2020 County Report for Merionethshire

Jo Clark

Most of the regular monthly meetings were cancelled except for one or two of us meeting up when restrictions allowed, but eventually at the end of August we met  as a group of six at Morta Dyffryn. We came upon 50 or so field gentians Gentianella campestris, one plant of Portland spurge, heath pearlwort Sagina nodosa, yellow bartsia Parentucellia viscosa and Field woundwort Stachys arvensis.

 

Andrew and Janet Graham visited Morfa Dyffryn later in September and re-found the gentians and a decent sized patch of Adder’s tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum of over 100 plants. 

 

The two mystery Alliums were found to be Wild Onion Allium vineale var. compactum which Heather Garett found in June at Tywyn and Roger Cope's from Fairbourne was confirmed as Babington’s leek Allium ampeloprasum var. babingtonii

 

The September meeting was held at Rhobell Fawr, where we hoped to re-find the mountain everlasting from 2018, but despite much searching, we concluded that a visit in June or July would be preferable. Rhys Gwynne helpfully pointed us towards the juniper (which is all female so cannot reproduce), At the peak of Rhobell Fawr we found abundant alpine clubmoss Diphasiastrum alpinum, fir clubmoss Huperzia selago and Stag’s horn clubmoss Lycopodium clavatum and despite having fingers too cold to stand still,  Heather lewis produced a single plant of Lesser clubmoss Selaginella selaginoides, located at the base of a rock in a base rich flush!

 

We look forward to some new adventures in 2021.