Soothill, Batley

Geoffrey Wilmore Memorial Recording Day

Saturday 29th July 2023

Leader: Andrew Kafel

With a significantly greater turnout compared to the mere handful of us who could make it to the field meeting here in June last year, the group assembled in Soothill to gather updated botanical records for the monad covering this area. The visit gave us the chance to explore the surrounding habitats, discover new species and varieties for the area and, for those who knew him, remember the late botanist Geoffrey Wilmore who was once the long-time BBG chairman and recorder for the group before retiring in 2017.

Once the group had convened and received a welcome and briefing from Andrew, everyone made their way along the footpath leading through the agricultural fields to the south of the main road. Despite the relatively low botanical diversity in this section of the monad, some notable species were found growing next to the path running parallel to an adjoining wheatfield. One corner of the field contained such unusual species as Narrow-leaved Ragwort (Senecio inaequidens), Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum), and Square-stalked Willowherb (Epilobium tetragonum), among the more familiar Fat-hen (Chenopodium album) and Scented Mayweed (Matricaria chamomilla). Red Bartsia (Odontites vernus), White Campion (Silene latifolia) and the Common Couch grass variety Elymus repens forma aristatus were also recorded nearby.  Back to the main road, some of us scrutinised a Field Maple, the variety with hairless fruit Acer campestre var. leiocarpum.

The group then proceeded through the village of Woodkirk to see what wild plants we could find on our way to the adjacent woodland. A foray of the roadside verges and pavement edges revealed a surprisingly high number of species growing within this heavily modified built-up environment. Although some had clearly been sown, as could be seen in a wildflower patch containing Borage (Borago officinalis), Purple Viper's-bugloss (Echium plantagineum), and Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare), multiple others such as Petty Spurge (Euphorbia peplus) and Procumbent Yellow-sorrel (Oxalis corniculata) had gained a toehold between the cracks in the asphalt. As well as adding substantially to the species list, these observations present a striking reminder of just how resourceful and opportunistic some plants can be.

Towards midday, the group entered the woodland, the site of a former landscaped clay pit, via a ginnel leading from the housing estate. Within minutes, we found Meadow Barley (Hordeum secalinum), growing on the woodland edge, at the same spot where it was found for the first time during last summer’s field visit. Another notable observation made near the woodland edge was of the diminutive and easy-to-miss Slender Pearlwort (Sagina filicaulis).

After lunch, we continued further into the woodland, stopping at the pond where we noted an abundance of Rigid Hornwort (Ceratophyllum demersum). The clearings were rich with charismatically flowered species in bloom such as Goat's-rue (Galega officinalis), Common Centaury (Centaurium erythraea), Ribbed Melilot (Melilotus officinalis), Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) and several escaped garden cultivars of Geranium.

Although the flowers of the Common Spotted-orchid, Southern Marsh-orchid and Bee Orchids known from this site had gone over, it was just the right time to see the late-flowering Hawkweed Oxtongue (Picris hieracioides) putting on a display of yellow floral splendour.

By late afternoon we had reached the moorland relic in the northwest corner of the wood. Among the False Fox-sedges (Carex otrubae) and Common Spike-rushes (Eleocharis palustris) in the marsh, we searched for the elusive Common Yellow-Sedge (Carex demissa) seen here last summer, but to no avail, probably due to the lateness of the season. The walk concluded with a loop through some adjacent fields, back into the woodland and out towards the point on Soothill Lane where we started.

Many thanks to everyone for attending and contributing their botanical observations, and thanks especially to Andrew for making sure we didn’t get lost on the labyrinthine path network!

We were also grateful for the relatively dry and sunny weather as a welcome end to a very rainy month.

Text by Mark P

Photographs by Tom, Jesse and Graham