2024 County Report for East Gloucestershire

Chris Dixon

2024 was a quiet year in VC33, with only 2785 new records, mostly from continuing surveys of under-recorded monads, with an emphasis on neophytes. As these are usually the less charismatic areas, there were few noteworthy plants, but one highlight was a single plant of Trifolium respuinatum (reversed clover; Fabaceae) found in August in a field near Chipping Campden. In some unpromising squares, several halophytes were documented along major roads, as they continue to spread along verges following gritting in winter. Spergularia marina, Plantago coronopus and Puccinellia distans are now increasingly common along our trunk roads, slowly catching with up the well-established Cochlearia danica, although they are undoubtedly still under-recorded. The alien Lepidium ruderale is also increasingly found in this niche. The long-awaited Rare Plant Register is due to be published very soon.