1995 Exmoor and Minehead 11th to 13th August Main Meeting
On a beautiful sunny day, 27 members met at Haddon Hill car park overlooking Wimbleball Reservoir, Exmoor. After a brief talk by lan and Paul Green, the leaders, we were given a list of the flowers we would see over the three days, complete with map references. It covered eight sides of A4 paper.
First to the reservoir, pausing to look at Epilobium brunnescens (New Zealand Willowherb) and Sagina subulata (Heath Pearlwort), both somewhat dried up, but still in flower. At the reservoir the water levels were low and the exposed banks were covered with many small plants including Lythrum portula (Water Purslane) and Littorella uniflora (Shoreweed). On a nearby grassy slope was Sanguisorba minor ssp. muricata (Fodder Burnet). Walking back to the car park over the moor we came across a clump of Myrica gale (Bog-myrtle), close to Vaccinium uliginosum (Bog-bilberry) with Empetrum nigrum (Crowberry) as a neighbour; not far away Gaultheria procumbens (Checkerberry) was spreading happily through the heather. Both the Vaccinium and Gaultheria had been new county records for Somerset in 1994.
Time for lunch and a chance to cool off after walking the moor in the 80+°F temperatures. Then cars were shared as we went to see the Sorbus devoniensis near Bury village. The next stop, a pond below Hulverton Hill, Exbridge, produced Crocosmia paniculata, Telekia speciosa (Yellow Oxeye) and Lagarosiphon major(Curly Waterweed). Collecting the rest of the cars from Haddon Hill, the convoy make it's way to Upton village where a boggy field was very dry. However, we found five sedges including the hybrid Carex hostiana x C. viridula (x fulva) and a hybrid dock Rumex crispus x R. obtusifolius (x pratensis). Upton churchyard harboured Isolepis setacea (Bristle Clubrush) and Hieracium grandidens. Wilting in the heat, it was nice to sit in the car and drive to the next stop, a boggy flush on Dunkery Hill. A roadside ice-cream van provided fortification before we entered the bog. Huperzia selago (Fir Clubmoss) was noted, followed by Listera cordata (Lesser Twayblade), which was guarded by Geraldine Crouch to allow everyone to see this small plant hiding under the heather. Little blue stars of Wahlenbergia hederacea(Ivy-leaved Bellflower) dotted the flush. Some of the party looking at Sibthorpia europaea (Cornish Moneywort) disturbed a Red Deer stag which sprang away over the moor. A perfect end to a tiring but happy day.
Saturday morning found us at Porlock. Leaving the cars, we walked along a shady track to view Mespilus germanica (Medlar) and two nice ferns, Oreopteris limbosperma (Lemon Scented Fern) and Blechnum cordatum (Chilean Hard-Fern). Sharing cars we moved on to Porlock Weir with a roadside stop to see Acaena ovalifolia (Two-spined Pirri-pirri-bur). Parking in the Toll House car park we walked to Culbone Church (the smallest in England), along a steep track to see Sorbus porrigentiformis, Arbutus unedo (Strawberry-tree) and Sorbus vexans. Returning along the track to the Toll House, we ate our lunch sitting on the grass.
Hawkcombe was the next stop, and a walk up the lane gave us Verbascum nigrum (Dark Mullein). A steep climb to a rocky outcrop was rewarded with Hymenophyllum tunbrigense (Tunbridge Filmy-Fern), and Dryopteris aemula (Hay- scented Buckler-Fern). Collecting the rest of the cars, we travelled to West Lynch and found Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) growing from a wall. Along a track were Persicaria amplexicaule (Red Bistort) and Rubus phoenicolasius (Japanese Wineberry) and in a meadow we saw Berberis glaucocarpa (Great Barberry) growing in the hedge and the yellow form of Verbascum lychnitis (White Mullein). Walking on under fruiting Walnut trees we came to a field covered by Rumex pulcher (Fiddle Dock), a surrealist sight with red, angled stems contrasting with the dried up yellow grass. lan and Paul took us through the vagaries of Rumex pulcher x R. sanguineus (R. x mixtus) and Rumex crispus x R. pulcher (R. x pseudopulcher).
Picking up the cars we drove the short distance to Porlock Marshes where most of the group walked along the shingle to see, among other plants, Lathyrus sylvestris(Narrow-leaved Everlasting Pea) and Allium ampeloprasum var. babingtonii (Wild Leek). It actually rained for a few minutes at this point. An evening trip to West Porlock Wood was available for the energetic, to see a magnificent specimen of Phytolacca acinosa (Indian Pokeweed) and a large population of Maianthemum kamtschaticum (False Lily-of-the-valley), nicely fruiting.
Sunday was a little cooler as we met on Minehead seafront. Caroline Giddens joined us and explained the history of a small Wild Flower Area next to Butlins Holiday Camp. The little reserve has a long flower list and we saw some of the in season plants here, such as Rumex cristatus (Greek Dock), Galega officinalis(Goats Rue) and Rumex cristatus x R. crispus, to name but a few. Further along the sand dunes was Lagurus ovatus (Hare's-tail). Culver Cliff Wood produced Sorbus subcuneata and Vicia sylvatica (Wood Vetch). On the sea front a fresh- looking Polypogon viridis (Beard Grass) was growing in the pavement, and another Rumex hybrid, Rumex cristatus x R. obtusifolius. lan Green apparently has the knack and can spot Rumex hybrids from a mile off at dusk! We lunched on the sea wall, and, refreshed by an ice-cream, set off again to visit Cordyline australis (Cabbage Palm) which appeared in Caroline Giddens' garden seven years ago and in 1995 produced its first flowers. (The nearest parent plant is at least 100 metres away). Caroline generously gave all the visitors to her garden a signed copy of her book Flowers of Exmoor as a memento of their visit. Then we went on to explore the industrial park. In the railway sidings there grew Conyza sumatrensis (Guernsey Fleabane) and Sisyrinchium striatum (Pale Yellow-eyed-grass), with Lactuca virosa(Great Lettuce) nearby. On a pond we found Lemna minuta (Least Duckweed) and Spirodela polyrhiza (Greater Duckweed). The last stop was at Dunster Beach for Salix x forbyana (S. purpurea x S. viminalis x S. cinerea), and several other plants.
As we left for home we reflected on the number of quality plants seen, many not in this report. Many thanks are due to Paul and Ian Green, ably assisted by Geraldine Crouch, for the planning, organising and sheer hard work that went into this meeting.
MOIRA GREENWOOD