) at Cwm Dare</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The initial idea had been to measure the size of every patch to assess the population dynamics (patches increase radially by about 1–2 cm a year). However, it was very hard to define an individual because the ferns crept through moss, plants and leaf litter between and around boulders, so a crude census was made by plotting GPS locations. Most patches were fertile, and ranged from dense mats on edges of exposed rocks with dwarf fronds 1–2 cm long, to more luxuriant plants with fronds 3–5 cm long in the deep crevices. The patches ranged widely in size too, indicating a long-established and healthy population, and the largest known one in Glamorgan. Other interesting plants seen on the screes, also previously recorded by Tim, were <i>Dryopteris oreades</i> (Mountain Male-fern) and <i>Huperzia selago</i> (Fir Clubmoss). Moving on to the well-known site at Daren y Dimbath, our group of eight botanists contended with some heavy rain to examine the populations of both species there. These appear to be doing well, with a combined total of 22 patches of <i>H. wilsonii</i> and 29 of <i>H. tunbrigense</i> being seen.<br />
<br />
A range of sizes of plants were recorded, both species showing the classic exponential declines in numbers of patches with increasing size. However, one medium-sized<br />
patch of <i>H. wilsonii</i> and one huge patch of <i>H. tunbrigense </i>were peeling off the rocks under their own weight, leaving fragments of rhizome in crevices, which were then regrowing. As a result, small patches may not necessarily indicate regeneration from spores. Also found on the rocks were the rare ferns <i>Dryopteris aemula</i> (Hay-scented Buckler Fern) and the gametophytes of <i>Trichomanes speciosum</i> (Killarney Fern) in dark shaded crevices.<br />
<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Newton Burrows - Sunday 15 May</h4>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Fourteen enthusiastic botanists gathered in the car-park at Newton Burrows on a sunny but breezy day, and soon set about investigating the area of rough grassland to the immediate north, where according to online photos, large rocks for sea-defences had been stored in the not-too-distant past. Trifolium scabrum (Rough Clover) was abundant here, and there was also a little Trifolium arvense (Hare’s-foot Clover), Fumaria bastardii (Tall Fumitory) and F. muralis (Common Ramping Fumitory), but a greater prize awaited! A tufted grass with very diffuse panicles got the attention of Tim Rich, and realisation rapidly dawned that we were looking at Poa bulbosa (Bulbous Meadowgrass).</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_AP-8hvrBaryfZ8RFgnQ2yGjxJ3PuQ53IRz6U0j1qz2XhMacHs6Km04YGa2av5NiEFOWUDOAmzcu4m-6Unr6M_pTJt5lfQfNbFFHd8EqU-FluPEyvyUofCrL646dRMmBegGVAZ5l5jjgK/s1600/Poa+bulbosa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_AP-8hvrBaryfZ8RFgnQ2yGjxJ3PuQ53IRz6U0j1qz2XhMacHs6Km04YGa2av5NiEFOWUDOAmzcu4m-6Unr6M_pTJt5lfQfNbFFHd8EqU-FluPEyvyUofCrL646dRMmBegGVAZ5l5jjgK/s320/Poa+bulbosa.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quite possibly the find of the year! <i>Poa bulbosa </i>(Bulbous Meadow-grass)<i> </i>was frequent-abundant over a substantial area on sandy gravel near Newton Burrows car-park. Unusually for this species, none of the plants were producing plantlets within the spikelents (proliferation). The abundance of the plant meant that we had no qualms about detatching a few of the destinctive basal bulbils for examination. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Dunes and woodland provided a range of species, and even the lunch stop provided <i>Botrychium lunaria </i>(Moonwort). At the end of the day the coastal shingle just landward of the dune edge provided easier botanising, with the highlight being <i>Valerianella locusta </i>var.<i> dunensis</i> (Common Cornsalad) to round off an enjoyable day.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMmXHBes3mYN9zFn3JcxiEflvFiTXGyg2mYb-ezx4UIMEfRismT7C1Uw5e2Rua262Elz7lIXGDl3cqPCAXv7XhcsSlaABchLkd2WhCU9svo54e2N5jDvBYeTyb2pTpVjtQRf44Z2HLB4b/s1600/Valerianella+locusta+var+dunensis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdMmXHBes3mYN9zFn3JcxiEflvFiTXGyg2mYb-ezx4UIMEfRismT7C1Uw5e2Rua262Elz7lIXGDl3cqPCAXv7XhcsSlaABchLkd2WhCU9svo54e2N5jDvBYeTyb2pTpVjtQRf44Z2HLB4b/s320/Valerianella+locusta+var+dunensis.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Valerianella locusta </i>var. <i>dunensis </i>(Common Cornsalad)<i> </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<h4>
