Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

78*Brassica napus. Oil-seed rape.Our records are from road verges where the seeds get blown off the back of lorries, and nocrops were noted in the area during the survey. At King's Standing it was introduced withimported soil in 1995. The roadside plants do not persist, and none have been observedsetting fruit so it is not currently considered to be naturalized.3-+~~~------Lf- The apparent scarcity of records for Sussex in Hall (1980) compared to the frequencywith which we have recorded it probably reflects the huge increase in the amount of oil-seed!rape cultivated for the subsidies in recent years. It is increasing elsewhere in England too {Rich;4 5& Woodruff 19961.Fields of oil-seed rape are often blamed for causing hay fever I but it seems the irritationarises from the chemicals given off by the flowers rather than allergy to the pollen.*Brassica rapa. Turnip.~-+~ ________ -L+-Tetrad 42Z IHall 19801.Recorded on disturbed soil by the A22, Nutley 144.271, 1994, TR; 46.26, 1994, PD &RN. As a native this probably occurs on river banks, but has been widely introduced with soilor seed.It is widespread in Britian and Ireland, and is native in Europe and Asia.4 5Sinapis arvensis. Charlock, Cadlock, Kelk.Frequent on the Forest IHall 19801.We have a few scattered records mainly from roadsides and disturbed ground, and veryfew records from arable land which 'IS an uncommon habitat in our area.It is a variable plant and was once a perniciOUS weed but it can now be eradicated with3 -+-t---""---~'-t- herbicides.It is widespread in Britain, Europe, Asia and North Africa.*Sinapis alba subsp. alba. White mustard.A few plants in Upper Parrock Farm yard 1449.3471, 1994, TR, gone by 1995.The mustard of 'mustard and cress', but now usually grown as a green manure. Quiteuncommon in Sussex and mainly on basic soils (Hall 1980), and scattered through Britainoften as a relict of cultivation. Probably native around the Mediterranean._, -++------'--1-4 5*Hirschfeldia incana. Hoary mustard.One plant recorded on cinder path on golf course, Forest Row (437.339), 1995, TR, the lastnew species to be added to the flora.Hirschfeldia is a typical plant colonising cinders and slag around power stations andindustrial sites, and must have been imported to the golf course with the cinders used to make3-i-r---------~-- the paths. It has been spreading in Sussex in recent years, with a number of plants scattered4 5on roadsides - possibly benefiting from the run of hot summers.It is becoming widespread in southern Britain, and is native in southern Europe and theNear East.