Flora of Ashdown Forest - Botanical Society of the British Isles

88*Spiraea canescens. Himalayan spiraea.Plants with white flowers, flat-topped inflorescences and bluish leaves thought to be thisspecies are naturalized at Maskett's Wood (42.28) and Pippingford (44.31).It is apparently rarely naturalized in Britain, and as the name implies is native in the• Himalaya.*Filipendula vulgaris. Dropwort.A few plants on the road verge near Gills Lap (469.319), NM & CM, 1993. The discovery ofthis species was surprising, but it appears to be one of a number of calcicoles growing onverges on the Forest possibly introduced with chalk used to make the road (see Ibeds),It is predominantly a plant of chalk and limestone in south-east Britain, but will also growon calcareous clays and in river meadows. It is surprisingly common on the chalk in EastSussex compared to West Sussex, and there are occasional records in the Weald (Hall 1980).It is fairly widespread in dry grassland in Europe, where it can also be found in open woodlantl.It also occurs in Asia and the North African mountains.Filipendula ulmaria. Meadowsweet, Sweet hay.,----,--==::----.,------, Common on the Forest (Hall 1980).Our records show an interesting restriction to the north side of the Forest where dampground and marshes are associated with the main stream valleys, and possibly the more baserichsoils. It occurs on river banks and lightly-grazed, damp pastures, but is virtually absentfrom the small fenny areas in the alder woodlands possibly because it is sensitive to ferrousiron toxicity (Grime et al. 1988).In Sussex it is widespread but is largely absent from the dry chalk and the AshdownSands, confirming our pattern on a broader scale. It is nearly ubiquitous in Britain andwidespread in Europe and temperate Asia.*Kerria japonica. Kerria.One plant in hedge opposite houses, Priory Road (421.348), 1995, TR.A garden plant occasionally established in Britain, probably from material dumped fromgardens. It is native in China.*Rubus odoratus. Purple-flowered raspberry.Planted and spreading in Maskett's Wood (428.285), 1994, TR.A native of eastern North America, cultivated in gardens and rarely naturalized in Britainand Europe.Rubus idaeus. Raspberry.Chelwood Common, N. J. Treutler, 1886, and described as common on the Forests by E.Jenner (Arnold 1887). Common on the Forest (Hall 1980).We have recorded it widely around the Forest on verges, woodland edges and hedges. Itis also a nitrophile and tends to occur on the richer soils, so it is rare on the parts of the Forestwith poor heathland soils. It is probably wild in the damper woods, but plants elsewhere maybe of garden origin. It was also grown for the fruit crop at the former Wych Cross fruit farm,and is frequent by the fence along the edge of Broadstone Warren where it was presumablyspread by birds. Wild plants are fairly uniform in Britain and differ from cultivated plants inhaving mainly hairy stems, large dense prickles, and smaller, darker fruits which are mostly