A FLOWER STUDY IN WOODBURY PARISH

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "A FLOWER STUDY IN WOODBURY PARISH"

Arlene Cole
5 years ago
Views:

1 A FLOWER STUDY IN WOODBURY PARISH SALLY ELLIOTT AND SYLVIA WICKENDEN

2 Greater and Lesser Stitchwort Just a few of the of the 200 plus wild flowers found in the survey. Common spotted Orchid. Dog Rose Yellow Iris. Rosebay Willowherb. Sweet Briar Rose. 2

3 Contents Introduction 4 Physical background 5 Soil tests 6 Relief map (simplified) 7 Geology map (simplified) 8 Parish map of four recording sites 9 Photos of main Parish habitats Maps, photographs and lists of flowers of four recording sites List of all flowers found in the Parish

4 Introduction Our survey of the wild flowers of Woodbury Parish was prompted by the apparent absence of any previous recording, and the fear that, with climate warming and changes in human activity, there might be an increasing loss or change of species. We are not botanists, but as lovers of the countryside we are familiar with most local flowers, and have a collection of reference books to help us identify species. Even so we have not always been able to differentiate between the numerous members of the umbelliferae and some other families. For practical reasons we decided to select four 30 m. stretches of road or lane at different heights in the parish, and visit them at intervals between 2008 and 2011, to allow for wetter, drier or colder conditions, and the variations of each season. Fairly recently the Exton end of the Exe Estuary Cycle and Walking Trail has opened, giving access to another habitat. We have also visited the top of Woodbury Common, as well as noting any other species along the lanes. For reasons of access it has not been possible to deal adequately with fields and woodlands. Our survey includes a brief description of the physical background of the parish, with maps of relief and geology. One map shows the location of the stretches of lane where we did our recording with lists of the flowers found at each. Also included is an alphabetical list of all the flowers we found. There are, too, photographs showing the main habitats within the parish. Too frequent or mistimed cutting of verges by councils and landowners severely reduces the chances of seed dispersal whereby species survive. We would urge that this practice is avoided. Apart from their immense aesthetic and cultural value, wild flowers are a fundamental element of the ecosystem that maintains biodiversity. They are a rich source of food for insects, including the essential pollinators. With their verge and bank habitat, they form a green corridor link for wildlife, especially for small mammals, which reduces the impact of urban encroachment. We hope this project will help to promote an interest in and a greater awareness and appreciation of our truly wonderful native flora heritage. Finally, we would welcome any additions to our flower list. 4

5 Woodbury Parish: Physical Background Woodbury Parish stretches from the crest of Woodbury common at a height of about 170m (550 ft) to the Exe estuary. Small streams have cut gentle valleys on their way down to the estuary from the Common, the largest being the Grindle Brook and Gilbrook Most of the parish is underlain by Permian ( million years BC) and Triassic ( million years BC) marls and sandstones which were mostly formed in deserts. On top of these lie the Triassic Pebblebeds, in places ft thick, which make up the top of Woodbury Common. These were probably laid down by a river flowing from the south west carrying chiefly quartzite, sandstone, and some tourmaline pebbles from long since vanished lands now covered by sea. They are the source of the large, water-rounded pebbles (shown on the Geology map as 'gravelly soils'), which can be a nuisance in fields and gardens around Woodbury. They were mostly washed down from the Common during the last Ice Age by melt water from heavy winter snows. The larger brooks have widened their valley floors a little and deposited alluvium on them. The valley gravels mark the tops of gentle hills which are the remains of river terraces of the River Exe. The climate in Woodbury is mild and rainy without a dry season and without severe winters or very hot summers. However, the weather varies greatly and since the parish is in the rain shadow of the Haldon Hills and Dartmoor it is usually somewhat drier than nearby areas. Annual rainfall is about 800mm (30 ins). In January the average daily maximum temperatures are usually just above 7 C and night minimums about 2.5 C, with frosts quite common. In July the average daily maximum temperature is about 20 C with a minimum of about 12.5 C. Snowfalls are rarely great in some years little more than a powdering. However, especially in recent years, there have been greater fluctuations will be remembered for its very wet cool summer, and 2011 for a very cold spell in winter. 5

