2001 Ainsdale and Southport 7 June Main Meeting
The meeting commenced at the Sands car park, Ainsdale. From here we briefly visited an area of sand dunes where Vince Jones pointed out the features of the Hawksweeds Hieracium umbellatum, H. vulgatum and a member of the H. exotericum aggregate. Two common Brambles were Rubus tuberculatus and R. armeniacus An area known as Falklands Way produced several introductions including Bromopsis inermis (Hungarian Brome), Geranium macrorrhizum, G. sanguineum (Rock and Bloody Crane's-bills), Papaver orientalis (Oriental Poppy) Rosa rubiginosa (Sweet Briar), Santolina chamaecyparissus (Lavender Cotton), Sedum spectabile (Butterfly Stonecrop) and Thalictrum minus (Lesser Meadow- rue). On nearby grass verges we admired plants of Herniaria glabra (Smooth Rupturewort) and Trifolium striatum (Knotted Clover). Fumaria species were also examined, the plants seen being considered to be F. muralis, F. officinalisand F. purpurea (Ramping, Common and Purple Fumitories).
A brief stop was made to see plants of Medicago arabica (Spotted Medick) at Birkdale after which plants of Blysmus compressus (Flat Sedge), Carex disticha(Brown Sedge), Eleocharis quinquefolia (Few-flowered Spike Rush) and Juncus balticus (Baltic Rush) were seen in the dune slacks. Along the developing salt marshes we found Carex extensa (Long-bracted Sedge), C. distans (Distant Sedge) and Cyperus longus (Galingale).
Onward to Victoria Park, Southport, the home of the famous flower show. Here we saw lots of plants of the annual Ranunculus parviflorus (Small-flowered Buttercup). The surrounds of the Park and Ride area provided Coincya monensis ssp. monensis (Isle of Man Cabbage), Dianthus barbatus (Sweet William) and Ranunculus sardous (Hairy Buttercup). More plants considered to be Fumaria purpurea were seen at Pleasureland. Crambe cordiflora (Greater Sea-kale) and Geranium pyrenaicum (Pyrenean Crane's-bill) were seen on disturbed soil close- by to the site of the former outdoor swimming pool. Trifolium micranthum(Slender Trefoil) was found on the way to a fine display of Lagurus ovatus(Hare's Tail), nearby to the sailing club. After seeing a few plants of Ophrys apifera (Bee-Orchid) it was time for the grand finale, Mibora minima (Early Sand-grass) growing with Coincya monensis ssp. monensis. This is a unique association that is only known to exist on the dunes to the north west of the Marine Lake at Southport.
DAVE EARL