1999 Guildford Surrey 11 April One Day Meeting
Eight members met the leaders Noreen and Roy Sherlock at Shalford Station. Across the railway there was an extensive stand of Pseudosasa japonica (Arrow Bamboo) along the embankment and spreading under a footpath into adjacent gardens. Continuing on to the local cemetery Montia fontana (Blinks) was easily examined along the edge of most paths and, on an adjacent wall, Asplenium ruta- muraria (Wall Rue) and Ceterach officinarum (Rusty-back Fern).
Proceeding to Peasemarsh, Petasites japonicus (Giant Butterbur) was seen but the flowers were past their best. Then on to Compton for a wall with Arabidopsis thaliana (Thale Cress) and Erophila verna (Common Whitlowgrass), and a large colony of Allium paradoxum (Few-flowered Garlic). Also at Compton, in the grounds of the Watts Mortuary Chapel, there was a large colony of Chionodoxa forbesii (Glory of the Snow) and Saxifraga granulata (Meadow Saxifrage). A short time was spent looking at the terracotta ornamentation of the unique Chapel and the Art Nouveau interior, before driving to Puttenham Common. At Rodsall Manor we saw Saxifraga tridactylites (Rue-leaved Saxifrage) on a wall and pavement, and Medicago arabica (Spotted Medick), then passing Muscari neglectum (Grape Hyacinth) on our way back to the car park.
The party found a sheltered spot for lunch before proceeding to Shackleford where Ceratochloa cathartica (Rescue Brome), Geranium rotundifolium (Round- leaved Crane's-bill) and Sedum dasyphyllum (Thick-leaved Stonecrop) were seen. After going to Hurtmore, we passed Daphne laureola (Spurge Laurel) on our way down the valley to see a large colony of Symphytum grandiflorum (Creeping Comfrey), one specimen of Dryopteris affinis ssp. affinis (Scaly Male-fern), numerous rosettes of Heracleum mantegazzianum (Giant Hogweed), Polystichum setiferum (Soft Sheild-fern) throughout the valley and a number of P. aculeatum (Hard Shield-fern). The latter two plants led to much discussion with no lack of material.
Moving on to Bramley we then saw Corydalis solida (Bird-in-a-bush), Geranium x monacense (Munich Crane's-bill) and Chrysosplenium alternifolium (Alternate- leaved Golden-saxifrage). Finally in the Chinthurst area we found Symphytum orientale (Soft Comfrey), S. bulbosum (Bulbous Comfrey), Lysichiton americanus(American Skunk-cabbage) and a few fronds of Onoclea sensibilis (Sensitive Fern) just appearing.
Many other plants were seen, some at more than one site, and due to one diligent member, 102 plants in flower and 11 ferns were recorded. The fact that we travelled in only three cars contributed much to the day's enjoyment.
NOREEN AND ROY SHERLOCK