Member’s Evening (via Zoom)
Thursday 22nd April 2021
5 Ferns in 4 minutes by Kay M.
Kay’s talk covered five interesting ferns which she recorded in 2020 for Vice-County 63 (Mid-west Yorkshire).
1 Hay-scented Buckler-fern (Dryopteris aemula) found on Wessenden Moor, Saddleworth, a fern normally found in lowland acid woodlands, especially along Britain’s Atlantic fringe. This is a new record for the Peak District and VC 63. The ‘hay’ scent can only be detected in dry specimens.
2 Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) found at the top of Wessenden Moor (altitude 440M) on bare peat, a fern normally found at lower altitudes, especially in the west of Britain, but always in areas with high rainfall,
3 Soft Shield-fern (Polystichum setiferum) was found by Bruce in Gledhow Valley, Leeds, where five specimens were recorded. One of the diagnostic features of Soft Shield-fern is the stalked pinnules whereas in Hard Shield-fern (Polystichum aculeatum) the pinnules are unstalked.
4 Fortune’s Holly-fern (Cyrtomium fortunei) was found at the Harehills end of Gledhow Valley. This fern is a neophyte from North-east Asia and is likely to be of garden origin.
5 Soft Shield-fern (Polystichum setiferum ‘Divisilobum’ Group) was found in Bishop’s Wood, Sherburn-in-Elmet. This is a horticultural variety of the native Soft Shield-fern and usually a garden escape when found in the wild.
The Lizard to Orkney by Graeme C.
Graeme’s talk featured rare plants, recorded by him over many years. Information on sites, distribution, history and culture added interest to the species shown. In Britain, some of these plants are to be found only in a handful of sites.
The Lizard Cornish Heath (Erica vagans)
Mudwort (Limosella aquatica)
Viper’s grass (Scorzonera humilis)
Wales Tuberous Thistle (Cirsium tuberosum)
Yellow Whitlow-grass (Draba azoides)
Venus’s Looking-glass (Legousia speculum-veneris)
Radnor Lily (Gagea bohemica)
Greater Broomrape (Orobanche rapum-genistae)
England May Lily (Maianthemum bifolium)
Scotland Rannock Rush (Scherchzeria palustris)
Dwarf Cornel (Cornus suecica)
Cloudberry (Rubus chamaemorus)
Diapensia (Diapensia lapponica)
One-flowered Wintergreen (Moneses uniflora)
Orkney Pyramidal Bugle (Ajuga pyramidalis) & Bugle (Ajuga reptans) & the hybrid
Oysterplant (Mertensia maritima)
The Teesdale Assemblage by Alan S.
Alan introduced his talk by describing the geological, geographical, climatalogical and human influences which have lead to the assemblage of rare Arctic/Alpine plants now found in Teesdale. Forest clearances and climate changes have resulted in the decline of tree coverage, except alongside the River Tees. Some of the Teesdale plants are also present in the Arctic, Scottish mountains and in the mountains of Europe.
Alpine Foxtail (Alopecurus alpinus new name A.magellanicus)
Alpine Forget-me-not (Myosotis alpestris)
Horseshoe Vetch (Hippocrepis comosa)
Mountain Pansy (Viola lutea)
Shrubby Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa new name Dasiphora fruticosa))
Spring Gentian (Gentiana verna)
Teesdale Sandwort (Minuartia stricta new name (Sabulina stricta)
False Sedge (Kobresia simpliciuscula new name Carex simpliciuscula)
Hair Sedge (Carex capillaris)
Bird’s-eye Primrose (Primula farinosa)
Scottish Asphodel (Tofieldia pusilla)
Marsh Saxifrage (Saxifraga hirculus)
Sheathed Sedge (Carex vaginata)
Alpine Bistort (Polygonum viviparum new name Bistorta vivipara)
Teesdale Violet (Viola rupestris)
Alpine Meadow-rue (Thalictrum alpinum)
Alpine Bartsia (Bartsia alpina)
Yellow Saxifrage (Saxifraga azoides)
Mossy Saxifrage (Saxifraga hypnoides)
Hoary Whitlow-grass (Draba incana)
Spring Sandwort (Minuartia verna new name Sabulina verna)
Alpine Cinquefoil (Potentilla crantzii)
Mountain Avens (Dryas octopetala)
Dwarf Birch (Betula nana)
Oblong Woodsia (Woodsia ilvensis)
Trees in Constable Country by lan D.
This talk was about some of the trees seen by Ian during a tree identification course at Flatford Mill in May 2019. All of the trees shown are introduced species and Ian told us about some of the reasons they were introduced. Walnut (Juglans regia) for its edible nuts was introduced by the Romans. Black Mulberry (Morus nigra) has edible fruits, but was cultivated for the production of silk, only to find that silkworms eat White Mulberry leaves! Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) was imported from Turkey for its wood, especially for carving. At Stratford St Mary, Ian was shown Maidenhair Tree (Gingko biloba) which is an ancient tree originally from China; 6 specimens survived the Hiroshima bomb. The attractive Fern-leaved Beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Aspleniifolia’) was also seen at this site. At Flatford Mill, Strawberry-tree (Arbutus unedo) was seen; this has edible fruits resembling strawberries. East Bergholt is where John Constable, the painter, was born and is where there is a wooden “Bell Cage”, constructed in 1531 to house the church bells, when the funds for a tower ran out. It is there that Greek Strawberry-tree (Arbutus andrachne) and Cyprus Strawberry tree (Arbutus x andrachnoides) were seen. The last two trees Ian showed us were Roble Beech or Patagonian Oak (Nothofagus obliqua) imported from Argentina in 1849 and Wellingtonia or Giant Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum), notable for its size and its adaptation to forest fires because it contains tannic acid.
Mavis