BSBINews - BSBI Archive - Botanical Society of the British Isles

More documents

Recommendations

Info

12 Notes - New records of Monotropa hypopitys ssp. hypophegea at Newport (v.c.35) New records of Monotropa hypopitys ssp. hypophegea (Yellow Bird's-nest) on an industrial site at Newport (v.c.35) TREVOR G. Ev ANS, La Cuesta, Mountain Road, Chepstow, Gwent, NP 16 5BS, ROGER JAMES, SINEAD LYNCH & STEPHANIE 1. TYLER On 10 th July 2009 Trevor Evans (TGE), Stephanie Tyler (SJT) and Roger James (RJ), together with Sinead Lynch from Newport City Council, visited the lagoons and surrounding areas at the former Alpha Steel (now Mir) works at Newport (ST337845) to carry out a botanical survey. In the mid- 1980s, Martyn Jones, TGE and SJT had botanised at the site, when thousands of plants of Epipactis palustris (Marsh Helleborine) occurred on deposited material around the red lagoons and 500-1000 Dactylorhiza praetermissa (Southern Marsh-orchid), Anacamptis pyramidalis (Pyramidal Orchid) and Ophrys apifera (Bee Orchid) grew in surrounding grassland (Evans, 2007). Much tipping has occurred at the site in the intervening years, destroying much of the immediate surroundings of the lagoons. Areas of grassland have also developed into Betula pendula (Silver Birch), B. pubescens (Downy Birch) and Salix cinerea (Grey Willow) scrub. We found many fewer orchids - a scattering of Epipactis palustris and hybrid Dactylorhiza fuchsii x D. maculata (Common Spotted x Heath Spotted-orchids), a small number of Dactylorhiza praetermissa, and two flowers of Ophrys apifera. However, in a narrow strip of scrub woodland carpeted with Hedera helix (Ivy) RJ noted some 'broomrapes'. We were excited to see about 100 emerging Monotropa hypopitys (Yellow Bird's-nest). Later, at a different location, we found three more Monotropa concentrations numbering about 300 plants. SJT then noticed a patch of Pyrola sp. (wintergreen) with 10-20 flowering spikes, but all still in bud in denser birch woodland. Unknown to us at the time, Heather Colls, when taking a botanical walk around the nearby Newport Wetlands Reserve on 7th July had discovered another 100 plant popUlation of the Monotropa in scrub birch/willow woodland on ash from the former Uskmouth Power Station. On 17th July TGE and SJT returned to the Mir site to check the subspecies of Monotropa and to see whether the Pyrola buds had opened. The Monotropa was ssp. hypophegea, and it was evident that two areas with Monotropa were in the form of a circle around Salix cinerea and birch bushes. The wintergreen proved to be P. rotundifolia (Roundleaved Wintergreen). In Monmouthshire (v.c.35) Monotropa is a rarity, being confined to limestone woodland under Fagus sylvatica (Beech) at Blackcliff (Evans, 2007). The discovery of this species at two former industrial sites near Newport is therefore of some interest and reminiscent of the discovery of Monotropa hypopitys ssp. hypophegea in 2004 by P. Jones in a fairy ring on pulverised fly-ash under birch and willow trees at Pwll near Burry Port in West Glamorgan. Jones (2008) discussed the relationship between Monotropa and Tricholoma fungi. Pryce (2005) reported on a visit in July 2004 to see the recently discovered popUlation of Monotropa at Pwll. On that visit both Pyrola minor (Common Wintergreen) and P. rotundifolia were also found. In Monmouthshire, Pyrola rotundifolia was known from just one site (Evans, 2007), so the discovery of the species at Mir Works is also of note. The future of the lagoons and surrounding areas at Mir Works near Newport are uncertain. Foreign investors have bought this area from Mir and presumably intend to develop it. Apart from the species noted above, the site has much else of interest - extensive patches of Lathyrus sylvestris (Narrow-leaved Everlasting-pea) and abundant Lotus glaber (Narrow-leaved Bird's-foot-trefoil), as well as occasional plants of Sisymbrium altissimum (Tall Rocket). More than 140 plant species were found in July 2009. On the phone Phyl Abbot informed TGE that Grass Wood, Yorkshire, also produced an
Notes - New records of Monotropa at Newport (v.c.35) I Progress report on habitat management 13 projects unexpected, large colony of Monotropa this year. Are there any more surprise populations? References: EVANS, T.G. (2007). The Flora ofMonmouthshire. The Chepstow Society. JONES, P. (2008). Monotropa hypopitys (Yellow Bird's-nest) and tree/fungus partners. BSBI News 109: 40. PRYCE, R. (2005). Carmarthenshire Recording Week, Glynhir. BSBI News 99: 59. Progress report on habitat management projects BRIAN LANEY, 5 South Close, Long Buckby, Northants., NN6 7PX Since 2001 the number of voluntary habitat management projects I am involved in seems ever growing. In 2009 some of the projects seem to be paying off. Arabis glabra (Tower Mustard) has done very well at its site south of Gerrard's Cross in Bucks., with at least 200 rosettes and 26 flowering plants on the 2 nd August 2009, in