2000 North East Wales 8 - 9 July Main Meeting
Our worst fears of spending the morning of 8 July botanising in the driving rain on an exposed shingle bank, happily did not materialise. Under a cloudy sky, but with a pleasant breeze, the group of 16 met Jean Green, the recorder for Denbighshire who was our leader for the weekend, at Pensarn beach near Abergele. Improved public access to the beach further eastwards has resulted in reduced use of this section of the sea front, allowing the shingle, both shifting and stable, to develop an increasingly varied flora and has been designated an SSSI. Of the 64 species we recorded, two not in bloom, there was a wealth of Eryngium maritimum (Sea Holly) which always gives pleasure, Glaucium flavum (Yellow Horned-poppy), Carduus tenuiflorus (Slender Thistle), Hirschfeldia incana (Hoary Mustard), Crambe maritima (Sea Kale) and Sedum acre (Biting Stonecrop) were all commented upon, while when we came across S. anglicum(English Stonecrop) and S. album (White Stonecrop) the defining features of each were discussed. Dainty Linum bienne (Pale Flax) was identified, not to be confused with the single stemmed L. usitatissimum (Common Flax) frequently grown as a crop. We felt our efforts were duly rewarded on learning that the meeting had already added three new records to that 10 km square, namely, Trifolium scabrum (Rough Clover), the downward-turning leaf veins clearly seen when held to the light, Sagina nodosa (Knotted Pearlwort), and the third, which Jean found on her pre-meeting recce, and which we investigated on our way back to the cars for lunch, a stand of Lactuca virosa (Great Lettuce) on some waste ground. A young hybrid Senecio was found, which, three weeks later, had developed ripe achenes and was identified as Senecio x albescens, producing yet another new 10 km square record.
After lunch, much appreciated clear maps were distributed by our leader to help find our way to all the other sites for the weekend. The afternoon was spent in glorious sunshine climbing up and around a part-wooded limestone hill from the village of Rhyd y Foel. From the top, an old inland sea cliff, we were afforded magnificent views along the coast to the east and also westwards to the Little and Great Ormes. Close to the cliff edge we identified Sorbus rupicola, its long leaf a perfect match with the picture in Stace. On the open hillside, several species of Cotoneaster had colonised the area, the most prolific being C. microphyllus (Small-leaved Cotoneaster) which had also produced intriguing examples of fasciation. We were on maritime heathland with a strange mixture of plants, notably, Cynoglossum officinale (Hound's-tongue), Thalictrum minus (Lesser Meadow-rue) Brassica oleracea (Cabbage) Rubia peregrina (Madder) scrambling over an old wall, Briza media (Quaking grass) and Sanguisorba minor (Salad Burnet). On edges of rocky outcrops fluttered the delicate petals of Helianthemum nummalarium (Common rock-rose) while nearby, its stipule-less relative H. oelandicum (Hoary Rock-rose) only had old flower-heads on display. Antennaria dioica (Mountain Everlasting) was in leaf with several dead flower stems still standing by the old path and amongst Ulex gallii (Western Gorse) we saw Nepeta x faassenii (Garden Cat-mint) and Berberis wilsoniae(Mrs Wilson's Barberry), the latter being a new 10 km record and both being determined later that evening. Ravens were croaking hoarsely overhead as we made our way back, stopping to admire a perfect specimen of Quercus petraea (Sessile Oak) with classic leaves and acorns.
The following day, well wrapped in wet weather gear we visited two old quarries which had been unworked for about 50 years and were different in character. The first was a gravel quarry at Marford, a Wildlife Trust Reserve and an SSSI for wasps and flies. When the Trust acquired it 15 years ago, a total of 220 species had been recorded, but sadly, due to over-population by rabbits in some areas, that number has been reduced to today's figure of 147 and the form of remedial action has yet to be agreed upon. Evidence of this destruction was all round us at one point near the quarry face - a desert of over-cropped grass dotted with tough clumps of Brachypodium sylvaticum(False Brome) which is obviously as unpalatable as its near relation, B. pinnatum (Tor-grass) on the downland in East Kent. Further away in woodland and clearings, we found handsome specimens of Verbascum lychnitis (White Mullein) in quantity, nodding pink heads of Carduus nutans(Musk Thistle) and Astragalus glycyphyllos (Wild Liquorice). Ophrys apifera(Bee Orchid) had escaped the attention of the rabbits and was growing on a grassy path where we looked closely at Leontodon saxatilis (Lesser Hawkbit) for the black-tipped phyllaries, grey-backed ligules and forked hairs on the leaf, then pulled apart Hypochaeris radicata (Cat's ear) to find the scales on the receptacle. In the man-made pond, many planted native species were thriving, but so too were two aliens, also planted, Myriophyllum aquaticum(Parrot's-feather) and Crassula helmsii (New Zealand Pigmyweed). We are all very grateful to the Warden, Roger Robinson, for sparing time to guide us round this unusual reserve.
The lunch stop today was at the second quarry, the County Council-owned worked-out limestone quarry at Minera. After lunch, we climbed a steep hill through grassland towards the top of the cliff, passing on the way, two sturdy spikes of Coeloglossum viride (Frog Orchid) hidden in grass. An open bank at the top presented us with a magnificently colourful display of flowers including a number of orchids. Then on through shoulder-high bracken to a site where many plants of Carex muricata ssp. muricata (Prickly Sedge) had only produced leaves this year. An area of hazel scrub had been cleared to encourage them to spread and flower. Back down the hill, we squelched along the sleepers of an old rail track through a carpet of Epipactis helleborine (Broad-leaved Helleborine), fringed with Polystichum aculeatum (Hard Shield Fern), getting wetter all the time from the steadily falling rain which spoilt the beauty of Rosa sherardii (Sherard's Downy-rose). Wet grassy clearings gave us the stumpy- shaped Dactylorhiza purpurella (Northern Marsh Orchid), D. praetermissa(Southern Marsh orchid), D. fuchsii (Common Spotted Orchid), the tiny fern Ophioglossum vulgatum (Adder's tongue) and Pyrola rotundifolia ssp. maritima(Round-leaved Wintergreen) while by the side of rusty-red streams were growing tall plants of Crepis paludosa (Marsh Hawksbeard) and Equisetum hyemale(Rough Horsetail). A Peregrine squealed overhead, out of sight above the tree tops as we negotiated the slippery path, passing a stream bank of tufa and miniature stalactities and stalagmites. We were approaching the end of the meeting and the rain had decided to stop, but we had to revisit the find of the weekend. Undoubtedly we shall all remember the sight of 50+ Monotropa hypopitys (Yellow Bird's-nest) plants pushing up their hooked stems from the base of birch trees by the side of the road, with the promise of a magnificent display when in full bloom.
Our thanks must go to Jean Green for her painstaking preparation, the giving other time and sharing of her knowledge and especially her stress on the importance of accurate identification, all of which combined to ensure the success and enjoyment of the weekend. Thank you, Jean.
MARGOT GODFREY