2023 County Report for Surrey
Ann Sankey
One of the main projects for Surrey Botanical Society (SBS) was working with Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) to compile an Inventory of Irreplaceable Grasslands for Surrey. SWT are providing the technical support etc and the project is supported by NE Despite being a relatively well recorded VC, we were delighted to find some previously unrecorded unimproved grasslands spread throughout the county. Apart from the species mentioned below, there were few rarities but a pleasing range of grassland axiophytes. These include Achillea ptarmica (Sneezewort), Crassula tillaea (Mossy Stonecrop), Hypochaeris glabra (Smooth Cat's-ear), Jacobaea aquatica (Marsh Ragwort), Moenchia erecta (Upright Chickweed), Oenanthe pimpinelloides (Corky-fruited Water-dropwort), Saxifraga granulata (Meadow Saxifrage) and Succisa pratensis (Devil’s-bit Scabious). Campanula rotundifolia (Harebell) Ranuculus flammula (Lesser Spearwort) and Potentilla erecta (Tormentil) are not even scarce in VC17 but we did find a good number of new sites for these species. SBS is also continuing to record sites within monads.