2024 County Report for South-west Yorkshire

Louise Hill and Kay McDowell

We continued work on re-finding species on Geoffrey Wilmore’s red data list (2012).

On 27th February we had a field meeting to re-find Narcissus pseudonarcissus in a ploughed field at Broken Cross, Almondbury. We found 13 plants with some in bud.

A field meeting was organised to find Alpine clubmoss (Diphasiastrum alpinum) on 20th April at Ovenden Moor Wind Farm, but we couldn’t find any plants.

The South-west Yorkshire Botany Group (SWYBG) had a joint meeting with the Bradford Botany Group at Pye Flatts SSSI, Hoylandswaine and Denby Delf Nature Reserve on 29th June.

Louise and I were tutors at the River Holme Connections wildflower identification day at Magdale, Honley on 12th July and were also tutors at a Training session by the YNU on field and identification skills for Leeds University students on the MSc Biodiversity & Conservation course.

We had a meeting on 16th August at Blackpool Bridge near Holmebridge (SE087069) to re-find lesser clubmoss (Selaginella selaginoides) record which was recorded by Jill Lucas in 1993, but we couldn’t find it.

Kay has been researching species on the West Yorks Local Nature Recovery Strategy plant long list which has helped me to plan the red data list re-finding field meetings for 2025 and beyond.

Louise has set up an iRecord verifying team. We have about 90,000 records to verify. Louise has also been an Advisory Panel member for the South Yorkshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Diphasiastrum alpinum (Alpine clubmoss)

Steve Blacksmith recorded Diphasiastrum alpinum (Alpine clubmoss) on 6th January close to Upper Walshaw Dean Reservoir (SE9659934373). The species is on the vc63 red data list (2012) listed under ‘presumed extinct.’

Viola reichenbachiana (early dog-violet)

Jill Lucas recorded Viola reichenbachiana (early dog-violet) at Magdale, Honley (SE139121) on 11th April. The record was confirmed by Viola referee Mike Hardiman by photos on email. This is a first hectad record for SE11 (Huddersfield hectad).

Primula veris (cowslip)

Jill Lucas and ( (Kay McDowell) found hundreds of Primula veris (cowslip) at Reap Hirst in Huddersfield (SE128184) on 16th April. This is a first record for cowslip in hectad SE11 since 1993.

Fumaria muralis (common ramping-fumitory)

Jill Lucas and I recorded Fumaria muralis (common ramping-fumitory) on Lady House Lane, Armitage Bridge (SE141139) on 22nd July. We suspect it is subsp. boraei but we need to confirm this. This species hasn’t been recorded in SE11 since before 1912.

Umbelicus rupestris (navelwort)

On 18th July Jill and I recorded Umbelicus rupestris (navelwort) also on Lady House Lane, Armitage Bridge at SE141138. This is a new hectad (SE11) record.

Ranunculus acris (meadow buttercup) double form

The double form of Ranunculus acris (meadow buttercup) was spotted on a road verge by a friend of a birdwatching friend just outside the village of Helme (SE097120), which we went to see on 29th June.

Dryopteris aemula (hay-scented buckler-fern)

Local botanist David Pennington recorded Dryopteris aemula (hay-scented buckler-fern) at the Isle of Skye quarry (SE089078) close to Wessenden Moor at the end of August. Dr Mike Canaway confirmed this. Hay-scented buckler-fern is on the red data list (2012) ‘presumed extinct.’

Diphasiastrum alpinum (Alpine clubmoss)

David Pennington returned to the Isle of Skye quarry (SE089078) on 19th September and recorded Diphasiastrum alpinum (Alpine clubmoss) and Lycopodium clavatum (stag’s-horn clubmoss). He went back the next day with botanist friend Tim Melling and recorded Huperzia selago (fir clubmoss).  Alpine clubmoss is on the red data list (2012) ‘presumed extinct’ list. Stag’s-horn clubmoss and fir clubmoss are on the red data list (2012).

Cicuta virosa (cowbane)

Broughton Estate ecologist David Cockburn recorded Cicuta virosa (cowbane) on the estate near Skipton in July. The estate is being ‘re-wilded.’ Louise thinks the plant was probably introduced by a firm of ecological consultants who are based at the business park in the estate. This is a first record for vc63. In September David recorded Ranunculus trichophyllus (thread-leaved water-crowfoot) on the estate (SD95), which is a first hectad record for vc63, and was last recorded in the vc64 part of SD95 in 1965. He also found Potamogeton berchtoldii (small pondweed) at SD947527) on the estate, and was identified by Richard Lansdown by email. This species was last recorded in the vc63 part of SD95 in 1997.

Lamium hybridum (cut-leaved dead-nettle)

Jill Lucas and I recorded Lamium hybridum (cut-leaved dead-nettle) at Upper Clough, Blackmoorfoot, Huddersfield (SE096132) on 1st November. This is a first hectad record for SE11.

Sempervivum arachnoideum (cobweb house-leek)

In November Jill and I visited Aspley Marina near the centre of Huddersfield (SE1516) several times and recorded three new hectad SE11 species; Sempervivum arachnoideum (cobweb house-leek), Lobularia maritima (sweet Alison) and Campanula portenschlagiana (Adria bellflower) . We also found Leptinella squalida ‘Platt’s Black’ at the same site (SE150164). I took a specimen to the BSBI AEM on 23rd November and Helena Crouch and John Poland identified it. This is a first record for vc63 (it hasn’t even been recorded in Bradford!).

Viola hirta (hairy violet)

Broughton Estate ecologist David Cockburn recorded three Viola hirta (hairy violet) plants growing on an old railway embankment (SD95485065) on the estate on 11th April. This identification was confirmed by Viola referee Mike Hardiman by email. This is a first hectad record for the vc63 part of SD95.