6 Soil Tests Common west side verge alkaline 7.5 Common east side verge neutral 6.0 Flower Lane acid 5.5 Stony Lane acid 5.5 Porters lane alkaline 7.5 These results were obtained from a simple garden soil test kit. Those on the Common roadside verges may have been affected by outside influences such as gritting, salting, and traffic. These results suggest that these soils have not had a big influence on local flora. 6

7 7

8 8

9 9

10 WOODBURY COMMON BOG AREA BOG ASPHODEL THE PEBBLE BEDS 10

11 WOODBURY PARISH FROM THE EDGE OF WOODBURY COMMON FROM NEAR THE TOP OF CASTLE LANE 11

12 WOODBURY PARISH LOOKING UP TO WOODBURY CASTLE FROM WINDMILL HILL LOOKING TOWARDS THE COMMON FROM GLOBE HILL 12

13 EXTON EXTON AND CYCLE/ WALKWAY TO EXMOUTH WET LAND HABITAT CYCLE AND WALKING TRACK TO EXMOUTH ON THE EDGE OF WOODBURY PARISH 13

14 CRICKET FIELD POND KINGCUPS BY POND 14

15 15

16 Recording Site 1 Edge of Common: Jan/Feb Gorse, Dandelion Mar/Apr Hogweed, Red Campion, Gorse, Dandelion, Dog Violet, Scurvy Grass, Common Chickweed, Sweet Violet May/Jun Buttercup, White Clover, Herb Robert, Yarrow, Ribwort Plantain, Pale Flax, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Red Campion, Tormentil, Hop Trefoil, Hogweed, Hawkweed, Mouse-ear, Common Sorrel, Lesser Hawkbit, Gorse, Dandelion, Greater Plantain, Sweet Violet, Cow Parsley, Common Vetch, Wild Strawberry, Bluebell, Daisy, Lesser Stitchwort, Hawksbeard, False Strawberry, Cinquefoil, Milkwort, Wavy Bittercress, Hairy Bittercress, Germander Speedwell, Milkweed, Honeysuckle Jul/Aug Buttercup, White Clover, Red Clover, Ragwort, Wood Sage, Hemp Agrimony, Herb Robert, Yarrow, Agrimony, Ribwort Plantain, Pale Flax, Fairy Flax, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Self Heal, Red Campion, Slender St John's Wort, Stinging Nettle, Hawkweed, Bramble, Heath Bedstraw, Mouse-ear, Common Sorrel, Hawkbit, Hogweed, Black Medick, Bell Heather, Tormentil, Hop Trefoil, Cow Parsley, Upright Chickweed, Knapweed, Creeping Thistle, Scurvy Grass, Dandelion, Greater Plantain, Lesser Stitchwort, Scentless Mayweed, Ling Heather, Smooth Hawkbit, Annual Pearlwort, Rough Hawkbit, Scarlet Pimpernel, Meadow Vetchling, Wood Dock, Spear Thistle, Mugwort (Artemisia), Cornflower, Nipplewort Sep/Oct Red Clover, Ragwort, Hemp Agrimony, Yarrow, Agrimony, Pale Flax, Ribwort Plantain, Red Campion, Slender St John's Wort, Bell Heather, Mouse-ear, Common Sorrel, Lesser Hawkbit, Knapweed, Gorse, Dandelion, Creeping Thistle, Daisy, Lesser Trefoil, Montbretia, Knotgrass, Pearlwort, Rough Hawkbit Nov/Dec Red Clover, Yarrow, Buttercup, Red Campion, Lesser Hawkbit, Gorse, Dandelion, Greater Plantain, Mouse-ear, Rough Hawkbit 16

