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42Report of overseas field meeting - Western Portugal(Barbary Nut) and the first of many drifts ofLeucojum trichophyllum (Three-leavedSnowflake), as well as a couple of species whichare rather scarce in the UK: Hypochaeris glabra(Smooth Cat's-ear) and Poa injirma (EarlyMeadow-grass). Trying to photograph theplants meant instantly wet knees: a fairlycommon event during the week!The final stop before driving to our hotel onCabo Espichel was by the main road overlookingsome abandoned salinas. Here we scannedfor the Glossy Ibis which are often to be seenhere, but found only vociferous Black-wingedStilts, with a solitary Black-winged Kite hoveringover the adjacent fields.20 March - Altiplano de Az6iaHaving arrived under the cloak of darlmess theprevious evening, we awoke to find that thehotel was situated on the crest of a bleak,windswept promontory. The good news wasthat the bedrock was limestone and setting offon foot, walking south towards the coast, wesoon came upon what would prove to be the firstof a whole plethora of orchid species. Barliarobertiana (Giant Orchid) lived up to its Englishname with respect to stature, but even at thisearly stage of the season was beginning to goover. As we traversed the limestone pavementmore orchids were observed. Aceras anthropophorum(Man Orchid), a few Ophrys speculum(Mirror Ophrys) and the muted hues of thediminutive Ophrys bombyliflora (Bumble-beeOphrys) were scattered here and there amidstsheets of bright pink Orchis italica (Naked ManOrchid), but most notable were the severalplants of Ophrys fusca subsp. dyris, which is notmentioned as occurring in the area in the localflora.It is always a great privilege to discoverspecies that are rare in Britain growing in profusionin another country. Ophioglossum lusitanicum(Least Adder's-tongue) was, however, notone such species, since only one small colonywas found, butPoa bulbosa (Bulbous Meadowgrass)did occur in quantity. More orchids alsomade an appearance here, including Ophrysscolopax (Woodcock Ophrys) and Orchis papilionacea(Pink Butterfly Orchid), along with afew Narcissus bulbocodium subsp. obesus(Hoop-petticoat Daffodils), a one-leaved squillScilla monophyllos and the Star-of-BethlehemOrnithogalum orthophyllum. And all this to abackground of bird-song supplied courtesy ofDartford and Sardinian Warblers and CornBuntings.As we descended towards the sea, we weresoon chest-high in dense maquis, fortunatelywell served by narrow pathways, where thevivid yellow colour of the Portuguese endemicgorse Ulex densus gave us the impression that itwas the height of summer. A pause for lunchwas punctuated by several trips by variousmembers of the party to a small limestoneoutcrop just above us, where we locatedabundant Cheilanthes acrostica and Priscillafound Cosentinia vellea (Scaly Cheilanthes).At last we reached the edge of the coastalcliffs, where our target species - duly located -was Euphorbia pedroi, endemic to the Espichelpromontory, and unusual for the Europeanmainland in that it is a tree-spurge. In thelimestone outcrops in the same area we foundCerinthe gymnandra, the Afro-Iberian endemicshrub Withania jrutescens, Ornithogalumconcinnum, Dipcadi serotinum (Dipcadi),Muscari neglectum (Grape-hyacinth) and driftsof the delightful Tulipa sylvestris subsp. australis(Wild Tulip).Heading back towards the hotel there were yetstill more orchid species to be found. Orchisconica (Conical Orchid) was in short supply,but Ophrys tenthredinifera (Sawfly Ophrys), O.lutea (Yellow Ophrys) and 0. fosca subsp.bilunulata (Dull Ophrys) were all fairlycommonplace. We also came across a fewArisarum vulgare subsp. simorrhinum (Friar'scowl)still in flower.Late