Irish Botanical News #33

Irish Botanical News

No. 33 March 2023

Editor: Alexis FitzGerald

Contributions intended for Irish Botanical News No. 34

Should reach the Editor Mr. Alexis FitzGerald before January 31st 2024

Email: alexisfitzgeraldibn@gmail.com

Please note the formatting style of references in this current issue and adhere to same before sending on contributions

Committee for Ireland

2022 – 2023

The following is the Committee as elected at the Annual General Meeting in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, on Saturday 24th September 2022. Office bearers were subsequently elected at the first committee meeting. The Committee is now:

Robert Northridge (Chair)

Shane Brien (Joint Hon. Secretary)

Kim Lake (Joint Hon. Secretary)

Mark McCorry (Vice-Chair and Field Meetings Secretary)

Oonagh Duggan (Hon. Treasurer)

John Faulkner

Alexis FitzGerald

Ciarán Flynn

Jessica Hamilton

David McNeill

Cilian Roden

The following are nominated observers to the committee:

Lorna Somerville (Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs)

Mike Wyse Jackson (National Parks & Wildlife Service)

Draft Minutes of the BSBI Irish Branch AGM 2022 are available at: http://governance.bsbi.org/ireland

Irish Botanical News is published by the committee for Ireland, BSBI and edited by A. FitzGerald. © A. FitzGerald and the authors of individual articles, 2023

Any opinions expressed in the articles below are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of BSBI.

All species and common names in Irish Botanical News follow those in the database on the BSBI website http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/BSBI/ and Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles. 4th edition. C & M Floristics, Suffolk.

Front cover photo: Epipactis phyllanthes (Green-flowered Helleborine) inflorescence at Villierstown, Co. Waterford (H6). Photo A. Malcolm © 2022 (p. 78).

Notes & Articles

Notes from the BSBI Ireland Officer – Paul Green

Email: paul.green@bsbi.org

2022 was an exceptionally busy year for me as the BSBI Ireland Officer. 2023 looks like it will be even more busy as there is so much going on this year across Ireland.

It is great to report that Tanya Slattery has been appointed the new Vice-county recorder (VCR) for Co. Limerick, taking over from Sylvia Reynolds who retired from the post in March 2022. After Co. Waterford having no VCR for over three years, the vacancy has been filled by three joint VCRs: Ann Trimble, Andrew Malcolm, and Julie Larkin. Eamon Gaughan has filled the shoes of the late Don Cotton and becomes VCR for Co. Sligo. Cliona Byrne has stepped down as joint VCR for Co. Louth, and we soon filled this position with Ciarán Flynn becoming joint VCR with Kate Harrington. Ciarán is the baby amongst VCRs as he is our youngest. And finally hot off the press, George Smith has just become joint VCR with Con Breen for Westmeath. I wish them all the best in their new voluntary roles, and you can read more about each of them on page 3.

If you live in the very north-west and would like to give it a go as a Vice-county recorder, why not put your name forward to become joint VCR with Ralph Sheppard for West-Donegal! Ralph would be very keen to mentor a successor to take over from him in a few years.

Spring Conference 2023

This will take place as a face-to-face live meeting at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin on Saturday 22nd April. This will be our first live Spring Conference since 2019.

Aquatic Plants Project 2023

We are hoping to run this project again this year. It will be very similar to what we did last year, with a couple of webinars and field training days. We will also hope to have at least one fieldday where we tryand re-find a very rareaquatic plant ata site where it hasn’t been seen for some time or survey a rare species.

Atlas 2020

After all the work BSBI members and non-members put into recording for Atlas 2020, our fruits have ripened as ‘Plant Atlas 2020’ will be published in March this year. There are planned Atlas launches across Ireland and the UK. Here in Ireland, we are having two launches. The first is being held at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin on 9th March, and second is taking place at the Ulster Museum in Belfast on 15th March.

New Year Plant Hunt (NYPH)

The NYPH took place from 31st December 2022 through to 3rd January 2023 and was again a great success. 1003 lists were submitted from across Ireland and the UK. With three from Ireland making the top 20 which is very impressive! I introduced the Wexford Naturalists’ Field Club to the hunt. 11 of us had a walk around Wexford town, this included a break to take lunch in a hotel, before we continued for another hour. We had such a good time that

the club is going to make the NYPH an annual event. If you haven’t done the NYPH with your local group, why not try it out in 2024.

And finally, I hope to meet many of you at our conferences and field meetings this year.

Vice-county Recorder vacancies

George Smith has agreed to become joint VCR for Co. Westmeath (H23), alongside the incumbent Con Breen, who intends to retire from his longstanding post in two years’ time.

We currently have just one Vice-county vacant, namely, Co. Cavan (H30). If you would like to coordinate records for Cavan, with a view to becoming a VCR, or want more details about what is involved, please get in touch with our Ireland Officer, Paul Green –paul.green@bsbi.org.

Introduction from newly appointed Vice-county Recorders

Waterford (H6)

Ann Trimble, Andrew Malcolm, Julie Larkin

Email: Andrew Malcolm, oxmoron@gmail.com

Ann Trimblewasraisedin Glasnevin, notfar fromtheNationalBotanic Gardens which was a frequent Sunday outing for her when she was a child. She has been fascinated by wild plants all her life and although she has no formal ecological education, she endeavours to accumulate knowledge by reading as many plant books as she can and attending BSBI outings to pick up identification tips. She lives in Lismore with her husband and fellow VCR Andrew Malcolm. She looks forward to learning more about wild plants and perhaps re-finding some lost "treasures" and also to visiting parts of County Waterford which she may not have visited before in a quest to records species

AsachildAndrewMalcolmwasveryfortunatetohaveparentswithagreatinterest in the natural world around us. His mother in particular had a passionate awareness for native flora and one of the most memorable experiences of her life was a springtime visit to The Burren. Her obsession must have rubbed off on Andrew to an extent, an interest that was rekindled in later years by his wife and fellow VCR Ann Trimble’s great passion for the plant life she was finding in our vicinity. Like Ann, he has no formal education or training in the subject but makes up for that in enthusiasm and curiosity.

Unlike AndrewandespeciallyAnn, whobecamebotanybuffsat ayoungage,Julie discovered her love of plants at a later stage in life. As a child, Julie’s main passion was animals, which eventually led to her attending University College Dublin as a mature student to study zoology. This, in a somewhat roundabout fashion, subsequently led to her obtaining a B.Sc. (Hons) in Ecology from University College Cork. Once she had that primary degree under her belt, she pursued an M.Sc. in Ecological Assessment and finally a Ph.D. in Agri-ecology, which had a heavy emphasis on botanical species identification. It

was those later (numerous!) years in university that ignited Julie’s love of plants and allowed her to eventually build a career around that love. She is currently employed as a Senior Project Ecologist for RPS and is based out of the Cork office.

Limerick (H8)

Tanya Slattery

Email: limerick.vcr.bsbi@gmail.com

Tanya, an ecologist living and working in Limerick, was hoping to share the role of Vice County Recorder in Limerick, but has yet to find someone to join her in the role. Tanya has been a member of BSBI for a long time and used to go out with the Clare local group as well as submitting rare records for Limerick when encountered. Tanya graduated as a mature student with a botany degree from NUI Galway in 2010, and followed on with a MSc in Ecological Assessment from UCC and a second research masters also from UCC a few years later. She worked in the SFPA for a few years doing shoreline surveys and then as a consultant ecologist for another few years before more recently joining the team of ecologists in DAFM. Tanya spends a lot of her working time assessing Annex I habitats. She is very organised and enjoys coordinating events and getting people enthused about nature. Tanya feels rusty in her recording skills and wishes she could do the role full time however family, work and other volunteer commitments tend to get in the way. Limerick has a very strong active community in nature and Tanya looks forward to having a few events here in 2023. Hopefully a volunteer will come forward to share the role soon.

Louth (H31)

Ciarán Flynn, Castlecarragh, Riverstown, Dundalk, Co. Louth

Email: ciaranflynn02@gmail.com

Ciarán is from the Cooley peninsula in the north of Co. Louth (H31). Currently, he is studying for a Bachelor’s in Zoology at Trinity College Dublin. He has had a lifelong interest in natural history. Groups of interest include birds, butterflies, and dragonflies. His interest in botany was stimulated by many trips through the Cooley mountains. BSBI field meetings to various counties and outings with the Dublin Naturalists’ Field Club have helped him develop his botanical skills. Along with co-VCR Kate Harrington, he is eager to further explore his home county, especially less-visited sites in mid- and south Louth. Anyone interested in botanising in Co. Louth can get in touch via email. There is also a WhatsApp group for coordinating recording trips and for discussing any interesting finds.

Flora of County Wexford

The first Flora of County Wexford was published in late December 2022.

The Flora is A4 in size and runs to 600 pages. The Flora has 82 introduction pages. Followed by the species accounts, which covers all 1,700 species found growing wild in the county. For each species account it describes the habitats the plant is found in, etc. The very rare species have all the known sites listed. There are many photos throughout the book, including those of nearly all the rare native plants. TheFlora was publishedprivately bytheauthorwith grantsfrom BSBI, NPWSandWNFC. The Flora can be purchased for €30/£30 per copy, plus €9/£9 for p&p for those living on the island of Ireland. Postage to the UK will be much more expensive. To order your copy contact Paul at: paul.green@bsbi.org or mobile: 087 7782496.

Taxonomic delimitation within the genus Rosa L. (Wild Roses) Section Caninae DC. (Dog-roses) in the continental European, British and Irish flora: some underutilised, and some hitherto overlooked, morphological diagnostic characters

Tony O’Mahony, 6 Glenthorn Way, Dublin Hill, Cork City

Email: littlerobin23@outlook.com

Abstract

Currently, workisinprogressonupdatingandrevisingthe Rosa monograph, Roses of Great Britain and Ireland (Graham & Primavesi, 1993). Consequently, the time is now appropriate for highlighting critical morphological delimitation criteria for the predominantly European Rosa L. (Wild Roses) section Caninae DC. (Dog-roses) –characters that seem to have been totally overlooked to date in the taxonomic study of this section over Europe as a whole, together with other useful diagnostic characters for sect. Caninae, that are inexplicably underutilised at the present time. Moreover, in order to put the biology and taxonomy of sect. Caninae in context within the genus Rosa, an outline is provided of the distribution of this genus worldwide, together with some comments on the intrinsic biological factors that account for its awesome taxonomic complexity. This bewildering, and seemingly intractable taxonomic problem, has led to a major impasse and conflict between traditional, pragmatic, diagnostic taxonomic accounts, and modern-day molecular techniques, which latter reject (on phylogenetic grounds) most of the ‘workable’ traditional taxonomic subsections within, for example, sect. Caninae. Yet, to date, these molecular techniques have proved unable to satisfactorily clarify the evolutionary history of the critical genus Rosa (cf. Ritz & Wissemann, 2003; Koopman et al., 2008; FougèreDanezan, et al. 2015), or to offer an alternative, viable, taxonomic framework for it.

Introduction

The woody genus Rosa L. (Wild Roses) is indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere, where it is of widespread and common occurrence in Europe, Asia and North America, in temperate and subtropical climes, while a single, tropical species – R. abyssinica R. Br. –is found in the East African countries of Ethiopia and Somalia, and has further disjunct Asian stations in Saudi Arabia and Yemen (Glen & Hardy, 1987; Phillips & Rix, 2004). Worldwide, most Rosa species are normal-balanced diploids or polyploids – withthe major exception of sect. Caninae DC., which latter has its core indigenous base in Europe, with outlier native populations for some species in Asia and North Africa, while many species of this section are now widely naturalised globally. Section Caninae is characterised by a unique breeding systemthatisoftendescribedas‘pseudo-sexual’andconsistsofnumerous, unbalanced, polyploid (mainly pentaploid) taxa, which is discussed in detail elsewhere in this paper.

