2004 Bradford West Yorkshire 11th September One Day meeting
Five WFS members met up with me on the small minor road at Heaton to look at the nearby woods. Also present was Brian Byrne, who has been studying the trees in these woodlands.
Our first find just outside the wood was a nice bush of Rosa caesia ssp. vosagiaca (glaucous northern dog-rose) and across the road we looked a patch of Rosa 'Hollandica' (Dutch rose). We then went into Royd Cliff Wood where Brian showed us a fine specimen of Acer cappadocicum (Cappadocian maple). Nearby were two much smaller trees which appeared to have been self seeded or grown from suckers from this mature tree. We then entered Reynolds Wood where we looked at the Nothofagus obliqua (roble beech) seedlings discovered by Brian in 2003. We also spent some time looking at some of the foreign trees which have been planted in this wood. At the end of the wood we saw the unusual black-berried Cotoneaster hsinghangensis self seeded by a fence post. Back into Royds Cliff Wood where there was much discussion about the status of a Fraxinus excelsior 'Diversifolia'(single-leaved ash tree). Most of the nearby self seeded ordinary ash trees were smaller than this tree but it was evident that it was far younger than the planted trees in the wood. I left the decision to count or not count to the individual member.
We then drove to Nailers Rough, a piece of relic moorland between houses. Here I showed members two hybrid willows, Salix x mollissima var. undulata (sharp stipuled willow) and S. x multinervis (grey x eared willow) and I was pleased to see that the patch of Veronica longifolia (long-leaved speedwell) first found here in 1998 was still present and now appeared well naturalised. Just past the speedwell an interesting garden escape was found which was later determined as Liatris spicata (gayfeather) new to my Bradford 10km square.
A couple of us then went on to Thackley to see a fine tree of Salix babylonica var. peckinensis 'Tortosa' growing on the embankment of a disused railway.
A rather disappointing turnout but the weather held and new plants were seen by all including me.
B.A. 'JESSE' TREGALE