</h4>
<h4>
Morfa Ystradowen - Sunday 5 June</h4>
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<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
On a warm summer’s day with light winds, our group of eight met to examine the western part of Morfa Ystradowen (a former SSSI), with the permission of the landowner at ‘Vale Holiday Homes’. Almost immediately, we found <i>Trifolium micranthum</i> (Slender Trefoil) on a track, but we were forced to pick up speed through the fields to the north-east because of the presence of some rather</div>
<div>
curious horses! </div>
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<div>
Beyond the old railway, we saw <i>Verbena officinalis</i> (Vervain), a small amount of <i>Adoxa moschatellina</i> (Moschatel), and some typical woodland species, including a range of ferns that permitted a quick training session! Here too, Karen noticed the signs of Ash Dieback, which seems to have become considerably more frequent this year.</div>
</div>
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<div>
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<div>
The old railway itself was clearly regularly mown, affording a pleasantly shady walk. The wet woodland to the west looked promising (but, we reckoned, probably better in spring), while <i>Berula erecta</i> (Lesser Water Parsnip) was noticed in a ditch on the eastern side. Scrambling down the bank, we emerged into an area of very tussocky grassland that had been subject to a light burning, probably early in the year. <i>Dryopteris carthusiana</i> was again abundant here, but more interesting was plenty of <i>Ulex gallii</i> (Western Gorse), a 2m × 2m patch of <i>Comarum palustre</i> (Marsh Cinquefoil), and a tiny remnant of <i>Sphagnum</i> ‘bog’ with typical acid-loving species.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9mcVIUC0ZQVN01X-q2-pbJFuGG0v7fPlMp6ZBm4Zy8CS41sFQQEKLzkb6PfcdRZXneR453y3IhVE5LQb96RvP0MnelK0yTzakNzNca6vBQUH_lQUIJfVgc6Mg77zHkpd2tLsdoRPneYG/s1600/Comarum+palustre.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl9mcVIUC0ZQVN01X-q2-pbJFuGG0v7fPlMp6ZBm4Zy8CS41sFQQEKLzkb6PfcdRZXneR453y3IhVE5LQb96RvP0MnelK0yTzakNzNca6vBQUH_lQUIJfVgc6Mg77zHkpd2tLsdoRPneYG/s320/Comarum+palustre.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Comarum palustre </i>(Marsh Cinquefoil) </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Moving off the old railway, a shady track took us through woodland back up to our starting point, where we came across a variant of <i>Blechnum spicant </i>(Hard Fern). Some of the group returned to their ars at this point, but the rest decided to finish off by examining a field adjacent to the main road. This had presumably been heavily grazed by sheep in the past, because the flora was rather poor and also remarkably uniform. However, <i>Rhinanthus minor</i> (Hayrattle) was abundant, while a few <i>Dactylorhiza fuchsii</i> (Common Spotted Orchid) were found, and the southern end held a population of <i>Myosotis discolor</i> (Changing Forget-me-not) amongst a stand of Bracken.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttvocUy5VvDl2uPjesgFz3q6jnexQjshm32lUOYJjJjZ9Pf_Ko2XxkyUWmQk_KO4eIW0dFBJLWNxcwWveFSzoK6c0WMPseG3-zUDb0taWE21pAiDcCSqtxqn4oMUcEzO0rEgtK7eK0pn5/s1600/lobed+Blechnum+spicant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjttvocUy5VvDl2uPjesgFz3q6jnexQjshm32lUOYJjJjZ9Pf_Ko2XxkyUWmQk_KO4eIW0dFBJLWNxcwWveFSzoK6c0WMPseG3-zUDb0taWE21pAiDcCSqtxqn4oMUcEzO0rEgtK7eK0pn5/s320/lobed+Blechnum+spicant.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lobed variant of <i>Blechnum spicant </i> (Hard Fern)</td></tr>
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Merthyr Common - Sunday 18 September</h4>
