Huntingdonshire - Botanical Society of the British Isles

Always very rare in Huntingdonshire and typically confined to old grassland habitats on the
calcareous boulder clay. It has been introduced at Crown Lakes Country Park, Farcet with a
range of other taxa of non-native origin.
Atropa belladonna L.
Deadly Nightshade
National Status: Not scarce, not threatened
County Status: Rare (2 sites, 2 tetrads)
Nene Valley Railway, Wansford Tunnel
Site Grid Reference Last Record
TL080972
TL081972
2009 (DB)
2009 (DB)
Salome Wood TL126778 2009 (DB & LF)
While there are a few historic records from elsewhere in the county, the Wansford Tunnel
record is perhaps the only location where this species is likely to occur as a good native. Here
it is only a short journey as the crow flies to the numerous colonies on the limestone of VC32.
This species status in Salome Wood is uncertain and there is no obvious point of origin, it
may have been introduced on forestry equipment but it might also be a bird dispersed, long
distance colonist.
Athyrium felix-femina (L.) Roth
Lady-fern
National Status: Not scarce, not threatened
County Status: Rare (2 sites, 2 tetrads)
Site Grid Reference Last Record
Holme Fen SSSI, Ralph’s Dyke TL199899 2008 (MM)
Waresley & Gransden Wood SSSI TL2654 (monad) 2002 (Anon)
Our relatively dry climatic regime does not favour this species and it only occurs in low
numbers in a few of our dampest woodlands.
Bolboschoenus maritimus (L.) Palla
Sea Club-rush
National Status: Not scarce, not threatened
County Status: Rare (2 sites, 2 tetrads)
Site Grid Reference Last Record
Manor Farm, near TL136884 2003 (KW)
Portholme SSSI & SAC TL231705 2009 (DB)
This species is common in coastal areas but extends inland into the East Anglian fens. It
occurs mainly on wet, silty substrates particularly where there is a saline influence. It is also
occasionally planted around ponds (Jermy et al. 2007), and this probably best explains this
species presence near Manor Farm.
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