Scottish Botanists’ Conference 2018

A new inland population of Hierochloe odorata (Holy-grass) and other interesting species found along a stretch of the Black Esk in Dumfriesshire in 2018 (v.c.72)                                                                                                                                                Chris Miles

While recording a square including the Castle O’er hill fort (NY2492) on 25th August a new population of Holy-grass was found along the edge of the Black Esk in Dumfriesshire. This has so far been found in two places 3 km apart.

Holy-grass has one previously known population in Dumfriesshire, at the back of the merse at Caerlaverock NNR where I found in 1993. This is in a similar coastal habitat to some of the sites in Kirkcudbrightshire. This is 35 kilometres from the new population. It is known from only 18 hectads in Britain and 1 in Ireland. These new inland populations are in a similar situation to those in Selkirkshire where Rod Corner found it on the Ale Water in 1965 and the site on the North Tyne where it was found by Michael Braithwaite in 2004 (Watsonia 25.4 p 423).

This stretch of the Black Esk also supports other interesting species. These include Equisetum variegatum (Variegated Horsetail), small populations of Eleocharis mamillata ssp. austriaca, (Northern Spike Rush) and two populations of the hybrid willow Salix x laurina (Salix cinerea x S. phylicifolia) which are also exhibited.

A new inland population of Hierochloe odorata (Holy-grass) and other interesting species found along a stretch of the Black Esk in Dumfriesshire in 2018 (v.c.72)                                                                                                                                                Chris Miles

While recording a square including the Castle O’er hill fort (NY2492) on 25th August a new population of Holy-grass was found along the edge of the Black Esk in Dumfriesshire. This has so far been found in two places 3 km apart.

Holy-grass has one previously known population in Dumfriesshire, at the back of the merse at Caerlaverock NNR where I found in 1993. This is in a similar coastal habitat to some of the sites in Kirkcudbrightshire. This is 35 kilometres from the new population. It is known from only 18 hectads in Britain and 1 in Ireland. These new inland populations are in a similar situation to those in Selkirkshire where Rod Corner found it on the Ale Water in 1965 and the site on the North Tyne where it was found by Michael Braithwaite in 2004 (Watsonia 25.4 p 423).

This stretch of the Black Esk also supports other interesting species. These include Equisetum variegatum (Variegated Horsetail), small populations of Eleocharis mamillata ssp. austriaca, (Northern Spike Rush) and two populations of the hybrid willow Salix x laurina (Salix cinerea x S. phylicifolia) which are also exhibited.

Peeblesshire Plants in 2018 (v.c.78)                                                                    Luke Gaskell

With the 2020 Atlas deadline looming I have been filling the gaps in the less visited parts of Peeblesshire. The plants exhibited are not native to the area and have all probably arrived as a result of human activity.

Medicago sativa subsp. sativa (Lucerne) and Cannabis sativa (Cannabis) will have been deliberately planted though for somewhat different purposes (sativa = cultivated).

Conyza canadensis (Canadian Fleabane) is still rare in the VC but I expect that it will soon increase in urban areas.

Lepidium didymium (Lesser Swine-cress), Chenopodium rubrum (Red Goosefoot), Stachys arvensis (Field Woundwort) and Persicaria lapathifolia (Pale Persicaria) are all new or very rare in the Southern Uplands. These plants appeared growing by the roadside at Meggethead Bridge probably brought in with imported topsoil from the lowlands. It would be nice to find out where this soil came from as the area must have a rich weed flora.

Chenopodium polyspermum (Many-seeded Goosefoot) is rare in Scotland and may have arrived on forestry construction equipment. It was found in Cardrona Hill forest near Peebles where a new path had been constructed to improve public access.

Pilosella flagellaris subsp. flagellaris (Spreading Mouse-eared-hawkweed) was also near a heavily-used public road in the adjacent Glentress forest. A species which may be increasing.

Campanula trachelium (Nettle-leaved Bellflower) was also near the main forest drive in Glentress. It is likely to have spread from one of the wild flower mixes sown there. The forest is primarily managed for recreation. There are a lot of non-native species, not all of them deliberate introductions.