Table Of Content

SShhrrooppsshhiirree BBoottaanniiccaall SSoocciieettyy NNeewwsslleetttteerr AAuuttuummnn 22000066 A le x L o c k to n Clockwise from top, left: Viola canina (at Prees Heath), Pontederia cordata (Hatchet Pond, Hampshire), Anagallis minima (Haughmond Hill) and Limosella aquatica (Venus Pool). SShhrrooppsshhiirree BBoottaanniiccaall SSoocciieettyy NNeewwsslleetttteerr NNoo.. 1144 AAuuttuummnn 22000066 Botanical Society News...........................................3 New Records...........................................................4 Field Meeting Reports.............................................7 Ranunculus ficaria subspecies.................................9 A review of The Review.........................................12 Woodland Opportunities Map................................18 Obituary of Jean Hooson.......................................19 Membership list with renewal dates.......................20 The Shropshire Botanical Society www.shropshirebotany.org.uk 66 North Street, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2JL 01743 343789 [email protected] [email protected] Any opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the various authors, and are not necessarily those of the Society Text & illustrations © Shropshire Botanical Society 2006 Editor: Alex Lockton Distribution maps produced using DMap for Windows, supplied by Dr Alan Morton Ordnance Survey maps reproduced under licence No. 100040428 1 BBoottaanniiccaall SSoocciieettyy NNeewwss Sarah Whild This year has been marked in Shropshire by some The following have made records or genuine conservation gains for plants – not determined specimens in Shropshire so far in something that happens very often. Ian Trueman’s 2006. Some 5,860 records for this year have habitat creation experiments at Venus Pool are been received to date. very important, if somewhat controversial – read more in Field Reports. Mr A. Andrew Mr M. Lawley Mr H. Andrews Mr S. Lewis The restoration of Brown Moss has had some early Mr E. Andrews Mr A.J. Lockton spectacular successes, and we must congratulate Mr K. Bates Mr T. Mallows Chris Walker for spotting the opportunity of the Mr A.P. Bell Mr D.J. McCosh Crassula helmsii eradication programme to get the Mr J. Bingham Mr R. Mileto money and the motivation to do this essential Ms H. Cariss Mr J. Moore Ms H. Chadburn Dr J. Morris work, and Shropshire County Council for allowing Mr A.O. Chater Mr D.J. Nisbet the work to be done. This is only the first step, Mr J. Clayfield Mr M. O'Connor however, and it will be interesting to see if SCC Mrs M. Cousins Mrs C. O'Reilly has the will to continue with the necessary Mr J. Crompton Ms T. Pearson Mr J. Crossley Mrs J. Pedlow management. Mr H. Cutler Mr A.C. Pigott Mr A.P. Dawes Mr M.S. Porter Natural England is the new government Mrs R.A. Dawes Mr M. Poulton conservation agency (formed in October this year) Mr C. Dean Ms S. Reedy and our speaker at the winter meeting this year is Mr B.O. Draper Mrs M. Rocke-Wharin Mr M. Duffell Mr T. Rudge Iain Diack, until recently head of the Rural Mr D.P. Earl Dr F.J. Rumsey Development Agency in Wolverhampton and now Mrs J. Earl Mrs S. Spence based at Natural England’s regional office in Ms N. Ellis Prof C.A. Stace Bristol. Mrs G. Evans Mr N.F. Stewart Rev A. Evans Mr R.M. Stokes Sqn Ldr M.F. Godfrey Dr S. Swales Winter Meeting 2006 Ms F. Gomersall Mr R.J. Swindells 2pm on Saturday 16th December Mrs P.G. Green Mr I.S. Thompson Preston Montford Field Centre Dr Q.J. Groom Mr J.A. Thompson Speaker: Iain Diack Dr L. Guest Dr A.K. Thorne Dr B. Harold Mrs R. Thornes “Natural England - what is it and what is it Ms J. Hart Ms M. Thornton doing for plants?" Mr B. Herring Prof I.C. Trueman Mr M.G. Hoare Mr J.J. Tucker Ms V. Hodges Ms C. Uff Mr C. Hogarth Mr W.R.C. Watson Please bring records and specimens and as usual, Ms V. Howden Ms S.J. Whild there will be cake, sherry and a botanical quiz. Dr H.V. Hughes Mr A. Wigley Mrs J. Ing Dr A. Willmot Do not forget that the AGM next year will be on Mr G.M. Kay Miss A. Woods 24th March 2007 at Preston Montford. Mr R. Knowles Mr D.H. Wrench Mr B. Laney Members of the Botanical Society and students of the University of Birmingham have this year been surveying Haughmond Hill, and we shall shortly be producing a Flora, along similar lines to the Flora of Attingham Park last year, and we hope to launch it at the winter meeting, where copies will be available. 