2006 Ufton, Warwickshire 4th June
Fifteen members and friends turned up at Upton Fields on a warm and pleasant day. Upton Fields is an old quarry with a mixture of wood, pools and open grassland. The open grassland produced a good selection of plants including Cirsium eriophorum (Woolly Thistle), Dactylorhiza fuchsii (Common Spotted-orchid), Ophrys apifera (bee orchid) and Rhinanthus minor (Yellow Rattle).
The Aceras anthropophorum (Man Orchid) was down to one rosette a few years ago at Warwickshire's only known site for this species. Due to the help of the leader there are now four flowering plants which were in perfect condition for the meeting. The man orchids are fenced off from rabbits but the enclosure is strimmed and raked off in the winter to prevent rank vegetation building up.
Also present in another enclosure was Ophioglossum vulgatum (adder's-tongue) with two other colonies found in perfect condition in other parts of the meadows. One member also found a plant of Platanthera chlorantha (Greater Butterfly-orchid) though this was still firmly in bud.
We failed to find Neottia nidus-avis (Bird's-nest Orchid) at Upton Woods nearby where I had seen it a few years ago.
Our final stop was Oversley Wood near Alcester. The key target here was to check on the small populations of Cephalanthera longifolia (Narrow-leaved Helleborine) at its only site in Warwickshire. Sadly only one flowering plant that was past its best was found on a verge which is getting steadily overgrown with docks, nettles and hogweed. It looks as though another conservation project is needed here to save the species.
Also present in one part of the wood was Sorbus torminalis (Wild Service-tree) and on a verge or ride edge was a violet shoot of a helleborine. Further investigation is needed to see if it turns out to be Epipactis purpurata (Violet Helleborine) or just an unusual form of E. helleborine (Broad-leaved Helleborine)
Many thanks to all who came along to the day.
BRIAN LANEY