17 17

18 18

19 19

20 20

21 Recording Site 2 near Cannonwalls: Jan/Feb Celandine Mar/Apr Dandelion, Germander Speedwell, Bittercress, Primrose, Celandine, Dog's Mercury, Wood Anemone, Ground Ivy, False Strawberry, Dog Violet, Cow Parsley, Bluebell, Stitchwort, Herb Robert, Bush Vetch, Red Campion, Garlic Mustard, Pink Purslane, Shining Leaved Cranesbill May/Jun Dandelion, Germander Speedwell, Celandine, Dog's Mercury, Stitchwort, Wood Anemone, Ground Ivy, Buttercup, Bluebell, Herb Robert, Goose Grass, White Deadnettle, Red Campion, Cow Parsley, Wild Carrot, Red Deadnettle, Pink Purslane, Bush Vetch, Stinging Nettle, Herb Bennet, Pennywort, Brooklime, Garlic Mustard, Fool's Parsley, Hemlock Water Dropwort, Dock Jul/Aug Buttercup, Herb Robert, Red Campion, Cow Parsley, Pink Purslane, Common Sorrel, Meadow Vetchling, Bramble, Hedge Bedstraw, Bush Vetch, Honeysuckle, Stinging Nettle, Herb Bennet, Nipplewort, Bramble, Lesser Willowherb, Smooth Hawkbit, Fat Hen, Self Heal, Meadowsweet, Prickly Sowthistle, Woody Nightshade, Common Hawkweed, Hedge Woundwort, Wood Avens, Tormentil, Creeping Cinquefoil, Bistort, Knotgrass Sep/Oct Cow Parsley, Herb Robert, Red Campion, Dandelion, White Deadnettle, Pink Purslane, Bush Vetch, Honeysuckle, Stinging Nettle, Common Sorrel, Nipplewort, Greater Willowherb, Pale Persicaria, Bramble, Hogweed, Herb Bennet, Hedge Bedstraw, Meadowsweet, Greater Burnet Saxifrage, Greater Plantain, Prickly Sowthistle No/Dec Herb Robert, Red Campion, White Deadnettle, Bush Vetch, Nipplewort 21

22 22

23 23

24 24

25 25

26 Recording Site 3 Stony Lane: Jan/Feb Dandelion, Buttercup Mar/Apr Dandelion, Periwinkle, Stitchwort, Cow Parsley, Bush Vetch, Primrose, Celandine, False Strawberry, Bittercress, Bugle, Bluebell, Ground Ivy, Sweet Violet, Garlic Mustard, Germander Speedwell, Dogs Mercury, Lesser Stitchwort, Common Chickweed May/Jun Bramble, Honeysuckle, Herb Robert, Nipplewort, Common Sorrel, Red Campion, Stinging Nettle, Meadow Vetchling, Goose Grass, Hogweed, Buttercup, Field Rose, Pennywort, Bush Vetch, Dandelion, Stitchwort, Cow Parsley, Hedge Bedstraw, Ground Ivy, Bluebell, Herb Bennet, Crosswort, Germander Speedwell, Hawkbit, Garlic Mustard, Foxglove, Ribwort Plantain Jul/Aug Hypericum-Pulchrum (Slender St John's Wort), Hedge Bedstraw, Bramble, Honeysuckle, Wood Sage, Herb Robert, Nipplewort, Common Sorrel, Red Campion, Stinging Nettle, Meadow Vetchling, Goose Grass, Hogweed, Buttercup, Dog Rose, Pennywort, Bindweed, Trailing St John's Wort, Herb Bennet, Garlic Mustard, Groundsel, Yarrow, Scentless Mayweed Sep/Oct Hedge Bedstraw, Bramble, Honeysuckle, Herb Robert, Nipplewort, Stinging Nettle, Hogweed, Dandelion, Stitchwort, Prickly Oxtongue, Prickly Sowthistle, Black Nightshade Nov/Dec Bush Vetch, Herb Robert, Bramble, Red Campion 26