Rosa taxonomy and distribution worldwide

On a global basis, the taxonomy of the genus Rosa is notoriously complex, due to the following suite of contributing and interacting factors. 1. Historic, rampant interspecific hybridisation between all cohabiting species. 2. The fact that any particular binary interspecific hybrid within sect. Caninae can occur as either (a), a relatively ancient, geographically widespread, morphologically stable (and thus recognisable) taxon, whose historical parents are not readily identifiable; or (b) a ‘modern-day’ spontaneous, sporadic, polytopic taxon, displaying polymorphy, as each (localised) hybrid iteration exhibits a different combination of characters – though paradoxically, the identities of its parental species are readily ascertainablein most cases. 3. Environmental factors can greatlymodify growth-habit and some other morphological characters, producing spuriously distinctive, eco-geographical ‘species’ – as exemplified by many North American taxa of sect. Cinnamomea (see later notes with regard to this situation). 4. Numerous morphological variants, together with a plethora of interspecific hybrids of dubious parentage and morphological stability, have been given unwarranted species recognition in the past, in Europe, Asia and North America (see later notes). 5. Introgression, through gene flow, is of widespreadandfrequentoccurrenceworldwide,andcantransmit anomalous morphological features into non-glandular species, such as the presence of scattered stipitate-glands on pedicels and/or sepal-pinnae, or the presence of sparse foliar pubescence in typically glabrous-leaved species. 6. Within sect. Caninae especially, binary interspecific hybrids frequently cross with a wide range of species, to produce hybrids of triple parentage (see Plates 5a & 5b and captions). Yet these complex hybrids are commonly overlooked in the field, or, if suspected to occur, their triple-parentage identity, often defies accurate determination, given the lack of distinctive morphological features contributed by the third species. 7. Total or partial self-incompatibility occurs in some European and Asian species (e.g. R. spinosissima L. (Burnet Rose) and R. rugosa Thunb. (Asian Rose/Wrinkled-leaved Rose) respectively), while this phenomenon may be of widespread (but overlooked) occurrence in North American species (O’Mahony, 2021). 8. Polyploidy is commonplace, someof thepolyploids havingmultiple hybridorigins (Joly et al., 2006). 9. Apomixis is also a confounding factor in the biology of the genus Rosa, though as yet, the frequency of its occurrence worldwide, remains to be ascertained. 10. The essentially European section Caninae (all unbalanced polyploids of hybrid derivation) has its own definitive breeding

system (see later notes). 11. Critical determination of taxa is greatly hampered by the paucity of distinctive morphological features within the genus Rosa, as its architecture is remarkably conservative, with few species (or species aggregates) exhibiting unique morphological features: instead, most species within each subsection share a common pool of characters in various combinations. Consequently, it is understandable why there is still no consensusamong rhodologists, asto how manygenuine speciesexist worldwide, despite some three hundred years of Rosa study!

Nevertheless, some recent attempts have been made to provide a species number for this genus globally, and for its various subgenera and sections. For example, Bruneau et al. (2007) estimated the overall number of species at c. 190, while fougère-Danezan et al. (2015) placed the number at between 150-200 species, and commented that: “Approximately half of the rose species occur in Asia, while Europe and North America host approximately a quarter of the species each.” Phytogeographically, ninety-five species arerecordedinthe Flora of China (Gu&Robertson, 2003),ofwhichsixty-fiveare endemic Moreover, while Asia is the world headquarters for sect. Synstylae, its core base is China, which holds some twenty-six of its c. thirty-five currently known species – a very distinct section of predominantly climbers, scramblers and trailing species (the majority diploids), in which the styles are fused into a column that projects 3-8 mm above the hip disc. In stark contrast, Britainand Ireland support only one native species of sect. Synstylae:the beautiful Rosa arvensis Huds. (Field-rose), while a second indigenous species occurs in Continental Europe and Asia, namely, the evergreen-leaved, Rosa sempervirens L. (Evergreen-rose). In similar vein, only one species of sect. Synstylae is native to North America: R. setigera Michx. (Climbing Prairie-rose), this being the only known dioecious species of the genus Rosa, its flowering populations either functionally male or female. On the other hand, the predominantly European section Caninae (Dog-roses), consists of approximately fifty species, according to Wissemann (2003: 114), but the true species number is still far from certain, bearing in mind the fact that mainland European rhodologists have long given unwarranted species status to taxa that are manifestly ‘modern-day’ interspecific hybrids, whose extant parental species can usually be identified with a high degree of certainty (cf. Bakker et al., 2019). Lastly, the notoriously morphologically variable section Cinnamomeae DC., is distributed throughout Europe, Asia and North America, but here, also, there is considerable uncertainty as to the number of genuine species it contains (currently variously estimated at between fifty andeighty species) – no doubtthe frequency of interspecific hybrids within this section, accounting for much of this uncertainty. (Note: As most native Rosa taxa in North America belong to sect. Cinnamomeae, its taxonomy therein, presents almost insurmountable problems with regard to species delimitation, considering the fact that the morphological plasticity of the offspring of many species, commonly displays a bewildering variety of non-correlated features that go far beyond the morphological parameters of the parent species themselves! Attesting to the reality of this phenomenon, Erlanson (1934) in a paper entitled: ‘Experimental data for a revision of the North American wild roses’, stated that her cultures of R. carolina L. (Carolina Rose) from individual wild plants, produced offspring that could be referred to six other species, and that this situation was mirrored with many other of her cultured species of this section. Moreover, at a later date, her observations were corroborated and buttressed by the comments of Lewis et al. (2014), when they stated that: “At least 25 species names have

been proposed to accommodate variation … within Rosa woodsii …” One unfortunate historical consequence of this conundrum in North America, was that numerous phenotypically plastic rose interspecific hybrids (in addition to their morphologically segregating offspring), were erroneously given species status – a situation that took many decades to rectify. Erlanson (1934) also provided an enlightening diagram of North American synthesised F1 interspecific hybridisations (within sect. Cinnamomeae) that she had undertaken, involving thirteen parental species (diploids, tetraploids and hexaploids). Her results revealed full hip fertility in the offspring of hexaploid x hexaploid species crosses, and of some tetraploid x tetraploidand diploid x diploid species crosses. Moreover, the (triploid) F1 offspring of her diploid x tetraploid species crosses proved wholly sterile, while some diploid x hexaploid F1 hybrids bore occasional, partially achene-fertile, hips. No doubt withthis bewildering overall situationin mind withregard to sect. Cinnamomeae, Lewis et al. (2014), in their excellent Rosa account for the Flora of North America North of Mexico, stated: “Character states often are part of a continuum, instead of being discrete. Whenaddressedbydifferingtaxonomicphilosophies, radically differenttreatments of Rosa in North America, have resulted.”) Wissemann & Ritz (2007) succinctly summed up the characteristics of the genus Rosa inthe following way:“…a remarkable genus with respect to systematic biology. Multiple reproductive strategies ranging from apomixis to outcrossing including hybridisation, as well as different modes of character inheritance like matroclinal, paternal, or sex unrelated ones. This complexity makes the genus a model in which simple concepts of radiation, speciation and taxonomy, come to their limits.”

The Taxonomy of Rosa Section Caninae in Continental Europe, Britain and Ireland

In past centuries, the study of the complex taxonomy of Rosa section Caninae in mainland Europe, was, to a considerable extent, independent of similar research being undertaken in Britain at that time. Consequently, British rhodologists conferring with some of their Continental colleagues, found relatively little common ground in the naming of taxa (cf. Wolley Dod, 1936) – a disheartening and frustrating state of affairs for everyone concerned with the study of European Rosa. Yet, at an earlier date, the Belgian rhodologist, Francois Crépin, tried to build a bridge between the Continental and British Rosa taxonomic treatments (cf. Crèpin, 1889), while his long-term, eminently laudable taxonomic research and publications onEuropean Rosa, laid the foundations fora practical, workable treatment of this genus (especially section Caninae) both in mainland Europe and in Britain and Ireland. The late Ronald Melville, a former BSBI Rosa Referee, in a paper entitled: ‘The problem of classification in the genus Rosa’ (Melville, 1967), outlined and praised, the remarkable pioneering taxonomic work on European Rosa by Crépin, and noted that the longed-for key to the elucidation of sect. Caninae that Crépin had sought so avidly (if vainly) for, was subsequently provided by Täckholm (1920), in an original and vitally important paper, that presented a summary of his researches in the cytology of the genus Rosa. Commenting on this latter work, Melville (1967: 41-42) stated: “Within the genus [Rosa] he [Täckholm] found not only normally sexual diploids, tetraploids and hexaploids, but also unbalanced polyploids [i.e. sect. Caninae], which latter reproduce by a remarkable process that has been called ‘pseudo-sexual’.” Whilst highlighting this momentous discovery, Melville nevertheless stressed that:“Althoughwehavethe key, itis bynomeans easy to apply it to the unravelling of our problematic [caninoid] roses.” Subsequently,

Klášterský (1968), in his account of the genus Rosa for Flora Europaea 2; Melville, in his account of Rosa hybrids for the work, ‘Hybridization and the Flora of the British Isles’ (Melville in Stace, 1975); and Graham & Primavesi (1993) in their monograph, ‘Roses of Great Britain and Ireland’, provided more readily available detail on the complex reproductive process within Rosa sect. Caninae – a unique breeding system that nowadays is oftentermed‘canina-typemeiosis’, in which four-fifths ofthechromosomesareinherited fromthe seedparent, and only one genome fromthepollenparent. As aconsequence ofthis massive genetic imbalance, the morphological features of binary interspecific hybrids within sect. Caninae generally very closely resemble their female parent (matrocliny), so that their reciprocal hybrids look very different in visual appearance. Graham & Primavesi (1993:13-14), noting the frequency of interspecific binary hybrids within sect. Caninae, commented: “Indeed, a little thought might well lead one to wonder why, with such a propensity for hybridization, the taxa which are now recognized as species, have not long ago disappeared, leaving a single species showingamixtureof allthe availablecharacters.” Then, they part-answered their own question by stating: “…the majority of the inheritable characters, four-fifths inmostcases, are determined by the seed parent. Also, when the seed parent belongs to this section [sect. Caninae], three-fifths of these characters are transmitted unchanged to successive generations [my emphasis]. This may be a further factor in maintaining the stability of species.” Despite the long history of recording of Rosa sect. Caninae in Europe, considerable confusion in delimiting species and binary interspecific hybrids, still prevails to this day, as noted earlier in this paper. For instance, many taxa long accepted as species in Continental Europe (cf. Klásteršký, 1968; Wissemann, 2003; Kurtto et al., 2004) are regarded as ‘modern-day’ interspecific hybrids in Britain and Ireland (cf. Bakker et al., 2019). To take but one example: the taxon known as Rosa pseudoscabriuscula (R. Keller) Henker & G. Schulze over much of mainland Europe, is, by contrast, attributed to the interspecific hybrid, R tomentosa Sm. x R. sherardii Davies (and its reciprocal) in Britain, Ireland, and parts of Continental Europe, and is known by the binomial, Rosa x suberectiformis Wolley-Dod, given that it clearly exhibits a (variable) mix of morphological characters contributed by both of these species. In their Introduction to the genus Rosa in the work, Atlas Florae Europaeae, Kurtto et al. (2004) despairingly commented: “It is highly improbable that a generally approved classification of the extremelycomplicated variation of the genus will ever be achieved, i.e. the present situation of several widely diverging classifications will almost certainly continue, though possibly becoming somewhat more uniform.” Nevertheless, they made a valiant attempt in this highly important work, to make available to all European rhodologists, a précis of the currently available morphological and molecular literature reference data, with which to (hopefully) critically evaluate the taxonomic status of most contentious taxa. On a more positive note, Bakker et al. (2019), in a paper entitled: ‘Dogroses (Rosa sect. Caninae): towards a consensus taxonomy’, have emphasised the need for a general consensus on species and interspecific hybrid delimitation with regard to the caninoid Rosa taxa of northern, western, and central Temperate Europe, including Britain and Ireland. If this initiative achieves traction, it would be a major first step towards a meaningful, unified taxonomy for all European caninoid Rosa, helping to bring welcome taxonomic order out of chaos. Some idea of the magnitude (and challenge!) of this undertaking over Europe as a whole, can be gleaned from the fact that fifty-three

interspecific hybrids within sect. Caninae are currently known to occur in Britain and Ireland, while the figure rises to seventy-three hybrids when crossings between sect. Caninae and other Rosa sections are included (Bakker et al., 2019).

The search for morphological character-correlation delimitation aids within Section Caninae

During the long-term historical study of Rosa sect. Caninae in Europe, it became evident to rhodologists, that certain morphological characters are correlated, and that such character-couplings act as invaluable delimitation aids in the taxonomy of this section, as they allow two, informal, groups to be recognised (i.e. D phenotype and L phenotype species groups) – as recently highlighted by Ritz & Wissemann (2003) and Bakker et al (2019). (Note: See Plate 1 and its caption, showing and describing comparative verticalsections of hips of both L & D species phenotypes.) Moreover, a third informal group is represented by the intermediates (i.e. interspecific hybrids) between the D and L phenotypes, and these are known as D/L phenotypes (see Plate 4b and caption). The first two species groups, display the following (contrasting) suite of morphological characters:

D phenotypes: bushes dense, often squat, upright; hip disc flat or variably concave, its stylarorificeover1.2mmindiameterand c. 1/3ormorethewidthofitsdisc; stylarbundle stout, with dense, appressed, subtranslucent-sericeous hairs (these usually totally masking the dull, reddish-brown style colour), the partially-exserted styles + stigmas forming a compact, flat or high-domed head, that covers most or all of the disc; sepal-posture erectopatent, erect, or connivent after anthesis, and tardily deciduous at the fruit stage (e.g. R. sherardii, R. vosagiaca, R. caesia and R. rubiginosa) or fused permanently by their swollen bases, to the hip (e.g. R. mollis and R. villosa).

