A 2009 plant-hunter's diary

[davidbr]

Originally Posted by Tiggrx

Did find the Tulip today - but only leaves

That's still better than I've managed so far - and far better than I managed on yesterday's hunt for Hutchinsia in Somerset

[davidbr]

3rd April 2009

Off south to the Somerset coast today, specifically Sand Point, where the target plant was a dainty little crucifer; Hutchinsia (Hornungia petraea), a speciality of the limestone of the south-west and one that's turning into a bit of a bogey species having missed it several times already at the Avon Gorge

Needless to say, on that front I failed again It was far from a total disaster, though; Sand Point's a great area for exploration and a walk along to the end of the Point produced Early Forget-me-not (Myosotis ramosissima) in the rabbit-nibbled turf, lots of Common Scurvy-grass (Cochlearia officinalis) (both new finds for the photo files ), as well as a fine range of garden escapes.

The Mediterranean Spurge (Euphorbia characias) that made a spectacular show behind the toilets in the NT car park is a well-known relic, apparently, from an old tea garden here in the 1930's; where the hell the patch of Campernelle Jonquils (Narcissus x odorus) half-way along the point came from, though, is anyone's guess Small bushes of Lauristinus (Viburnum tinus) & Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis) were probably bird-sown, whereas the few plants of Spring Snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) were probably garden chuck-outs

Heading back along the coast road towards Weston-super-Mare, a clump of Primrose-peerless (Narcissus x medioluteus) was another newie, and the patch of Spring Starflowers (Ipheion uniflorum) on the roadside bank stood out like a sore thumb

(Spring Starflower, Ipheion uniflorum)

Explorations of Weston sea-front turned up a few more surprises, in the form of Great Forget-me-not (Brunnera macrophylla), Golden Alison (Alyssum saxatile) & a rather bedraggled Bunch-flowered Narcissus (Narcissus tazetta), all garden escapes, with quite a few small plants amongst the sandy grass; more Early Forget-me-not (Myosotis ramosissima), some mouse-ears I'm still struggling to get my head around & a few specimens of Springbeauty (Claytonia perfoliata).

(Great Forget-me-not, Brunnera macrophylla)

(Golden Alison, Alyssum saxatile)

(Springbeauty, Claytonia perfoliata)

Finally, a little further around the coast at Uphill, I finished the day off with one final new tick, the eighth of a productive trip; Daisybush, Olearia x haastii, was half-hidden amongst some Stern's Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster sternanus) and, not in flower, really looked a bit of a state

[davidbr]

5th April 2009 (Sunday)

A day of leaves today - the main plant I was after was a couple of weeks away from flowering, and two of the three new species I added to the photo database were "foliage-only" finds!

To start the day off, an hour's wander around my local Bristol back lanes turned up a few things of interest; the first Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolaria) I've seen out this year, a mystery spurge that I've posted on the forum for ID help and a couple of attractive specimens of Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) at Abbey Wood Station (Filton).

(Flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineum)

Then it was off to Edford Wood, in Somerset, where the Solomon's-seal (Polygonatum multiflorum) was maybe a couple of weeks away from blooming and plenty of Monk's-hood (Aconitum napellus) around the streams was, of course, only in leaf. Apparently it's actually native here, and there sure is plenty of it - it'll be a fine sight in August when it flowers!

(Monk's-hood (Aconitum napellus)

Once I got my eye in, it was pretty easy to distinguish Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium), but you could hardly miss the Wild Daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. pseudonarcissus); they carpeted large swathes of the wood, the first definitely wild ones I've seen for quite a few years

(Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Chrysosplenium alternifolium)

(Wild Daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. pseudonarcissus)

[davidbr]

A pretty quiet day today - with most of my time taken up by hospital appointments, I had to be content with a wander around the back lanes of my local neighbourhood.

The two special hellebores, Lenten-rose (Helleborus orientalis) & Corsican Hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius) are still looking good, and I was able to have another look at the clump of naturalised Grape-hyacinths (Muscari neglectum) - with the contrast between almost blackish-blue fertile flowers & much paler sterile ones, they really are very different from the M. armeniacum plants that seem to be absolutely everywhere at the moment

Not a lot else, though; Shining Cranesbill (Geranium lucidum), lots of Three-cornered Leek (Allium triquetrum) & Hybrid Bluebell (Hyacinthoides x massartiana) coming into flower and a Chinese Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa) bush, the result presumably of garden rubbish being thrown out not very carefully!

I did manage to add a couple to the list, though, by putting a name to two of the mysteries that'd been cluttering up my Unidentifieds folder! I'm really going to have to track down a decent book to help me identify conifers, and I'm also on the look-out for some reference material covering Forsythia species. Suggestions gratefully appreciated

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by davidbr

I'm also on the look-out for some reference material covering Forsythia species. Suggestions gratefully appreciated

Vol. 5 of the European Garden Flora has a key and descriptions of 7 species of Forsythia. If you want me to type out the key or look up anything in particular then just PM me.

