Ynys Enlli/Bardsey Island

[Milner_Ecology]

Couple of pictures from North Wales last week, first from the dunes above Porth Neigwl (Hell's Mouth), one of a cluster of 40 or so field gentian


Then from Bardsey itself, one of the 20 or so autumn ladies-tresses we saw, beautiful little spikes poking up from the short turf.


Then some i'm less sure about, I think this is, lesser sea-spurrey as the sepals are longer than the petals and the stipules are silver.


Fairly sure that this is sharp rush (it certainly lives up to its name, i pricked myself pretty badly on it!) the seeds are particularly large.



Not so sure about this but think it is sea rush due to the habitat and double tier of flowers, but I'm not quite convinced.


Saw this on the headland above Llanbedrog and at Portmeirion, think it is goldenrod but again not too sure.

[Hedera]

The last one is goldenrod - Solidago virgaurea.

[Milner_Ecology]

Thought so but couldn't convince myself, Cheers Hedrea.

[Dorts]

Wonderful stuff, from an area I now so well.
It's the only place in that part of the Lleyn that Field Gentian grows as far as I know.
Yes, Lesser Sea Spurrey - Spergula marina.
Yes, Sharp Rush - Juncus actus. One of only a couple of places this uncommon rush can be seen in
N Wales. I think anyone who's found this species has felt the needle-like tips to its leaves, not pleasant!
Sea Rush - Juncus maritimus looks good, it grows all round the Lleyn.
And the last one is Goldenrod - Solidago virgaurea, loads in flower in these parts now.
Super plants, looks like you had a great day in this wonderful part of Wales.
Dorts.

[Milner_Ecology]

My wifes family have a caravan about 50m from the edge of the cliffs above Porth Neigwl so we come down pretty often (in fact I proposed there).

I've been monitoring the gentian population for the last two years, seems pretty stable but there was a second clump last year that i couldn't rediscover this year. The dunes are pretty good botanically but the gentians are my favourite species I've seen there so far. Keep hoping for one of the less common centaurys but no joy as yet, do they come that far along the Lleyn? I know they are at Rhosneigr on Anglesey but not sure about Abersoch.

First time going to Bardsey though. Absolutely wonderful place, loved the short heather/grassland mosaic on the cliffs and the flora on the cloddiau (stone faced earth banks used as field boundaries for the non welsh!) was fantastic, saw the first ladies tresses about five minutes after getting off the boat!

Very pleased to have seen the sharp rush but didn't manage the western clover because I wasn't quite sure what i was looking for (I had foolishly come away without bringing any id books, that will teach me to clean the car!)

Ben

[Dorts]

Ben, I've only just found your reply.

I'm afraid there is no record of Seaside Centaury - Centaurium littorale on the Hell's Mouth dunes/Abersoch area, there are just a couple of records on the North coast of the Llyn, otherwise, as you say it's the West coast of Anglesey for this species, one of the few places in Britain where it is still locally common.
Lesser Centaury - Centaurium pulchellum is also an Anglesey species, though not so easy to find.

Western Clover - Trifolium occidentale, (on Bardsey), is an early-flowerer, usually finished by mid-July.
All the best
Dorts.