2024 County Report for South Hampshire

Tristan Norton and Martin Rand

Nearly 27,000 records covering over 1300 species have been added to the BSBI Distribution Database by early December. Over twenty of these were new to the vice county.

Several recorders undertake regular, detailed recording in specific areas and contribute hugely in terms of numbers of records and fine-grained coverage of all taxa: Mike Rowe, Andrew Powling, Eric Clement, Anna Stewart, and Bob Wardell are all very active.

Work has been carried out for the upcoming Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) for Hampshire. This involved identifying individual plant species in need of bespoke conservation interventions (for example Tower Mustard Turritis glabra) as well as species more suited to habitat assemblages and which would benefit from more widespread management action (e.g. arable margins, calcareous grassland).

A full schedule of field meetings was carried out under the auspices of the Hampshire Flora Group (see https://www.hantsplants.uk/ for details) and these events continue to promote and bolster plant recording across Hampshire.

Martin is currently working on getting the improved ways of moving bulk data into the DDb adopted, supporting the projects we are currently promoting (e.g. swooping on recently under-recorded monads and producing Threatened Plants population records for local use using the BSBI’s TPP forms), writing up a guide to lowland Willows (that includes recent introductions and incorporates knowledge gained from the Continent) to encourage more people to tackle this under-recorded group in the county, and preparing an annotated county checklist as a first step to producing a supplement to the 1996 county Flora.

Taraxacum subnaevosum (Pale-bracted Dandelion)

A surprise find by Martin Rand and co in April at Titchfield. Initially thought to be T. ronae, its true identity was revealed by John Richards. The nearest record of this species is c.150km north.

Gamochaeta sp. (American Cudweed)

An American spicate cudweed population totalling hundreds of plants found by Tristan Norton in September in Southampton has thus far evaded specific identification but is clearly within the Gamochaeta purpurea group. Another small population (of the same or a different species) was found in January, also in Southampton, by Phil Budd.

Chenopodium pratericola (Slim-leaf Goosefoot)

Found by Tim Rich in October whilst looking at the large Gamochaeta population in Southampton. Possibly going under-recorded due to its similarity to narrow-leaved, bushy specimens of Fat-hen C. album.

Cardamine occulta (Asian Wavy Bitter-cress)

First recorded in June by Sam Thomas at a Havant garden centre, this plant is undoubtedly more widespread and further records will surely appear as botanists investigate other plant nurseries and garden centres.

Hosta fortunei

Found by Bob Wardell in March within an ancient woodland remnant in Havant. Such suburban woodland sites are often plagued by rogue plantings or garden escapes.

Ludwigia grandiflora (Water-primrose)

Far from welcome was a huge population of this highly invasive water plant found in September by Pete Flood at Plaitford Common, New Forest. This infestation is being treated with the seriousness it deserves by the statutory agencies, and it is hoped the population can be controlled before it spreads further.