Shropshire - Botanical Society of the British Isles

B. racemosus, so voucher specimens really areessential.The existing field records are as follows:Hadnall (SJ5220), William Phillips, 1878;Sutton Maddock (SJ7201), William Painter,1894; Hopesay (SO3884), T.E. Mitchell, 1977;Wentnor (SO3794), Joyce Warren, 1978; PriestWeston (SO2896), Joyce Roper, 1982; Oreton(SO6580), I.C. Trueman, 1994; MarketDrayton (SO6735), Trueman, 1995. It wouldbe interesting to have confirmation of any ofthese records.Bromus racemosus L.Smooth BromeArchaeophyte. Rare.This is a grass of damp, unimproved meadowsthat has never been common in Shropshire. InLeighton’s Flora it is listed in just two sites:Hadnall (SJ5220, Elsmere) and Coalbrookdale(SJ6604, Dickinson). There was a record inHamilton’s Flora of 1913 for it at BenthallEdge (SJ6503). G.H. Griffiths recorded it at AllStretton (SO4695) in 1870, but all his recordsmust be treated with caution. Anotherunconfirmed record for it was at Morton Pool(SJ3024) in 1981, by Peter Welsh & ChrisWalker.It was found by Sarah Whild to be locallyabundant in a meadow on Shropshire WildlifeTrust’s Melverley Farm (SJ5840) in 1998. Ithas subsequently been collected in a field atAstley Abbots (SO7096) by Mark Lawley in1999; at Lower Broughton (SO3190) by DaveBuckingham in 2000; and at Berrington Pool(SJ5207) by Whild. All four recent recordswere confirmed by L.M. Spalton.Bromus secalinus L.Rye BromeArchaeophyte. Extinct (1904).This species is considered to be an introductionthat formerly survived as an agricultural weed.It was recorded by Williams in a field atBerrington (SJ5206) in 1797 was also listed inLeighton’s Flora at Hadnall (SJ5220, Elsmere),Oakly Park (SO4876, Spare), Stanwardine(SJ4024, Bowman), and Sharpstone Hill(SJ4909, Leighton). In 1904 Augustin Leyfound it as a cornfield casual on WenlockEdge, and it has not been recorded since.Calamagrostis canescens (Wigg.) RothPurple Small-reedNative. Scarce.This species is mostly restricted to the meres inShropshire, where sometimes it is quiteabundant in W5 Alnus glutinosa woodland. Ithas been recorded at the following sites:Alkmund Park Pool (SJ4716, Wigginton,1979), Betton Pool (SJ5107, Wigginton, 1979),Birchgrove Pool (SJ4323, Wigginton, 1979),Blake Mere (SJ5542, J.M. Hooson, 1993),Bomere Pool (SJ4908, Newbold & Walker,1985), Cole Mere (SJ4333, J.E. Bowman,1841), Crose Mere (SJ4230, Bowman, 1841;Wigginton, 1979; Whild & Lockton, 2003),Fenemere (SJ4422, Rose, 1959, and manyrecorders since, most recently Lockton 2003),Hencott Pool (SJ4916, Williams, 1800 andmany since, most recently Lockton, 2003),Marton Pool, Baschurch (SJ4423, Williams,1800; C. Fuller & P. Richards, 1968), MartonPool, Chirbury (SJ2902, Wigginton, 1979),Morton Pool (SJ3023, Tattersfield, 1991;Lockton, 2003), Oss Mere (SJ5643, Skelding,1951; Wigginton, 1979; A. Hillman & C.Walker, 1991), Shomere Pool (SJ5008,Lockton, 2003), and Sweat Mere (SJ4330,Sinker, 1958; Wigginton, 1979; W. Fojt, B.Wheeler & S. Shaw, 1986; Lockton, 2003).It has been recorded in four sites that are notmeres. Williams had it on ditch banks aboutBattlefield (SJ5116) and Sundorne (SJ5215) inabout 1800. It was first recorded in the OldRiver Bed in Shrewsbury (SJ4915) in 1963(J.M. Way, ABRN), and subsequently by ChrisWalker in 1979, Adrian Bayley & DaveSmallshire in 1983, Gill Castle in 1992, SarahWhild in 1995, and Jane Ing in 2002. Castlealso found it in an area of wet woodland inTelford (SJ6905) in 1998 (det. Whild).Rare Plants of Shropshire 27