2 NNeeww RReeccoorrddss Compiled by Alex Lockton & Sarah Whild (cid:1) The hybrid fern Polystichum xbicknellii Viola canina (Christ) Hahne (P. aculeatum × setiferum Soft Shield-fern × Hard Shield-fern) turned up this year in ancient W8 Ash woodland at Lyd Hole 4 (SJ414055) on 3rd June 2006 (A.J. Lockton conf. S.J. Whild & F.J. Rumsey, BIRM). This is 3 the first county record for a fern that is probably not all that rare. 2 (cid:1) Another new hybrid fern for the county is 1 Dryopteris xcomplexa nothossp. critica Fraser- Jenkins, the cross between Dryopteris affinis 0 ssp. borreri and D. filix-mas. This was found at Haughmond Hill (SJ547137) on 3rd May 2006 9 (Lockton, conf. F.J. Rumsey and A.C. Pigott, 8 BIRM). It was also found by Pigott & Lockton at Earl’s Hill (SJ412046, 22nd August 2006, 7 BIRM) in the clearing by the Habberley Brook. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (cid:1) The Forestry Commission has planted an interesting selection of exotic trees on (cid:1) Sarah Whild found a plant of Abyssinian Haughmond Hill. One of these is Serbian Mustard Crambe hispanica L., on a roadside in Spruce Picea omorika (Pancic) Purkyne, a Cherry Orchard, Shrewsbury (SJ507128) on stand of which was spotted by Maurice Hoare 28th October 2006 (BIRM). This is a crop plant, growing beside the main track (SJ543137). first found naturalised in the wild in (cid:1) We appealed for records of Heath Dog- Berwickshire in 2004 (where it has since become exceedingly abundant). Our plants violet Viola canina L. in the last edition of Rare were on a grassy verge with Cochlearia danica Plants of Shropshire, as there are very few and Poa annua, and presumably originated properly confirmed record of it in the county. On 13th May this year Paul Bell kindly obliged from seed falling off an agricultural vehicle. by reporting a patch at Prees Heath (SJ557363), (cid:1) Rob Stokes spotted a patch of Eastern which was subsequently confirmed with Cyclamen Cyclamen coum Miller, on a road specimens and photographs. verge at Bowling Green, SJ626259, on 20th February 2006 (conf. S.J. Whild). It was If we take that as a good omen and accept all presumably planted there, originally. reasonably records for the county, the distribution map looks as follows – it appears to (cid:1) One of the most interesting finds of the year have been doing quite well in recent years. was Chaffweed Anagallis minima (L.) E.H. Krause still present at Haughmond Hill (SJ547140) where it was last recorded by Allan McGregor Stirling in 1958. It was found by Sarah Whild on 23rd June 2006 (BIRM) along the edge of one track that has not been surfaced or hemmed in too much by conifers. Apart from the Wyre Forest, where it was rediscovered by John Bingham in 1991 (having first been found by Robert Serjeantson in 1882), this is the only known site for it in the county. 3 Anagallis minima (cid:1) Dan Wrench found a plant of Musk Stork’s-bill Erodium moschatum (L.) L’Her. on a roadside at Sundorne (SJ512147) on 11th April 2006 (conf. S.J. Whild, BIRM), growing 4 as with Cochlearia danica. There seems to be no other evidence of this species spreading 3 along roadsides in Britain. 2 (cid:1) Venus Pool has turned up some interesting new plants this year. In October Mark Lawley 1 found a huge population of Mudwort 0 Limosella aquatica L., around the margin of the pool in the Ornithological Society’s reserve 9 (SJ549060, conf. S.J. Whild & I.C. Trueman, BIRM). The last time this species was recorded 8 in the county was in 1962, when Edward Rutter found it by the river at Preston Montford. It 7 occurs upstream along the Severn in 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Montgomeryshire, and it has been recorded (cid:1) Alternate Water-milfoil Myriophyllum sporadically in Shropshire along the river and in alterniflorum DC. is a scarce plant in pools in the floodplain since Leighton’s time. Shropshire, being known