Holywell and Houghton (VC31)

May is always a frenetic month, as spring races on it becomes more and more of a challenge to keep pace. There is lots to report but too little time to post news, as well as keeping on top of the record keeping. But this weekends trip down to Huntingdonshire provides an easy post while I take stock.

The first good find of the day was tens of thousands of Common Cornsalad (Valerianella locusta) in Parsons Green industrial estate, St Ives. The plants were going over but at least that meant that seeds were present to allow confirmation of the species ID.

photo by J.F. Gaffard (Wikimedia Commons)

New to the county was this surprise - Corsican Hellebore (Helleborus argutifolius). I caught a hint of yellow-green out the corner of my eye and instantly knew I was onto something good. Its not a colour I expect for a native plant, and so much of plant hunting is keeping half an eye open for subtle changes in colour and texture. On closer inspection I found nine plants in rough grassland by the Park and Ride at St Ives. Past their best, but with signs of lots of seed to come.

Further along Meadow Lane, the next find was Pink-sorrel (Oxalis articulata) (photo), with Large-flowered Pink-sorrel (Oxalis debilis) later in Holywell churchyard,

In Holywell churchyard there was also Dusky Crane's-bill (Geranium phaeum var. phaeum) self sown on a grave. This was also new to the county.

photo by Michal Smoczyk (Wikimedia Commons)

To round off a productive day, I joined the HFFS for the visit to Houghton Meadows. The meadows were in full bloom, with one of the highlights of the site being its population of Green-winged Orchid (Anacamptis morio).

Italian Lords-and-Ladies

Nick Millar has just sent me a batch of interesting records made this year. Among these is a new location for Italian Lords-and-Ladies (Arum italicum ssp. italicum) at Harrison Way, St Ives (VC31). This attractive winter foliage plant seems to be on the increase, with this being the fifth record of this garden escape.

Almost The Full Set

Nick Millar has just let me know of an interesting new find. He has spotted Yellow-flowered Teasel (Dipsacus strigosus) growing on the road verge of Harrison Way, St Ives (VC31). With this find we almost have the full set of this genus, barring a couple of obscure hybrids.

Yellow-flowered teasel is similar to the native Small Teasel (Dipsacus pilosus) but can be distinguished as follows (text and photo taken from the Manual of the Alien Plants of Belgium website).

Dipsacus strigosus	Dipsacus pilosus
Corolla pale yellow	Corolla white
Anthers pale yellow or greenish (not contrasting with corolla)	Anthers dark purplish to blackish (much contrasting with corolla)
Flower head ca. 30-40 mm across	Flower head ca. 15-25 mm across
Receptacular scales distinctly longer than corolla, long attentuate and glabrous at apex	Receptacular scales hardly longer than corolla, abruptly narrowed and ciliate towards apex