Holy Island Meeting July 15th & 16th 2006
Glaux maritima(Sea Milkwort)
Puccinellia distans ssp distans(Reflexed Saltmarsh-grass)
Spartina anglica (Common Cord-grass)
Honckenya peploides(Sea Sandwort)
Sonchus arvensis(Perennial Sow-thistle)
Tripleurospermum maritimum (Sea Mayweed)
Lindisfarne July 15th afternoon: Seashore II
The sea shore flora continued with plenty of Glaux maritima (Sea Milkwort) in flower and Honckenya peploides and (Sea sandwort) in fruit. Sea sandwort flowers fairly early and normally there would be no flowers on plants in July but if the soil has been disturbed, fresh growth can lead to plants in full flower late in the year. We searched but didn't find any.
The grasses caused quite a bit of discussion (polite word for argument). Puccinellia distans ssp distans (Reflexed Saltmarsh- grass) doesn't show the "reflexing" of the lower panicle branches when just beginning to flower and some of our group thought it could be confused with Puccinellia maritima (Common Saltmarsh-grass). Again both were found and although there are similarities you can see the differences when they grow near each other.
In the wetter parts of the sea shore there was another maritime grass: Spartina. This had been previously identified as Spartina anglica (Common Cord-grass) which was useful as the difference between this and Spartina x townsendii (S. alterniflora x S. maritima) is not easy to see.
Large patches of white daisies turned out to be the perennial and therefore usually larger Tripleurospermum maritimum (Sea Mayweed).
Tall plants of Sonchus arvensis (Perennial sow-thistle) with its yellow glands had been in flower for some time.