L phenotypes: bushes lax, tall, arching; hip disc flat, domed, subconical or conical, its stylar orifice c. 0.25-0.8mmin diameter, and1/5to 1/6the width ofits disc; stylar bundle slim, glabrousto variablyhairy (thehairs not masking the dull, reddish-brown stylecolour); the partially-exserted styles + stigmas forming a loose, splayed head, or a narrow, tight, sometimes encrusted head, little wider than the stylar orifice; sepal-posture after anthesis, mostly patent to recurved, the sepals often disarticulating whilst the hips are still green, hard-textured and immature, and certainly before hip-ripening (e.g. R. canina, R. corymbifera, R. micrantha and R. tomentosa)

(Note: My long-term study of these D & L species phenotypes in Rosa sect. Caninae on the island of Ireland, has highlighted some additional, correlated, diagnosticmorphological characters within both groups, which are outlined here.)

Additional D phenotype correlated diagnostic characters: hip discs often deeply concave/bowl-shaped (e.g. R. sherardii); stylar bundle commonly wide and short (only 46 mm long) and removable as a unit from the hip, as its dense, entangled hairs bond the styles together; lip of the stylar orifice, and the stylar channel walls, ± smooth; stylar channel very short, its walls often dilated inwardly, so that the achenes can clearly be seen, following on removal of the stylar bundle; sepal-bases commonly only 3.5-4.5 mm wide

(in subsections Vestitae and Rubigineae only); mature hips bearing a terminal, hypanthial (fleshy) rim c. 0.5-1.5 mm high [see Plate 2 and its caption] which is topped by the transverse sepal-scars, the latter placed high above the (usually concave) hip disc.

Additional L phenotype correlated diagnostic characters: hip discs never concave-shaped (e.g. R. canina, R. corymbifera, R. tomentosa,R. agrestis, R. micrantha ); stylar bundle 79 mm long, often only sparsely pubescent, and thus separating readily into individual strands on removal from the hip; lip of stylar orifice, and stylar channel walls, characteristically corrugated (i.e. ridged-and-furrowed); stylar channel very narrow and usually long-cylindrical to below the level of the sepal-scars, the achenes thus not visible on removal of the stylar bundle; sepal-bases (in subsect. Caninae only) commonly 5-6 mm wide; mature hips generally lacking a terminal, hypanthial (fleshy) rim, so that the transverse sepal-scars are either at the level ofthe flat disc, or below thelevel of the domed or conical disc (see Plate 3 and its caption).

(Note: Inexplicably, the British Rosa literature fails to mention – and therefore overlooks

the diagnostic value of the concave disc character in the species Rosa caesia and R. vosagiaca, and of its frequent manifestation in their interspecific hybrids also, as detailed in this paper.)

D/L phenotypes in section Caninae – a source of underutilised diagnostic aids in interspecific hybrid detection and diagnosis

D/L phenotypesin Rosa section Caninae, representinterspecifichybrids betweenthe Dand L species phenotypes, and their inherited stylar orifice diameter/hip disc diameter ratio can, on occasion, also be utilised as an invaluable diagnostic aid for establishing the direction of a particular binary cross (see Plate 4b andits caption). With regard to inherited stylar orifice diameter, and orifice diameter/disc diameter ratio in D/L taxa, I commented in a previous paper (O’Mahony, 2003: 12): “… in a cross between two small-orificed species, their interspecific hybrid will always inherit a small stylar orifice, irrespective of thedirectionofthat cross. Acorollarytothisis, of course, that inacross betweentwolargeorificed species, the resultant hybrid will always bear a large stylar orifice. However, in a cross between small-orificed/large-orificed species [i.e. D/L hybrid derivatives] the inherited stylar orifice size is generally unpredictably variable (whatever the direction of the cross), yet can, on occasion, prove of crucial importance in clinching a hybrid determination.” An excellent example of this phenomenon is displayed by the cross R. corymbifera x R. sherardii (O’Mahony 2022), their hybrid unexpectedly exhibiting a disproportionately large suite of hip characters clearly derived from its pollen parent (R. sherardii) namely: stylar orifice c. 1.2-1.5 mm in diameter, and 1/4-1/3 the width of its concave disc; stylar bundle short (4-5 mm long), stout, and densely appressed-hairy; both the lip of the orifice, and the stylar channel, ± smooth-walled; sepals erecto-patent and tardily deciduous at the fruit-ripening stage. In marked contrast however, in the cross, R. vosagiaca x R. tomentosa (added to the Irish Flora from East Cork (H5) in August 2022

see Plates 4a & 4b and captions), the moderately large stylar orifice (1.2-1.4 mm in diameter and 1/4-1/3 the width of its disc), the shallowly concave disc, and the glabrous, non-glandular leaves(theupperfaceofitsleafletswitharemovable, waxy, glauco-pruinose

bloom, and the lower face permanently glaucous) – were inherited from its female (R. vosagiaca) parent, while the male characters inherited from its R. tomentosa parent, were the long styles (7-9 mm), the early-deciduous sepals (falling while the hips were still hard, immature and green), and the presence of minute, R. tomentosa-type stipitate-glands on the sepal-backs, pinnae, leaf-rachides and some pedicels. In similar fashion, the hybrid cross, R. vosagiaca x R. canina (= R. x dumalis) that I found cohabiting with its parents in a hedgebankborderingtheCoomholaRiverroadintheShehyMountainsregionofWestCork (H3, W03.59.) in September 2004, also largely inherited its suite of hip characters from its female parent, R. vosagiaca, though its sepals were recurved and early-deciduous on the hips, as in its pollen parent, R. canina. To illustrate another aspect of the unpredictability of character inheritance in Rosa section Caninae D/L phenotypes, all Irish material of the cross, R. micrantha x R. rubiginosa that I have recorded to date, displayed the small stylar orifice and recurved, deciduous sepals of its female parent (R. micrantha), while the most conspicuous and diagnostic input of its male (R. rubiginosa) parent, was the variable display of acicles on the branches beneath the inflorescences/infructescences.

Given the frequently invaluable diagnostic usefulness of these characters for confirming the direction of certain crosses in D/L phenotypes in sect. Caninae, it is most surprising to find that their use in the British Rosa literature to date, has been both underutilised and haphazard. Moreover, it is ostensibly baffling to note that Ronald Melville, in his Rosa hybrid account for the work, ‘Hybridization and the Flora of the British Isles’ (Melville in Stace, 1975), never once utilised these often critical delimitation aids in his description of forty-three binary interspecific hybrids – though their nonapplication almost certainly led to some erroneous hybrid determinations in his account.

(Note: As a novice rhodologist in the early-1970s, my first (and only) contacts with Ronald Melville occurred within the time period October 1974 to March 1976, when I sent him County Cork (H3-H5) native Rosa material for determination, in addition to querying him on arangeof Rosa taxonomicproblems that I was grapplingwithatthattime. Inthis regard, I foundRonaldMelvilletobeavery courteousandhelpfulBSBI Rosa referee. Inthecourse of these communications, I raised the subject of stylar aperture diameter/hip disc diameter ratio as a possible diagnostic aid in what we would now term L/D interspecific hybrids within Rosa sect. Caninae. His answers to my two, separate queries on this matter (see below), provide some insights as to why he did not use this diagnostic aid in his account of Rosa interspecific hybrids in the work, Hybridization and the Flora of the British Isles (Melville, in Stace 1975). For example, I first raised this matter in a letter to him in January 1976, and his reply (in litt. 2nd February 1976) was: “I have not made a special study of the size of the aperture in British roses; I am not so hopeful as you are, that it may prove to be of exceptional usefulness …” On broaching this subject for a second time in a letter to him on 19 February 1976, he stated (inlitt. 10 March 1976): “Again, inconnection with the size of the [hip disc] orifice, I feel you are tending to lay too much stress on this character. Bear in mind once more, the possibility of polygenic inheritance and considerable variation [in stylar aperture diameter in L/D interspecific hybrids] in consequence.”)

Rosa section Caninae: some overlooked, fundamental, morphological delimitation characters at the subsection level

As noted earlier in this paper, Rosa sect. Caninae has its core world indigenous base in mainland Europe, its British and Irish species and interspecific hybrids representing but a portion of the overall number of taxa present therein. Section Caninae is represented in the British and Irish flora by three subsections: (1) Caninae; (2) Rubigineae; (3) Vestitae – the first two subsections containing six and three indigenous species respectively, the third containingfourspecies, ofwhichthreeareindigenous, thefourth (R. villosa L.),a presumed long-naturalised species from Continental Europe, that is currently recorded from a handful of British sites, but is not presently known to occur on the island of Ireland.

During the course of my initial Rosa fieldwork in County Cork (H3-H5) in the mid-1970s, it soon became apparent that the leaf stipule-margin glands of all three subsections, shared a common feature, namely, a single row of glands, in which each large (primary) gland alternates with a much smaller, subsessile gland. However, more detailed and protracted studies in subsequent years, revealed that the stipule-margin glands of subsect. Caninae, differ radically from those of subsections Rubigineae and Vestitae in a number of fundamental features – being different in shape, and of a different order of magnitude (i.e. much larger-dimensioned) than the corresponding glands of subsections Vestitae and Rubigineae. In addition, the stipule-margin glands of subsect. Caninae are fugacious, whereas in the other two subsections they remain permanently attached to the stipules. A useful adjunct delimiting feature is that both stipule surfaces of species (but not binary interspecific hybrids) within subsect. Caninae, are totally devoid of glands, whereas in subsections Rubigineae and Vestitae, the lower (abaxial) surface of the stipule frequently bears few-to-numerous, minute, odorous stipitate-glands of varying size, these glands apple-scented in subsect. Rubigineae, and resin-scented in subsect. Vestitae. This suite of highly significant differentiating morphological characters, can be summed up thus:

Subsection Caninae: Primary stipule-margin glands ovoid or lanceoloid, the largest c 0.24-0.40 mm in length; each gland much longer than, feebly attached to, and swivelling on, its minutely denticulate base, and very quickly disarticulating from its base (i.e. fugacious) – thus leaving an apparently eglandular stipule margin on older leaves.

Subsections Vestitae & Rubigineae: stipule-margin glands with stout stipes (equalling or longer than their glands), the stipes rigid, patent, and permanently attached to the stipulemargin; each gland subglobose (when fresh and full of volatile oils), the largest primary glands c. 0.13-0.16 mm in diameter), each gland permanently attached to its stipe.

Even in withered leaves of subsections Vestitae and Rubigineae, these stipule-margin glands remain in place, whereas, as stated above, in subsect. Caninae, the corresponding stipule-margins of old or withered leaves will be devoid of glands – though these latter can be found inabundance on the leaf stipules of 1st-year, sterile, vegetative shoots, whenthese are produced early in the following year. These stipule-margin glands can also act as subtle indicators of gene flow between species in all three subsections of section Caninae when, for example, some ovoid/lanceoloid glands (of subsect. Caninae) are found intermixed with the subglobose glands characteristic of subsections Vestitae and Rubinineae – and vice versa. Right up to the present day, the true nature of the stipule-margin glands in subsect. Caninae has been misinterpreted in the British Rosa literature and, consequently, their use

as diagnostic aids has been totally overlooked. (Note: It remains to be ascertained if the stipule-margin characters outlined in this paper for subsect. Caninae, hold good as diagnostic aids, throughout the European range of this subsection.)

Traditional morphology-based Rosa taxonomy versus modern-day phylogenetic taxonomy

The foundational taxonomic framework for the professional study of the genus Rosa, was initially put in place by workers such as Christ (1873) and Crépin, 1889, 1894). Indeed, the modern-daytaxonomyofthisgenusworldwide, isbasedonCrepin’s research, subsequently updated by Rehder (1940) and Wissemann (2003). Given its practicality for identification purposes globally, rhodologists have generally accepted this long-standing (and eminently convenient) morphological framework, although there is still no consensus taxonomic agreement with regard to the delimitation of species within the notoriously complex caninoid roses (sect. Caninae) of Europe (e.g. Bakker et al. 2019), or of the representatives of the equally rampantly hybridised sect. Cinnamomeae complex, that are indigenous to North America (e.g. Erlanson, 1929, 1934, 1938; Joly et al., 2006; Joly & Bruneau, 2007; Lewis et al., 2014). However, in relatively recent years, molecular taxonomists have repeated stated thatthecurrent, conventional taxonomic treatment of the genus Rosa (based purely on morphological characters), while undoubtedly practical for both section, subsection, species and interspecific hybrid identification, is artificial, as it does not accord withtheactualevolutionary historicaldevelopmentofthegenus, as (partially)gleanedfrom phylogenetic studies (cf. Ritz & Wissemann, 2003; Koopman et al., 2008; FougèreDanezan et al., 2015) and, consequently, needs replacement. Yet, the useful and enlightening overview of such molecular marker studies provided by Fougère-Danezan et al. (2015) clearly shows that many of these molecular studies have produced conflicting or inconclusive results, and, therefore, have no alternative Rosa taxonomic frameworkto offer at present, as a replacement for the traditional, long-servingmodel. All the more surprising, therefore, to note that Ritz & Wissemann (2003), in a paper entitled: ‘Male correlated nonmatroclinal character inheritance in reciprocal hybrids of Rosa section Caninae (DC.) Ser. (Rosaceae)’, have utilised traditional morphological characters to ‘establish’ a tentative (and highly speculative) phylogenetic initiative.

