Guernsey

Guernsey

Wednesday 16th May - Tuesday 22nd May 2018

16th May: Pleinmont

Eighteen BBG members met near the site of the former Pleinmont Watch-house in the SW of Guernsey for an afternoon walk along this beautiful stretch of coast. We were kindly joined by two more local botanists, Anne Haden and Rachel Rabey, who also joined us on several other days of our holiday.

Highlights included Four-leaved Allseed (Polycarpon tetraphyllum), Dwarf Pansy (Viola kitaibeliana), Suffocated Clover (Trifolium suffocatum), Bird’s-foot Clover (Trifolium ornithopodioides), Hairy Bird’s-foot-trefoil (Lotus subbiflorus) and Purple Ramping-fumitory (Fumaria purpurea). After some careful examination of the glaucous fine leaved grasses, it was thought that both Huon’s Fescue (Festuca huonii) and Blue Fescue (Festuca longifolia) were present.

We drove a short distance up the coast and walked on a path heading inland and were successful in finding Black Spleenwort (Asplenium adiantum-nigrum), Lanceolate Spleenwort (A. obovatum) and the hybrid between these two ferns A. x sarniense.

17th May - L’Ancresse Bay

After a quick stop at a field near Vale Church, to see Viper’s-grass (Scorzonera humilis), which was found growing at this site a few years ago, we spent the rest of the day exploring the coastal grassland, and lanes around L’Ancresse Bay. This picturesque sandy bay was a delight. We saw a staggering number of rare plants including Wild Asparagus (Asparagus prostratus), Little-Robin (Geranium purpureum) with its distinctive mustard-yellow anthers, Rock Sea Lavender (Limonium binervosum ssp. sarniense), a subspecies of Groundsel with ray florets (Senecio vulgaris ssp. denticulatus) and Small Hare’s-ear (Bupleurum baldense).

On the eastern side of the bay was Field Eryngo (Eryngium campestre) which has grey-green leaves rather than the blue-green leaves of the similar looking Sea Holly. Sand Crocus (Romulea columnae) was seen at several locations during our week in Guernsey, the flowers having gone over but the distinctive fruits on drooping stalks were seen.

18th May - Bridget Ozanne Orchid Meadows & coast near Lihou Island

The morning was spent wandering around the Bridget Ozanne Orchid Meadows near Rocquaine Bay in the west of the island. The displays of Loose-flowered Orchid (Orchis laxiflora) were breath-taking, their large purple stems, in perfect condition, really stealing the show. A good find here was Leafy Rush (Juncus foliosus).

In the afternoon we walked on the headland nearest Lihou Island. At our lunch spot, we were pleased to see a patch of Yellow-vetch (Vicia lutea). Two members of the group took advantage of the low tide to walk the causeway to Lihou while the rest continued to explore the headland and coast at L’Eree Bay. Near the imposing observation tower at Fort Saumarez, built by the occupying forces in the Second World War, was Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster) with its large cones clearly visible high up in the trees. On the shingle of L’Eree Bay, were a good number of Yellow Horned-poppy (Glaucium flavum). Other highlights were Rough Dog’s-tail (Cynosurus echinatus), Slender Oat (Avena barbata) and Compact Brome (Anisantha madritensis).

19th May - Jerbourg

The morning was free to spend as we wished, but half the group decided to spend the morning walking the coastal path around Moulin Huet to Jerbourg in the S E of the island. One of the star plant species of the walk was Slender Bird’s-foot-trefoil (Lotus angustissimus). This species is not as densely hairy as Hairy Bird’s-foot-trefoil (Lotus subbiflorus) which was also seen commonly throughout the holiday.

In the afternoon, we joined the rest of the group on a field meeting with La Societe Guernesiaise lead by Anna Cleal (Anna also kindly joined us on other trips throughout the week). In the car park we found Subterranean Clover (Trifolium subterraneum), Greek Sea-Spurrey (Spergularia bocconei) and Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum). We walked west along the coastal path, with highlights including Sand Crocus (Romulea columnae) (in fruit), Hare’s-foot Clover (Trifolium arvense) and Sand Spurrey (Spergularia rubra).

20th May - Herm

Today, we took the ferry from St. Peter Port to the small island of Herm. It was a grey and misty start to the day, but this soon cleared, to reveal another sunny day. Clustered at the path edge we saw a good number of flower spikes of Ivy Broomrape (Orobanche hederae). New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax) was seen scattered across the island, the large densely tufted rosettes up to 2m across and flowering stems up to 4m tall. The tall unopened flower heads of Wild Leek (Allium ampeloprasum) were also frequent along the coastal path. Inside the railings of a gravestone we saw Sea Stork’s-bill (Erodium maritimum). Initially we thought only the fruits and flower buds were present, but on closer inspection the flowers were present, but with petals absent as is common for this species of Stork’s-bill.

As we walked across the middle of Herm towards the east coast, an examination of the short turf revealed species such as Western Eyebright (Euphrasia tetraquetra), and Small Hare’s-ear (Bupleurum baldense). The red twining stems of Dodder (Cuscuta epithymum) were in dense patches in places in the short turf. Just before the jetty for the return ferry were a number of introduced plants that had naturalised including Aeonium (Aeonium cuneatum), Centuryplant (Agave americana) and Kingfisher Daisy (Felicia bergeriana).

21st May - Fort Hommet, Port Soif & Grantez Mill

Today we began by explored the area around Fort Hommet. Highlights included Long-headed Poppy (Papaver dubium) and Bithynian Vetch (Vicia bithynica). We were successful in finding the small rosettes of Land Quillwort (Isoetes histrix) and a single stem of Yellow Centaury (Cicendia filiformis) with a flower bud. We drove a short distance north to the eastern end of Port Soif. Highlights here included Sea Stock (Matthiola sinuate) with their distinctive wavy edged and lobed lower leaves and Long-stalked Crane's-bill (Geranium columbinum). There were also some dense patches of Rosy Garlic (Allium roseum), the flower heads containing shiny dark pink bulbils as well as flowers with pale pink tepals.

Our last stop of the day was Grantez Mill, about half a mile inland, which involved some rather tricky navigating along narrow lanes and some carefully judged parking. Our target here was the Gurensey Fern (also known as Moore’s Spleenwort) (A. x microdon) which is a hybrid between Hart’s-tongue (Asplenium scolopendrium) and Lanceolate Spleenwort (A. obovatum). Luckily as we arrived, local botanists were already at the site, so we had no trouble in locating it.

22nd May - Petit Bôt, a traditional Guernsey cottage & lanes of St Martin

We spent the morning exploring the coastal paths at Petit Bôt Bay on the south coast of Guernsey. Those that chose to undertake the steep climb on the west of the bay were rewarded by a large patch of Shaggy Mouse-ear-hawkweed (Pilosella peleteriana) next to a St John’s-wort which we struggled to identify at the time but turned out to be the hybrid between Trailing St John’s-wort (Hypericum humifusum) and Toadflax-leaved St John’s-wort (H. linariifolium).

After being treated to a tour of Rachel Rabey’s house (a traditional Guernsey cottage), Rachel accompanied us on our last botanical trip of the day, in the lanes near Les Duvres Hotel in St Martin. We were successful in finding two hybrid Spleenworts, Asplenium x microdon and Asplenium x sarniense.

This was a hugely enjoyable holiday. Many thanks to Ian Brand and Neil Barrett for all their hard work in organising the trip.