Drawdown

The silver lining to this year's prolonged dry spell is that it is a great year for looking at the flora of the drawdown zone around Skelton Lake (VC63 and 64). Most years, summer rain raises water levels again before things have had long enough to develop to their full potential.

Of course, my first port of call was to have the annual check on Grass-poly (Lythrum hyssopifolium). I could only find one, perhaps too dry for germination, but it might have a late flush with a bit of rain.

Grass-poly

It seems to be a really good year for Golden Dock (Rumex maritimus), and their are carpets of thousands of Mudwort (Limosella aquatica). Both present in the same corner of the lake as the Grass-poly as well as along the eastern shoreline.

Golden Dock

Carpet of Mudwort

Moving on, there was a cobble bar exposed in the river. In the absence of the usual dog walkers and swans it was worth an explore, and proved very rewarding. There were a surprising number of Tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum), at least until considering the location downstream of the outfall for the Knostrop sewage works. Also, large numbers of Fig-leaved Goosefoot (Chenopodium ficifolium) growing with Red Goosefoot (Oxybasis rubra) and the best find Striped Goosefoot (Chenopodium strictum agg. - this would key to C. striatum using Sell & Murrell and is the prevailing form locally). Like most goosefoots, the development of the stripes and red coloration on the latter species seems a bit hit and miss in Yorkshire, I suspect we just don't get enough heat for long enough.

Tomato

Striped Goosefoot

Another good find in the river was the riparian form of Pale Persicaria (Persicaria lapathifolia subsp. lapathifolia) - easily mistaken for a more exotic species if not aware of how different it looks from the typical arable field form (subsp. pallida). It comes up around Skelton Lake most years and it is always nice to meet this graceful plant again, with its drooping flower heads, spotty stems and 'knobbly knees'. Nearby there was an unusually pale form of Linseed (Linum usitatissimum), also well as a few Marsh Dock (Rumex palustris).

Pale Persicaria

Linseed

Back over to the lake, there were two final treats. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and Grey Fat-hen (Chenopodium pseudoborbasii). The latter is a controversial Sell & Murrell segregate, but I've seen this small species a lot this year and it seems to be widespread, distinct/distinctive (more so than the widely accepted Swedish Fat-hen, Chenopodium suecicum) with its grey colouration and leaf shape, and relatively uniform in morphology. Albeit, in the latter case, its worth noting there are two forms - single stem (f. pseudoborbasii) and branching from the base (f. ramosa). The two forms often occur in isolation, but sometimes they can be found together.

Sunflower

Grey Fat-hen

Crataegus x rubrinervis

I popped over to Skelton Lake (VC64) today to check up on the bush of Crataegus x rubrinervis (Common Hawthorn C. monogyna x Five-seeded Hawthorn C. pentagyna) I first found in 2018. There are a couple of bushes of Five-seeded Hawthorn a few hundred metres away, and this bush looks like it has arisen in situ.

It has the foliage, large succulent fruit (at their largest they are blackcurrant sized) and suberect sepals (recurving at the tips) of Five-seeded Hawthorn, but with fruit dark red to red-purple rather than purple-black and seeming to ripen later as well. The flesh is reddish coloured, and in this case most of the fruits checked had two pyrenes, but a few had three.

Patch Update

I've previously extolled the virtues of patch botanising. Carbon neutral, never failing to deliver something new or interesting, as well as being a chance to reconnect with 'old friends'.

So walking distance from home this weekend ... Well the big news is that Grass-poly (Lythrum hyssopifolia) is back and in bloom at Skelton Lake.

Dipping my toe into hawkweeds thanks to Vince Jones' excellent book (sadly out of print again, time for a braver print run Yorkshire Naturalists' Union?), I am happy with these two from Skelton Lake. The first is Anglian Hawkweed (Hieracium anglorum), which I first found a couple of years ago and misnamed as festinum, but I came to the conclusion that if the stellate hairs on the phyllaries were that difficult to find and required a microscope they were probably not numerous and I should probably try a different route through the key. A handsome plant when well grown. I found this species again on waste ground in Woodlesford.

Much more delicate in comparison, Southern Hawkweed (Hieracium argillaceum).

We are blessed locally with lots of Sweet-briar (Rosa rubiginosa), which fills the air with scent on a warm day.

But this beauty in Rothwell Country Park must surely be a candidate for Glaucous Dog-rose x Sweet-briar (Rosa vosagiaca x rubiginosa). The same scent, but with acicles patchily distributed and note those folded leaflets with a glaucous underside and red petioles.

Up next, two handsome garden escapes at Newsam Green. Opium Poppy (Papaver somniferum 'Laciniatum Group') and a semi-double form of Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium). Sell and Murrell published names for some of the variants of the latter species but unfortunately plants like this, while commonly encountered, fall through the gaps.

At this location and down by the canal in Woodlesford, I found these dinky little plants of Field Pansy (Viola arvensis var. derelicta). I'm giving the Sell and Murrell classification a fair go. Its tempting to suggest these are underfed plants, but it wasn't overly bothering the Garden Pansy and Heartsease cultivars nearby. This variety is notable for its very small flowers on near erect pedicels and single unbranched vertical stem, almost like a little soldier standing to attention.

