2004 Southease Sussex 19th June One Day Meeting
Eleven people met at the lay-by to explore the Southease area of East Sussex. We started off by walking up the path to the downs. We soon spotted both Lolium species and were noting the long awns on Lolium multiflorum (Italian ryegrass) and no awns on the common Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass). Growing amongst the wheat we saw several arable weed grasses including Avena fatua (wild oat), Hordeum vulgare(six-rowed barley) and Alopecurus myosuroides (black-grass).
Further up the track we looked at the edge of the field and found Viola arvensis(field pansy), Fallopia convolvulus (black bindweed) and Veronica arvensis (wall speedwell) with its small dark blue flowers. The best find however was Lithospermum arvense (field gromwell) which was a new species to several members of the group and was admired by all.
Moving on to the downs we were able to enjoy the summer flowers coming out, Thymus polytrichus (wild thyme), Filipendula vulgaris (dropwort), Asperula cynanchica (squinancywort) which was used to cure the quinsy (sore throats) and Ononis repens (restharrow) which could supposedly stop a plough with its tough roots.
Several orchid species were seen including Gymnadenia conopsea (fragrant orchid), Anacamptis pyramidalis (pyramidal orchid) and the stunning Ophrys apifera(bee orchid). We were also lucky to spot one early flowering Phyteuma orbiculare(round-headed rampion).
An early lunch was had overlooking the view down the valley towards Newhaven in one direction and Lewes with its motte and bailey castle in the other. We then headed down towards the river to explore the drainage ditches and the riverbank. On the way we found Polypogon monspeliensis (annual beard-grass), another new find to many.
The ditches had an interesting mix of species of freshwater and brackish water species. Bolboschoenus maritimus (sea club rush) and Juncus gerardii (saltmarsh rush) fringed some areas while Scirpus tabernaemontani (grey club-rush) and Eleocharis palustris (common spike-rush) were in others. In deeper water we admired the Nymphoides peltata (fringed water-lily) and Ranunculus circinatus (fan-leaved water crowfoot) with its wheel-like stiff leaves and Myriophyllum spicatum (spiked water-milfoil). We also found Potamogeton pectinatus (fennel ondweed), Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (frogbit) and Lemna trisulca (ivy-leaved duckweed).
On the grassy area beside the river both Hordeum marinum and Hordeum secalinum (sea and meadow barley) were present which enabled us to compare them easily.
Most interest however was for the Trifolium squamosum (sea clover) with its bristly fruiting heads, present in large numbers and Medicago polymorpha (toothed medick) with its amazing toothed, coiled fruits.
Other interesting grasses included Puccinellia distans (reflexed saltmarsh-grass) and Parapholis strigosa (hard-grass) which gave much pleasure to those finding the anthers emerging from the straight spike.
A good time was had by all and more memories of new and interesting plants to store away for the winter.
GARETH BURSNALL