Water Bent - Over Looked and Under Recorded?

There are very few records of Water Bent (Polypogon viridis) for VC64. Indeed until last week, just three, all by me, and all from the Leeds area. The first record was from a garden centre in Yeadon, but I have since found two new locations in Leeds City Centre. Mike Wilcox has now added a forth record, for Horsforth approximately halfway between Leeds and Yeadon.

I suspect there will be more records to be made in Leeds. Now onwards is a good time to look as in urban areas it keeps flowering all winter, and therefore it stands out without other grasses to distract attention.

Photo by Mike below showing typical habitat. I would be pleased to have more records.

Water Bent in Leeds (VC64)

My lunch time walk along the north bank of the River Aire behind Concordia Street (upstream of Leeds Bridge) threw up several plants of Water Bent (Polypogon viridis) in the brickwork of the footpath immediately above the river. This seems to be only the second record for the county, and the first since my original find in Yeadon in 2010.

It must be more widespread in Leeds so I would be pleased to hear of other locations. It has the jizz of creeping bent (Agrostis stolonifera) but the foliage is more stiffly erect, and the panicles are stockier and have a greenish tinge. It can also be found in full bloom in the depths of winter where there is a little heat radiating from buildings, so that is often a good time of year to spot it.

Typical habit and habitat, photo by Ambroise Baker as posted on his blog

More images can be found here on the British Wildlflowers website.

Important Botanical Site Found in Peterborough

Sarah Lambert has sent news of a botanical hotspot associated with the site of the former Peterborough East Railway Station, New Fletton (VC31). For the full details see Sarah's Blog.

The two most exciting finds are the Red Data List Wall Bedstraw (Galium parisiense), only the second site in the county, and the very rare casual Southern Beard-grass (Polypogon maritimus), the first record for Huntingdonshire. See below for photos of both taken from Sarah's blog.