2022 County Report for Glamorganshire

David Barden, Karen Wilkinson, Julian Woodman, Barry Stewart

The six excursions held by the Glamorgan Botany Group this year were all well-attended, with numbers varying from 10 to 17. Highlights included populations of the v.c. rarities Moenchia erecta (Upright Chickweed), Viola canina (Heath Dog Violet), Vicia lathyroides (Spring Vetch, pictured) and Sison segetum (Corn Parsley) at Ogmore-by-Sea in April; sheets of Clinopodium acinos (Basil Thyme) and a scattering of Galium parisiense (Wall Bedstraw) in June; a very large population of Centaurium pulchellum (Lesser Centaury) at Cosmeston in July; and Hymenophyllum wilsonii (Wilson’s Filmy-fern) on shaded boulders below an upland cliff near Nantyfyllon in September.

In other recording efforts, there have been records for Mentha pulegium (Pennyroyal) from two colliery spoil sites in the last two years. Like two other records made in the last 30 years, these appear to be the introduced var. erecta (the native form not having been seen in Glamorgan for many years). Recorded in 2021, and only recently noted as significant, was a site for Viola hirta × odorata = V. × scabra (a hybrid violet) from a trackside near Graig Penllyn, the first v.c. record since 1900, and only the third recent record from Wales.