currently only on the (cid:1) Pimhill Farm was made famous this Long Mynd and in the River Tanat. It was once summer by reports on the TV news about a quite widespread in the Meres and was first field full of Cornflower Centaurea cyanus L. found in Britain in ponds at Cole Mere and at SJ492206 (Whild & Lockton, 23rd June Whixall Moss, but it disappeared from the 2006). Crowds gathered at the roadside to Meres & Mosses area at the end of the 19th admire the spectacle, which included huge century. It was therefore quite surprising that populations of Stinking Chamomile Anthemis Sarah Whild and Nick Stewart found it in the cotula and both Long-headed and Common main pool at Brown Moss (SJ563394, BIRM) Poppy Papaver rhoeas and P. dubium. A on 1st August 2006. Whether it came back from curious variety of Ryegrass, Lolium perenne L., long buried seed or was brought into the site with long awns was growing there as well (det. somehow is not known, but it seemed to be C.A. Stace, BIRM). thriving there. It is listed as an axiophyte of low nutrient and slightly acidic waters. (cid:1) Rob Stokes found some plants of Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass. Niger at Coton Hill, Myriophyllum alterniflorum Shrewsbury (SJ4813) on 15th October 2006 (conf. S.J. Whild, BIRM). They were established by a small stream, presumably from 4 bird seed. 3 (cid:1) Vicki Howden, of the Environment Agency, found Needle Spike-rush Eleocharis 2 acicularis (L.) Roemer & Schultes on the edge of the River Severn at Cressage (SJ595046, 18th 1 July 2006, conf. S.J. Whild, BIRM). This is the first time it has been found in the Severn in 0 Shropshire since 1882, when William Beckwith 9 saw it a short distance downstream at Leighton (SJ6004). 8 7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 4 Eleocharis acicularis (cid:1) Mike O’Connor found a clump of Floating Water-plantain Luronium natans (L.) Raf. on the margin of the main pool at Brown Moss, 4 SJ561393, on 15th May 2006 (conf. S.J. Whild, BIRM). It was first discovered at this site by 3 Edward Rutter in 1955, but we believe it died out in the 1980s or early 1990s as a result of 2 successional changes to the vegetation. In the winter of 2004-5, English Nature cut back 1 many of the trees surrounding the pool, and it is 0 apparently as a result of this that the Luronium has reappeared. The first small patch was 9 trampled (by a dog), but Sandra Spence spotted a second, more substantial, patch during the 8 BSBI meeting on 12th August. 7 Luronium natans 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (cid:1) Sarah Whild found Carex xpseudoaxillaris 4 K. Richt., the cross between False Fox-sedge 3 C. otrubae Podp. and Remote Sedge C. remota L. in the Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s new 2 reserve at the Ercall, SJ642095, on 25th May 2006 (conf. M.S. Porter, BIRM). This is the 1 first confirmed record for the county, although there are two earlier field records: in 1871 a 0 Miss Lloyd reported Carex axillaris Good. at 9 Llynclys Pool (SJ2824) and in 1901 Edward Cleminshaw recorded it by the Leominster 8 Canal at Marlbrook (SO6670). Carex axillaris is a possible synonym for C. xpseudoaxillaris, 7 although it was considered at the time to be 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 C. remota (cid:1) C. spicata. Given this uncertainty, and the lack of voucher specimens, it is (cid:1) Clive Stace spotted a patch of Loose Silky- probably best to discount these two early bent Apera spica-venti (L.) P. Beauv. at records. Knockin Heath, SJ3521, on 7th July 2006 (BIRM). It was growing in a perfectly square (cid:1) Last year we predicted that Small-fruited patch close to the roundabout of the A5 Yellow-sedge Carex viridula ssp. viridula Nesscliffe bypass, and it seems possible that it Michx. might reappear at Brown Moss was from seed that had been spilled or following the management works by English deliberately sown there. The last time it was Nature (Newsletter 13, p. 8), so it is gratifying seen in Shropshire was in 1979, when Beryl to announce that it was duly found by Sarah Davies found some plants beside the Whild & Nick Stewart on 1st August 2006 roundabout