Less is more?

Llyn Dwr

Middle Epynt Common* has hardly been recorded before apart from Bogbean being noted for Llyn Dwr (Water Lake) in 1990. So we went to find out what was growing there.

It was a four mile trek in all (with Stephen running a further mile to check out a small waterfall). So the short plant list for the five kilometre squares covered in the day seemed a disappointment but I realized later that this probably reflected the fact that the upland is very natural and unspoilt. Even Molinia caerulea or Purple Moor-grass seemed to be a relative newcomer on this heathland as it grew in vaguely circular patches in places where it grew at all.

There was plenty of Western Gorse and a very little Common Gorse:

Ulex gallii, Western Gorse

I noticed reading W G Hoskins' classic book The Making of the English Landscape soon after getting back that he he talks of mediaeval commons "covered in Gorse and Furze" as if the two names mean something different but Joan informs me that Furze is generally taken to be a west country name for Gorse. Maybe Hoskins was referring to the two differing Gorse species - of which Western Gorse is the softer - or at least not as harsh as the other.

There was of course plenty of Bracken - visible in the background of the picture above - and it was being actively controlled while we were there.

The Bogbean was still dominating the lake:

Menyanthes trifoliata, Bogbean at Llyn Dwr

- with just a little Bog Pondweed as the only other vascular water-plant we could find.

There was plenty of Ling and Cross-leaved Heath everywhere.

The small waterfall:

Blaen Cwm Llythin, Stephen Marshall

Another picture of the lake:

The Trig point nearby (424m).

and Maen Richard standing stone:

* The registered name in full is "Middle Eppynt, Merthyr Cynog"

Allt Rhongyr, Craig y Rhiwarth and Ogof Ffynnon Ddu (mainly)

Photo: Bob Peat

We were getting quite worried in the recent very hot spell that there would be no plants to show visitors from The Wildflower Society coming to the above reserves (WTSWWW and National) this week so an initial recce visit three weeks ago to check things out brought the welcome news that these uplands were hanging on better than many lowland sites. Limestone habitats may be well-drained in general but they are also resilient in adverse weather it seems.

Carline Thistles are having a great year:

Carlina vulgaris, Carline Thistle at Ogof Ffynnon Ddu NNR

And we soon found this in a gryke on the limestone pavement:

Thalictrum minus, Lesser Meadow-rue

When the visiting botanists came we saw a lot more including:

Pimpinella saxifraga, Burnet-saxifrage

- which obviously enjoys hot spells if it has a little shelter and moisture.

And Tess found initially one very small Autumn Gentian in the quarry adjacent to Allt Rhongyr Reserve - later to become several as others searched around the quarry floor.

Up at the Limestone Pavement many eyes made for more sites being found for the rarities up there.

Galium sterneri, Limestone Bedstraw

Asplenium viride, Green Spleenwort

Very happy in its gryke (unlike its relatives in stone walls in the lowlands which are generally frazzled).

Melica nutans, Mountain Melick 

About the only green grass up there - found by a WFS member (and missed on our recce).

The participants at the Melica nutans site. Picture by Peter Hilton, WFS.

Sanicula europaea, Sanicle

More usually a lowland plant of shady woodland habitats.

Meanwhile, Anne has been intrepidly spotting this apparently far from home plant up behind Pen-y-fan:

Silene uniflora, Sea Campion

But this plant actually doesn't know or care what humans call it and is happy with its native mountain habitat.

 

And I have been noticing that this:

Polygonum arenastrum, Equal-leaved Knotgrass

likes hot weather...

New finds on the Usk

Undoubtedly the find of the month has been Juncus compressus, Round-fruited Rush, found on the River Usk by Harry Elliott - a botanist new to the area. He found it near the waterfalls below Llangynidr Bridge growing on rocks and in a subsequent visit three of us found the population to be quite extensive. 

The rare plant (for Wales) had been recorded "above Brecon" on rocks by Augustin Ley, an eminent Victorian botanist, back in 1883 but never seen again on the river since. (We do have a well known population of the plant at Llangors Lake.)

Juncus compressus, Round-fruited Rush on the Usk

It sems likely it has been there since Ley's time.

Plants on the other, inaccessible, bank looked greener as in more shade.

One more picture!

We also found this - never before seen on the Usk and quite a county rarity. Spotted by Julian Woodman.

Persicaria minor, Small Water-pepper

What's another word for miscellany?

We start with a new location for Bird's Nest Orchid - not far from known sites - in Clydach Gorge from Anne.

Neottia nidus-avis, Bird's-nest Orchid, Anne Griffiths

And Matt has found a few plants of a county rarity I have yet to see myself down near Penderyn on limestone.

Cardamine impatiens, Narrow-leaved Bitter-cress, Matt Sutton

And we are very used to seeing this in association with its more common relative but in this case on its own on wet rocks.

Chrysosplenium alternifolium, Alternate-leaved Golden-saxifrage, Matt Sutton

Both finds were near the Afon Hepste.

Not a new find but I thought this Pellitory-of-the-wall was worth a picture in Brecon near the Coop.

Parietaria judaica, Pellitory-of-the-wall

And the Dwarf Elder at Llandefalle Churchyard is spreading nicely under sympathetic management.

