2022 County Report for Nottinghamshire

Mark Woods

Probably the quietest year for field recording in Notts since 2000, but the Biological Records Centre and several other regular recorders were still active and to date more than 15,000 records (1050+ species) have been processed and submitted to the database (on 27/12/2022). More will follow in the coming months, but a list of the interesting finds and new records has been compiled.

In my role as the joint VC recorder for Notts, I have update and edited the Local Wildlife Sites criteria for habitats in the county, updated the plants criteria and now Chair the committee. I have also contributed to the Nottinghamshire Biodiversity Opportunity Mapping workshops. A collaborative exercise to target conservation effort.

I have assisted and co-ordinated research for post-graduate students at Nottingham Trent University for the re-introduction and expansion of rare plants in the county. The latest being a study of Vaccinium myrtillus as an epiphyte on dead veteran trees at Birklands and Bilhaugh SSSI.

Instead of fieldwork, most of my spare time in 2022 has been spent writing species captions, and checking county records and maps for the pending county flora - approximately half of the species captions are complete.

 

Atriplex × hulmeana (A. littoralis × prostrata)

A1 Great North Road, Balderfield SK82624859. Rob Johnson. 07/07/2022. Single specimen with both parents. Located on edge of slip road of Great North Road and A1. A few other backcross specimens found with A. littoralis. Planned search at a likely location, after reading BSBI paper. 1st VC record

Althaea officinalis (Marsh-mallow)

Dunkirk Science Park, SK54603791. David Wood. 03/08/2022. 3 plants on a drain bank on vacant land. 2nd VC record

Carex × pseudoaxillaris (C. otrubae × remota)

Huthwaite Track SK4722858989. Rob Johnson. 26/07/2022. Off Mill Lane, Plants growing at edge of Northern side of the track under scrub/hedgerow. Been mown but several flowering spikes. Photos and specimen collected. 1st VC record

Chenopodium berlandieri (Pitseed Goosefoot)

Newgate Street Car Park, Worksop SK58577361. Coles, G.L.D. 22/08/2022. Growing at the base a of a street lamp. Seeds checked and verified. 1st VC record

Chenopodium strictum (Striped Goosefoot)

Blidworth Industrial Estate SK594566. Rob Johnson. 01/09/2022. 1st VC record

Carlton Road, Sneinton SK585403. Rob Johnson. 05/09/2022. 2nd VC record. Disturbed soil growing with many other Chenopodiums.

Two more populations were found in 2022

Cynoglossum amabile (Chinese Hound's-tongue)

River Leen, Bulwell SK543441. Rob Johnson. 16/09/2022. Likely origin from either a completely wrong seed mix used by Environment Agency following bank works or somebody ‘Guerilla Gardening’. Plants over a long stretch of bank. 1st VC record

Erigeron annuus (Tall Fleabane)

River Leen, EA Compound, Lenton SK549391. Rob Johnson. 21/09/2022. 1st VC record. At least 2 plants growing on disturbed soil and aggregate

Erysimum linifolium (a Wallflower)

River Leen, Bulwell SK543441. Rob Johnson. 16/09/2022. Likely origin from either a completely wrong seed mix used by Environment Agency following bank works or somebody ‘Guerilla Gardening’. Plants over a long stretch of bank. 2nd VC record

Hieracium spilophaeum (Spotted Hawkweed)

Warsop Vale Colliery SK550682. Rob Johnson & Mark Woods. 25/05/2022. 2nd vc record, probably more common. Growing on compacted railway ballast in ruderal vegetation.

Ipomoea purpurea (Common Morning-glory)

River Leen, Bulwell SK543441. Rob Johnson. 16/09/2022. Likely origin from either a completely wrong seed mix used by Environment Agency following bank works or somebody ‘Guerilla Gardening’. Plants over a long stretch of bank. 1st VC record

Jacobaea × albescens (J. maritima × vulgaris)

Columbia Street, Huthwaite SK469592. Rob Johnson. 29/06/2022 1st VC record. Growing on cleared land with one of parents.

Linby Stream SK534510. Rob Johnson. 23/08/2022. 2nd VC record. In a stone-lined village stream.

Lysimachia foemina (Blue Pimpernel)

Sookholme Moor SK554678. Rob Johnson and Mark Woods. 25/05/2022 0 2nd modern record – species-rich pasture.

Medicago sativa nothosubsp. varia (Sand Lucerne)

Wilford Dismantled Railway SK569371. Rob Johnson. 28/07/2022. 2nd modern record. Large patch by path near tramline. Revisited on 11/10/2022 to check fruit to confirm ID.

Rubus phoenicolasius (Japanese Wineberry)

Red Lane, Lowdham (West side) SK6646. John Osborne. 19/07/2021. 2nd VC record, possibly planted, but naturalised on shaded verge.

Taraxacum alatum

Southwell SK704543. Rob Johnson. 4/8/2022. One plant on a driveway. Ist VC record.

Southwell SK707540. Rob Johnson. 5/12/2022. In a private garden. 2nd VC record

Trifolium alexandrinum (Egyptian Clover)

River Maun, Mansfield SK569639. Dave Wood. 25/06/2022 Sown game crop (part of seed mix or contaminent?) – cereal crop margin, locally frequent – 2nd VC record

Veronica × andersonii (V. salicifolia × speciosa)

Eakring Brail Wood SK664608. Rob Johnson. 20/04/2022. Planted in an ancient woodland. 1st VC record.

Lammas Road, Sutton-in-Ashfield. SK492590. Rob Johnson. 13/05/2022. 2nd VC record.

Verbascum pyramidatum (Caucasian Mullein)

Barnstone Soil Heap SK737347. Gareth Hirons. 11/09/2022. 1st VC record

Galium × pomeranicum (G. verum × album)

Langar Fields Hedgerow SK736342. Gareth Hirons. 03/07/2022. Intermediate characteristics- flowers light yellow cream, leaves wider than G.verum but narrower than G.album. Small amount in grassy pathside. Both parents occur here, in some abundance. 2nd VC record

Scabiosa ochroleuca (Pale Yellow Scabious)

A453 Trunk Road, Clifton SK55053512. Rob Johnson. 14/09/2022. 1st VC record. Growing on a wide grassy verge. Likely naturalised/seeded from plants on Nottingham Trent Clifton Campus.

Spiraea nipponica (Japanese Bridewort)

Bramcote Hills SK522384. Rob Johnson. 27/09/2022. 1st VC record. Single bush on edge of site.