Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

165Viburnum OpUIU5.Guelder-rose, Stink-tree.Common on the Forest (Hall 1980).Widespread mainly around the edges of the Forest, often on the more mineral-rich clayeysoils. It tends to occur as scattered bushes along hedges and ditch sides, in damp scrubbywoodland, and occasionally on the wet alluvial soils in the valleys,The leaves have inter-floral nectaries at their base which are a common feature of leavesof tropical plants to attract ants; none have been seen on our plants!It is widespread in England and rarer in Scotland, and in Europe, except the south andAsia.* Viburnum lantana. Wayfaring-tree.Poundfield, Crowborough, E. D. Morgan (Wolley-Dod 1937).Not refound, In Sussex this is a typical plant of chalk scrub, and there are occasional records from the Weald usuallyon railway banks (Hall 1980), It is widespread on calcareous soils in lowland southern England, in central and southernEurope and in Asia and North Africa.* Viburnum rhytidiaphyllum. Wrinkled viburnum.One plant, Chelwood Corner (426.288), probably planted, 1994, PH/SBRS.It is widely planted in Britain and originated in China.3 -f--f--------'_\_4 5* Symphoricarpos a/bus (5. rivu/aris). Snowberry.Four tetrads around the Forest (Hall 1980).Small patches are established on road verges, wood edges, stream sides and outsidegardens around the Forest. It was first introduced to Britain in 1817 and has been widelyplanted for game cover and ornament. It is now widespread in Britain and still increasing3 (Rich & Woodruff 1996).It is native in North America, where it occurs from the lowlands to sub-montane habitats,on a wide range of soil types. It is usually found in forest edge" vegetation which matches itspattern in Britain. Seeds require hot summers and cold winters before they will germinate and4 5reproduction from seed seems to be a rare event in Britain, most of the spread beingvegetative" The white berries are not attractive to birds and often rot on the plants (Gilbert 1995).* Symphoricarpos x chenau/tii. Pink snowberry.Chelwood Corner (426.288), 1994, PH det. A. C. Leslie; entrance to Trees car park(433.306, and missed by TR on three occasions), 1995, PW.This hybrid is possibly more widespread than we have realised - it has leaves hairy onthe midrib underneath and pink berries. It originated in cultivation in Holland and was first3 introduced to 8ritain in 1955 (Gilbert 1995).4 5*Leycesteria formosa. Himalayan honeysuckle.One plant, Chelwood Corner (427.287), 1994, TR; seedlings, Pippingford Park (44.30), 1993,S8RS; planted and self-sown on lane north of Forest Lodge (452.263), 1995, TR; two largebushes on back drive to Old lands Hall (474.274), 1995, TR et al.Only recorded from near Battle in East Sussex (Hall 1980), but becoming more3 widespread in England (Rich & Woodruff 1996). Native in the Himalaya and China.4 5