afternoon found the party drivingwestwards towards Cabo Espichel. The firststop was Lagosteiros Bay, where 150 millionyears ago a herd of dinosaurs left their footprints on the beach, now preserved in theuplifted and tilted Jurassic limestone. We thenvisited the sanctuary of Nos sa Senhora do Cabo(Our Lady of the Cape), on the very tip of thepromontory where, despite the approachingsunset, a few of us attempted to photograph thealmost-black flowers of Nonea vesicaria,growing here with Muscari comosum (TasselHyacinth).21 March - Peninsula de Tr6iaThe Sado Estuary is cut off from the open sea bythe long sand spit of the Tr6ia Peninsula, developedonly at the northern tip. A transect acrossthe sandspit takes one from the open sea,through primary dunes, stabilised and fossildunes through to the brackish areas adjacent tothe enclosed estuary. Its fame is such that it wasbeing visited by two parties of British botanistson the same day, as we coincided with a groupof Cambridge undergraduates led by OliverRackham!We took the car ferry from the old town ofSembal across to Tr6ia and no sooner had we
Report of overseas field meeting - Western Portugal43parked in the botanical reserve in the centre ofthe spit than we were examining considerablenumbers of an as yet unidentified (by us) bushcricket on the Santolina impressa (a Portugueseendemic). Another botanical treasure observedby the roadside was the small but delightfulJonopsidium acaule - dense pincushions of apale pink crucifer with spoon-shaped yellow·green leaves - which is unique to the coast ofsouthern Portugal as a wild plant, althoughwidely cultivated in Europe (Colour SectionPlate 3).Our overall impression of the flora of thedunes was of abundant pink, yellow and blue,set against a background of grey green shrubsand an occasional stunted Pinus pinea. Thepink was predominantly Silene littorea and tallspikes of Antirrhinum majus subsp linkianum,and the yellow pertained to Senecio gallicus andtwo shrubby species of Halimium - H calycinumand H halimifolium - while the scene wasfurther enlivened by the deep blues of the attractiveAnagallis monelli (Shrnbby Pimpernel),Anchusa undulata (Undulate Anchusa) andLithodora diffusa subsp. lusitanica (ScramblingGromwell). Several Thekla larks were singingover the low scrub, butterflies seen includedSwallowtail, Cleopatra and Small Copper, andwe also encountered many individuals of thebeautifully marked, day-flying noctuid mothknown as Cerocala scapulosa.The many species of shrubs included Juniperusoxycedrus (Phoenician Juniper), Cistussalviifolius (Sage-leaved Cistus), Ulex australissubsp. welwitschianus, Lavandula stoechassubsp. luisieri and Armeria pungens (SpinyThrift), as well as the unusual Corema album(Empetraceae), which is confined to the coastsof western Iberia and North Africa. Growing inthe protection of these shrubs were some earlyflowers of Fritillaria lusitanica, and we alsofound Cytinus hypocistis here: a member of theRafflesiaceae, parasitic on the roots of Cistusspecies.Nearer the sea, the results of convergentevolution made us look closely at the prostrate,grey-leaved and yellow flowered legumes sothat we could distinguish between Medicagomarina (Sea Medick) and Lotus creticus(Southern Birdsfoot-trefoil). Also adapted tothis unstable habitat were Honckenya peploides(Sea Sandwort), Polygonum maritimum (SeaKnotgrass - extremely rare in the UK) (ColourSection Plate 3), Eryngium maritimum (Seaholly),the fleshy leaved Thymus carnosus (anIberian endemic thyme), Crucianella maritima(Coastal Crucianella), the British rarityOtanthus maritimus (Cottonweed), Pancratiummaritimum (Sea Daffodil), the distinctiveCyperus capitatus and carpets of Corynephoruscanescens (Grey