BSBINews - BSBI Archive - Botanical Society of the British Isles

Report of overseas field meeting - 2009 - Paramos of Northern Castile (Spain) 53
speckled with orange. Some well-grown
plants of Polygonatum multiflorum
(Solomon's-seal), clumps of pale-blue Scilla
verna (Spring Squill) and a sheet of Fritillaria
pyrenaica (Pyrenean Snakeshead), the flowers
sadly well past their best, completed the list of
monocots found here.
Teresa confessed to some anxiety as to what
we would find at the head of the valley, above
the Alto Camp60 ski station, because
snowfalls had been heavy and lingering.
However, the sun shone and snowmelt-fed
streams cascaded over the igneous rocks and
peaty soils, revealing the first flushes of a flora
quite different to that of the limestone we
visited most other days. The short turf at
around 2,OOOm was studded with the nodding
pink-purple heads of Erythronium dens-canis
(Dog's-tooth-violet) and drifts of the smallest
of all trumpet daffodils, Narcissus jacetanus
ssp. vasconicus, with straight cylindrical
trumpets and thin, transparent or browning,
spathes, as well as a few of the tiny hooppetticoat
daffodil: N. bulbocodium ssp. nivalis.
Leslie pointed out that, like many montane
species, these narcissi have the simplest
genetic make-up, both being diploids.
Here too we came across splendidly floriferous
clumps of Spring Gentian (Gentiana
verna) , as well as Thlaspi caerulescens
(Alpine Penny-cress), Pinguicula grandiflora
(Large-flowered Butterwort), Ajuga pyramidalis
(Pyramidal Bugle) and Cruciata glabra.
Several pteridophytes were seen only here
during the week, notably Selaginella selaginoides
(Lesser Clubmoss) Cryptogramma
crispa (Parsley Feru) , Dryopteris oreades
(Mountain Male-fern) and, curiously, given
the granite bedrock, Polystichum lonchitis
(Holly-fern) .
A little further down the valley we paused to
examine the head-high scrub of pink-flowered
Erica australis (Spanish Heath; in full bloom),
white-flowered E. arborea (Tree Heath; still
in bud) and the greenweed Genista obtusiramea,
endemic to north-western Iberia, among
which were growing less lofty Erica vagans
(Cornish Heath), Calluna vulgaris (Ling),
Pterospartium tridentatum, with undulate,
toothed wings on the stems, and Genista
anglica (Petty Whin). A second stop at the
Mirador de la Joyanca turned up some delightful
Narcissus triandrus (Angel's-tears), as
well as the striking Daboecia cantabrica (St
Dabeoc's Heath), plus Moenchia erecta
(Upright Chickweed), Arenaria montana
(Large-flowered Sandwort) and white-flowered
Potentilla montana, whose leaves are
toothed only at the tip.
On our return trip to Mave we visited an area
of wet, acid pastures to the north of Salcedillo,
dominated by Nardus stricta (Mat-grass).
Colour was provided by pink and purple
Lathyrus linifolius (Bitter-vetch), Vicia
orobus (Upright Vetch), Pedicularis sylvatica
(Lousewort), Dactylorhiza maculata (Heath
Spotted-orchid) and some lovely pale-rosetinted
Orchis morio, plus yellow Pedicularis
schizocalyx (an Iberian endemic), Scorzonera
humilis (Viper's-grass), Dactylorhiza
sambucina var. lutea (Elder-flowered Orchid)
and Narcissus bulbocodium ssp. bulbocodium.
There was just enough time left for a quick
visit to the Romanesque collegiate church at
Cervatos, which is renowned for the 'erotic'
gargoyles that decorate the eaves; frankly we
were astonished that such graphic sculptures
should adorn a place of worship!
16 th May - Paramo de La Lora (Bu & S)
Although the day started with heavy cloud, it
steadily improved to become sunny and warm,
but was very windy throughout. Our first stop
was on a grassy hillside amongst limestone
outcrops on the southern margin of the
Paramo, where we found striking clumps of
Adonis vernalis (Yellow Pheasant's-eye) and
the lovely scarlet peony Paeonia officinalis
ssp. microcarpa. Orchids were abundant, in
particular Orchis purpurea (Lady Orchid),
o. mascula (Early Purple Orchid), Anacamptis
morio and Orchis anthropophora, plus
Ophrys lutea, O. jusca and O. sphegodes.
Along the edges of the cereal fields we
encountered Ranunculus arvensis (Corn
Buttercup), with its 'spiny' carpels, the Iberian
endemic mignonette Reseda barrelieri,
Androsace maxima (Annual Androsace) and
Asperula arvensis (Blue Woodruff).