of the A5 bypass around Gobowen (SJ563394, BIRM). This plant has performed its (SJ306333). disappearing trick before: it was first recorded at Brown Moss by Sinker in 1963, but it died (cid:1) Ruth Dawes noticed a patch of out and was listed as extinct in the county in the Pickerelweed Pontederia cordata L. in a pond Ecological Flora in 1985, only to reappear that at Highley-Alveley Country Park (SO754839, very year in great abundance. It then went into conf. S.J. Whild), where it was most probably decline again, and the last few plants went in planted. This striking plant has been spreading 1997. throughout southern England in recent years, presumably by human hand, because its flowers are quite attractive. 5 FFiieelldd MMeeeettiinngg RReeppoorrttss Alex Lockton & Sarah Whild Venus Pool (SJ5406, 14th June 2006) is the the field trip was good, however, with many Shropshire Ornithological Society’s nature interesting plants seen. Dave Earl led a Rubus reserve near Cound. It is an old gravel pit where meeting on 9th July, starting with a lab-based the SOS has a bird hide and, a few years ago, introduction to the genus at Preston Montford, they decided to create hay meadows on the and then proceeding to Haughmond Hill, where surrounding fields, which had previously been some sixteen species were seen. Some members arable. Ian Trueman masterminded the process, were starting to develop the ID skills by the end bringing fresh hay from several SSSI meadows of the day, so perhaps this is an event to be to strew over the ground, using the process he repeated. described at our winter meeting in 2004. The results so far have been interesting, but the Lower Short Ditch Turbary (SO2482, 6th meadows are certainly not yet like any August) is a small, almost rectangular area of grassland community that occurs in the wild. heathland remaining in a landscape of intensive Apart from the typical grasses, they tend to be farmland and forestry in the hills of south dominated by a small number of species such as Shropshire. It is a pleasant site, but it lacks any Beaked Hawk’s-beard Crepis vesicaria and rarities or species of particular note. Its value is vetches Vicia spp. which would not normally be as a refugium from which, hopefully, the present in any abundance. Having said that, heathland will one day recolonise the they are clearly meadows and it seems very surrounding countryside. The group made a likely that the species that are best adapted to quick excursion along a valley just outside the this habitat will come to dominate in time. reserve to see a huge population of Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris. What is surprising about this experiment, however, is the rare species that have done The BSBI meeting at Brown Moss was attended rather well. Meadow Thistle Cirsium dissectum by 15 people from around the country. What has appeared in damp grassland near the pool. everyone wanted to see, of course, was the This is only the second known site for it in Floating Water-plantain Luronium natans. Shropshire, although it used to be more Brown Moss is famous for it, and it is not common. Green-winged Orchid Orchis morio unusual in the summer to see photographers first turned up there in 2004, and this year Ruth forlornly wandering around in search of it. and Allan Dawes reported hundreds of plants There have been numerous optimistic sightings (the meeting was too late in the year). in the last couple of decades, but no voucher Successful introduction of O. morio has also specimens or even a photograph, and every been reported at Highley-Alveley Country Park, time it is reported we look again, as do so perhaps this species is an easy one to researchers from Liverpool University. They establish. Other plants that seem to have are always false alarms, as this is one of the translocated are Pale Sedge Carex pallescens, easiest species to confuse with others. Smooth Brome Bromus racemosus and Heath Grass Danthonia decumbens. Common Happily, this year it really did turn up, and we Spotted-orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsia was duly photographed it and collected a voucher already present, but has been