27 27

28 28

29 29

30 30

31 Recording Site 4 Porters Lane: Jan/Feb Hogweed, Red Deadnettle, Dandelion, Celandine, Snowdrop, Ground Ivy Mar/Apr Stitchwort, Herb Robert, Red Campion, Buttercup, Red Deadnettle, Dandelion, Celandine, White Deadnettle, Cow Parsley, Snowdrop, Garlic Mustard. Dock, Periwinkle, Common Wintercress, Ground Ivy May/Jun Common Sorrel, Herb Robert, Stitchwort, Red Campion, Red Clover, Hogweed, Stinging Nettle, Buttercup, Hedge Woundwort, Crosswort, Hedge Bedstraw, Cow Parsley, Wild Carrot, Goose Grass, Garlic Mustard, Dock, Water Dropwort, Fumitory, Dandelion, Forget-me-not, Shepherd's Purse, Cut-leaved (Geranium) Cranesbill Jul/Aug Slender St John's Wort, Sorrel, Hedge Bedstraw, Bramble, Hedge Woundwort, Herb Robert, Hawkweed, Stitchwort, Tufted Vetch, Crosswort, Red Campion, Bindweed, Red Clover, Hogweed, Cut-leaved Cranesbill, Stinging Nettle, Nipplewort, Buttercup, Creeping Thistle, Lesser Stitchwort, Herb Bennet, Hogweed, Fat Hen, Prickly Sowthistle, Cow Parsley, Dandelion, Teazle, Convolvulus, Scentless Mayweed, Yarrow, Greater Plantain, Common Wintercress, Spear Thistle Sep/Oct Hedge Bedstraw, Bramble, Hedge Woundwort, Herb Robert, Red Clover, Red Campion, Stinging Nettle, Nipplewort, Dandelion, Fumitory, Clematis, Lesser Willowherb, Bistort, Forget-me-not, Teazle, Fat Hen, Upright Goosefoot, Smooth Sowthistle, Red Deadnettle, White Deadnettle, Convolvulus, Honeysuckle, Scentless Mayweed, Pearlwort, Groundsel Nov/Dec Hedge Woundwort, Red Campion, Bramble, Herb Robert, Cow Parsley, Red Deadnettle, Dandelion, White Deadnettle 31

32 32

33 33

34 34

35 List of all Flowers Found in the Parish of Woodbury Agrimony Agrimony, hemp Alkanet, green Anemone, wood Artemisia (Mugwort) Aster, sea Balsam, Indian Bedstraw, hedge Bedstraw, heath Bedstraw, marsh Betony Bindweed, hedge Bindweed, field Birdsfoot Trefoil Bistort Bittercress, hairy Bittercress, wavy Blackthorn Bluebell Bramble Brooklime Brookweed Bryony, black Bugle Burdock, greater Burdock, lesser Bush Vetch Buttercup, creeping Buttercup, meadow Campion, bladder Campion, red Campion, white Carrot, wild Celandine Centaury, common Chervil, rough Chickweed, common Chickweed, upright Cinquefoil, creeping 35

36 Cleavers (Goose Grass) Clematis (Travellers' Joy or Old Man's Beard) Clover, red Clover, white Coltsfoot Convolvulus, field (bindweed), Convolvulus, hedge (bindweed), Cornflower Cow Parsley Cowslip Cranesbill, cut-leaved (geranium) Cranesbill, dove's foot Cranesbill, shining-leaved Creeping Thistle Crosswort Cuckoo-flower Cuckoo Pint Dandelion Daisy, Ox-eye Deadnettle, red Deadnettle, white Dock, broadleaved Dog's Mercury Enchanters' Nightshade Fat Hen Figwort Flax, fairy Flax, pale Forget-me-not Fox and Cubs Foxglove Fumitory, common ramping Garlic Mustard (Jack-by-the-hedge) Geranium, cut-leaved Geranium, Dove's Foot Goats-beard, greater Goosefoot, upright Goose Grass (cleavers) Gorse Green Alkanet 36