The premise for their initiative, is based on “statistically significant data” derived from their cross-breeding experiments, which involved undertaking reciprocal crossings of five species from section Caninae, these species including a mix of D and L phenotypes. Their conclusions were, that in the resultant F1 interspecific hybrids, the characters of leaf pubescence, presence of stipitate-glands on leaf surface and on pedicels, and epicutilar wax sculptures, are inherited maternally, while characters such asthe orifice diameter ofthe hip disc, together with sepal disposition and persistence on maturing hips, are inherited paternally. Commenting on these conclusions, Bakker et al. (2019) stated: “The universality and absolute nature of this claim, needs to be investigated more widely, and has to be firmly established before the data are used to revise classifications.” These are valid and cautionary statements, as at least one of the above interspecific hybrids produced by Ritz & Wissemann (2003), (i.e. R. micrantha x R. rubiginosa and its reciprocal) does not accordwiththeirclaims, forinthe R. micrantha x R. rubiginosa cross, thesepals recurve and fall while the hips are still green and immature, while in the reciprocal cross, the

maturing hips bear erecto-patent, tardily deciduous sepals – results that are, in both instances, totally contrary to their hypothesis. Indeed, the hips of all of my Irish material of the cross, R. micrantha x R. rubiginosa (as noted earlier), displayed the small stylar orifice and reflexed-deciduous sepals of its female parent – in contradiction to the predictions of Ritz & Wissemann. Moreover, while the interspecific hybrid cross, R. sherardii x R. rubiginosa (= R. x suberecta (Woods) Ley) inherits the large stylar orifice of its parents (O’Mahony, 2018); yet, in the triple Rosa hybrid cross, R. tomentosa x R. x suberecta (which I added to the Irish Flora from an East Cork (H5) site in August 2022 – see Plates 5a & 5b and captions), their hybrid retains the small stylar orifice (c. 0.4-0.8 mm in diameter), low-domed disc, orifice diameter/disc diameter ratio, and long, slender, subglabrous stylarbundleofits female parent, R. tomentosa. Moreover, inthis triple hybrid, themost distinctivecharacter inherited fromits male parent (R. x suberecta) is the presence of scattered acicles on the branches below the infructescences. These results buttress my earlier statement (O’Mahony, 2003:12) that: “In a cross between small-orificed/largeorificed species, the inherited stylar orifice size is generally unpredictably variable (whatever the direction of the cross) …” Further evidence for the inaccuracy of Ritz & Wissemann’s (2003) overall hypothesis, is provided by a wide spectrum of other interspecific hybrids within sect. Caninae. In this respect, a typical example is the cross, R. canina (female) x R. tomentosa (male), their interspecific hybrid variously manifesting the (often abundant) minute, resin-scented, stipitate-glands of its pollen parent (R. tomentosa) on its leaves, leaf-rachides, sepal-pinnae, and on some pedicels, not the eglandular foliage of its female (R. canina) parent – once again contradicting the statements of Ritz & Wissemann (2003).

While the results of the Rosa molecular study of fougère-Danezan et al. (2015) urge for the ‘dismantlement’ of (for example) all subsections within Rosa sect. Caninae, they have (as noted above) no alternative morphological framework to offer. Moreover, their suggestion that subsections Vestitae and Rubigineae are not natural (i.e. phylogenetic) units, is at odds with the critical, long-term experience and intuitive insights of generations of rhodologists, whose taxonomic work is based on conventional morphological data gleaned from detailed fieldwork, in conjunction with observations collated from a range of microscopic studies (i.e. leaf and stem anatomy, pollen grain studies, and micromorphological data). Currently, there appears to be no answer to this impasse, nor is a suitable ‘compromise’ looming onthe horizon. (Note: Thisvery situation was highlighted by Tryon (1952), in a paper entitled: ‘A sketch of the history of fern classification’, when commenting on “… the conflict between naturalness and utility in classification”. Tryon was referring to the fact that many pteridologists of that time period, opted to use artificial (but highly convenient) morphological characters as delimitation aids, in place of more natural (i.e. phylogenetic) but often technically inconvenient or cryptic characters. Of special interest and value in this regard, was his inclusion of the following prescient statement by Bower (1928: 39): “A complete artificial classification is always possible, and is indeed necessary for floristic use. A complete phyletic classification will only become possible with complete knowledge of the descent of the organisms classified. The second cannot replace the first under present conditions, owing to the imperfection of present knowledge. But it can lead to a correction and amendment of classification for floristic use, so as to make it run ever more nearly along lines of probable evolution.”)

Pragmatically, therefore, (and taking a cue from the above astute observations of Bower), ongoing recording of Rosa taxa worldwide, must currently depend on the traditional taxonomic method of species and interspecific hybrid diagnosis. Furthermore, it seems reasonable to conclude that, for the foreseeable future, traditional morphological taxonomy and modern-day molecular taxonomy, have quite different roles to play and, consequently, are not ‘incompetition’, astheformer’smission is to bring order out of chaos in the genus Rosa, bycategorising, delimiting, identifying, and naming subgenera, sections, subsections, species-groups, species and interspecific hybrids (as stated earlier in this paper). By contrast, the latter’s role is predominantly the elucidation of the (highly convoluted and cryptic) phylogeny of the genus Rosa – in some ways, a far more esoteric and formidable challenge!

References

Bakker, P., Maes, B., Maskew, R. & Stace, C. (2019). Dog-roses (Rosa sect. Caninae): towards a consensus taxonomy. British & Irish Botany 1 (1): 7-19.

Bower, F.O. (1928). The Ferns (Filicales). Volume 3: 39. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Bruneau, A., Starr, J.R. & Joly, S. (2007). Phylogenetic relationships in the genus Rosa: new evidence from chloroplast DNA sequencesand an appraisal of current knowledge. Systematic Botany 32 (2): 366-378.

Christ, K.H.H. (1873). Die Rosen der Schweiz mit Berücksichtigung der umliegenden Gebiete Mittel- und SüEuropas. H. Georg., Basel

Crépin, F. (1889). Sketch of a new classification of roses. Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society 11: 217-228.

Crépin, F. (1894). Rosae Hybridae. Études sur les Roses hybrids. Bulletin de la Société royale de Botanique de Belgique 33: 7-149.

Erlanson, E.W. (1929). Cytological conditions and evidences for hybridity in North American wild roses. Botanical Gazette 87 (4): 443-506.

Erlanson, E.W. (1934). Experimental data for a revision of the North American wild roses. Botanical Gazette 96 (2): 197-259.

Erlanson, E.W. (1938). Phylogeny and polyploidy in Rosa. The New Phytologist 37 (1): 72-81.

Fougère-Danezan, M., Joly, S., Bruneau, A., Xin-Fen, Gao & Li-Bing, Zhang. (2015). Phylogeny and biogeography of wild roses with specific attention to polyploids Annals of Botany 115: 275-291.

Glen, H.F. & Hardy, D.S. (1987). Rosa abyssinica The flowering plants of Africa. Volume 49 South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.

Graham, G.G. & Primavesi, A.L. (1993). Roses of Great Britain and Ireland.Botanical Society of the British Isles, London.

Gu, C. & Robertson, K.R. (2003). Rosa L. In: Wu, Z.Y., Raven, P.H. & Hong, D.Y. (eds.) Flora of China 9: 339381. Flora of China Editorial Committee. Science Press, Beijing & Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St Louis.

Joly, S., Starr, J.R., Lewis, W.H. & Bruneau, A. (2006). Polyploid and hybrid evolution in roses east of the Rocky Mountains. American Journal of Botany 93 (3): 412-425.

Joly, S. & Bruneau, A. (2007). Delimiting species boundaries in Rosa Sect. Cinnamomeae (Rosaceae) in eastern North America. Systematic Botany 32 (4): 819-836.

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Kurtto, A., Lampinen, R. & Junikka, L. (2004). Atlas Florae Europaea 13 Rosaceae (Spiraea to Fragaria excl. Rubus). Committee for Mapping the Flora of Europe and Societas Biologica Fennica Vanamo, Helsinki.

Lewis, W.H., Ertter, B. & Bruneau, A. (2014). Rosa L. In: Flora of North America Editorial Committee. 1993+ Flora of North America North of Mexico.[Onlinehardcopydownload] 21+vols.New Yorkand Oxford. Volume 9 http://beta.floranorthamerica.org/Rosa. Accessed: June-July 2016.

Maskew, R. (2015). Rosa L., In: Stace, C.A., Preston, C.D. & Pearman, D.A. (eds. & comp.). Hybrid Flora of the British Isles. Pp. 69-92. Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland, Bristol.

Melville, R. (1967). The problem of classification in the genus Rosa. Bulletin de la Société royale de Botanique de Belgique 37: 39-44.

Melville, R. (1975). Rosa L., In: Stace, C.A. (ed.). Hybridization and the Flora of the British Isles Pp. 212-227. Academic Press & Botanical Society of the British Isles, London.

O’Mahony, T. (2003). The Rosa tomentosa group (Downy-roses) in Ireland, and a critical review of the status, distribution and morphological circumscription of R. tomentosa Smith and R. x scabriuscula Smith. Irish Botanical News 13: 8-15.

O’Mahony, T. (2018). Some comments on the phytogeography and morphology of Rosa L. section Caninae DC. (Dog-rose) species and interspecific hybrids in Britain and Ireland, with particular reference to the cross, R. sherardii Davies x R. rubiginosa L. (=R x suberecta (Woods) Ley). Irish Botanical News 28: 35-48.

O’Mahony, T. (2021). Rosa virgineana Mill. (Virginia Rose) cultivars naturalised in the European Flora and some observations on Rosa section Carolina Crépin (the R. carolina complex). Irish Botanical News 31: 2231.

O’Mahony, T. (2022). The taxonomy of Rosa corymbifera Borkh. and the morphological description of four of its interspecific hybrids in the Irish and British flora, with special reference to the cross Rosa corymbifera x R. sherardii Davies. Irish Botanical News 32: 6-18.

Phillips, R. & Rix, M. (2004). The Ultimate Guide to Roses. Macmillan, London.

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Ritz, C.M. & Wissemann, V. (2003). Male correlated, non-matroclinal character inheritance in reciprocal hybrids of Rosa section Caninae (DC.) Ser. (Rosaceae). Plant Systematics and Evolution 241 (3/4): 213-221.

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Tryon, R.M. (1952). A sketch of the history of fern classification. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 39 (4): 255-262.

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Wissemann, V. & Ritz, C.M. (2007). Evolutionary patterns and processes in the genus Rosa (Rosaceae) and their implications for host-parasite co-evolution. Plant Systematics and Evolution 266: 79-89.

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Interesting plants in Tyrone (H36), mostly 2021-2022

Ian McNeill, 86 Fairhill Road, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone

Email: mcneill72@btinternet.com

Potentilla intermedia (Russian Cinquefoil)

One plant of this species turned up in the former railway yard in Cookstown in June 2021. The yard is now used for Council storage, skip site etc. and has proved a good site for unusual plants over the years. ID was confirmed by National Botanic Gardens, Dublin. As far as can be ascertained, there is just one previous Irish record, from the Dublin area away back in the 19th century.

It isanattractive plant. Theflowersandleavesclosely resemblethoseof Potentilla erecta (Tormentil), but it is an erect plant, about a foot tall, and this habit gives it a neat appearance.

Where could it have come from? Here is one possibility. A new dual-carriageway road between Toome and Randalstown (in Co. Antrim) has opened in recent years. At one point, a roadside bank has been sown out with, presumably, what were deemed to be ‘wild’ flowers. Thereis definitely Anthyllis vulneraria (Kidney Vetch), butalsoa yellow-flowered plant thatlooks like Potentilla intermedia. Unfortunately theroad has no hard shoulder, and it is much too risky to stop on the carriageway, so I can’t get close to the plant. Could a passing vehicle have picked up a seed and carried it to Cookstown?

The Cookstown plant seemed to be bearing viable seed in 2021, but there was no sign of any progeny in 2022.

Bromus secalinus (Rye Brome)

Found by my son Andrew McNeill at Grange, just S of Cookstown, in July 2021. It was growing around the perimeter of a cereal field. Just one previous record for Tyrone: 1896, near Strabane, Matilda Knowles.

Rubus chamaemorus (Cloudberry)

In June 2021, Matthew Jebb and Noeleen Smyth, from the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, re-visited the cloudberry site in the Sperrin Mountains, accompanied by Abigail Kilgore from NIEA in Northern Ireland. I had gone with Matthew and Noeleen in 2020, andhadfoundtheplantdoingprettywell. However,in2021therewasamajordevelopment. Flowers were found! They had just gone over, but flowers none the less. When the plant was first discovered in Tyrone in 1826, flowers were present, but never reported again during the whole period from 1826 to 2022. In those 200 years the plants were visited very rarely, andoftentoolatein the year, so flowers were probablymissed. But great to see them once again.