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Meeting at Morlais Top on a largely fine day, our group of eight headed briskly north along a rough track, in order to waste no time in getting to one of our target monads... but we had time enough to notice a clump of flowering <i>Sanguisorba officinalis</i> (Great Burnet) on a roadside, and a few ruderal/waste-heap weeds including <i>Brassica juncea</i> (Chinese Mustard) on the way through Pengarnddu.</div>
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Beyond this, the ditch on the eastern side of the track provided some good botanising, with plenty of <i>Triglochin palustris</i> (Marsh Arrow-grass). A stream feeding into this from the east yielded more marsh plants, with highlights being a small quantity of <i>Veronica scutellata</i> (Marsh Speedwell) and more remarkably a population of <i>Persicaria minor</i> (Small Water-pepper). We followed the track up as far as the Nant Morlais, then turned up into the ravine cut by this stream. The cliffs on the southern side looked promising at first, but there was only a very limited tall-herb community here, which included small quantities of <i>Valeriana officinalis</i> (Valerian) and <i>Succisa pratensis</i> (Devil’s-bit Scabious) amongst abundant <i>Luzula sylvatica</i> (Great Wood-rush).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHcjY3ySZYLAREqb0oCDDAfKQsSNm8NoMlpx8-w_2rXm1YOOw5k3IAF7VthzEbquluCgBuQlKN0lZ18_ECflDiREthq7DiAgtCkrv-srJyBfoHYmX5sfi1x68kDneCDAfZbeHGYlqHWLw/s1600/Persicaria+minor.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipHcjY3ySZYLAREqb0oCDDAfKQsSNm8NoMlpx8-w_2rXm1YOOw5k3IAF7VthzEbquluCgBuQlKN0lZ18_ECflDiREthq7DiAgtCkrv-srJyBfoHYmX5sfi1x68kDneCDAfZbeHGYlqHWLw/s320/Persicaria+minor.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Persicaria minor</i> (Small Water-pepper)</td></tr>
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Our next stop was ‘Pitwellt Pond’, which contrary to what the OS map said, we knew to have been drained many years ago. Disappointingly, however, the whole area was a sea of <i>Juncus effusus</i> (Soft Rush), and so we did not spend any time here – instead, we headed west out onto the main area of Merthyr Common. Although not turning up much variety specieswise, this was pleasantly heathery, and in addition we were pleased to find <i>Empetrum nigrum</i> (Crowberry), previously recorded on the Common on just one occasion.</div>
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Having previously examined the geological map, we were expecting a transition in rock type as we headed northwest, and passing a couple of ‘shake holes’, it was clear that the limestone was not far below the surface. When it came, the change was remarkably abrupt (see photo), and we then spent some time examining the long-abandoned quarries of Twynau Gwynion. Here we found upland specialities including locally frequent <i>Saxifraga hypnoides</i> (Mossy Saxifrage), and smaller quantities of <i>Cystopteris fragilis</i> (Brittle Bladder Fern), <i>Asplenium viride</i> (Green Spleenwort), and <i> </i> (Limestone Bedstraw).</div>
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Had time allowed, we would have spent longer here, as there was plenty of good habitat in these quarries and on the slopes down to the vice-county boundary. However, we had quite a long walk to get to our cars, so headed back south, crossing the limestone–gritstone boundary again. On the way, we came across a curiously small area of calcareous turf (with typical species) on an embankment next to the cutting of the old tramway that served the quarry. This resulted in the unusual sight of <i>Calluna vulgaris</i> and <i>Cirsium acaule</i> (Dwarf Thistle) growing side by side!</div>
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All in all, it was an enjoyable day, with a surprising variety of habitats and some interesting plants too – a good end to the botanical year!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4601124413739791804.post-91555492620921752042017-01-18T15:13:00.000+00:002017-01-18T15:13:53.653+00:00New Year Plant HuntApologies for the delay in posting! <div>
