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Friday, June 21, 2013

Back in Brecknockshire

I've been to the BSBI AGM at Beaumaris so didn't update this blog last week but am now back and recording in Brecknockshire.

On Tuesday I met Sue on her RVNR (Roadside Verge Nature Reserve - there are still reserves looking for volunteers to monitor them !) to see the population of Carex divulsa subspecies divulsa:


It's not a species I am familiar with and if, like me, you are familiar with Carex remota (Remote sedge) in woodland then this is very similar - except for the lack (almost entirely) of bracts (leaves to you and me) just below the spikes.

Remote Sedge

There is also one patch of Long-stalked Cranesbill in this reserve which was looking good:


The long stalk is the pedicel of the flower. This is a rare case where the common name is actually helpful !

Then on Thursday I had signalled in my email that I wouldn't be doing anything ambitious and the weather forecast for the day got steadily worse as it approached. But Joan joined me for the least worst part of the day as advertised by the Met Office and actually we had no rain at Llandefalle. We did get wet though in the churchyard undergrowth and were rewarded by confirmation of the "rare for Brecon" Dwarf  Elder. Not yet in flower but easy to spot once you knew what to look for. Helpfully the locality provided both Ground-elder and Elder to compare !

Sambucus ebulus, Dwarf Elder

We also found some Monkshood (almost certainly a garden escape but well established in woodland).

Aconitum napellus, Monkshood

To see other species I encountered in Anglesey go to my website - recent changes page.

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