2022 County Report for North Hampshire

Tony Mundell

3,861 records dated in 2022 were added to MapMate in VC12, so nothing like the 32,458 recorded in 2019 as we rushed to include as many records as possible for Atlas 2020.

 

I led, or co-led, four meetings of the Hampshire Flora Group at Hatch Warren , Chilbolton Down Farm and Magdalen Hill Down (on two dates). With a few others, I participated in many ‘LORE’ searches for particular old records of plants not recorded since 2000 at the specified site, or anywhere else in that whole hectad. In all, 83 LORE searches were made in VC12 but only 18 (22%) were re-found.

 

I also organised surveys with a few botanical colleagues of Eden County Park for the local Hart District Council, pointing out rarities like Hypochaeris glabra (Smooth Cat’s-ear) and Scleranthus annuus (Annual Knawel) to the Countryside Services warden.

 

I and a few others also helped the Wessex Rivers Trust with their survey of selected plant species in Hampshire’s rivers, including the Test and Itchen. Some of us also participated in a related project to survey a flood plain meadow at Northington.

 

For botanical activities in Hampshire see https://www.hantsplants.uk/floranews.php and download our ‘Flora News’ newsletter.

 

Filago lutescens (Red-tipped Cudweed)

Still hanging on at a roadside site near Fleet where known since 1980. 32 plants in 2022 following a splendid rotavation by Hampshire County Council in March 2022 to disturb the soil.

Cynoglossum germanicum (Green Hound's-tongue

Many hundreds of plants in several separated woodland spots in same general area near Farnborough. Photo by Caroline Reid.

Sagittaria subulata (Dwarf Arrowhead)

Not yet lost from North Hampshire as claimed in Stace. A rare alien, known at Shortheath Pond since 1962, thought lost but re-found by Fred Rumsey in 2019 after an 11 year gap. Large patch photographed by Steve Povey in 2022.

Orobanche hederae (Ivy Broomrape)

2022 photo by Peter Vaughan of the ‘usual’ purple form near Hook. In VC12 this form is quite a rarity, outnumbered by the attractive yellow forma monochroa.