2023 County Report for Co. Kilkenny

roger goodwillie

 

2023 was a year of consolidation with twice as many ‘ordinary’ records being sent to the DDb as in 2022, despite the terrible weather. There were a few notable plants, Eriophorum latifolium (Broad-leaved Cottongrass) NCR was seen on the BSBI field outing to Galmoy Fen while a potential Rosa mollis (Soft Downy-rose) ?NCR was found near Castlecomer. A modern site for Parnassia palustris (Grass-of-Parnassus) and a new one for Ceratocapnos claviculata (Climbing Corydalis) make up the native species of interest except for the sheets of Ophioglossum vulgare (Adder’s-tongue), Phleum bertolonii (Smaller Cat’s-tail) and Mentha arvensis (Corn Mint) encountered on the floor of the Loughans turlough. The field outing here also saw the hybrid Viola × intersita as well as a Taraxacum from Section Palustria.

Introductions there were a-plenty – Pilosella aurantiaca (Fox-and-cubs) was seen up a mountain, Veronica crista-gallii (Crested field-speedwell) has moved north from Waterford to Kilkenny, Senecio inaequidens (Narrow-leaved Ragwort) is spreading away from quarries and Juncus tenuis (Slender Rush) now grows on the limestone Ballykeefe Hill. Other species new to my records for H11 were Nymphoides peltatus (Fringed Water-lily) and Trifolium micranthum (Slender Trefoil).