Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

182been the use of English names by inexperienced recorders as both F. vulgaris and G. u/iginosum have been called commoncudweed.Locally abundant in eastern England and rarer elsewhere. It is decreasing (Rich & Woodruff 1996). West, central andsouthern Europe, western Asia and North Africa.Filago minima. Least cudweed.There are a few early records for Filago minima in the Ashdown Forest area: "On AshdownForest, about the Stone Quarry near Kidbrook" {Coleman 18361; Fairwarp, E. H. Farr;Ashdown Forest, Miss M. Cobbe (Wolley-Dod 1937) but it was not recorded in Hall (1980).In 1993 AK found a small colony together with Ornithopus on a roadside near Goat3 -+1-------'+ cross-roads (397.332) from which the scrub had been recently cleared. In 1994 the site wasbecoming overgrown and the number of plants of Filago and Ornithopus had declined. By4 51995 the site had become completely overgrown with gorse, birch and bramble, and neitherspecies could be found. Given the conditions under which they originally appeared if thescrub were cleared again the plants would probably reappear.Like all species of Filago, F. minima is declining nationally (Rich & Woodruff 1996). The British distribution shows adistinct preference for the east of the country but the Sussex distribution is concentrated in West Sussex where the sandycommons, pits and fields which are its preferred habitat are more common. It seems never to have been common in EastSussex and our site is the only one currently known in the vice-county. One reason for its scarcity on Ashdown Forestmay be that the sand is more clayey and moister than the main West Sussex sites.Widespread in Sussex, Britain and Europe, except in the north.Gnaphalium sylvaticum (Omalotheca sylvatica). Wood cudweed.On Ashdown Forest, in pits by the road near Leg's Heath Gate (Coleman 1836). Crowborough, Miss M. Cobbe (Wolley·Dod1937). Tetrad 42T (Hall 1980).Presumed extinct. No plants were found during our survey and it seems that this plant has declined significantly sincethe 19605 and 19705 when the data for Hall was collected. Whereas Hall shows 27 tetrad records for East Sussex thereare no recently confirmed records for the vice-county. The reason for its recent scarcity is unclear as its typical habitat ofopen areas and rides in woodland is still relatively common.Nationally it is widespread but is believed to be declining (Farrell 1994; Rich & Woodruff 1996). Widespread inEurope, and a calcifuge. Also in North America.Gnaphalium u/iginosum (Filaginella u/iginosa). Marsh cudweed (Common cudweed).Common in damp, rather bare or disturbed places all over the Forest.In Sussex it is common everywhere except on the chalk. It occurs over most of Englandand Wales but becomes increasingly scarce toward the north of Scotland, It is one of thecommonest species on mud, and very variable in size in response to the growth conditions(Salisbury 1970).Widespread in Britain. Europe, western Asia and North America.Pulicaria dysenterica. Common fleabane.Widespread on the Forest in damp grassland, road verges and on woodland rides especially onthe clays, usually as small scattered patches but also sometimes in abundance as in meadowsnear Home Farm (444.304). Once the flowers open in July they are very attractive toinsects, and they somet'lmes seem to shimmer with brimstones and meadow browns.Recorded in 90% of the tetrads in Sussex (Hall 1980). Widespread in lowland Britainand locally common north to the Scottish border. West, central and southern Europe north toDenmark. Asia Minor and North Africa.Solidago virgaurea. Goldenrod.Common on the Forest (Hall 1980).Locally frequent in open woodland, scrubby heath land and on road banks (Plate 3).Frequent in the High Weald and on other acidic soils in Sussex.Widespread on acidic soils, especially in western Britain and interestingly also on chalkdowns and cliffs in east Kent (FR, pers. comm, 1996), Widespread in Europe, Asia and NorthAmerica.