There were fewer flowers on the heath than usual at this time of year, possibly because of the harsh winter. Particularly disappointing was the failure to find some of the more colourful species, including bee orchid (Ophrys apifera), grass vetchling (Lathyrus nissolia), great mullein (Verbascum thapsus), and devil’s-bit scabious (Succisa pratensis). Species recorded during the two-hour morning walk (plus a few noted during a preliminary visit some ten days earlier and marked with an asterisk) are as follows:
Achillea millefolium |
Yarrow |
Allium vineale |
Wild onion |
Anthriscus sylvestris |
Cow parsley |
Armorica rusticana |
Horse radish |
Brassica nigra |
Black mustard |
Centaurea nigra |
Black knapweed |
Chrysanthemum leucanthemum |
Oxeye daisy |
Conium maculatum |
Hemlock |
Convolvulus arvensis |
Field bindweed |
Daucus carota |
Wild carrot |
Diplotaxis tenuifolia * |
Perennial wall-rocket |
Galium verum |
Lady’s bedstraw |
Geranium dissectum |
Cut-leaved cranesbill |
Geranium molle* |
Dove’s-foot cranes-bill |
Humulus lupulus |
Hop |
Hypochoeris glabra* |
Smooth cat’s-ear |
Lathyrus pratensis |
Meadow vetchling |
Lotus corniculatus |
Bird’s-foot trefoil |
Malva sylvestris |
Common mallow |
Melilotus officinalis |
Ribbed melilot |
Papaver dubium |
Long-headed poppy |
Pentaglottis sempervirens |
Green alkanet |
Prunus cerasifera** |
Cherry plum |
Ranunculus acris |
Meadow buttercup |
Reseda luteola |
Weld |
Robinia pseudoacacia |
False acacia |
Rosa arvensis |
Field rose |
Rosa canina |
Dog rose |
Salix alba |
White willow |
Salix caprea |
Goat willow |
Salix cinerea + ssp. oleifolia |
Grey willow species |
Salix viminalis |
Osier |
Sedum reflexum** |
Reflexed stonecrop |
Silene alba |
White campion |
Silene vulgaris * |
Bladder campion |
Sisymbrium officinale |
Hedge mustard |
Stellaria graminea |
Lesser stitchwort |
Symphytum x uplandicum * |
Russian comfrey |
Tragopogon pratense |
Goat’s-beard |
Tussilago farfara |
Colt’s-foot |
Vicia bithynica |
Bithynian vetch |
|
Vicia hirsuta |
Hairy tare |
Vicia sativa * |
Common vetch |
Vicia tetrasperma |
Smooth tare |
**New site record
David Morgan and Brian Spooner