an open disturbed strip that was created for the species back in November 2008 by myself and Dave Shute. Rabbits do occur on the site and some flower heads do get knocked back, but disturbance they create can awaken dormant Tower Mustard seed. I am hoping with help from fellow botanists to create further open strips for this species in late 2009. Allium oleraceum (Field Garlic) has also done extremely well on the A3400 roadside bank in Warwickshire in 2009. On the 27th July I lost count at around 1032 flowering plants, the best count I have had at this site for this species since I started working on the site back in 2001. Even though the bank is cleared in November by myself and other helpers, it must have been completely cut some time in June this year by the grass cutting contractors. This has not been a bad thing for the species as the vegetation was short on my July visit and the Field Garlic has benefited from this late cutting this year. Orchis anthropophora (Man Orchid) at Ufton Fields, its only site in Warwickshire, is gradually increasing in number. A few years ago myself and Paul Stanley could only locate one rosette of this species. Since my involvement with habitat management for the species at Ufton Fields, the population is up to 15 rosettes this year, a number of these being juvenile rosettes around more mature ones. There was one nice flowering specimen, much admired by members of the Hardy Orchid Society, who were queuing to photograph it on a meeting I was leading for the society on the 13 th June. The Man Orchid areas are caged during flowering time but are opened up during the winter to let the grazing rabbits back in. Any long vegetation is also cut and raked off. Himantoglossum hircinum (Lizard Orchid) near Bristol in Gloucestershire is doing O.K., even though the number of flowering plants each year drops a bit. Fellow botanists have recorded seven flowering plants this year. However, the number of wintergreen rosettes in February 2009 stood at 36. A number of these were new rosettes, buried in blackthom scrub, which was cleared to let more light onto these rosettes. The roadside bank for this species is cut and raked off in February each year, which is also a good time to locate rosettes of this species, which need the scrub or rank vegetation cleared away from them. I do hope one year the medium-sized Sycamores on the Lizard Orchid bank do get removed. The large fallen sycamore leaves bury even large Lizard Orchid rosettes quite easily! Sadly on a number of visits to Brogborough in Beds, I could not locate any plants this year of Melampyrum arvense (Field Cow-wheat). I have been involved with this species, cooperating with Graham Bellamy, the Beds. Conservation Officer and others over recent years, trying to get habitat management conditions just right for this species here. I do hope this species is not completely lost from Bedfordshire. I must thank all the help I have had from fellow botanists and their useful advice over the years.
Page 1 and 2: BSBINews September 2009 No. 112 Edi
Page 3 and 4: Editorial & Diary..................
Page 5 and 6: Notes - Taraxacum cymbifolium in Sc
Page 7 and 8: Notes - Juncus fasciculatus Koch in
Page 9 and 10: Notes - Juncus fasciculatus Koch in
Page 11 and 12: Notes - Epipactis leptochila comple
Page 13: Notes - Alchemilla micans at Keeper
Page 18: 16 Notes - Squirrel-stripping of na
Page 21 and 22: Notes - Rare species at Barry Docks
Page 23 and 24: Notes - Colonisation of the rampart
Page 25 and 26: Notes - Teratology - a revival? 23
Page 27 and 28: Notes - Teratology - a revival? / T
Page 29 and 30: Notes - The abortive 'Penguin' Flor
Page 31 and 32: Aliens - Habitat of Cochlearia mega
Page 33 and 34: Aliens - Planted aliens I Vegetativ
Page 35 and 36: Aliens - Botanical delights at Seaf
Page 37 and 38: Botany in Literature - 51- Arthur C
Page 39 and 40: Botany in Literature - 51- Arthur C
Page 41: Echium rosulatum (Lax Viper's-buglo
Page 44 and 45: Ammi visnaga (Toothpick Plant) Call
Page 46 and 47: 40 Notices - 2010 Winston Churchill
Page 48 and 49: 42 Field meeting reports: 2008 - Li
Page 50 and 51: 44 Field meeting reports: 2008 - Li
Page 52 and 53: 46 Field meeting reports: 2009 - Co
Page 54 and 55: 48 Field meeting reports: 2009 - Pa
Page 56 and 57: 50 Field meeting reports: 2009 - Ni
Page 58 and 59: 52 Report of overseas field meeting
Page 64 and 65:
58 Report of overseas field meeting
Page 66 and 67:
60 Conference Report - 2009 - BSBI
Page 68 and 69:
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
66 Profile of new Honorary Member -
Page 74 and 75:
68 Recorders and Recording / Obitua
Page 76 and 77:
70 Notes from the Officers - BSBI P
Page 79:
Notes from the Officers - Coordinat
Page 82 and 83:
ADMINISTRATION and IMPORTANT ADDRES
Page 84:
Scilla lilio-hyacinthus & Corydalis
show all

BSBINews - BSBI Archive - Botanical Society of the British Isles

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?