2003 Highgrove Wood London 23 March One Day Meeting
This was a joint meeting of the Wild Flower Society and the London Natural History Society, but although it was planned for less experienced botanists, there were lessons for everyone, even the most experienced. Carol and Bill Hawkins kindly came down from their new house in Wymondham to lead it and the sun shone fit to bust. Highgrove Wood is the relict garden of an old country house that was abandoned after WWII and has become overgrown, accounting for an unusual flora. Carol and Bill emphasised the differences between the species seen and those with which they might be confused.
Leucojum aestivum subsp. pulchellum (summer snowflake) was by the entrance and in a clearing in the wood. This subspecies is the usual one found in gardens, not tobe confused with the native subspecies of damp places in the Thames valley. The former has smaller flowers usually appearing earlier, and the acute edges of the stems are entire.
Scilla bithynica (Turkish squill) is an introduction naturalised in churchyards and woods, as here and at Warley Place. There were several patches and it was in full flower. S. bithynica differs from similar introduced squills in the bracts at the base of each flower, which are up to 2mm long and often have a backwardly directed appendage. Some species of Scilla resemble Chionodoxa, another introduction, but its tepals are smaller and free to the base and the filaments are much less flattened. Polystichum setiferum (soft shield fern) was a single plant by the long pond. The fronds are wintergreen, the pinnules at the base of each pinna have a large lobe at The base of the upper edge and this and the pinnules terminate in a bristle. Viola reichenbachiana (early dog-violet) is frequently confused with Viola riviniana (common dog-violet). It is distinct in that it has a spur darker than the flower (in V. riv.it is pale yellow), the backwardly directed spur of the sepals is short (<1.5 mm) and it flowers earlier, as you might expect from the name. It can be told from Viola odorata (Sweet Violet) by its pointed, not blunt, sepals and by its hairlessness.
Ruscus aculeatus (butcher's broom) was present in several places. It is a member of the lily family, in the same group as asparagus. The true leaves are tiny brown scales which degenerate with age but which can be seen on young shoots. By definition a leaf has an axillary bud and in this plant it grows into a single leathery elliptical leaf- like structure - a cladode, which may have a flower on one surface. The sexes are on separate plants - it is dioecious. A female plant is easy to spot if a berry is present, but if not you must look more closely. In the male, the three filaments are fused into a short hollow purplish tube crowned by three sessile anthers, on which pollen can be seen. The female is superficially similar, but the anthers are absent and a short style bearing the stigma protrudes through a hole at the top of the tube, which is occupied by the immature ovary.
Fritillaria meleagris (fritillary) cannot be confused with any other UK plant. It is possible that the plants here are descended from a wild population present before the area was built up. Woodland is not their usual habitat but they seem to be persisting without too much trouble. Both white and coloured forms were present.
Anemone appenina (blue anemone) is not always easy to distinguish from Anemone blanda (Balkan anemone). The plants near the round pond were just coming intoflower, so we could see the sparse hairs at the base of the lower side of the petals, which are much narrower than those of the blue form of Anemone nemorosa var. robertsoniana (wood anemone). White-petalled wood anemones were abundant, in a range of flower sizes reflected their origin as large-flowered selections that are now blending with the wild type.
Allium paradoxum (few-flowered leek) was also abundant. The very few in flower had sharply triangular stems and an inflorescence containing mostly bulbils but with a few white flowers on long slender pedicels. Nectaroscordum siculum (honey garlic) does not flower until May, but the glaucous leaves have a heavy garlicky stench distinct from that of Allium and are keeled so markedly that they are T-shaped in section.
Smyrnium perfoliatum (Perfoliate Alexanders) is an increasing alien which at this time of year shows only pinnate/ternate root leaves looking quite umbellifer-like and totally different from the later simple stem leaves which make it unmistakeable in flower. There were a few plants near the round pond.
The meeting was very enjoyable and as instructive as one might hope and expect from the early stagers series.
GEORGE HOUNSOME