1998 Surrey 19 - 21 June Main Meeting
19 JUNEFor those members who could manage an extra day's botanising, arrangements were made to visit a variety of sites in London. After meeting at Sutton station at 9.30 a.m. the party went by public transport to the Docklands area of London. A number of well established aliens were recorded, the most interesting of which included Lapsana commums ssp. intermedia (Intermediate Nipplewort), Salvia verticillata (Whorled Clary), Lepidium draba ssp. chalepense (Hoary Cress), Berteroa incana (Hoary Alison), Rumex patientia (Patience Dock), and Hyoscyamus niger (Henbane). The group then moved on to the Tower of London where Sisymbrium irio (London Rocket) was duly admired. The later part of the day was spent around Kew where Buddleja davidii (Butterfly-bush), B. globosa (Orange-ball-tree), and the hybrid between the two B. x weyeriana (Weyer's Butterfly-bush), were all seen on the Thames towpath. Angelica archangelica (Garden Angelica) was also seen. The last visit of the day was to St Anne's church where Sisymbrium strictissimum (Perennial Rocket), Atropa belladonna (Deadly Nightshade), and Sisyrinchium striatum (Pale Yellow- eyed-grass) pleased many members. A good day was had by all and it made a pleasant change to travel by public transport instead of in a convoy of cars.
RON PARKER
20 and 21 JUNE
A few weeks before the meeting the leader, Ron Parker, sent us an impressive plant list to whet our appetites. As well as the weekend there was a visit to London as an extra, for anyone wanting to go. After a very mixed week of weather, the weekend was forecast as "very hot in the south-east".
We met at the car park at The Grange, a formal garden in Wallington which had been very popular in the late 19th century. It was created by Arthur Smee who wrote a 650 page horticultural work entitled My Garden. Access to the gardens is unrestricted and it was to be a good meeting place where we would see some 'escapes'. A number of Oxalis species were dotted about and our leader had already sent material to a referee for determination. Veronica peregrina (American Speedwell) was looking rather sorry for itself at the bottom of a walled flower bed. In one of the lakes the aquarists throw-out, Myriophyllum aquaticum (Parrot's-feather), was taking over one side. Editor Nick Rumens making it countable for all the party, by finding its tiny white flowers.
Our first move of the day was a short drive to see Orobanche hederae (Ivy Broomrape) growing on Hedera helix ssp. hibernica (Atlantic Ivy). Next stop, the old Croydon Airport. Parking was at the end of an industrial estate where we were met by the sight of a massive Onopordum acanthium (Cotton Thistle) on waste ground. On the grassland we were soon seeing the delicate flowers of Lathyrus nissolia (Grass Vetchling) and many spikes of Orobanche minor (Common Broomrape). Another first for many was Euphorbia x pseudovirgata (Twiggy Spurge) very well naturalised in the grass. A questionable hybrid rose was dissected before our eyes but no conclusions were arrived at. No such problem, however, a few minutes later as we came upon many spikes of Orobanche elatior (Knapweed Broomrape) which had the photographers in the party reaching for their cameras. Nearby, one of the real treats of the weekend was located, Rhinanthus angustifolius (Greater Yellow-rattle) with Ron showing it off to us and explaining how it was now found in about six sites in Surrey which hold most of the British population. The memorial to the RAF who were based at the airfield to protect London during the war was inspected before we returned to the cars. On the way we were shown another rare, very nice plant, Lathyrus aphaca (Yellow Vetchling).
