Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

210Poa nemoralis. Wood meadow-grass.Near Fisher's Gate, rare, A. H. Wolley-Dod (Wolley-Dod 1937). Frequent on the Forest (Hall1980).Locally frequent on dry banks and in sunken lanes, especially around the edges of theForest.Local in Sussex, but widespread in Britain. Widespread in Europe, Asia and NorthAmerica.Dactylis g/omerata. Cock's-foot.Recorded in every square on the Forest, mainly on verges and waste ground. It is highlypalatable and does not persist in heavily grazed pastures.Ubiquitous in Sussex and lowland Britain. A very variable species which is widespreadin Europe, temperate Asia and North Africa.'* Catapodium rigidum (Desmazeria rigida). Fern-grass.A few plants on a realigned section of the A22 on Millbrook Hill (438.296), 1994, TR;frequent on limestone chippings on a turning circle at Pippingford Park (456.312) andpresumably introduced with the chippings, 1995, Flora meeting.A calcicole locally frequent on the Downs in Sussex, and occasional elsewhere, but3 generally widespread in lowland south-east England. It occurs in southern and westernEurope reaching its northern limit in Scotland; in North Africa and western Asia.4 5*Catapodium marinum (Desmazeria marina). Sea fern-grass.Scattered over 9 metres on the verges of the A22 on open ground by the south-east cornerof Kidbrook Park (420.336), pH 7.5, TR, 1994 (no other saline species present). In 1995the plants had spread an additional 31 metres to the north, and PW found two on thepavement edge about 100 yards further on. Assuming that a similar 4-5-fold increase in3 population size has occurred each year, the plant arrived some time around 1989/1990.Scattered along the coast in Sussex on shingle, dunes and cliffs, and our record is thefirst inland one. West and southern coasts of Europe and North Africa.4 5*Glyceria maxima. Reed sweet-grass.Tetrads 42P and 43Q (Hall 1980).Variegated plants in pond, Broadstone Warren (415.326), 1995, TR; variegated plantsin pond at Tompset's Bank (423.338), 1995, PW; normal plants introduced to Ellison's Pondand forming large stands (462.288), 1993, NM et al. Variegated plants are available in]-+-+-----4-some garden centres, but as they grow rapidly they are often dumped in ponds elsewhere.In Britain it often occurs in nutrient-rich water, especially with high phosphate levels,and on substrates with a high mineral content such as river alluvium. It usually occurs inshallow water and may develop as a floating raft, is rarely found in deep water, and is4 5uncommon in fast-flowing water. The water and soils on the Forest are not really suitablefor it. It is also very palatable to stock.Locally frequent along the larger rivers and in the grazing marshes in Sussex, but not common in the Weald. Itoccurs on flood-plain fens, river banks, ditches, lake margins and rarely in wet meadows. In the lowlands north tonorthern England, but very uncommon in Wales and Scotland. Widespread in most of Europe and temperate Asia.