2022 County Report for East Gloucestershire

Chris Dixon

Across the year, 26,135 records were collected from 382 monads in VC33, with up to 193 species in a single monad; 245 monads provided at least 40 species, representing one-seventh of the total area. The main contributors were Chris Dixon, John Rees and Clare and Mark Kitchen. The focus was on recording in previously under-recorded areas of the vice-county, especially the farmland in the east, rather than the more species-rich escarpment in the west.

A personal highlight was the discovery in early July of a small patch of acidic grassland, with Pedicularis sylvatica, Carex leporina, Danthonia decumbens and Potentilla erecta, on the north-facing slopes above Hailes. This type of habitat is exceedingly rare in the Cotswolds, and all but one of these species are included in the local Rare Plant Register, which is awaiting publication.

Platanthera chlorantha (Greater Butterfly-orchid)

Platanthera chlorantha. SO9511. C. J. Dixon. 4/6/2022. New tetrad.

Galium parisiense (Wall Bedstraw)

Galium parisiense. SO9134. M. A. R. & C. Kitchen. 8/6/2022. A new site, only the fifth for VC33.

Daphne mezereum (Mezereon)

Daphne mezereum. SO9010. M. A. R. & C. Kitchen. 11/6/2022. This record extends the known population of mezereon in the ancient beechwoods at Sheepscombe into a new monad, only the fifth VC33 monad it has been recorded in since the year 2000.

Hypopitys monotropa (Yellow Bird's-nest)

Hypopitys monotropa. SP1524. C. J. Dixon. 5/7/2022. A new population, and the first hectad record for 25 years.

Samolus valerandi (Brookweed)

Samolus valerandi. SO8932. M. A. R. & C. Kitchen. 21/7/2022. A new site, and first hectad record since 1982. Only the 15th monad in VC33.