Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

86We have found it in ponds at Kidbrooke Park (418.339), 1995, TR & PA; Tompset'sBank (424.338), 1995, PW; Pippingford Park, introduced with other aquatics (448.299 and445.302), 1995, Flora meetings; established in a tiny stream in a meadow on slope east ofNutley Post Office (445.275), 1995, TR, a more unusual habitat.3 There were only two records for Sussex in Hall (1980), but Briggs (1990) added 13more, and there are even more now, It is now also widespread and increasing in England(Rich & Woodruff 1996).4 5 Control measures were being investigated at Weir Wood reservoir in 1994, where therewere vast areas lining the shore at the normal water line, Sheets of black plastic were pinnedover areas which probably killed the plants by heat rather than shade; the Crassula had recovered by 1995. Other controlmeasures suggested seem to involve major herbicide application, and it has yet to be eliminated from any site where it hasbecome well-established. Another alien, Hydrocoty/e ranunculoides, seems to be out-competing it at Piltdown Pond!It seems to be insensitive to the weather. It survived the drought in 1995 at Weir Wood, turning slightly brown butrecovered rapidly. The only other aquatic with it was Littorella unit/ora which seems able to put its leaves up through thecushions. It grows throughout the winter and does not seem to be frost sensitive, probably in part because it is protectedby the water.*Semperv;vum tectorum. House-leek, Sengreen, Sungreen, Welcome home husband however drunk you be.Nutley, R. A. Boniface (Wolley-Dod 1937). Not refound in Nutley in 1995, PR.Once frequent on the roofs of houses where it was planted in the belief it was a protection against lightning, but nowrarely seen in Sussex (plants still survive on a roof nearby at Balcombe). Native in southern Europe where it occurs onrocky slopes in the lowlands and mountains, almost a habitat match for roofs and walls.Sedum teleph;um. Orpine, Livelong.• •3 -l--I-----Lt-~-~------~ Ashdown Forest, M. R. Dixon, 1886 (Arnold 1887). Frequent on the Forest (Hall 1980).Mainly recorded around the edges of the Forest, typically on hedge banks. Pathside,Horncastle Wood (394.311), 1994, DB; Forest Row, old railway line (43.34), 1987-1995 andspreading, PW; abundant along drive near Hunters Farm (447.264), 1994, TR; pathside southof Water Farm (441.335), 1995, PW; path, Forest Row (443.348), 1995, TR & PA; 46.32,1993, TR & EL. We have not looked to see which subspecies occur - the characters seem towork better on dried material than in the field.45It does not seem to be eaten by rabbits - plants along the drive to Hunter's Farm wereuntouched despite still being green and fleshy whilst everything else had been nibbled to theground during the 1995 drought. It is apparently eaten by sheep and goats but not by horses.It is scattered in Britain in the lowlands, and although it will survive at altitude its growth rate is strongly dependenton temperature (Woodward 1987). Widespread in Europe, temperate Asia and North America.*Sedum spurium. Caucasian stonecrop.Garden rubbish, Forest Row (434.343), 1994, TR & NM, not surviving to 1995 as morerubbish was dumped on top.Native in south-east Asia. Occasionally established in Britain usually on calcareous rocks,and increasing in England (Rich & Woodruff 1996).3 --l--I-----4-4 5*Sedum acre. Biting stonecrop, Poor man's pepper.Recorded in tetrad 42N in Hall (1980), presumably from Nutley (perhaps once on a roof with the Sempervivum) and notrefound. An interesting species which is mainly a calcicole occurring on soils above c. pH 6.0, but quite widely recordedon walls and calcareous sands. It is also grown in gardens.It is widespread in Britain. It occurs widely in Eurasia and North Africa.*Sedum album. White stonecrop.All our records are of plants escaping from gardens or introduced with soil. Naturalized onrailway bridge, Forest Row (438.347), 1994, TR & NM; introduced with soil by pond,Pippingford Park (44.30), 1995, PO & RN; spreading on graves, Fairwarp Church (466.268),1995, TR; Crow borough Training camp, possibly on bare ground near offices (49.29), 1995,3 RN.Possibly native on limestones in the south-west of Britain, but not native in Sussex whereit mainly occurs on walls near the sea (Hall 1980). Increasing in England (Rich & Woodruff1996). Native in northern and western Europe and North Africa.4 5