1997 Gordano Valley Somerset 6th September One Day Meeting
On Sunday 13 July Geoffrey Kitchener led a party of approximately 20 botanists across Dartford Heath in Kent on a joint Kent Field Club and WFS meeting. The meeting was a good opportunity to update botanical records for Dartford Heath and by the end of the day many gaps were filled in the checklist supplied by the leader. The morning was spent botanising to the north-west of the heath in an area which had been formerly quarried. A good selection of peaflowers were seen, including sheets of Vicia villosa (Fodder Vetch), Lathyrus aphaca (Yellow Vetchling) and two subspecies of Lucerne, Medicago sativa ssp. sativa and ssp. varia. Three different Sisymbriums were spotted which made for an excellent opportunity to examine the diagnostic feature of S. orientale (Eastern Rocket), S. officinale (Hedge Mustard) and S. altissimum (Tall Rocket). A large population of the alien Rumex patientia (Patience Dock) pleased many. After lunch the party visited a rough area of grassland where Tragopogon pratensis x T. porrifolius, the hybrid between Goat's-beard and Salsify, was located. Further exploration of the heath yielded a number of roses, several species of Hieracium, Scleranthus annuus (Annual Knawel) on gravel diggings, and Verbascum lychnitis (White Mullein) on a roadside verge. What a marvellous day!
As usual, Roy and Noreen Sherlock organised a splendid Surrey outing on 16 August, where about 100 plants were seen at two sites near the river Wey. The party of 16 saw some typical wetland plants, including a good trio of Impatiens. Comparisons were made between I. capensis (Orange Balsam), I. glandulifera (Indian Balsam) and I. parviflora (Small Balsam). Further comparisons were made of the native Sagittaria sagittifolia (Arrowhead) with its alien counterpart S. latifolia (Duck Potato). Two more groups of allied plants were seen, including Conyza canadensisand C. sumatrensis (Canadian and Guernsey Fleabanes) and Calystegia sepium and C. silvatica (Hedge and Large Bindweeds) and the hybrid between the two, C. x lucana. The meeting concluded with a spectacular finish of Nepeta cataria (Cat-mint) and about 150 flowering spikes of Verbascum densiflorum (Dense-flowered Mullein).
Unfortunately, I am not competent enough to comment on the species of Rubus (Bramble) identified on David Earl's one-day meeting on the Cheshire/Derbyshire border. Nevertheless, the six members who attended saw a very rich Rubus flora, in the river valleys. In the Goyt valley alone 11 species were found which included R warrenii, R. distractiformis, R. hydocharis and R. wirralensis. Interesting non- Rubus species were found of which Hirschfeldia incana (Hoary Mustard), Agrimonia procera (Fragrant Agrimony) and Epilobium roseum (Pale Willowherb) were particularly pleasing. By the end of the day over 20 species of Rubus had been identified and at Marple Bridge Graeme Kay was able to show the party Colutea arborescens (Bladder-senna) and Juglans regia (Walnut). David Earl has written that a species of Rosa which superficially resembled a vigorous Rosa arvensis (Field Rose) was later confirmed by the BSBI Rosa referee as Rosa arveiisis x R. canina = R. x verticillacantha.
I attended Steve Parker's meeting on 6 September for a guided tour of the Gordano Valley National Nature Reserve. Although late in the season a wide variety of wetland plants were seen in wet meadows, reed-beds and rhynes. Carex viridula ssp. brachyrrhyncha (Long-stalked Yellow-sedge) and Carex pseudocyperus (Cyperus Sedge) were in good form in the wet meadows and on the rhyne banks respectively. Those rhynes which had been allowed to mature after dredging had the richest flora. Much discussion ensued after Myriophyllum (Water Milfoil) plants were fished out of the water although no concrete conclusions were reached given the lack of fruiting and flowering material. The many floating leaves of Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (Frogbit) was a pleasing sight and in the meadows adjacent to the rhynes Succisa pratensis (Devil's-bit Scabious) was looking glorious. However, the treasure of the day was the dozen or so plants of Cyperus fuscus (Brown Galingale). quickly located on newly exposed mud by a small stream.
Finally, on 11 October Mr Tregale led a party of eight members around Ogden Reservoir and its environs in West Yorkshire. I think the plants found during the day more than made up for the overcast and bleak weather conditions. As promised, Rubus tricolor was found in fruit and growing out of the reservoir wall was the very rare Salix babylonica "Tortuosa" (Corkscrew Willow). Good native species were seen including Phegopteris connectilis (Beech Fem) and a single plant of Crocus nudiflorus (Autumn Crocus) in an old meadow. After lunch, the party explored the wasteground by Esholt sewage works where a number of interesting aliens were spotted. Brassica juncea (Chinese Mustard) and Citrullus lunatus (Water Melon) were both worthy of note. Mr Tregale writes that the large green 'marrow' he took home for pickling later turned yellow, and when cut open on 31 October to make a Halloween lantern revealed yellow flesh and a large central hollow, showing it to be Cucurbita maxima (Pumpkin)! How many others have identified plants by such unconventional methods?
Once again, the reports sent to me by the leaders of one-day meetings are testimony to the rewards to be had attending them. Our thanks to the leaders who take the time and effort to put on a good show.
NICK RUMENS