2024 County Report for South Somerset

Stephen Parker & Simon Leach

During 2024 over 17,000 records were collected in VC5 and added to the DDB. As in previous years members of the Somerset Rare Plants Group have contributed a significant number of interesting records. Visiting botanists have also supplied records via email to the VC recorder, the Wild Flower Society took part in trips to Taunton and the Blackdown Hills. A group of local botanists based in the Wellington area concentrated on surveying the Somerset side of the Blackdown Hills, concentrating on mires and other wetland habitats. Many new records were those of non-native species that have recently naturalised in VC5.

 

We continue to have excellent working relationships with the Somerset Wildlife Trust, Natural England and other conservation organisations. Helping with plant identification and training of staff and volunteers. Simon Leach and others continue work on the Taunton Herbarium which is housed in the Somerset Heritage Centre. This is an ongoing project which has significantly added to the scientific value of the herbarium collection. There is growing expertise in VC5 in collection and identification of Taraxacum, with a number of new species added to the herbarium in 2024.

 

In October 2024 our recorders started to have issues using Mapmate. Following the announcement that Mapmate would not be supported soon, SP started adding records collected on recording cards onto the BSBI recording App and most field work after October used the App in the field. Records collected on IRecord, INaturalist and NYPH have been assessed and added to the DDB.

Anthyllis vulneraria subsp. carpatica

A street weed in Taunton, by Bathpool Bridge , 11th Jun, 12 plants on rough stony bank on E side of Bridgwater Road, Simon Leach, conf. John Akeroyd

Campanula carpatica (Tussock Bellflower)

Minehead, North Hill. 18 Jun, wall by pavement, garden escape found by Graham Lavender.

Delosperma cooperi (Cooper’s Iceplant)

Minehead, North Hill, 13 Jul, patch c.3m × 0.5m on rocky bank beside road, found by Graham Lavender

Miscanthus nepalensis (Himalayan Fairy-grass)

Minehead, North Hill , 10 Jul, 1 clump between wall and pavement, Graham Lavender.

Myriophyllum rubricaule (Red-stemmed Parrot’s-feather

Minehead, Higher Moor Farm  27 May, first seen in January in small pond, now with red stems and pink flowers and covering entire surface of pond 10m × 7m, Graham Lavender det. Johan van Valkenburg

Persicaria virginiana (Jumpseed)

Wellington , 26 Jul, 3 plants as street weeds, Steve Parker, Linda Everton & Karen Turvey

Callitriche terrestris (Terrestrial Water-starwort)

Monkton Heathfield, Monkton Elm Garden Centre , 3 Oct, scattered between paving in outdoor plant sales area found by Fred Rumsey

Eragrostis pilosa (Jersey Love-grass)

Yeovil Cemetery  10 Sep, 1 plant on corner of flowerbed, recoded by Ian Green

Lemna valdiviana (Valdivia Duckweed)

Steart Marshes , 17 Jun, on S side of NE footpath just before point at which a track runs recorded by Robert & Stephanie Kirby