Spiranthes romanzoffiana (Irish Lady’s-tresses)

Our association with this elusive orchid in 2022 reads like a McNeill family saga. I have to start outsideTyrone. Onholiday near the northcoast of Co Antrim, we visited aknown site near the Giant’s Causeway, where we found around 10 flowering spikes. Our party consisted of myself, sons David and Andrew, and, most importantly, Andrew’s younger son, Samuel, aged 11. That was on Aug 10th

On Aug 18th, based back home in Cookstown, several McNeills (but not me) took a morning walk at Lough Fea, a picturesque lake roughly 9km NW of home, with a good path encircling the lake. The lake acts as a reservoir supplying water to the local area. The drought of July and August had resulted in a considerable lowering of the lake level. A foreshore of firm mud and pebbles had developed. The McNeill party went down on to this ground. Almost immediately Samuel cried out, ‘There’s the Irish Lady’s-tresses!’ They arrived back in Cookstown in triumph, bearing photos of their find (see back cover)

Later that day, we went down to Brookend, the last refuge for Spiranthes romanzoffiana byLough Neagh –butlastreported fromtherein 2012or 2013.Wesearched thoroughly but ‘no show’.

Finally, I hadheard thatthe orchid had not appearedin 2022at KillycorranLough, where Claire Barnett had found it in 2019, first record in Tyrone away from Lough Neagh. Although maybe too late, I headed down there on Sept 1st, only to find the meadow had been mowed two days earlier!

Lough Fea wouldappeartobetheonly reportedTyrone sitefor the orchidin2022. Thalictrum flavum (Common Meadow-rue)

On Aug 18th, after visiting Brookend, we went a couple of miles southwards to Killycolpy, in similar Lough Neagh fenland, to follow up a report from Ian Rippey of a Thalictrum flavum site. Ian had given us a 10-figure grid reference. Without that, we would not have had a chance, but, with it, we walked straight to the spot. We found a healthy colony, occupying roughly a 3m x 3m square. We found another few plants about 100m distant.

Thalictrum flavum (CommonMeadow-rue)hadquiteahistory ofsitesfromLough Neagh in the past, but had not been reported from the Lough Neagh shorelands since 1985. Prior to 2022, the only Tyrone site known in this century was at Tamnamore, an excellent fenland site 7km E of Dungannon and 7km from the nearest point on Lough Neagh.

Drabella muralis (Wall Whitlowgrass)

In early March 2022 Drabella muralis (Wall Whitlowgrass) turned up in my garden. This was the first record in the Cookstown hectad, H87. I let it grow on and it grew and grew, to 40cm tall and produced abundant seed. Will I have a plague of it in 2023?

Then, in April 2022, I was in Ballynahatty townland, about 4km S of Omagh. At an abandoned farmhouse there I noticed the former farmyard was white with a cruciferous type of plant. I presumed it to be Cardamine flexuosa (Wavy Bitter-cress) but a closer inspection showed it was nearly all Drabella muralis. Hundreds of plants.

In the March 2021 edition of IBN, I reported John Faulkner’s find of an appreciable colony of D. muralis at Gortin Glen Forest Park, a popular venue for Omagh folk. I asked the owner of the farmyard if they had visited the Forest Park recently. ‘O yes’, he said. ‘Very often’.

Finally, I wish to report briefly three important Tyrone records that I found when trawling through some county records on DDb.

Stellaria palustris (Marsh Stitchwort)

FoundbyB. GoldsmithandS. GoodrichatRoundLough, Fivemiletown in2014. Theywere involved in survey work at a few lakes in the area, working for ENSIS (ecological consultancy). This is the first record for Co. Tyrone. It occurs occasionally around Lough Erne, in Fermanagh, only a few km away from Fivemiletown. The recorders may not have realised its importance to Tyrone and made no comment on the record.

Trichomanes speciosum (Killarney Fern)

In 2008 Robert Northridge found the gametophyte of this fern in Altadavan Glen, about 6km ESE of Clogher. In 2019, Rory Hodd visited the site and found the sporophyte, very small and immature, but definitely sporophyte material. The only previous sporophyte material in Tyrone was from a ‘small glen within 5 miles of Strabane’ in 1891, recorder G. Delap.

Rhamnus cathartica (Buckthorn)

Recorded by Dave Riley in 2019 at Lough Envagh, about 12km NW of Omagh. Only one previous Tyrone record: 1 mile W of R. Blackwater, Templeton, c. 1800. Templeton’s location is vague, and later botanists did not know where to follow it up.

Email: bsrhome@hotmail.co.uk

In 2022, BSBI News was 50 years old; to celebrate this milestone in publishing, it carried two papers that charted the history of the newsletter (Lovatt, 2022a, 2022b). It was felt appropriate bytheEditors (past and present) of Irish Botanical News that thetime was right to record a similar history of this publication. As far as I am aware, the late Clive Lovatt had no direct involvement with the editing or production of BSBI News and so his account was descriptive and objective. My involvement with Irish Botanical News has been very personal and so this account of its history will be more anecdotal and subjective but nevertheless, I hope, ofinterest to readers. Ihave largely relied onmy (failing)memory and recollections in putting this history together. I have little documentary evidence – three office moves, three house moves and a country move have seen to that – though I am sure there may be memos, reports, committeeminutes, etc. thatare relevant out therein people’s archives. If you think I have mis-remembered or, indeed, can add to this account, I am sure the Editor would be only too pleased to receive information for future publication.

How did it all start?

The first issue of Irish Botanical News was published in February, 1991 but the idea was formulated some years before. In the mid-1980s, I received a letter inviting me to join the group responsible for editing and producing the journal Watsonia as an editor. A little bit of historyisnecessaryhereforyoungerreadersornewermembersofourSociety. Watsonia, started in January 1949, was the prestigious scientific journal of the Botanical Society of the British Isles (as it then was) responsible for publishing largely investigative scientific papers on the flora of Britain and Ireland. These were either long accounts or relatively short papers (“Short Notes”). Additionally, at the time, the journal also covered Plant Records, Book Reviews, Obituaries and Reports of Field Meetings. BSBI News itself had started off life inJanuary 1972 and was an eclectic mix of material; Lovatt (2022b) outlines what BSBI News should be and I will refer to this later. As I settled into the role of a Watsonia editor, I came into contact with a very wide range of Society members at conferences and various committee meetings and it was at one of the latter that I happened to have coffee with a fellow editor. We were talking of the relationship between Watsonia and BSBI News and he said, “… and don’t forget the Welsh Bulletin and the Scottish Newsletter”. To my shame, I had never heard of either of them and so set about obtaining some back issues and subscribing to both. The Welsh Bulletin was the oldest and is published once or twice a year, the first issue being published in January, 1964, with the Scottish Newsletter starting in Spring, 1979 and is published once a year.

They were a revelation! Tightly focussed on the flora of their respective countries they were readable, chatty and full of relevant material; it was almost as if they represented a society within a society. As I thought about it, I realised there are many parallels between Wales, Scotland and Ireland with regard to botanists. All three countries have two major cities and these are geographically quite close; those cities are also at the ‘edge’ of their

respective countries and many botanists would be based there. The large hinterlands of all three countriesare, generally speaking, sparselypopulatedand thenumberof botanists low. (Here, I am pre-empting a ‘united Ireland’!)

ItthenoccurredtomethatIreland wasmissing outinnothaving sucha publication and sowhenever IgottheopportunityatmeetingsinIreland, when on thetelephoneto other Society members or when corresponding, I would drop gentle hints about the proposal to start an Irish newsletter. The reception I got was very mixed. These are not direct quotes but summarise the points … “The Irish membership wouldn’t be interested.”, “Who would run it?”, “It would be a nightmare to organise.”, “Where’s the money coming from?”, “Worth a punt!”. It was comments like that last one that encouraged me to go further and so, at the AGM of the Irish Branch of BSBI in 1989, under any other business, I raised the ideaofanIrishnewsletter. Mosthadnotheardofthe Welsh Bulletin and Scottish Newsletter. The discussion was lively and covered much of the same ground as the points outlined above butthere was a general and enthusiasticagreement thatit was worth pursuingif I was prepared to take it on. The Committee for Ireland agreed with the feelings of the AGM and I set about the task.

Initially I needed two things, finance and copy. In those days, the BSBI was not the comparatively affluent society it is today. I may be wrong but at the time the Society did not have any paid staff, all the work being done on a purely voluntary basis. This meant that money was tight and a new venture had to make its case against competing, existing drains on the Society’s resources. Luckily, the gentleman in charge of finances was the HonoraryTreasurer, MikeWalpole. Iusetheterm“gentleman” becausethatisexactly what he was; he was enthusiastic about the enterprise and on production of a summary of estimated accounts he found the money for the first issue. He continued to support the publication over successive years and for that we should be grateful. Copy was more of a problem. I set about contacting Irish members about the proposal to publish a newsletter and whatsort ofmaterialIwashopingtoinclude. I alsomadepersonalcontactwithasmany possible contributors as I could think of. I also elicited possible names for the new publication.

I had a vision of what the newsletter should be and it probably corresponded with the points made in BSBI News by David McClintock, its first editor, in its very first issue (McClintock, 1972):

“ … the information in the Newsletters [sic] will not be ephemeral”;

“The precise contents will depend in large on the wishes and contributions of members.”;

“ … news of people, when they join, when they move, get new jobs, marry, breed, get ill or well, go to interesting places, what they discover or think or see”;

“ … letters and questions to answer … shorter notes of all sorts”; and

“Members should feel that here is a place where they can see their contributions quickly in print, voice opinions and be in contact with what is going on.”

And so I sat back and waited …

The first issue of Irish Botanical News, February, 1991

My attempts to get copy for the first issue resulted in a number of vice-county reports (five in all). There was also a lovely, whimsical piece from Helen Megaw on how she became a

botanist (Megaw, 1991), and papers on aliens (Reynolds, 1991) and Trollius europaeus (Globeflower) and Prunus padus (Bird Cherry) (Sheppard, 1991) as well as reports of the Irish Recorders’ Meeting. There was also a letter and smaller items. To bulk out the first issue I included a list of vice-county recorders and their addresses. At Irish AGMs there were always interesting talks and I felt that with the relatively poor attendance many members weremissing out on hearing some important work. I therefore asked the twomain presenters at the 1990 AGM to prepare their papers for publication in the first issue and so we also hada fascinatingview ofthefuturerole ofthe BSBI from Gwynn Ellis (Ellis, 1991) and the future role of the BSBI in Ireland (Phillips, 1991).

This material came to me as either hand-written or typed, the majority from typewriters with ageing ribbons! As a small amount of editing was necessary, including bringing the submissions into line with the house-style, it was essential that all the material had to be typed or re-typed. There was no monetary allocation for this so I had to do that myself using the word-processing package WordPerfect on an Apple IIc microcomputer. The house-style I adopted was that from Watsonia, which I was familiar with.

At the time, I was a seven-fingered typist having had no formal training on how to touch-type. I had learned to type for a botanical project about seven years earlier on John Harron’s Flora of Lough Neagh (Harron, 1986). Miss M.P.H. Kertland, based in Queen’s University, Belfast, encouraged many amateur and young botanists to write up their work; one of her ‘botanists’ was John Harron who had been collecting records on the flora in and around Lough Neagh, Northern Ireland for some years. She encouraged him to write up the work as a Flora and the typescript was handed to the committee responsible for publishing the Irish Naturalists’ Journal to edit the work, find the finances and organise the publication. I think it had been with the Committee for some time and as a ‘new boy’ onthe Committee, I was tasked with this responsibility! The typescript was of very poor quality and needed to be completely edited and re-typed and stored digitally so that printing could be effected from ‘camera-ready-copy’. There was no money for re-typing … and so I set about the task as a one-fingered typist using a BBC Micro-computer with the Wordwise word-processing package, and an Epsom dot-matrix printer and a cassette tape for storing files!After238pagesmyone-fingeredtypinghadmorphedintoacomparativelyfastsevenfingered version.

The type-script for Irish Botanical News had to be formatted for printing, what was known in the new jargon of the time as producing ‘camera-ready-copy’. I had just completedafour-hourcourseonaDTP(Desk-Top-Publishing)package, AldusPageMaker. Wordwise and other word-processing packages at the time had few capabilities when it came to organising the text on the page. (Early versions of Wordwise were not even WYSIWYG, What You See Is What You Get, and, for example, to change font size or font type entailed embedding printing characters into the text.) To do this layout work, I used Aldus PageMaker. In those days, micro-computers were only just beginning to be used in university departments and expensive software programmes such as PageMaker were usually installed on just one machine. In my case, that machine just happened to be the one in my Head of School’s office. I am not sure he ever used the package and the rumour was that he did not even know how to switch on the computer itself! I thought it should have been a quick job to ‘pour’ the text into PageMaker, format it and print it. But, it is one thing to do a course with a tutor standing there to help when needed and another to set about a

task without that support. Needless-to-say, it did not go smoothly … I lost text, new pages mysteriously appeared, what printed differed from what was on the screen … you get the picture!TwodayslaterandI didget somethingthat was acceptable. I should say asanaside that I must have got significantly better as in Number 3 of Irish Botanical News I was extolling the virtues of DTP (Rushton, 1993).

