A good start to 2014

I think the eight of us that assembled for the botanical recording meeting yesterday were all greatly relieved to be able to get out in the sun for a walk. Any botany would be a bonus.

But thankfully there was plenty of Mistletoe at Cwrt y Gollen to atempt to determine host tree species for. (There were at least seven different host trees we were sure but some identifications are tentative for now: Populus sp.; Crataegus monogyna; Tilia x europea ; Acer platanoides; Sorbus spp.; Pyrus ?; Robinia ?) A place to visit again.

A Norway Maple at Cwrt y Gollen with Mistletoe

We tried to get behind the camp to woodland where we could see more trees with Mistletoe but were thwarted by too-deep flooding on the footpath that would have taken us there; so we continued up the A40 towards Crickhowell noting a probable Black Poplar by a farm entrance. Then we turned onto a footpath taking us to the Usk which clearly had burst its banks earlier in the winter judging from the debris "tideline" but was quite safe by yesterday. Surprisingly there was no mistletoe at all in the trees along the river but Paul Green spotted many species that none of the rest of us could identify at this time of year - including rare-for-Brecon Hemlock, Conium maculatum. Another place to revisit when plants are mature. So thanks to his expertise a good list was recorded for the area.

Sun !

Lime Tree with Mistletoe, Cwrt y Gollen