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I thought I'd start the New Year Plant Hunt on 2nd January, when I got out in the garden with my children and recorded seven wild (weed)<a href="https://nyph.bsbi.org/list.php?listid=106" target="_blank"> species flowering in my vegetable garden</a>! It was bitterly cold and frosty, which made it harder to spot flowers. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8GqYjnK9DT_qI6ZhAA85K_FGmmmq52uaYb0b2c3Oilj9koD8vZCyNPkGuWzBBo94FUqZPgx5hYOWRoshqDOGg-JEc7xCshrBS_oYXwbwBDCFGPD-Av-eW6p1jURGP3auwHkGRQmkEuVA/s1600/PicsArt_01-02-01.40.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8GqYjnK9DT_qI6ZhAA85K_FGmmmq52uaYb0b2c3Oilj9koD8vZCyNPkGuWzBBo94FUqZPgx5hYOWRoshqDOGg-JEc7xCshrBS_oYXwbwBDCFGPD-Av-eW6p1jURGP3auwHkGRQmkEuVA/s320/PicsArt_01-02-01.40.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Six out of seven species from my vegetable garden!</td></tr>
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On the Wednesday (4th January) seven botanists met at Llanddulas and in a full three hours we recorded <a href="https://nyph.bsbi.org/list.php?listid=301" target="_blank">46 species</a>. The weather was kind and dry, if bitterly cold on the shore (but more sheltered as we walked inland and returned to the coast through the village). </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0zDlsb_wkFrklKe4ZnUKu0F5hwnrPgW8onahjUR1XHGEUD_XP_IB2pd4QpmepTssGWup7Ft1zjIFSzf1ElNdDlofQH3EVShUejZo_UEuXv1c2tm_cETMVaEzbcK9ksjp_Bg-eeGqHXyI/s1600/IMG_20170104_104836-COLLAGE-COLLAGE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0zDlsb_wkFrklKe4ZnUKu0F5hwnrPgW8onahjUR1XHGEUD_XP_IB2pd4QpmepTssGWup7Ft1zjIFSzf1ElNdDlofQH3EVShUejZo_UEuXv1c2tm_cETMVaEzbcK9ksjp_Bg-eeGqHXyI/s320/IMG_20170104_104836-COLLAGE-COLLAGE.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">36 out of 46 species from Llanddulas.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSH6wlu_AY7fKup0YhIXviL9-khUXoTArfHwJbmwnyLFySa_BSGGcDYwSxBSFxDhO0cWmw9QjNbrzhAjL7BK0aA8eUzajQy5AuqCn0y9BF0ah7d47LUGSz2gw79e-CQUQkDFU44wcb50rX/s1600/20170104_143458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSH6wlu_AY7fKup0YhIXviL9-khUXoTArfHwJbmwnyLFySa_BSGGcDYwSxBSFxDhO0cWmw9QjNbrzhAjL7BK0aA8eUzajQy5AuqCn0y9BF0ah7d47LUGSz2gw79e-CQUQkDFU44wcb50rX/s320/20170104_143458.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Five out of seven hardy botanists at Llanddulas. </td></tr>
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This was the sixth year of the New Year Plant Hunt and was incredibly popular although somewhat fewer flowering plants were found this year than in 2016. In fact the number of lists submitted was very similar (432 in 2016; 462 in 2017), but both the number of records and the number of species was down. For more details and to view the lists, visit the <a href="https://nyph.bsbi.org/results.php" target="_blank">New Year Plant Hunt results page.</a> In Wales, (by my estimation) 26 lists were created, from nine counties. The new NYPH App was a new innovation, allowing anyone to create records and submit them (potentially with linked photographs) from a smartphone (and there was a desktop alternative for anyone without a smartphone!). This allowed us to watch the map on the results page getting covered with markers. Meanwhile those on Twitter and Facebook could rapidly follow stories, and Louise kept the BSBI News and Views blog up to date as well. Of particular note in Wales, John Crellin wrote a blog post for the <a href="http://floralimages.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/new-year-plant-hunt.html" target="_blank">Brecknock group's visit to Ystradgynlais</a>, and Tim Rich (the founder of the New Year Plant Hunt?) with friends, completed a <a href="https://nyph.bsbi.org/list.php?listid=193" target="_blank">list of 60 species in Cardiff</a>. Well, it is the capital of Wales, and presumably the urban heat island effect, plus a few aliens - and of course the skills to identify them - contributed to the longest list in Wales. Congratulations Tim - but well done to everyone regardless of the length of their list. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0