Then some interesting trees near the canal in Woodlesford. First this stunning form of Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus f. erythrocarpum). Like its purple-leaved cousin the best forms always seem to be planted, but it does occur spontaneously as well. I'm not sure of the origin of this tree, but its looking good.

Then Green Alder (Alnus viridis), and self-sown Red Alder (Alnus rubra).

And then another alder, but which one? This is a shrubby species with small leaves that left me scratching my head. I eventually came down on the North American form of Grey Alder (Alnus incana subsp. rugosa) that looks nothing like the tree from this side of the 'pond'. It seems quite variable across its range, as indicated by the number of varieties in Sell and Murrell, but I found enough images online to provide confidence that my ID was likely to be correct (unless anyone knows better?).

Not a bad haul for the price of a bit of shoe leather. Lets end with the handsome bramble Rubus x pseudoidaeus which is frequent hereabouts but annoyingly not crossing the river into my VC!

Black-fruited Hawthorns

I have blogged previously about some of the more unusual hawthorns gradually filling up our countryside, and I always like to keep my eyes open at this time of year for anything that might be different. Some recent finds are still defeating a name.

Last Sunday I was caught a little by surprise when I looked up into a hedgerow near Skelton Lake (VC64) and saw a lot of large black fruit dangling down. These were very succulent, with red-tinged flesh under the skin. Further examination revealed 3 pyrenes per fruit. So instantly my brain was thinking, and regardless of the common name, Five-seeded Hawthorn (Crataegus pentagyna). This species has 3 to 5 pyrenes. This identification was later confirmed at home using a combination of Sell & Murrell and the monograph by Christensen. If I'm honest the latter seems to be a little more user-friendly, and perhaps more representative of the variation present in this genus of notoriously variable species. But both are useful, and its nice to be able to compare and contrast.

Further on I found another bush with comparable fruit but very different foliage. I initially thought it was a hybrid, but it just seems to be a variant of the species (most hawthorn species being highly variable).

Chenopodium rubrum var. pseudobotryoides

It really has been an exceptional year for investigating the drawdown zones of my local lakes (Skelton and St Aidan's, VC64) in south Leeds. Even now, at mid-September, they have been continuing to throw interest with the best numbers for several years of Golden Dock (Rumex maritimus) and Nodding Bur-marigold (Bidens cernua).

The latest surprise, as of last weekend, was the abundance of the dwarf decumbent form of Red Goosefoot (Chenopodium rubrum var. pseudobotryoides) at St Aidan's. September really is its season. I've blogged about this plant before when I found it at Eccup Reservoir, and this is the first time I have seen it since then. I believe this may be its first appearance at St Aidan's, certainly I have not noticed it in previous years.

While the evidence is slim there does seem be some indication that this variety has a genetic basis, and that it is not just a response to environment and season. Certainly it is hard to believe it could suddenly turn into the typical plant. I think points in its favour are that when it occurs it does so with great uniformity and often in its 100's, and it coexists with late germinating plants of the typical form which are very small but otherwise perfectly typical.

The stem is characteristically a vivid red, but the leaves are not always this yellow, I think these plants have either been hit by recent cool nights or are running to seed. Given it leaves it so late into the season to appear, it probably lives fast and dies young.

Finally, I can't really mention Golden Dock without including a photograph. So ...

The Draw of Drawdown

Mike Wilcox sent me interesting news this week that left with me with mixed feelings. He had popped over to Skelton Lake, part of my local patch, and found Mudwort (Limosella aquatica) - a cracking find and the first for the Aire Valley (at least in living memory if not all time). I was pleased because I had been expecting and hoping that this species would turn up, tempered by annoyance that if my weekend walk had taken a slightly different route then I would have got it first!

So naturally I went for a look this weekend and to take a few pictures. In so doing, I was able to extend it even further into the VC64 part of the lake.

Mudwort habitat

This really has been an exceptional year at this site, with water levels dropping consistently over the summer. In recent years rain in summer has re-filled the lake, putting an end to the drawdown season before it had fully got going. The Mudwort has joined the other recent cracking finds of Grass-poly (Lythrum hyssopifolium) and Golden Dock (Rumex maritimus).

A range of other species were putting on a good show. Including this really robust Persicaria. I really wanted this to be something different, it is so striking with its spotted robust stem, distinct nodes, multiple stems arising straight from the root stock and decumbent at the base, and sub-glabrous leaves. But I had to face facts, it was just a form of "Pink" Persicaria (Persicaria lapathifolium subsp. lapathifolium - in my view the circumscription of this in Flora Nordica seems more usable than the more recent one in Sell & Murrell, which under-describes the diversity of the two subspecies). Normally a plant this distinct and forming a distinct population would merit a name (of whatever rank), but the trouble with the Persicaria's is that they are autogamous, throwing up new variants which then breed true. Perhaps if its more widespread ... let me know if you've seen it elsewhere.

It was also nice to see the "Intermediate" Plantain (Plantago major subsp. intermedia), making its 2018 appearance on the strandline.

Unexpected, and again first seen by Mike, was this sunflower (Helianthus annuus).

All this, without mentioning the knotgrasses. That's a subject for another day, but as a taster, Polygonum microspermum. A delightfully dinky species with blue-tinged foliage and tiny flowers. Seems quite a reasonable split to me, especially when seen growing in the 100's.