Hair-grass). Our lunch stopoverlooking the estuary to the east enabled us toobserve the extra large flowers of Dianthusbroteri (Colour Section Plate 3) and to findSesamoides spathulifolia: a handsome, brownflowered relative of Reseda.The Tr6ia sand spit has long been settled byman but the extensive Roman ruins of Cet6brigawere 'closed for restoration', as they have beenfor the last four years! Nearby, and close to thetidal inlet of Caldeira de Tr6ia, the fossil duneswere clothed with Pinus pinea, with an understoreyof shrubs that included Stauracanthusgenistoides, Retama monosperma (WhiteBroom) and Osyris lanceolata. Down amongthe low brackish vegetation, some of us weredelighted to find the emerging spikes ofCistanche phelypaea subsp phelypaea(Cistanche), while others were rewarded with asuperb Striped Hawk-moth: both fitting endingsto a very enjoyable day.22 March - Moinho de Baixo and Quinta daSerraWhile Malcolm went to Lisbon in search of areplacement camera body, the rest of usexplored the Atlantic dune system north ofMoinho de Baixo. The vegetation was superficiallysimilar to that of previously visitedcoastal sands, with abundant Malcolmia littorea,Silene littorea, Lotus creticus andMedicago marina, but the greater westerlyexposure also suited familiar species such asCalystegia soldanella (Sea Bindweed) andAmmophila arenaria (Marram). Also prominentwere Armeria pungens, Anchusa undulata(its sinuate leaves clearly distinguishing it fromA. calcarea), Thymus carnosus, Helichrysumitalicum subsp. serotinum, and Artemisiacampestris subsp. maritima (Sea Wormwood).We also found good quantities of Polycarponalsinifolium, while the striking yellow Linariawith glaucous leaves and brownish-purplestripes on the spur was subsequently identifiedas L. lamarcldi.Reedbeds in a low-lying area signalled anabrupt change in the flora, with Hypericumundulatum (Wavy St John's-wort), Hydrocotylevulgaris (Marsh Pennywort), Carex riparia(Greater Pond-sedge) and Cladium mariscus(Great Fen-sedge) complementing the Phragmitesaustralis, with young fiddleheads ofThelypteris palustris (Marsh Fern) confirmingthe presence of a permanent sub-surface drainagesystem. A further visit next morning
Page 5 and 6: Notes - Artemisia campestris subsp.
Page 7 and 8: Notes - Damage to the Northern Penn
Page 13 and 14: Notes - The end of an unusual Symph
Page 15 and 16: Notes - Isolepis cernua: do differe
Page 17 and 18: Notes - Carex aeutiformisl Grid squ
Page 19 and 20: NotesReporting on Local Change17•
Page 21 and 22: Notes - The Maps Scheme 19Table 1.
Page 23 and 24: Notes - Time For Reflection I DNA A
Page 25 and 26: Notes - John Dalton, a colour-blind
Page 27 and 28: Notes - John Dalton, colour-blind b
Page 29 and 30: Notes - Botany in Literature - 42 /
Page 31 and 32: Notes - Invasions of angiosperm tis
Page 33 and 34: Colour Section1Fig. 2. Ripe nuts of
Page 35 and 36: Colour Section3Jonopsidium acaule P
Page 37 and 38: Aliens - Invasive Aliens? Himalayan
Page 39 and 40: Aliens - Notes on Isles of Scilly f
Page 41 and 42: Aliens - Bassia scoparia and its vi
Page 43 and 44: Notices - Excursion to Andalucia /
Page 45 and 46: Notices (Other) - Islands of Hope I
Page 47: Requests - Documenting Herbarium Sp
Page 51 and 52: Report of overseas field meeting -
Page 53 and 54: Book Notes47GY1 lUG, for £5 incl.
Page 55 and 56: Book Notes - A Supplement to a Flor
Page 57 and 58: Obituary Notes / Recorders and Reco
Page 59 and 60: Profiles of New Honorary Members -
Page 61 and 62: Profiles of New Honorary Members -
Page 63 and 64: Notes from the Officers - Scottish
Page 65 and 66: Good homes needed for journals/ Sto
Page 67 and 68: Rumex maritimus in late flower & fr

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