2006 Langton Matravers, Dorset 11 May
Nineteen members of the BSBI and the WFS enjoyed a sunny day on The Purbeck Wares. This was a repeat of the overbooked walk of a year ago, though some of it was on a different route because of this year's grazing plan.
The first species of interest was again Rumex pulcher (Fiddle Dock) in leaf. Next we saw Cerastium pumilum (Dwarf Mouse-ear) on top of a former spoil heap, together with the first few Ophrys sphegodes (Early spider orchid), a species which appeared at frequent intervals during the walk, sometimes in many hundreds. A walk along a narrow scenic path yielded the first plants of Valerianella eriocarpa (Hairy-fruited Cornsalad). Purbeck is the national HQ for this national rarity, with a number of new sites recently discovered on Purbeck limestone and two on chalk. We then turned into two meadows, where a large population of Orchis morio (Green- winged Orchid) had just come into flower, and there was more of the Cornsalad, and some Saxifraga tridactylites (Rue-leaved Saxifrage) by flat surface stones. Clare Kitchen pointed to seven plants of Ophioglossum vulgatum (Adder’s-tongue) at our feet, and thereby made the first record for the tetrad!
Moving out on to the rough downland again, we looked at Asplenium ruta-muraria (Wall-rue) on some rocks. Though these may be an old small quarry face, it was the first time that most of the party had seen it away from a man-made building. The leader had asked for sightings of Carex caryophyllea (Spring Sedge), which is not easy to spot after its pollen has been shed, and Mark Kitchen made one there. Then we descended an old track down the slope, and more beautiful patches of Polygala calcarea (chalk milkwort) appeared, in light blue as well as its usual colours of royal blue and pink. One Orchis mascula (early purple orchid) was spotted by a party member in an area where it had not been seen before.
On reaching the coast Path, under the east side of a stone wall the leaves of Arum italicum ssp. neglectum (Italian lords-and ladies) were seen, but no flowers. Entering White Ware the party enjoyed the large colonies of Orchis morio and Ophrys sphegodes, and plenty of Brassica oleracea (Wild Cabbage) in full flower on the cliff- top. There we stopped for a late lunch. Naomi Bailey and another member found they had sat down to eat by plants of spring sedge! During lunch the leader took small parties into the nearby cliff quarry to see Asplenium marinum (Sea Spleenwort) and other maritime species.
Late plants of Myosotis ramosissima (Early Forget-me-not) were the first sighting of note after lunch, and then the party descended to Dancing Ledge to see small plants of Carex distans (distant sedge) and the first flowers of Spergularia rupicola (Rock Sea-spurrey).
Seventeen of us chose to go an extra half mile to try to see Gentianella anglica (Early Gentian), but, though is had been in full bloom eight days earlier last year, there was no sign of it. As last year, on the way back to the car park we saw Lotus glaber (Narrow-leaved Bird's-foot Trefoil) in leaf, and we visited a pond to see Ranunculus trichophyllus(Thread-leaved Water-crowfoot.)
Appreciation was expressed at the end of the walk.
EDWARD PRATT