2021 County Report for Co. Leitrim
Eamon Gaughan
2021 was another bumper year for recording in Leitrim with 16,773 records. New sites for several rare or uncommon plants. From May to September the Leitrim group got out on several occasions to record in various parts of the county. Notable finds included.
- Epilobium pedunculare (Rockery Willowherb). A new county record. First recorded in Sligo last year and that county now has 3 sites.
- Carex riparia (Greater Pond Sedge) at Carrick on Shannon. Only one older unlocalised record for Leitrim 1962
- Equisetum hyemale (Rough Horsetail) near Kinlough. The first and only post 1999 Leitrim record.
- Equisetum variegatum (Variegated Horsetail). 2 new sites
- Veronica agrestis (Green Field Speedwell). 2 new sites
- Carex canescens (White Sedge). 2 new sites
- Carex pallescens (Pale Sedge) 1 new site
- Carex acutiformis (Lesser Pond Sedge). 2 new sites
- Eleocharis acicularis (Needle Spike Rush). 1 new site
- Hypericum humifusum (Trailing St John’s Wort). 12 new sites. This is more than half of all Leitrim sites ever recorded and all 12 since August this year.
- Persicaria minor (Small Water Pepper). 2 new sites including one with pure white flowers at Carrick on Shannon.
- In October Patricia McHugh and I found a large amount of the uncommon fern Oreopteris limbosperma (Lemon scented Fern) at Glenaniff where it wasn’t recorded before.
- Saxifraga oppositifolia (Purple Saxifrage). 1 new site at quite a low altitude.
- Sites for rarities such as Limosella aquatica (Mudwort) & Ceratophyllum demersum (Rigid Hornwort) were revisited and the plants were thriving.