The front cover posed a problem. The membership had not come up with any “particularly inspiring” titles for the newsletter and so the Committee for Ireland went with my working title of Irish Botanical News. The cover also needed an illustration and Joan Crichton came to my rescue by providing a delightful, simple sketch of three botanists clustered around a fern and drawn from a joint meeting of the Fern Society and the BSBI at Peakadaw on the south side of Glenade, Co. Leitrim (see Page 45). It was also decided to go with light green covers, the same colour being used through to Number 19. Printing was thus done from camera-ready-copy and was problem-free. Gwynn Ellis, the Membership Secretary,providedaddresslabelsandattachingthemandstampsandstuffingtheenvelopes with the newsletter and a few separate pages was undertaken by me … and my seven-year old son. He was the cheapest labour I could find! It was with some relief that I remember walking to the University Post Office one February morning with three sacks, mail for the UK, mail for Ireland and a very small sack for ‘overseas’ mailings.

The following years

Publication settled into a routine. I had deliberately chosen February (later March) as the publication month for two reasons. I viewed it as the end of one botanical year and the start of another. Winters were for catching up, adding records, checking herbarium specimens, writing up notes, even preparing articles for publication in Irish Botanical News, etc. whilst the planning for the coming spring and summer was taking place about this time also. The period running up to February also coincided with a comparatively slack period in my busy teaching schedule so I could fit the work in more easily.

By the time I came to prepare Number 3 (1993), I had acquired access to a document scanner and OCR (Optical Character Recognition) software and thus, theoretically, I could scan any incoming typed copy and then using the OCR package convert the scanned image to a word-processing document. Unfortunately, the quality of the typescript of many of the articles submitted was very poor leading to a final OCR-ed document that contained many errors that meant very carefully proof-reading. Sometimes I wondered whether it might not be easier and less stressful to simply retype the work but eventually the quality of submissions did improve and made for an easier time. Eventually I gave up using DTP to produce the camera-ready-copy as modern word-processing packages suchasWordgave fullcontrolover howthe textwouldappear on the page; Apple computers also gave way to IBM-compatible PCs in my life.

But, things were not always straight-forward and I had two disasters to deal with. The printing was done bya BSBI nominated printerand I always used the same one andthe same set of printing instructions were sent along with the copy. However, when I received the copies of Number 6 (1996) something had gone seriously wrong. The page size was correct (A5) butthemain text had been shrunk so it only filled about two-thirds ofthe page. It was still readable, but only just! I complained to the printer but was told that a re-print would be charged at the full price leaving me no alternative but to send out the copies with

a note of apology. The fact that I did not get any complaints shows how understanding the Irish members are! It was unfortunate that it should affect this particular issue since there was a rather useful map of West Cork showing the 51 Natural Heritage Areas but the town labels were a challenge to read (O’Donnell, 1996). Luckily the dot-distribution maps of Forbes & Northridge (1996) fared better.

In 2001, as issue Number 11 was going to press, I got the news that the printer, based in England, had gone out of business. I was left to try to find an alternative printer and I thought a local one might be preferable. I got quotes from printers in Belfast, Dublin and elsewhere in Ireland and was shocked at the prices being quoted. I think the cheapest was fivetimes what I had been payingand one quote was tentimes. Knowing that the BSBI coffers wouldnotstand sucha‘hit’ Idecidedtoprintthecopies myself, usingaphotocopier. Luckily, the chief technician in the university school where I worked, Mrs Shirley Morrow, was sympathetic to my plight and allowed me to use the faculty photocopier. Staff were allowed to do private photocopying but were charged the same rate as ‘outside’; Shirley charged me the rate as if the work was part of my job, a considerable reduction! Over the years, this saved BSBI hundreds of pounds. The down-side was the time to print. Photocopiers were fairly slow in those days and each sheet had to be printed double-sided which added to the time. Additionally, it was not possible to tie-up the faculty photocopier for a long period during the day and so it became an overnight job. I would start about 8.00pm and the copying itself took about five hours. I then set the stacks of pages around a bench in the middle of a student laboratory and walking round the bench I ‘picked’ the pages for each copy. A long-reach stapler completed the job, which usually finished about 3am.

This did have one advantage. Photocopiers were notoriously fickle machines and paper-jams were common every few dozen pages or so. I became very adept at being able to strip down a photocopier toclear paper-jams so much so the office staff frequently called on my newly-learned skill! I could also change the toner without spilling any excess on the photocopier room carpet!

In my time as Editor, I never refused publication of any submission; everything submitted was published. However, in a significant number of cases I did have to do an extensive amount of editing and re-writing to bring the text up to a standard where it told a logical story without repetition sometimes rewriting the whole submission. I enjoyed this part of the job as it meant that work that would otherwise not see the ‘light of day’ was made available to a wider audience; it also meant that a firm bond started to establish betweenauthorsandtheEditorthusencouragingfurthersubmissionsandperhaps, by‘word of mouth’, submissions from others.

Changes of Editor and changes of format

In 2007, I announced that it was time to move on and give someone else a chance to edit Irish Botanical News. MydecisionwasrathermadeformeasrecentlyIhadhadapromotion and the extra work-load meant that Idid not havethe spare timeto fit inthenewsletter. Paul Greenjointly edited the Number 18 (2008)issue withme, jointlyeditedNumbers 19(2009) and 20 (2010) with John C. Wallace and then continued through by himself for the next c. ten issues, when he relinquished duties to the current Editor, Alexis FitzGerald. Table 1 shows the full list of editors and the issues for which they were responsible.

Throughout my time as Editor, I was acutely aware of the need to keep within budget and for that reasonthe formatchangedlittle. The newsletter was A5 withlight green covers and a Times New Roman font whose size varied depending on whether it was necessary to reduce it in size so as not to exceed the page limit. The only change was to the front cover. After the first issue, I had rather hoped that I would have a steady supply of illustrations from fellow botanists. I made a plea in my editorial in Number 2 (Rushton, 1992) for cover illustrations but none were forthcoming though I did have a coup when I was able to include on the front cover of Number 2 a drawing of Spiranthes romanzoffiana (Irish Lady’s-tresses) made and donated by Raymond Piper. The cover illustration of Number3(1993)was of Plantago coronopus (Buck’s-hornPlantain)frommyownresearch work andthat of Number 4 (1994) was of Luzula pallidula (now L. pallescens) (FenWoodrush) from the paper by Rich (1994). Mrs Pat McKee prepared cover illustrations for Number 10 (2000) (Taxus baccata, Yew), Number 11 (2001) (Eryngium maritimum, Seaholly) and Number 13 (2003) (Arbutus unedo, Strawberry-tree) but for others I relied on using out-of-copyright illustrations from books, with suitable attribution. These were not randomlychosenbut usually wereillustrations ofspeciescoveredinoneofthemainpapers.

Paul Green continued this trend for Number 19 (2009) but there was a major change for Number 20 (2010) in that he introduced, on his own initiative, colour photographs on the front and back covers; the covers also had a white background instead of light green. (Printing was also undertaken professionally rather than the cottage-industry I had established; eventually, when printing was undertaken in Ireland it turned out to be much cheaper than using a printer in the UK!) Number 21 (2011) showed another major change to a stiff cover with front and back covers having colour illustrations and two pages of colour inside. Number 23 (2013) had front and back covers and both inside covers with colour illustrations and also four pages of colour plates in the centre pages. Finally, in Number 31 (2021) the coloured plates in the centre had increased to eight pages. Green had also introduced black and white photographs embedded within the text. The introduction of colour was mirrored in the othertwo newsletters with the Welsh Bulletin introducing colour in the January issue of 2010 and the Scottish Newsletter a little later in 2014. Clearly there was a re-think on the financing of these regional newsletters and money was found for the extra expenditure.

All issues have been stapled, not glued, though in recent years the large number of pages have resulted in a square binding but it is still stapled.

All issues of Irish Botanical News are on the BSBI website except Numbers 1 (1991) and 2 (1992) and those should be posted there shortly.

Irish Botanical News, the statistics

There have been 32 issues of Irish Botanical News to date. The total number of pages published is 1,841. It is not easy to produce an accurate figure for the number of words published given the differences in font size, number of headers and sub-headers, etc. but a conservative number would be approximately just short of 1,000,000 words! One hundred and forty-eight artists and authors have contributed at least one illustration or article and there have been approximately 695 submissions.

When looking at the publication statistics, one thing is very clear and that is the generalincreaseinthenumber ofpagespublished ineachissue overtime(Figure1), though

this increase is not linear. Some anomalies might be expected in datasets such as these, for example a ‘push’ to publish material in the run up to a national project like Atlas 2020. Throughout my editorship, the number of pages remained fairly constant except for a dip for Number 4 (1994) and Number 5 (1995); it was at that point that I feared for the future of the newsletter! After I handed over editing to Paul Green, there was an increase more or less year-on-year until it reached just over an average of 82 pages per issue. Examination of the statistics for each issue reveals that this increase was due largely to an increase in the number of articles rather than in articles becoming longer (Table 2). For Table 2, I have divided the issues up into three date classes, the first (Numbers 1-18, 1991-2008) being when I was Editor, the second (Numbers 19-25, 2009-2015) when there appeared to be a steady increaseinthenumberof pages perissue, andthe third(Numbers 26-32, 2016-2022) where the number of pages appears to be levelling off (Figure 1). As is clear, despite the increasing number of pages andnumberof articles themeanarticlesize has remained stable (2.7 pages, 2.5 pages, 2.8 pages per contribution for the three date classes respectively). Further, the increase inthe number of articles seems to be associated withan increase inthe number of field meeting reports (0.7, 2.9, 4.3 articles per issue for the three date classes respectively) and also articles focussing on individual taxa (2.4, 3.3, 7.9 articles per issue for the three date classes respectively). I am pleased with this latter increase as I believe it is one area where any botanist regardless of expertise can make meaningful observations, measurements, comparisons, etc. In these latter issues there has also been an increase in the number of new vice-county recorder profiles, a move which is also to be welcomed.

In summarising the statistics for each issue for this paper, I ended up with 21 categories of submitted material; the most common submissions are shown in Table 3. Other categories such as minutes of meetings, book reviews, obituaries, notices, editorials, etc. madeup therest. Basedonthese, anaverageissue wouldbe awell-balancednewsletter.

In all, there have been 134 vice-county reports (or articles reporting on surveys of a specific vice-county), roughly four per issue and that must represent signs of a healthy recorder network. However, the submission of reports has been very patchy and no reports have been received for just over half of the vice-counties. That does not mean there has been no activity in those vice-counties and there may well have been field meetings, etc. taking place but it would be useful to know what activity has been occurring so that fellow botanists could help if necessary.

As indicated above, 148 people have contributed material for publication in Irish Botanical News and whilst many of those have only submitted one piece a number of other contributors have multiple contributions to their name. I do not wish to produce a list of these here but two authors have supportedthe work of the newsletter since its inception and theirspecialcontribution shouldberecognised. TonyO’Mahonyhascontributed47articles, many of them vice-county reports but also a significant number on his beloved Rosa taxa and other taxa-related papers. Sylvia Reynolds has similarly supported the newsletter with 33 contributions, her alien-love being to the fore! One thing I have noticed is the lack of many fellow ‘professional’ botanists writing for the newsletter and I cannot really explain this other than to think that publication of material in more ‘prestigious’ journals is of greater importance to them. With the increased size of the publication and its better ‘look’ maybe that will change. It was gratifying to see the first results from the Irish Species

Project appearing in Number 27 (2017) (Long et al., 2017); let us hope it is the first project of many.

* This includes all contributions to the newsletter, not just scientific papers.

In conclusion

Above, IreferredtoDavidMcClintock’svisionfor BSBI News (McClintock,1972), avision which I shared for Irish Botanical News all those years ago. By-and-large, I think we have got there without having to record too many births (“breed”) or health scares! One area where I think we could improve is in submitting short snippets of information. Maura Scannell was good at doing this (e.g. Scannell, 1992) and sometimes would deluge me with very short notes of botanical information, not particularly intended for publication but simply because she thought they were interesting and/or fun. We all come across such ‘snippets’ in magazines, newspapers, websites, etc. and it would be nice to see some of these published in Irish Botanical News; if nothing else, they make good page fillers!

However, we must not become too complacent. In 2017, BSBI wanted to merge the country journals into BSBI News; there was such a backlash from Irish and Welsh members that BSBI gave up the idea!

Putting together this paper has brought home to me how far we have come in the last 30+ years. The impact of having our own dedicated Irish Officer is plain to see in more recent issues of Irish Botanical News as more work is being reported and by a wider range of people. The ‘old-guard’ are now passing the baton of Irish botany on to the younger folk and I think it, and Irish Botanical News, are in good hands. I look forward to reading about Irish Botanical News when it reaches its 50th birthday in 2040 … when I will be 93!

