Great Orme April 19th 2006

Veronica polita(Grey Field-speedwell)

Euphorbia characias ssp characias(Mediterranean Spurge)

Cerastium pumilum (Dwarf mouse-ear

Valerianella carinata(Keel-fruited Cornsalad)

Scilla verna(Spring Squill)

Saxifraga tridactylites (Rue-leaved Saxifrage)

Afternoon: Cliffs and hills

Passing some typical spring flowers such as Ranunculus ficaria (Lesser Celandine) and Veronica hederifolia ssp lucorum (Ivy-leaved Speedwell) we walked to the last site of the day where we found some flower bed weeds. Veronica polita (Grey field Speedwell) was in a raised bed with Valerianella carinata (Keel-fruited Corn Salad). Nearby some of the Euphorbia characias ssp characias (Mediterranean Spurge) had escaped from cultivation into the nearby scrub.

We climbed a steep path and past a well known site for Cotoneasters where one known to many as Cotoneaster franchetii (Franchet’s Cotoneaster) grows.

Wendy told us that this was actually a mistake and probably generations of dairy keepers (and I was one of them) added this erroneously to their lists. She also corrected another well known mistake: the Sorbus devoniensis (Whitebeam) which grows not far from where we were botanising is another erroneous entry having been examined recently by both Tim Rich and Peter Sell.