2001 Surrey 18 -19 June Main Meeting
It was a bright Monday morning at Banstead Down where an eager band of botanists were soon excited by an abundance of ferns festooning a bridge over the railway. Everyone was delighted to see Ceterach officinarum (Rustyback) so prolific together with much Asplenium ruta-muraria (Wall Rue), A. adiantum- nigrum and A. trichomanes (Black and Maidenhair Spleenworts). Further on, we went through the wood and on to chalk downland. Many of the flowers shining in the summer sun, were at their best, with the stars being Gentianella anglica(Early Gentian) and Arabis hirsuta (Hairy Rockcress). Crossing a main road we discovered four flying butterflies, specimens of Mellicta athalia (Heath Fritillary) which someone had obviously imported and released. Cameras clicked and it was some time before we moved on to Orobanche minor (Common Broomrape) and a good stand of Centaurea montana (Perennial Cornflower) next to a spreading Walnut tree.
After lunch we moved to Howell Hill nature reserve of which our leader, Eileen Taylor, is the warden. The reserve boasts eight cotoneasters, both pyracanths and an extremely spiky Crataegus persimilis (Broad LeafCockspur Thorn). Amid much Sorbus intermedia (Swedish Whitebeam) and Sorbus aucuparia (Rowan) we were lucky enough to find a hybrid sapling of the two. This was easily recognisable because of its curious leaf formation. There were many orchid species including dozens of Ophrys apifera (Bee Orchid) to delight us and it is always a pleasure to find Lathyrus nissolia (Grass Vetchling) in flower. There was so much to see and we were flabbergasted at how much time we had spent enjoying the warm sunshine among such splendid plants. Surprise, surprise! Eileen invited us all back to her house for a most welcome and enjoyable afternoon tea in her beautiful garden where we were able to admire all her plant collection.
Tuesday turned out to be warmer still and everyone arrived early at Wray Common, ready for the action. A wet bog drew special interest, where we saw Stachys x ambigua a hybrid woundwort. Then we went through a wood adjacent to which - so it was rumoured - one of our group had camped the previous night. There we came across a dried up pond with much Crassula helmsii (New Zealand Pigmyweed) but still supporting Alisma lanceolata (Lanceolate Water- plantain), Glyceria notata (Plicate Sweet-grass) and Cyperus eragrostis (Pale Galingale). We moved on for a picnic lunch at Reigate Heath, where in the short turf we found Chamaemelum nobile Chamomile). It afforded a sweet-scented kneeling place to examine various trifoliums and Ornithopus perpusillus(Birdsfoot). On the edge of a very busy road we saw Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda Grass) while on the way back to the cars there was much Ceratocapnos claviculata(Climbing Corydalis) entwined with Rubus plicatus.
Fortunately Box Hill had reopened after the foot-and-mouth scares, and at its edge was Herminium monorchis (Musk Orchid) among other chalkland treasures. Teazel Wood gave us Sorbus torminalis (Wild Service Tree) and Cynoglossum germanicum (Green Houndstongue) before, regretfully, the day was done.
We had two wonderful days of Surrey botanising, thanks to Eileen and the glorious plants she selected for our delight.
CAROL HAWKINS