[davidbr]

Originally Posted by Tiggrx

Vol. 5 of the European Garden Flora has a key and descriptions of 7 species of Forsythia. If you want me to type out the key or look up anything in particular then just PM me.

That'd be very useful, thanks

I've come across quite a few Forsythia bushes this Spring as naturalised plants or garden relics, and I'm sure they can't all be F. x intermedia. There's practically no decent, reliable information on line, though, to tell the possible species apart.

[leifus]

Originally Posted by davidbr

5th April 2009 (Sunday)

A day of leaves today - the main plant I was after was a couple of weeks away from flowering, and two of the three new species I added to the photo database were "foliage-only" finds!

To start the day off, an hour's wander around my local Bristol back lanes turned up a few things of interest; the first Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolaria) I've seen out this year, a mystery spurge that I've posted on the forum for ID help and a couple of attractive specimens of Flowering Currant (Ribes sanguineum) at Abbey Wood Station (Filton).

(Flowering Currant, Ribes sanguineum)

Then it was off to Edford Wood, in Somerset, where the Solomon's-seal (Polygonatum multiflorum) was maybe a couple of weeks away from blooming and plenty of Monk's-hood (Aconitum napellus) around the streams was, of course, only in leaf. Apparently it's actually native here, and there sure is plenty of it - it'll be a fine sight in August when it flowers!

(Monk's-hood (Aconitum napellus)

Once I got my eye in, it was pretty easy to distinguish Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium), but you could hardly miss the Wild Daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. pseudonarcissus); they carpeted large swathes of the wood, the first definitely wild ones I've seen for quite a few years

(Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Chrysosplenium alternifolium)

(Wild Daffodil, Narcissus pseudonarcissus ssp. pseudonarcissus)

it may just be me but those don't look short enough to be wild daffodils....?! i may be wrong...

[davidbr]

Originally Posted by leifus

it may just be me but those don't look short enough to be wild daffodils....?! i may be wrong...

I'm not sure whether they're actually native, but they've certainly been known at this site (Edford Woods) for at least 150 years according to the literature; it's one of the few places in Somerset that drifts of daffodils can still be seen in spring.

So I'm 99% sure they're ssp. pseudonarcissus; having not seen a wild one for quite a while, I was actually surprised how different they look to the naturalised plants I'd come across around the Bristol area.

[davidbr]

7th April 2009 (Tuesday)

Thankfully the forecasted rain didn't appear, so I was able to head off bright and early for a morning exploration of the Avon Gorge, a couple of miles from the centre of Bristol, in the hope that a few local specialities might have been in flower.

Unfortunately, they weren't; I couldn't find a trace of Spring Cinquefoil, Dwarf Mouse-ear or Honewort, and there was no sign either of any Green Hellebores at their supposed location in Leigh Woods But, there's always something of interest to see in this area - not least Green & Great Spotted Woodpeckers calling & drumming noisily at Leigh Woods

I managed to add two new species to the photo list, both conifers and hardly the most stunning plants you'll ever see They all count the same, though, so the Italian Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) reverting to nature in Leigh Woods churchyard and the Western Hemlock-spruces (Tsuga heterophylla) were still very welcome!

Elsewhere, Toothwort (Lathraea squamaria) was putting on a show at Leigh Woods and the Perennial Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens looked beautiful on the Gorge clifftop, but I've also been left with a few plants in need of identification!



This one, a garden escape of some kind, looks something like a Fritillaria to me, albeit with totally different leaves to our usual F. meleagris Suggestions welcomed, please



This non-flowering plant, by a path in Leigh Woods, seems somehow familiar, but I just can't seem to place it.



This is either Balkan Anemone, A. blanda, or Blue Anemone, A. apennina; I'd favour the latter because it seems a bit late for A. blanda, but in dull weather the flower wasn't open and I'm really not sure!



And a close-up of one of the many bluebells around the area; this one was well naturalised on the Gorge clifftop, though, and I can't make up my mind whether it's just another Hybrid Bluebell (Hyacinthoides x massartiana or whether it could possibly be the pure Spanish species (H. hispanica?

[davidbr]

And, lastly, comes this spurge Euphorbia (yes, I know - yet another one!!)

I misidentified one as Coral Spurge (Euphorbia corallioides) yesterday, when it was pointed out to me that my plant was glabrous as opposed to pubescent, but this looks far more like the genuine article for E. coralloides - as can be seen from the photos, it's very hairy indeed! There aren't any decent pictures of E. corallioides on the Net, though (at least, none that I can find) so I'd be grateful for opinions either way?



Thanks in advance for any help provided