Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

218Elymus caninus. Bearded couch.One patch on north side of Parrock Lane opposite gate (449.345), 1994 +, TR.A species of sunken lanes, riparian woodlands, woods and hedges. Surprisingly rare inSussex as a whole and very rare in East Sussex (Hall 1980). Widespread in Britain, Europeand temperate Asia.3 -+-+-------1.--1-4 5Elytrigia repens (Elymus repens). Common couch.Frequent on road verges and most noticeable in 1995 when the verges were cut later in theyear - it often grows along the edge of the carriageway in the Forest, but will occur onbroader verges and in grassland elsewhere.A variety with long awns (var. aristatusl also occurs (e,g. on verges west of OutbackFarm) but has not been systematically mapped; the main reason for noting it is that it maybe confused by the unwary with Elymus can;nus.Recorded in 93% of the tetrads in Sussex (Hall 19801. Increasing in England (Rich &Woodruff 1996). Widespread in Britain, Europe and temperate Asia.Hordeum sp. Barley.3 -I--1-------L-I--A very puzzling plant occurred on a ride in wet heath near Poundgate (48.28), 1994, PWwhich may be a barley (A. Payne, pers. comm. 1995). It presumably originated from seed inhorse droppings.4 5Hordeum murinum. Wall barley.Chelwood Farm (42.28), 1994, TR; Millbrook car park round the litter bin where dogsurinate (438.299), 1995, TR; lay-by on A22 by Pippingford Park (437.302), 1994, TR. It isalso present just outside the Flora area in several places in Forest Row.This is an annual grass widespread in open communities in warm, dry areas of Europe3 and western Asia. It is a ruderal species of man-made habitats and requires high light4 5intensity, low competition, moderately high soil pH and high soil nitrogen and phosphorus(Davison 1971).In Sussex it is commonest on the coastal plain and is rare in the High Weald. Commonin south-east England.Hordeum secalinum. Meadow barley.Tetrads 42U and 53A (Hall 1980).Scattered on verges and very locally in meadows around the Forest. It was very muchmore noticeable on verges in 1995 when they remained uncut, which accounts for quite alot of the records and it may be elsewhere but unseen. It is abundant around Gills Lap andfrequent near King's Standing, with an isolated record near Spikey Brown's Cottage.Locally common on the levels in Sussex, where it can tolerate very heavy grazing andimprovement, and where it does appear to be associated with ancient grasslands on moistheavy soils. Mainly in south-east England and rarer elsewhere. In Europe mainly in the west4 5(though absent from large areas in the centre) and in north-west Africa.