Sambucus ebulus, Dwarf Elder

Hairy Buttercup is one of our localized rarities so well done Anne in finding this near Talgarth - a new location but very much in the zone it inhabits in Breconshire. It's still rare there though compared to the "big three" Buttercups*.

Ranunculus sardous, Hairy Buttercup, Anne Griffiths

We had a very good day up on Carngafallt (just east of Elan Village and an RSPB reserve) and were rewarded by many good finds but it was the Bell Heather that had us most captivated as we don't often see it - there being a slightly-smaller-than-Breconshire hole in the distribution map of the plant for the country as a whole.

Erica cinerea, Bell Heather

And finally Steph reports that Libanus Churchyard - a former meadow now back in sympathetic management - is once again abundant with Orchids, notably Butterfly and Twayblade.

Platanthera chlorantha, Greater Butterfly Orchis, Steph Coates

Neottia ovata, Common Twayblade, Steph Coates

* Creeping, Meadow and Bulbous Buttercups

Recent Finds

Andy Shaw has noticed a new a new arrival in the county:

Orontium aquaticum, Golden-club, A Shaw

As he says: "There is a large and well established plant growing on the margins of the fishing pond at Caer Beris Holiday Lodge Park. The majority of the pond's margins support typical emergent species; Gypsy-wort, Water Mint, Angelica, Meadowsweet, Carex sp. etc  I'm guessing that the Golden-club may have been planted, but its certainly a well established plant, and its another introduced species that is likely to be on the move in the future."

A recent iRecord record up at Crychan Forest refound Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage at a site last recorded some while ago but it also struck me as "correct - but unusual". Then it dawned on me that is was showing fruits and seeds - we hardly ever see that. I'm not sure of the reason for this - maybe it is one of those species like Adoxa (Moschatel) that rarely sets seed?

Sue and Tess were going to the area in any case so went for a look.

Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage. Tess Lister

Sam continues to find significant records - this time he found Water-purslane up on Mynydd Llangors at its highest known altitude in the county (about 500m). This pinpoints the exact pool where it occurs - quite near the trig point. The New County Flora mentions the record originally made in 1973 so is good to know it is still there.

Lythrum portula, Water-purslane on Mynydd Llangors, Sam Coppard

And finally we found a lovely large patch of Wood Horsetail last week along a woodland track at Glasfynydd Forest - also at nearly its highest known altitude in the county. The population extended for some 300m or so.

Equisetum sylvaticum, Wood Horsetail

The Flora of Brecknockshire is available at Arden and Clocktower bookshops in Hay on Wye.

A New Species for the County

Balkan Spurge turned up on a Llanigon verge recently and was spotted by Sam - our newest (and youngest?) recruit to the group. Spotted while cycling through the village a week ago. 

Euphorbia oblongata, Balkan Spurge, Llanigon, Sam Coppard

The picture had enough detail for me to be very certain Sam had the species right, but I had to go for a look myself (and collect a "voucher specimen").

I did miss it driving past to park but soon spotted it walking back.

Euphorbia oblongata, Balkan Spurge, Llanigon, JRC 

It has been known in the UK since 1993 (in Hampshire). Not native, of course, but increasing in the country. It originates from the Balkans and Aegean.

I spotted this in the nearby hedgerow.

Centaurea montana, Perennial Cornflower

It isn't at all common in the county (no record reported for the area in the recently published Flora) but has been in the country growing in the wild for some time. I have encountered it in quite remote places. This probably escaped from a garden though.

Nina went to see another good population of Globeflower above Llangattock - where they are looked after and kept behind a fence.

Trollius europaeus, Globeflower, Nina Krauzewicz

Stephen found a new site for Bird's-nest Orchid in the Clydach Gorge.

Neottia nidus-avis, Bird's-nest Orchid, Stephen Marshall

And I photographed this early this morning at the Watton Car Park in Brecon.

Centranthus ruber, Red Valerian

Yet another non-native but well-established (sometimes even invasive) in many places.

Moonwort and Globeflowers (etc)

 Andy Shaw has found some wonderful populations of Globeflower on islands in the River Irfon:

Trollius europaeus, Globeflower "in" the River Irfon, A Shaw

One thing we have learnt about Globeflowers is that they are incompatible with sheep. This provides an explanation for these lovely populations.

Moonwort isn't something we see at all often. Bob spotted these on the way down the path we had gone up to Ffynnon y Parc on the back of Hay Bluff. (A new site for the county.)

Botrychium lunaria, Moonwort, R Peat, above the Gospel Pass

Tess and he had found it at Allt Rhongyr a few days before at a site where it was recorded last year. Mike Porter had recorded it there in 1968. So we had to go along this week (we were in the area) to see for ourselves.

Brecknock Botany Group inspect Moonwort at Allt Rhongyr

It is hard to spot - explaining but maybe not excusing the long gap in records!

We went to Penwllt - particularly to investigate dolines (sinkholes) and the quarries in the area - this week - the weather was atrocious but I noticed these Welsh Poppies doing well at Craig y nos car park before the deluge set in.

Papaver cambricum, Welsh Poppy

And we found some quite photogenic (and very pale) Heath Speedwell during another lull in the rain.

Veronica officinalis, Heath Speedwell