2021 County Report for Kincardineshire

David Welch & David Elston

We have continued to work towards a RPR, intending its Version 1 to be released before the 2022 recording season. We began a programme to obtain respectable post-1999 lists for all tetrads fully in the VC.

We made a site visit to the West Bradieston & Garvock SSSI after discussing access and parking with the landowners.

A paper was published describing and naming a new bramble species, Rubus longiflorus, that has its main occurrences in the VC

The identity was investigated of plum types of Prunus spinosa found in a Kinneff copse (left below) and hedges in Strachan (right) and Raemoir.

Selected interesting finds in 2021

• Anisantha rubens (Foxtail Brome, pictured) occurring by a roundabout near the River Dee in Aberdeen. The DDb has no other post-1999 BI record, but specimens collected in 1903 in Aberdeen City are in ABD.
• New records of natives: Arctium lappa (Greater Burdock, pictured), Kincardine Castle, Fettercairn; Hieracium prenanthoides (Rough-leaved Hawkweed), close to the Esk at Marykirk;
• also Potentilla anglica (Trailing Tormentil, pictured) and P. × suberecta, Drumtochty; Salix × reichardtii, Catterline.
• New records of aliens: Astilbe japonica (False-buck's-beard), Inglismaldie; Cupressus pisifera forma squarrosa (Sawara Cypress), Blairs and Durris; Echinops exaltatus (Globe-thistle), Hirn; Sasa palmata (Broad-leaved Bamboo), Auchattie.
• Good rediscoveries: Equistum pratense (Shady Horsetail, pictured), Fettercairn; Erysimum cheiranthoides (Treacle Mustard), Auchenblae; Salix triandra (Almond Willow), Strachan, last seen respectively 1850s, 1875, and by 1919.
• Other notable sightings: Gentianella campestris (Field Gentian), St Cyrus, 2nd post-1999; Ornithopus perpusillus (Bird's-foot, pictured) and Scleranthus annuus (Annual Knawel), Durris, 1st large populations.