1998 Dorset 27 May One Day Meeting
On the evening of Wednesday 27 May five WFS members met for a joint meeting with the Yeovil and District Natural History Society to explore Pilsdon Pen, the highest hill in Dorset. The dry south facing slopes had an abundance of Moenchia erecta (Upright Chickweed), as well as the odd plant of Ornithopus perpusillus (Bird's-foot) and Myosotis discolor (Changing Forget-me-not). In places, Vaccinium myrtillus (Bilberry) and Calluna vulgaris (Ling) were the dominant species with the fine red-wire stems of Cuscuta epithymum (Dodder) creeping over the Heather. Other areas were covered by Bracken and various shrubs including several bushes of a hybrid willow Salix x multinervis (S. cinerea x S. aurita). My brother Paul kindly pointed out the key features so that some of group might be able to recognise it again. To finish the evening off a rich boggy area was explored which produced the most interesting plants including Carex hostiana (Tawny Sedge), Ranunculus omiophyllus (Round-leaved Crowfoot) and Juncus foliosus (Leafy Rush) with the key character of a dark line on each side of the midrib of the tepals showing nicely.
IAN GREEN