Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

48URTICACEAEUrtica dioica. Common nettle, Stinging nettle, Naughty man's play thing.Ubiquitous in both Hall (1980) and our survey, but the maps do not reveal that 'It is largelyabsent from the heathy areas as it prefers rich soils with high phosphate and nitrogenconcentrations. The rich soils result in high nutrients in the plant which would make it highlypalatable were it not protected by the stinging hairs. Nonetheless many insects eat it, andpatches of nettles often provide shelter for other palatable herbs such as Galium aparine.Common and widespread in Britain, Europe and temperate Asia.Nettle pollen is a common cause of hay-fever late in the season, when its pollen is one of4 5the commonest in the air (Rich 1994b). Young plants have been blanched or eaten asspinach, and the leaves have been used as a herbal tea.Urtica urens. Small nettle.Five tetrad records in Hall (1980), but only recorded once at Wych Cross Nursery (420.320),1993, TR, where it wasn't supposed to be for sale!Small nettle is commonest on sandy soils, and probably has not persisted on the rather,moist, silty Ashdown soils, It is widespread but not common inland in Britain, and it is3 widespread in Europe.4 5*Soleirolia soleirolii. Mind-your-own-business.We have eight records from damp ditch sides or masonry, and also noted it introduced withsoil on the footpath across Broadstone Warren. It is quite well established in damp places onwalls, gardens and churchyards in south-west Britain and Ireland and is increasing (Rich &Woodruff 1996).3 As a native this is a rare endemic of a few islands in the west Mediterranean, though wetend to dismiss it without a second thought. It is rarely introduced elsewhere in Europe.4 5JUGLANDACEAE*Juglans regia. Walnut.3 -++-___ ----L+_Planted near Goat cross-roads (40.32), 1993, but not naturalized. Good fruit was set locallyin 1995.Scattered in Britain and increasing (Rich & Woodruff 1990). Native in south-east Europeand central Asia to China.4 5MYRICACEAE[Myrica gale. Bog-myrtle, Sweet willow, Sweet gale.Ingwersen (1951) noted" a few miles east on Ashdown Forest it was so plentiful that a whole hill has been called after it"Gale Hill". Gale Hill, with the years, has been corrupted into "Gallow's Hill", and people are apt to think that a gallowsonce stood there. That may be indeed, but gale leaves a sweeter memory".We have no idea as to the origin of Ingwersen's comment as Myrica has never been confirmed from the Forest. Wehave seen no trace of Gale Hill or Gallow's Hill, though the settlement at 413.307 was once called The Gale. The nearestMyrica records are "bogs of the Gaghl, Gaggle or Gargle Wood (388.339), which takes its name from the plant, retainingthe ancient guttural pronunciation" and "The Bottoms, May's Farm" (388.341) (Coleman 1836) just outside the Flora areabut both are long gone, and from Buckhurst Park, Withyham (tetrad 53L; Hall 1980). It is a rare plant in bogs where thereis some lateral water movement in south-east England, though frequent in the New Forest and locally dominant in the northand west. It mainly occurs in north-west Europe and North America.]