joined by Heath specimen (under licence, of course). When the Spotted D. maculata and Southern Marsh BSBI group visited, the original patch had D. praetermissa and the hybrids D. xgrandis disappeared, but Sandra Spence found a second (fuchsia × praetermissa) and D. xhallii population further along the margin of the main (maculata × praetermissa). pool. Our trip to the Long Mynd to look at The group also admired the Small-fruited Hymenophyllum wilsonii was disappointing in Yellow-sedge Carex viridula ssp. viridula, hot, dry weather on 24th June. There was no which was at that time apparently rather rare fern to be seen – either because we couldn’t along the eastern side of the main pool. Later in find it or because it dies down in the summer at the year it was more abundant, so we evidently this, its most easterly site in Britain. The rest of overlooked many seedlings. These two species, 6 and Lesser Water-plantain Baldellia fulfil its legal obligations under the CROW act ranunculoides, are the main successes of the to manage the site appropriately. restoration work by English Nature over the last few years. That work was undertaken not so A small but again rather successful restoration much to conserve the rare plants as to eradicate initiative by SCC was of Pool 10, which they New Zealand Pigmyweed Crassula helmsii. It cleared of scrub earlier in the year. This was the failed in that objective, but the site has only place at Brown Moss where Great Pond- benefited as a result. sedge Carex riparia grew. When the BSBI group gathered to inspect it, we noticed that the The success at Brown Moss could be short- large stand, now growing in full sunlight, was lived. The Baldellia appeared in 2005 but not remarkably large, with leaves up to 4cm wide. again in 2006. A sustainable population needs Subsequent research showed that this was by to flower and set fruit, which means that it far the greatest leaf width ever recorded for this needs open, sunny conditions and regular but sedge (or, for that matter, of any member of the light disturbance such as that caused by low- Cyperaceae) in Britain. intensity cattle grazing. Luronium natans has very similar habitat requirements. It has proven Other interesting plants noticed at the field easy enough to get a few plants to germinate meeting include the liverwort Fossombronia from the seed bank, but the work of restoring incurva, Weedy Frillwort – a plant that had not this site has only just started. Shropshire been recorded in Shropshire before this year – County Council is yet to address the issue of which was collected by Martin Godfrey and, grazing or otherwise controlling natural possibly, the hybrid between Carex rostrata succession. Ironically, perhaps, the successes of and vesicaria (C. xinvoluta), which was the last couple of years puts the County Council collected and is now in cultivation, waiting for in a more vulnerable position: now that it has full confirmation. This hybrid was found at been shown that the management works, it Brown Moss by Charles Sinker in 1959 but has needs to be implemented if the Council is to not been recorded there since. 7 DDoo tthhee ttwwoo ccoommmmoonn ssuubbssppeecciieess ooff RRaannuunnccuulluuss ffiiccaarriiaa ffaavvoouurr ddiiffffeerreenntt hhaabbiittaattss iinn SShhrrooppsshhiirree?? Ron Shoubridge and Sarah Whild In Shropshire, there are three sub-species of one open length. Thirty separate Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria recorded populations along a 300m length were (out of the four in Britain). Two are widespread examined; 27 of these were ssp. bulbilifer and common (R. ficaria ssp. bulbilifer and R. and 3 were ssp. ficaria. All ssp. ficaria ficaria ssp. ficaria) and one is somewhat rare, populations were growing in the open, and having been recorded from just one location (R. all ssp. bulbilifer populations were growing ficaria ssp. ficariiformis). in the shade. R. ficaria ssp. bulbilifer is a sparse-flowering 2. Gallows Bank. This is an area of open plant with a few bulbils in the leaf axes grassland with a few scrubby areas and is (forming after anthesis – i.e. after the flowers intersected by numerous mown paths. No are fully open). R. ficaria ssp. ficaria is a much ssp. bulbilifer were found at this site, but more prolifically flowering plant, with no several scattered plants of ssp. ficaria were creamy white bulbils or tubers forming in the found plus a large disturbed area of roughly leaf axils. It should be noted that all Lesser 12 square metres with over 60% cover of Celandines have underground tubers so it is ssp. ficaria. important to look for the bulbils in the leaf axils, not at the very base of the plant. 