Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

Although one of Britain's tiniest plants and thus easily overlooked, it does seem to be becoming rarer. It is now onlycaliy frequent in Britain in the Weald, the Surrey heaths and the New Forest, and very scattered near the coastsIsewhere. Mainly western in Europe, and in temperate Asia and Africa.127OLYGALACEAEolygala vulgaris. Common milkwort.Nine tetrad records from the Forest in Hall (1980), but we do not believe them all!This species usually occurs in moderately to strongly calcareous soils (pH 5-8, Grime etal. 1988) and the Forest is generally quite unsuitable for it. Our records have all been4 5checked carefully and are as follows: meadow at Pipping ford Park 1449.2981, 1995, TR;verge at Marlpits 1454.2881, 1995, Flora meeting; Marsh Green 146.331, 1994, SBRS; vergeby Radio Station 1474.2871, pH 7.4, 1994, Flora meeting.Widespread on the chalk in Sussex but in the light of our experience possibly somewhatover-recorded elsewhere? Widespread in Britain predominantly on calcareous soils, anddecreasing in England probably due to habitat loss IRich & Woodruff 1996). Widespread inestern Europe. We have not investigated which of the two subspecies occur,This species has all lower leaves alternate; P. serpyllifolia has at least some opposite pairs but they often drop off~arly so examine the position of the nodes if in doubt (Rich & Rich 1988),olygala serpyllifolia. Heath milkwort.~~!t.3rJAshdown Forest, 1893, T. Hilton IBTN). Frequent on the Forest IHall 1980).Our distribution maps shows it widespread on the southern slopes where there is openheath land and grassland, The small blue flowers are noticeable in May when the vegetation isopen, but they are present all summer.In Sussex locally frequent in acidic grass lands and on heaths. In Britain most frequent inthe north and west, but scattered throughout, Strongly western in Europe, and in Greenland,45IPPOCASTANACEAEAesculus hippoc8stanum, Horse-chestnut.Common in Sussex and on the Forest (Hall 1980),We have recorded it most frequently around the Forest on the richer soils and in thevillages, Many trees must have been planted but it does regenerate commonly by itself,Widely established in Britain, Native in south-eastern Europe.3 -I-i'"-____---'"'-+_The conker crop in 1995 was very poor, probably due to the dry summer, The treesused for the National Conker championships similarly only produced about 30 conkers from200 trees.4 5A,CERACEAEAcer pJatanoides. Norway maple.Four tetrads on the west side of the Forest IHal1 1980).Surprisingly frequent in some places, for instance from the Ridge Road to near StoneCottage 144.32, 44.33, 45,331, 1995, PW, or north-west of Nutley 143.281. 1995, TR & MM.Recorded around the edge of the Forest, mainly associated with houses but often naturalized3 -I-.-___.._-----'-+_ away from them.4 5Scattered in Sussex and increasingly recorded as naturalized in England (Rich & Woodruff1996). Native in Europe from e?stern France to Asia.A concrete post by the Radio Station has the impression of a maple leaf, the work ofCanadian soldiers present during the war IAFN 29; 15).