2024 County Report for Glamorganshire

David Barden*, Julian Woodman, Karen Wilkinson, Barry Stewart

In Glamorgan (v.c. 41) in 2024, we held five excursions of the Glamorgan Botany Group, with the usual July excursion being replaced with a weekend of visits to coincide with the very successful BSBI Wales AGM in Swansea, organised by Julian Woodman.

Between them, these excursions intentionally had more of a bias towards brownfield, coal spoil and the often-ignored bits of habitat within and between our urban areas – proving on several occasions that if you look where no-one usually bothers to go, you always turn up good plants! Finds in such habitats also featured heavily in other interesting records for the year, some of which are listed below.

On our excursions, we also surveyed the extent of Rhynchospora alba (White Beak Sedge) and Eleogiton fluitans (Floating Clubrush) on an excellent acid bog site, and in September held an enjoyable joint meeting with Monmouthshire (v.c. 35) on a route that straddled the v.c. boundary.

In other news, we welcomed the ability to upload records directly in spreadsheet form to the BSBI Big Database, allowing for the first time much more timely and accurate transfer of records made by the group, with 1145 records submitted for the year.

Catabrosa aquatica (Whorl Grass)

A 2–3 m patch was seen in a freshwater flush at Whiteford Dunes (SS4494) by Julian Woodman in June 2023, being only the third site seen since 2000.

Moenchia erecta (Upright Chickweed)

Found in May 2024 by David Barden to be present in vast quantity over a steeply-sloping area of colliery spoil at Gilfach Goch Colliery (SS9790). This is the 7th site recorded in the v.c. since 2000.

Galium parisiense (Wall Bedstraw)

Also at Gilfach Goch Colliery (SS9790), and found on the same visit, was a large quantity of this species, present over a steeply-sloping area of colliery spoil. This is the third record in the E of the v.c. since 2000, and only the 5th site in the v.c. overall.

Aesculus carnea (Red Horse-Chestnut)

A single seedling was found in Trealaw Cemetery (ST0192) on a Glamorgan Botany Group excursion in May 2024. This is the first record of a self-seeded plant in the v.c., here clearly derived from a nearby mature specimen.

Carex buchananii (Silver-spiked Sedge)

In June 2024, Barry Stewart found a large population west of the new Swansea Bay Campus (SS6992). This sedge is native to New Zealand, and is only the second record for Wales (and the other one was introduced).

Epipactis palustris (Marsh Helleborine)

In June 2024, David Barden found plenty of plants over a 3m long strip of damp, seasonally flooded ground at the bottom of a large spoil heap at Cwm Tips (ST0786). This is only the 6th site in the E of the v.c. since 2000.

Silaum silaus (Pepper Saxifrage)

In June 2024, a Glamorgan Botany Group visit to Cefn Glas in Bridgend (SS8880) resulted in the finding of a single plant of this increasingly scarce species at a new site – one of only nine recorded since 2000 in the v.c.

Epipactis phyllanthes (Green-flowered Helleborine)

In early July 2024, Julian Woodman discovered this species at the base of a 40m-high mound of very coarse colliery spoil at Margam Mine. The site was visited a few days later as part of the BSBI Wales AGM weekend, when the population was found to comprise 70 individuals. This is only the 4th v.c. site.

Lepidium heterophyllum (Smith’s Pepperwort)

A group of about a dozen plants, growing on mixed ironworks slag and coal spoil, was found at Aberdare (SN9904) by Mark Evans in July 2024. This is the 6th site known for the v.c. since 2000.

Hypopitys monotropa (Yellow Bird’s-nest)

Also in July 2024 in Aberdare (SO0003), Martin Bevan found a few plants of this species, which is a new hectad record for a scarce species in the v.c. Unlike other records, this was in a scruffy wooded edge of an industrial estate adjoining a railway line – quite different from the ‘quality’ habitat of other records in the v.c. (beech woodland, dunes). The hairless flowers and short styles place this as subsp. hypophegea, the first record in the E of the v.c.

Carex divisa (Divided Sedge)

In June 2024, David Barden found a small population of this rarity at Cadoxton Ponds (ST1368). The site was later shown to Julian Woodman, who noted that it marks the location of the former Cadoxton River before it was infilled, and hence is possibly a survivor from 100+ years ago! This is the first record for Glamorgan since 1998, and is only the 4th site recorded in Wales since 2000.

Dactylorhiza praetermissa × Gymnadenia densiflora = X Dactylodenia ettlingeriana (a hybrid orchid)

Paul van Maaren found this striking hybrid at Kenfig NNR (SS7981) in July 2024. There is a previous 2009 record from this site, and this is a welcome update for it; in the last 50 years it has only otherwise only been seen in N Hants.

Rumex pulcher (Fiddle Dock)

In July 2024, David Barden surveyed a site for this species on Lock’s Common (SS8077), previously reported by Greg Nuttgens, which is believed to be its only site in the v.c. About 90 plants were found in total over a relatively limited area of long grassland.

Petrorhagia nanteuilii (Childing Pink)

In August 2024, Julian Woodman found this was still present “in good numbers” where seen previously in 2008 at Barry Docks (ST1267), its only extant site in the v.c.

Lotus tenuis (Narrow-leaved Bird’s-foot Trefoil)

Found on the same visit was this species, present as a single plant on a recently created bank with some seed-mix plants, on a housing development at Barry Docks (ST1267). Only one of a handful of records seen since 2000.