Out came the maps and the London A-Zs in order to navigate the way to Banstead Downs. The weather forecast was correct, it was very, very hot indeed! Banstead Downs is one of the last remaining areas of an ancient royal forest which once covered the entire county of Surrey. Most of the downland is scrub and woodlands but Ron showed us several areas of chalk grassland. We were here to see a number of chalk specialities. Filipendula vulgaris (Dropwort) was plentiful as were Wild Privet. Kidney Vetch and Asperula cynanchica (Squinancywort). Milkwort was looking neat in the short grass. Rodney Burton showed us a couple of Eyebrights, Euphrasia pseudokerneri and E. nemorosa x E. pseudokerneri, while Ron pointed out a naturalised shrub. Viburnum x rhytidophylloides. Gentianella anglica (Early Gentian) was searched for and found. The finer points of Rosa sherardii (Sherard's Downy-rose) were shown to the party, then it was all on hands and knees for a hunt for Filago pyramidata(Broad-leaved Cudweed) with scenes reminiscent of meetings on top of Beachy Head looking for the Small Hare's-ear. Not for the first time, it was Olive Keams with her keen eyesight who spotted the minute plants on a small patch of bare ground.
Dinner was had in the open with members trying to find some shade, then off to Chipstead Bottom to see Ajuga chamaepitys (Ground-pine) and Teucrium botrys(Cut-leaved Germander), the last unfortunately not in flower. Again, maps were consulted before the move to the last visit of the day, Ewell Church. "Plenty of room to park," said Ron "let's hope there isn't a wedding on" - there was, but we all found a place by the roadside! At first it didn't look very promising. Up a bit of a path at the side of a house, alongside a couple of fields of flax (passing a wonderful pink display of Rubus armeniacus), then over a football pitch before being ushered through a gap in the hedge. A steep path led us into a different world, the Howell Hill Nature Reserve. Small blue butterflies were feeding on many plants of Anthyllis vulneraria(Kidney Vetch). A number of naturalised garden escapes in the shape of Lathyrus latifolius (Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea), Lonicera japonica (Japanese Honeysuckle) and Veronica longifolia (Garden Speedwell) were noted, as were a number of Cotoneasters including Cotoneaster simonsii, C. bullatus and C. x watereri. Another naturalised shrub was Pyracantha rogersiana (Asian Firethorn) Common Spotted, Fragrant, Bee and Pyramidal Orchids were admired. Our route back was through a small wood where the shade was much appreciated. It was the end of the day for us - next stop was to take on much needed liquid - but Ron was already making plans to meet a number of members to take them to Wisley later in the evening! The Sunday morning meeting place was at Wimbledon Common in the Windmill car-park. Very soon we were "to see two very showy plants. Galena officinalis(Goat's Rue) and Spartium junceum (Spanish Broom). In a pool was an odd 'Ludwigia', a piece was fished out and thoughts about its identity were a little inconclusive. Could this be the hybrid Ludwigia which has attracted so much publicity recently?
Barnes Common was the next stop and an exploration was made of a disused and very neglected cemetery. Among the many plants seen were Ceratochloa carinata (California Brome) and the Cotoneasters, C. simonsii and C. lacteus. Very well naturalised in grass on Barnes Common was Sedum rupestre (Reflexed Stonecrop) with yellow flowers just waiting for the photographers. A short walk down a lane had us looking at Geranium rohertianum var. album, 'one to put away for Parnassus for most of us. Geranium rotundifolium (Round-leaved Crane's-bill), Borage officinalis (Borage) and Campanula poscharskyana (Trailing Bellflower) were in grass by the path. Shade was again sought from the sun as we had lunch at the side of the common before moving off to the River Thames and Barnes Bridge to sec Rumex patientia (Patience Dock) and Angelica archangelica (Garden Angelica) on the far embankment. Our next stop was to be Wandsworth Common but our route was a little tortuous! London has so many large open spaces and it was a weekend to get out and use them as so many people were doing. Sunbathing was not for us though as we trooped onto the common to see Molinia caerulea ssp. arundinacea(the rarer ssp. of Purple Moor-grass). Time was spent removing stones from sloes in an attempt to identify the hybrid between Prunus spinosa and Prunus domestica.
Our last stop of the day was found more easily, Battersea Park, and we joined many others enjoying the open spaces. New plants were hard to come by, however. and it was here that the meeting ended. As always, it had been a friendly, sociable gathering.
Many, many thanks Ron for sharing your plants with us and showing us so much we had never seen before.
OLIVE AND ERIC KEARNS