Hebble Valley, Halifax

Sunday 23^rd May 2021

Leader: Andrew Kafel

Like many of us, Andrew became even more familiar with his home area over the last year due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, and today was a chance for Andrew to share some of his finds with us. A group of 13 met near the Nestle factory on Berry Lane, some having travelled by train, whilst others travelled by car, parking in the long lay-by at the side of the lane. It felt wonderful to finally be allowed to meet up for field meetings. Andrew began by showing us a couple of plants on Berry Lane, Van Houtte's Spiraea (Spiraea x vanhouttei), which was in flower, and Hybrid Black-poplar (Populus x canadensis). We then walked down the lane and through a semi-industrial area, following a stream. We were shown a small plant of Chinese Barberry (Berberis julianae). Other plants here included Darwin's Barberry (Berberis darwinii), a hybrid willow (Salix x reichardtii) and much Oxford Ragwort (Senecio squalidus).

We then fought our way through the litter, up steps and under the railway (not somewhere I’d want to go alone) onto the streets above. On a footbridge near the Eureka museum was Buck's-horn Plantain (Plantago coronopus) and Rat's-tail Fescue (Vulpia myuros). On a side road, by the kerb, it was great to see Four-leaved Allseed (Polycarpon tetraphyllum), growing alongside Wall Speedwell (Veronica arvensis) and Lesser Trefoil (Trifolium dubium).

Large planters on Church Road were mostly full of vigorous weeds (soon to be weeded it seemed) but near their base was Argentine Needle-grass (Nassella tenuissima), Common Fiddleneck (Amsinckia micrantha) and Virginia Stock (Malcolmia maritima). Growing well along the wall of a near by car park was Hare's-tail (Lagurus ovatus).

Retracing our steps back to the stream, we then continued to follow the steam and emerged onto Water Lane. In a disused car park, Andrew showed us Austrian Whitebeam (Sorbus austriaca) which had self-seeded at the edge of the tarmac. In flower near by was the pretty Common Cornsalad (Valerianella locusta), Andrew pointing out the presence of a single flower/seed in the centre of a fork below the main dense terminal flower heads, useful for identification.

Lunch was taken sitting on a low wall of a car park. Some eagle-eyed members spotted Thyme-leaved Sandwort (Arenaria serpyllifolia) and Annual Pearlwort (Sagina apetala) before we headed off up the hill. Daisy-bush (Olearia x haastii) was growing alongside a hybrid (Olearia x oleifolia 'Waikariensis') at the edge of a steep hill. On the edge of a nearby road was Mountain Currant (Ribes alpinum), Algerian Ivy (Hedera algeriensis) and Hedge Hebe (Veronica x franciscana). Some members were pleased to find Black Spleenwort (Asplenium adiantum-nigrum), although it’s relatively common in this area now. We then turned back down the hill and braved more litter-strewn dark underpasses (I certainly wouldn’t come back here alone!). In flower in the alleyway were a few plants of American Winter-cress (Barbarea verna), and Andrew pointed out the leaves of Large-flowered Evening-primrose (Oenothera glazioviana) which flowers later in the year. We emerged into a more open area where we saw Spreading Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster divaricatus), Gmelin’s Willow (Salix gmelinii) and Slender Rush (Juncus tenuis). Andrew showed us the leaves of Hybrid Woundwort (Stachys x ambigua) and explained how to distinguish it from its parents, Hedge Woundwort (S. sylvatica) and Marsh Woundwort (S. palustris). Then we explored an area where the soil had been disturbed last year, where there were various different plants including California Brome (Ceratochloa carinata) and Northern Dock (Rumex longifolius), the latter having no warts on the tepals (last year’s flower stem was still there).

On the adjacent land, construction work was taking place, building sheds for lorries, according to the man who popped his head over the fence to see what we were up to. We then walked along Siddal New Road and via the cemetery back towards the cars. At the end of the walk Andrew pointed out the leaves of Nepalese Cinquefoil (Potentilla nepalensis). We thanked Andrew for showing us so many interesting plants, and Rita and Anthony were thanked for recording the species list.

Text and photographs by Susan