37 Ground Elder Ground Ivy Groundsel Hawkbit, lesser Hawkbit, rough Hawkbit, smooth Hawkweed, common Hawksbeard, beaked Heath Milkwort Heath Speedwell Heather (Ling) Heather-bell Heather, cross-leaved Hedge Woundwort Hellebore, winter Hemlock Hemlock Water Dropwort Herb Bennet Herb Robert Hogweed Honeysuckle Horehound, black Iris, yellow Ivy Ivy-leaved Toadflax Jack-by-the-hedge (Garlic Mustard) Kingcup Knapweed Knotgrass Lesser Stitchwort Lesser Willowherb Loosestrife, purple Mare's-tail Mayweed, scentless Meadowsweet Meadow Vetchling Medick, black Milkweed Milkwort, heath 37

38 Mint, water Montbretia Mouse-ear Mugwort (Artemisia) Mullein, great Musk Mallow Nettle, stinging Nightshade, black Nightshade, enchanter's Nightshade, woody Nipplewort Orchid, common spotted Orchid, early purple Ox-eye Daisy Oxtongue, prickly Pale Persicaria Pearlwort, annual Pennywort Periwinkle Pimpernel, scarlet Pink Purslane Plantain, greater Plantain, ribwort Poppy, common Primrose Queen Anne's Lace Ragged Robin Ragwort Ramsons (wild garlic) Red Campion Rose, dog Rose, field Rose, sweetbriar St John's Wort, slender (Hypericum-Pulchrum) St John's Wort, trailing Salsify Scabious, field Scentless Mayweed 38

39 Scurvy Grass, common Sea Aster Self-heal Shepherd's Purse Shining Cranesbill Snowdrop Sorrel, common Sorrel, red Sowthistle, prickly Sowthistle, smooth Spear Thistle Speedwell, germander Speedwell, heath Speedwell, thyme-leaved Spurge, wood Spurrey, sand Stinging Nettle Stitchwort, greater Stitchwort, lesser Strawberry, false Strawberry, wild Sweetbriar Teazle Thistle, creeping Thistle, marsh Thistle, spear Toadflax, common Toadflax, ivy-leaved Toadflax, purple Tormentil Trefoil, bird's foot Trefoil, hop Trefoil, lesser Umbelliferae: Alexanders Cow Parsley Fool's Paradise Greater Burnet Saxifrage Hedge Parsley Hemlock Hemlock Dropwort Hemlock, water 39

40 Hogweed Water Parsnip Wild Carrot Yarrow Upright Goosefoot Vetch, bush Vetch, common Vetch, meadow vetchling Vetch, tufted Violet, dog Violet, purple Violet, sweet Water Dropwort Water Mint Water Parsnip Wild Carrot Willowherb, greater Willowherb, lesser Willowherb, rosebay Wintercress, common Winter Hellebore Wood Anemone Wood Avens Wood Dock Wood Sage Wood Spurge Woody Nightshade Woundwort, field Woundwort, hedge Yarrow Yellow Iris Unusual additions: August 2006 growing in a field border in Woodbury: Watermelon Nightshade, (Solanum Citrullifolium), Native of Iowa-Kansas, Texas, Mexico. End of May 2013 growing on a roadside bank in Woodbury, Fringe Cup, (Tellima Grandiflora), Native of Western North America. 40

41 VIEW FROM SANCTUARY LANE TOWARDS THE BEACON AND CASTLE RIDGE Floral diversity in a June hedgerow VIEW FROM THE TOP OF LOWER MALLOCKS LANE Cow Parsley in May 41

Hedgerows Grow West. Surveying a hedgerow Workbook to help explore a hedgerow

Hedgerows Grow West. Surveying a hedgerow Workbook to help explore a hedgerow Hedgerows Grow West Surveying a hedgerow Workbook to help explore a hedgerow Hedgerows Grow West is a partnership project across eleven councils in Northern Ireland that aims to restore and enhance hedgerows