I would like to thank Alexis FitzGerald and Paul Green for commenting on a draft manuscript and Paul for providing information relating to his time as Editor. I would also like to thank the 148 botanists who have contributed work to Irish Botanical News over the last 32 years; without you, we would not have had an Irish Botanical News

References

Ellis, G. (1991). The role of the BSBI in the future. Irish Botanical News 1: 5-11.

Forbes, R.S. & Northridge, R.H. (1996). Progress towards a Flora of Fermanagh Irish Botanical News 6: 12-23.

Harron, J. (1986). Flora of Lough Neagh. Irish Naturalists’ Journal Committee, Belfast and the University of Ulster, Coleraine.

Long, M.P., Breen, C., Conaghan, J., Denyer, J., Faulkner, J., MacGowan, F., McCorry, M., Northridge, R. & O’Meara, P. (2017). Telling the story of eight uncommon/declining Irish plant species – first results from the Irish Species Project (ISP). Irish Botanical News 27: 55-77.

Lovatt,C. (2022a).Contributionstoa historyof BSBI News Part1. Nowwe are50:overview,changingappearance and access. BSBI News 150: 3-7.

Lovatt, C. (2022b). Contributions to a history of BSBI News Part 2. The early years 1972-1977: becoming established. BSBI News 151: 25-29.

McClintock, D. (1972). President’s introduction. BSBI News 1: 2-3.

Megaw, H.D. (1991). The education of a very amateur botanist. Irish Botanical News 1: 22-28.

O’Donnell, D. (1996). The natural heritage area survey of west Cork. Irish Botanical News 6: 27-35.

Phillips, J.C.L. (1991). The future role of the Irish Regional Branch of the BSBI. Irish Botanical News 1: 12-16.

Reynolds, S. (1991). The spread of alien plants on Irish roadsides. Irish Botanical News 1: 31-32.

Rich, T.C.G. (1994). Luzula pallidula Kirschner in Ireland. Irish Botanical News 4: 26-28.

Rushton, B.S. (1992). Editorial. Irish Botanical News 2: 4.

Rushton, B.S. (1993). Desk-top publishing: botanical publishing made easy. Irish Botanical News 3: 24-29.

Scannell, M.J.P. (1992). Leymus arenarius on North Bull. Irish Botanical News 2: 46.

Sheppard, R. (1991). Globe Flower and Bird Cherry. Irish Botanical News 1: 28-30.

A first record of Senecio minimus (Toothed Fireweed) from an urban centre in Co. Dublin (H21), and its associated ruderal flora

Alexis FitzGerald

Email: alexisfitzgeraldibn@gmail.com

FitzGerald (2018) first noted the occurrence of the neophyte Senecio minimus Poir. (syn. Erechtites minima (Poir.) DC.) (Toothed Fireweed) as a weed in a garden border on Coliemore Road, Dalkey, south Co. Dublin (H21) on 9th August 2017. FitzGerald (2019) subsequently recorded (and mapped) the species in abundance across a wide swathe of the Killiney/Dalkey localities. This species is native to New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania (Webb et al., 1988). Noted in Britain as a rare casual wool alien in previous decades (Stace 2019), these newly emerging populations are more likely to have arrived via seed contamination with imported garden plants (pers. obs., 2017-2022). FitzGerald (2018, 2019) surmised that these new populations were likely to spread and naturalise more vigorously than previous casual wool alien populations.

Indeed, FitzGerald (2021) subsequently reportedthe species from a roadside byan abandoned industrial areain Sandyford, c. 8 km west of Dalkey/Killiney. Botanical Society

of Britain and Ireland (2022) also holds arecord ofthe species from the Glasthule areafrom 2018, immediately west of Dalkey/Killiney. Clearly, this species is actively spreading in south-east Co. Dublin, if somewhat slowly.

Furthermore,BotanicalSocietyofBritainandIreland (2022)holdsthreeadditional Irish records of the species from the south-east of Ireland, west of Waterford City in Co. Waterford(H6). Therearealsoahandful of recordsinBritainfromLlynPeninsulainWales (one population), the Isle of Wight (one population) and the Scilly Isles (multiple populations). FitzGerald (2021) hypothesised that the Welsh population could have originated from wind-born seed from the more extensive Dublin populations, although this is uncertain. The species was noted in the Welsh site from “neglected flower troughs”, so it may well have been an imported contaminant with garden plants, as was the likely origin of the Dublin populations. This species has the potential to spread elsewhere in Ireland and Britainandmay still be under-recordedand/or over-looked for superficiallysimilar-looking species occupying a similar niche, including Erigeron (formerly Conyza) species.

The present article notes the first record of Senecio minimus from an urban centre in Ireland, namely, Dun Laoghaire town centre in south-east Co. Dublin (within the Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council area). A single plant of this species was first noted by the author on 23rd May 2022 in a corner at the base of a juncture of two walls at the edge of a walking pathway by the entrance to Permanent TSB Bank, 11 George's Street Upper (at Irish Grid reference O 24359.28448) (see page 84). Many ruderal species favour these wall bottom/corner locations for growth, as nutrients from the surroundings naturally accumulate along these marginal areas from wind and rainwater (also supplemented by nutrients from walking dogs!) and there is a superior element of protection from trampling in these places also. Senecio minimus is likely becoming increasingly well-established in ruderal habitats in the widersouth-east Co. Dublin area, includingthebases of walls/fences, path edges, wall tops, roadsides, open gravelly ground, garden borders, and even rock outcrops (FitzGerald, 2019). The recording of this population is yet another sign of the potential of the species to spread further in Dublin and beyond, especially as it appears to favour our increasingly warmer climate conditions in recent years.

Upon discovering this pioneer population of Senecio minimus, the fate of the plant was observed over the early summer period from May to June 2022. The surrounding area was recorded to attempt to locate further Senecio minimus plants and to gain some context on the surrounding urban flora. A variety of other ruderal plant species were noted during this period on road- and path-sides, walls, gutters and other ruderal locations in the immediate vicinity of the Senecio minimus population in Dun Laoghaire town centre. The streets and lanes which were recorded along were: Upper Georges Street (west end), Mulgrave Street (andan unnamed residential laneimmediately east of this street), Cantwell Lane(andWestLaneperpendiculartoit), PatrickStreet(northend), LynchLane,EastLane, Marine Road (south end), Northumberland Avenue (north end), HaighTerrace, Lee’sLane, Sussex Street, Eblana Avenue, and the immediate surroundings of St. Michael’s Church and the Royal Marine Hotel (most of the relevant street names can be seen in the following link: https://localwiki.org/dl/map/tags/street#zoom=18&lat=53.29145&lon=6.13589&layers=BTT).

On 23rd May 2022, the following 51 ruderal vascular plant species were recorded (native species in bold type, non-native (including archaeophyte) species in plain type):

Parietaria judaica Senecio vulgaris Poa annua Buddleia davidii

Lapsana communis Jacobaea vulgaris Hypericum hircinum Taraxacum agg.

Cardamine hirsuta Sagina procumbens Conyza cf. floribunda Sonchus oleraceus

Soleirolia soleirolii Asplenium rutamuraria

Epilobium parviflorum

Asplenium trichomanes subsp.

quadrivalens

Erigeron karvinskianus

Plantago major Matricaria discoidea

Centranthus ruber Stellaria media

Geranium robertianum Valerianella carinata

Catapodium rigidum var. major and var. rigidum

Polypogon viridis

Epilobium obscurum Epilobium ciliatum

Urtica urens Capsella bursapastoris Rumex crispus Verbena officinalis Asplenium scolopendrium

Poa trivialis Acer pseudoplatanus Antirrhinum majus

Mercurialis annua Geum urbanum Anisantha sterilis

Myosotis discolor Cymbalaria muralis

Papaver rhoeas Crepis capillaris

Dipsacus fullonum Euphorbia peplus Aquilegia vulgaris (garden escape)

Sisymbrium officinale Hedera helix agg.

Campanula poscharskyana Mycelis muralis

Veronica persica Veronica filiformis

On 1st June 2022, the following additional 12 ruderal vascular plant species were recorded (native species in bold type, non-native (including archaeophyte) species in plain type):

Epilobium montanum

Oxalis incarnata Papaver dubium

Viola × wittrockiana Tanacetum parthenium Myosotis arvensis

Lepidium didymum Polygonum aviculare s.s.

Euphorbia sp. (garden escape)

Geranium dissectum

Fraxinus excelsior Oxalis articulata

Urtica urens is a species of particular interest, which was recorded in and around the herbaceous borders and built ground directly adjacent to St. Michael’s Church. This speciesis anarchaeophyte-denizen (Stace, 2019)formerlymorecommoninIrelandinareas of arable agriculture, now an occasional species in Co. Dublin (Doogue et al., 1998). The neophyte Verbena officinalis was also found in this same area, having self-sown from planted populations in the same herbaceous borders.

By 30th June 2022, the single Senecio minimus plant had been removed (perhaps due to bank employees noticing an inquisitive stranger photographing and studying the plant so often!). It should be noted that no other Senecio minimus populations were found in the area during the surveys, despite widespread searches, indicating that this was likely a stray pioneer population, probably originating from the larger, well-established populations in Dalkey/Killiney. This species should be better known to Irish (and British) botanists, particularly those in eastern and southern Ireland, as it may well appear before their eyes in short order.

References

Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (2022). BSBI Distribution Database. Published online. Available at: https://database.bsbi.org/. Accessed: 4th December 2022.

Doogue, D., Nash, D., Parnell, J., Reynolds, S. & Wyse Jackson, P. (1998). Flora of County Dublin. The Dublin Naturalists’ Field Club, Dublin.

FitzGerald, A. (2018). Senecio minimus Poir. (Toothed Fireweed) arrives in Co. Dublin (v.c. H21). BSBI News 137: 58-59.

FitzGerald, A. (2019). Senecio minimus (Toothed Fireweed) becoming naturalised in Killiney/Dalkey, south Co. Dublin (v.c. H21). BSBI News 141: 52-54.

FitzGerald, A. (2021). Adventives and Aliens. BSBI News 147: 47 [includes an additional Dublin locality for Senecio minimus]

Stace, C.A. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles. 4th edition. C & M Floristics, Suffolk

Webb, C.J., Sykes, W.R. & Garnock-Jones, P.J. (1988). Flora of New Zealand Volume IV. DSIR, Christchurch. ----------

Antrim’s rare plants – Part 3

David McNeill, Greystown Park, Belfast, Co. Antrim

Email: dw.mcneill13@gmail.com

In Part 1 of this series of articles, I highlighted 40 species which have not been seen in CountyAntrim(H39) since2000. Therestoftheseriesconcerns theapproximately90other species which have been seen in no more than 3 sites in the county since 2000 (excluding neophytes and some taxonomically difficult species). Part 2 covered the rare plants of Antrim’s mountains and glens. In Part 3, we turn to Antrim’s famous coast.

TheAntrim coastroad fromLarne northwardsoffersthetravellersomeofthemost spectacular scenery to be found anywhere in Ireland. Tourist attractions such as the Giant’s Causeway and the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge bring enormous numbers of visitors but everywhere there are beautiful places to explore. The Islandmagee peninsula has both dramatic cliffs and atmospheric saltmarsh. The coast of Rathlin Island is just a perfect combination of chalk and basalt cliffs and quiet bays.

Cliffs and Rocky Shores

Because the Antrimcoastline is studded with cliffs, the species which grow onthem are not particularly rare in the county. An exception is Crithmum maritimum which is known from only 2 sites. It grows high on the cliffs at the SW corner of Rathlin (where first discovered in 1991) and on low coastal rocks just south of Garron Harbour (where first discovered in 1903).

It is worth mentioning that a prostrate from of Cytisus scoparius (believed to be subsp. maritimus) is foundin some quantity on Rathlinand nowhereelsein the county. The best displays are on the NW cliffs in May. Another plant with a Rathlin connection is Crambe maritima. This species was recorded by John Templeton from Church Bay on Rathlin in 1794 but was not subsequently seen anywhere in the county until 2009 when it was found south of Garron Harbour. Over the next decade, several new sites popped up

further south but the icing on the cake was the discovery in 2019 of a fine Crambe colony on chalk shingle near the SW corner of Rathlin – back after 225 years. Or maybe it never left?

Antrim has two extant populations of Mertensia maritima. There is a strong patch next to the Giant’s Causeway with a few smaller plants in the coves to the east. The other site is on Rathlin where the Mertensia occurs along a good length of shoreline on the southern arm of the island.

Sand Dunes and Sandy Shores

The rarest Antrim plant of sandy shores is Salsola kali. Thiswas rediscovered at Whitepark Bay by Simeon Cathcart in 2019 after a gap of 66 years and at Waterfoot in 2020 after a gap of 135 years. It is still to be refound at Bushfoot where it was last recorded in 1956.

ThebestexamplesofsanddunesareonthenorthcoastatWhiteparkBay, Bushfoot and Portrush with smaller sites at Ballycastle, Cushendun and Waterfoot. The rare plants of this habitat do not all grow at any one site and each site has its own unique character.