3. Foldgate Lane. This is a narrow tract of land bounded on both sides by low banks The first published reference to any habitat and hedges. It runs north-south and receives preference for the two species is in Taylor and a large amount of sun. No ssp. bulbilifer Markham (1978) where they state that the were found, but several scattered plants of ‘bulbiferous form is more local and found ssp. ficaria were found at the foot of the chiefly in shade’ but no exact reference is given banks where there was little competition. for this information. Stace (1997) states that both subspecies occur commonly throughout CCoonncclluussiioonnss the British Isles and habitats of the two do not It is impossible to draw conclusions from a differ overall. Sell in Rich and Jermy (1998) small sample such as this but it does form the makes reference to both subspecies being basis for a hypothesis – does ssp. bulbilifer under-recorded and refers to ssp. bulbilifer as a prefer shade, as suggested by Taylor and weed in gardens and roadside verges. Tutin et al Markham (1978)? As it produces mostly (1993) do not separate out habitats for the vegetatively and produces few flowers and very different subspecies but do mention that few fertile achenes, it would be better adapted Ranunculus ficaria s.l. occurs in mostly shady to shade, whereas ssp. ficaria flowers profusely, places. Preston, Pearman and Dines (2002) and sets fertile seed, being insect pollinated by describe the ecological preferences as unclear. bees, small flies and beetles (ibid.). Sinker et al. (1985) refer to habitat differences but make no reference to shade; however, So, can we make a plea for recorders to look for Halliday (1997) mentions that ssp. bulbilifer these two subspecies in 2007, please, and to grows in shaded and usually anthropogenic make a note of the shade, and surrounding places. vegetation, especially if there is an established woodland flora present. Please note that the two The preferences of the two species were tested subspecies can only be recorded accurately by examining three sites in and around Ludlow. after the flowers are fully open, and often more successfully when the flowers have faded and 1. Dark Lane. This is a paved pedestrian way the achenes are formed. Please send records to bounded on both sides by tall hedges and Sarah Whild, [email protected]. small trees, mostly in deep shade but with 8 Distribution of the two common subspecies in Shropshire R. ficaria ssp. ficaria R. ficaria ssp. bulbilifer 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 0 0 9 9 8 8 7 7 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 RReeffeerreenncceess Halliday, G. 1997. A Flora of Cumbria. Centre for North-West Regional Studies, University of Lancaster. Preston, C.D., Pearman, D.A. & Dines, T.D. 2002. New Atlas of the British & Irish Flora. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Rich, T.C.G. & Jermy, A.C. 1998. Plant Crib 1998. Botanical Society of the British Isles, London. Sinker, C.A., Packham, J.R., Trueman, I.C., Oswald, P.H., Perring, F.H. & Prestwood, W.V. 1985. Ecological Flora of the Shropshire Region. Shropshire Trust for Nature Conservation, Shrewsbury. Stace, C.A. 1997. New Flora of the British Isles, 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Taylor, K. & Markham, B. 1978. Biological flora of the British Isles. Ranunculus ficaria L. (Ficaria verna Huds.; F. ranunculoides Moench). J. Ecology 66, 1011–1031. Tutin, T.G., Burges, N.A., Chater, A.O., Edmondson, J.R., Heywood, V.H., Moore, D.M., Valentine D.H., Walters S.M., and Webb D.A. 1993. Flora Europaea, 2nd ed. vol. 1. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 9