Thalictrum minus isthrivinginoneareaof dunesatBushfoot.A fewplants survive beside the golf course at Ballycastle but there have been no recent sightings from its former site at Portrush. Ononis repens is now confined to Waterfoot where it is plentiful beside the boardwalk. It used to be more widespread with old records from Portrush, Ballycastle and Cushendun. Calystegia soldanella is still plentiful at Bushfoot but has disappeared from Ballycastle.

The only recent sighting of Eryngium maritimum was at Whitepark Bay in 2002. I havesearchedforittheremanytimeswithoutsuccess. WhiteparkBayisalsotheonlyrecent site for Cerastium semidecandrum (2015) but this species may possibly have been overlooked elsewhere.

Lycopsis arvensis has been recorded in recent years from both the old dunes at Bushfoot and at Whitepark Bay but hasn’t been seen at Portrush since 1987. My favourite plant of sand dunes is Vicia lathyroides which has old records at Portrush (1988) and Ballycastle (1949) but which was discovered recently at two brand new sites – old dunes at Bushfoot (2009) and sandy ground at Waterfoot (2022).

Bushfoot is the only post-2000 site in the county for Viola canina. It grows in cattle-grazed grassland within the dune system. It is difficult to explain the steep decline in this species. There are many old sites on the north coast and on Rathlin where the ground should still be suitable. The former populations beside Lough Beg and Lough Neagh are more likely to have suffered from habitat loss.

Saltmarsh and Damp Shores

There are very few areas of saltmarsh in the county. The best examples are on the shore of Larne Lough whichis the only placeto see Limonium humile. The rarest ofthe sea-spurreys in the county is Spergularia media for which recent records are also confined to Larne Lough.

Parapholis strigosa was once confined to Larne Lough but was discovered on a BSBI field trip in 2018 at Dunseverick on the north coast, along with Puccinellia distans. The latter has also been seen recently at Carrickfergus with older records from elsewhere beside Belfast and Larne Loughs.

A recent arrival, spotted by Suzanne Belshaw, is Atriplex portulacoides which is only found in small quantity beside Larne Lough at Glynn (2019) and at the Whitehouse Lagoon beside Belfast Lough (2018). Atriplex littoralis is recorded occasionally from the shores of Belfast Lough and has 3 post-2000 records.

Averyrareplantinthecountyis Oenanthe lachenalii forwhichtheonlyconfirmed record is at the Giant’s Causeway. The plant was recorded here in 1887 by Robert Lloyd Praeger, but not seen again for exactly 100 years. It appears to be doing well with several post-2000 sightings. A few years ago, I saw Oenanthe lachenalii on Rathlin Island. Or so I thought. I walked past it quickly and have never returned to the same spot.

Juncus maritimus also seems to be confined to the Giant’s Causeway. It was first found there by David Moore before 1837 until rediscovered by Rory Hodd on a BSBI field trip in 2018. It occurs within the same area as the Oenanthe. There are unconfirmed reports of the Juncus from Dunseverick and south of Torr Head.

There are 3 post-2000 reports of Apium graveolens from the Giant’s Causeway, Cushendall and Glenarm. This is a plant which I have never seen in the county although it has quite a few old records mainly from the shores of Belfastand LarneLoughs. I will keep looking.

Coastal Waters

As I can’t swim, I tend to avoid submerged aquatics. However, more intrepid souls know Ruppia maritima (last record 2009) and Zostera marina (last record 2006) from the sea lagoon at Glynn. The eelgrass was also recorded near Portrush in 2006 and is reported from Mill Bay on Rathlin and at Waterfoot.

In conclusion, the Antrimcoast isa great place for aday out. Not too manyvisitors to Waterfoot kneel down to admire the tiny flowers of Vicia lathyroides. The crowds who flocktotheCausewaystonesdon’t usuallyincludethebeautiful Mertensia maritima intheir holiday pics. Rathlin’s Crambe maritima site may not be known to many humans, but last year it was discovered by the local sheep. There wasn’t a single leaf left.

Trifolium suffocatum (Suffocated Clover) a new clover for Ireland

Paul Green – Email: paulbsbivcr4h12@gmail.com

I was out and about across Co. Wexford collecting photos and samples of Erophila (Whitlowgrass) for a webinar workshop I was doing for BSBI in March of 2022. While at Rosslare I came across rosettes of a clover that I took to be Trifolium ornithopodioides (Bird's-foot Clover) on the sandy lawn of a derelict house, and on the verges around a hotel car park. I went back on 21st April and confirmed the identity of the clover when it was flowering. This being the first record from Rosslare since Robert A. Phillips reported it there in 1932.

A few days earlier, 12th March I had visited Ferrycarrig Castle, which sits on a large rocky knoll by the River Slaney. There werecloverleaves, Icouldn’tconvince myself that these were Bird’s-foot Clover. They were pure green, and forming round dense patches

of many small leaves. They looked like miniature Trifolium repens (White Clover), but as far as I could make out, they were not sending out runners, like you would expect from White Clover. Were these clover plants small because of all the trampling they received from the visitors to the castle?

After confirming the identity of the Bird’s-foot Clover on the same day I called into Ferrycarrig Castle to take another look at the clover. I looked at the patches of clover, and instantly thought are they flowering? If so, they must be Suffocated Clover, which would be a new clover to Ireland.

Down on all fours with my hand lens I started examining theplants. At the base of each clump of leaves were clusters of many extremely small flowers (see Page 42). Even with a hand lens it was hard to be sure they were actually flowering as they were so tiny. I started to count the number of plants and got to over 400 and gave up.

If I hadn’t seen Suffocated Clover in the UK, I may have never realised what I had been looking at as even when flowering the patches looked as though they were just made up of small green leaves.

What is the status of the Suffocated Clover? Some have suggested it is native, and others a non-native. The most plausible would be that a visitor to the castle which had arrived by ferry from Wales or mainland Europe, had brought the seeds on their shoes, or the pet dog had the seeds on its coat, and they dropped off. We will probably never know the true status of this clover in Ireland.

A new station for Lycopodiella inundata in Wicklow

Sunniva Hanley

Email: hanleysd18@gmail.com

In 2022, whilst hillwalking in Co. Wicklow (H20), I noticed a small patch of horizontal, green stems growing on exposed peat. Their growth habit resembled a Lycopodium species I had seen on a botany trip in Central America led by Daniel Kelly in 2016. Some weeks later the plants, now with vertical fertile stems, were identified as Lycopodiella inundata (L.) Holub. (Marsh Clubmoss). The species was first recorded in Wicklow by J. P. Brunker in 1928 (Brunker, 1950) at a single site in Glendalough. Records span the two-year period to 1930 (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, 2022). Described by Praeger (1934) as “a rare plant”, it is listed in the Flora (Protection) Order, 2022, and is included in the Red Data List of Irish vascular plants (Wyse Jackson et al., 2016). The most recent Irish records are in Counties Galway, Mayo, Waterford, and Co. Armagh in Northern Ireland (BSB, 2022). This new station is some distance from the Glendalough site; a recent search there was unsuccessful, however, water levels were high at the time so the site merits another visit.

Five patches were found initially, then a further eight with Catriona Brady, and a third search brought the total to 21 separate patches (henceforth colonies) in four distinct areas across c. 250m x 250m of the hillside. The location, main habitat features and associated vegetation werenoted ineachcase. Thelength ofthe longestprostrate stems, the

number of vertical stems bearing strobili (‘cones’), the height range of vertical stems and the presence or absence of sporangia were recorded. Several small groups of clubmoss stems, separate but adjacent to six of the colonies, were recorded but are not included in the analyses here.

Habitat and substrate description

The clubmosses grew at elevations of 280mto 320m on flat or gently sloping terrain except for six colonies found on inclinations of 20o-40o All grew in unshaded or south-facing locations apart from one east-facing and two north-facing sites. The shallow peat substrate (Table 1) had a pH range of 4-4.3 (estimated using pH indicator strips). The peat remained damp to the touch or wet throughout the summer and autumn except on two south-facing, well-drained sites on steeper slopes.

Table

Associated vegetation

This upland region of wet heath features some level terrain dominated by Molinia caerulea and sloped areas with Calluna vulgaris and Erica cinerea. Two lists of vegetation were compiled (Table 2): the species growing amongst Lycopodiella inundata and those bordering each colony (nomenclature follows Stace, 2019). The flora associated with Lycopodiella inundata tended to be quite consistent. Molinia caerulea – apparently young growth-grewamongstallcoloniesand Erica tetralix waspresentinseventeenoutoftwenty one (81%). Trichophorum germanicum, Narthecium ossifragum and Drosera rotundifolia were frequent both within the colonies and the surrounding vegetation. Calluna vulgaris was recorded in the vegetation surrounding twenty colonies but within only four colonies. Bryophytes (mostly mosses; just one liverwort) were recorded amongst the clubmoss in 5 colonies and in the surrounding vegetation of more than half the colonies. It should be noted that bryophytes were looked for in all colonies but were not searched exhaustively. A desiccated algal mat formed a crust on areas of exposed peat within 10 (48%) colonies.

Sward height within the colonies was c. 9cm and the vegetation surrounding each colony grew to c. 30cm. There was some evidence of light grazing by deer and feral goats where the colonies bordered a track and signs of trampling were noted in half the colonies.

Lycopodiella inundata

Thearea of each colony was small, nine were <1m2 in area, eight had areas of 1m2 –2m2 and four occupied areas of >2m2. The percentage cover of L. inundata was 10%-15%, total vegetation cover was generally between 30%-50% although five colonies grew in a dense sward with 60%-80% cover. Vertical stems (0.5cm- 9cm high) and strobili developed slowly and were counted in late September (Fig. 1). These grew between 2cm and 5cm in ten colonies and exceeded 5cm in six. However, the vertical stems produced by plants on

steep slopes, shaded sites or thin peat did not exceed 2cm in height. Sporangia formed on the strobili in all but three colonies, the exceptions being twonorth-facing sites and one site on thin peat. Sporangia matured and dehisced from the base of the strobilus upwards over a period of 4-6 weeks.

Plant species growing within the Lycopodiella coloniespercentage of locations recorded

Plant species bordering the Lycopodiella coloniespercentage of locations recorded

Discussion

The larger colonies, those with areas around 2m2, appear vigorous and healthy with numerous tall, sturdy vertical stems bearing fertile strobili whereas some smaller colonies had weaker prostrate stems that produced fewer, shorter vertical stems. The 2 north-facing colonies were noticeably thin-stemmed with no visible sporangia. It is difficult to estimate the ages of these colonies. Byfield & Stewart (2007) suggestan average growth rate of 3cm per annum. The prostrate stems found in Wicklow rarely exceeded 20 cm in length indicating an age of approximately seven years. However, the older parts of the stems die back at the end of the growing season and sections of partially decomposed prostrate stems were visible in some sites (see Page 43), so it is possible that these colonies may be significantly older.

Lycopodiella inundata is a plant of modest stature and will struggle to compete with its larger heathland neighbours, so the future prospects for these colonies will depend in part on how quickly the surrounding vegetation encroaches. Rasmussen and Lawesson (2002) suggest that the species can tolerate a wide range of soil pH and soil moisture levels but appears to be intolerant to shading and eutrophication. Many colonies are on or at the border of tracks used by deer and feral goats. The openness of these sites is likely maintained by animal movement, grazing and by water erosion after heavy rain. It is to be hoped that the benefit of open ground maintained by surface water flow, trampling and grazing will exceed the cost of eutrophication by deer and goat droppings. In prolonged dry periods the clubmoss may benefit from the presence of algal mats as the surfacecrust slows the desiccation of the peat below (Conaghan et al., 2000).

The prostrate habit and bright green colour of the plant ensure it is effectively ‘camouflaged’ and easily overlooked. This was a serendipitous find. Further monitoring of the site is urged. Perhaps the associated vegetation and habitat descriptions presented here may facilitate the finding of other colonies in Wicklow.

The front cover of the first issue (Number 1) of Irish Botanical News published in February 1991 (p. 20)

Acknowledgements

My sincere thanks to Daniel Kelly for his helpful suggestions and photographs, to Melinda Lyons for her help identifying bryophytes and to Catriona Brady for her assistance in the field. To Pat Lenihan and Ida Carroll for their photographs, to Olwyn O’Neill and members of the DNFC for their assistance.

References

Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (2022). BSBI Distribution Database. Available at: https://database.bsbi.org/. Accessed: 12th December 2022.

Brunker, J.P. (1950) Flora of the County Wicklow. Dundalgan Press, Dundalk.

Byfield, A. & Stewart, N. (2007). Lycopodiella inundata dossier, Plantlife International. Revised edition, February 2007. PDF downloaded from: https://www.plantlife.org.uk/application/files/7114/7913/4073/Lycopodiella_inundata_dossier.pdf Accessed: 26th October 2022.

Conaghan J., Douglas, C., Grogan, H., O’Sullivan, A., Kelly, L., Garvey, L., Van Doorslaer, L., Scally, L., Dunnells, D., Wyse Jackson, M., Goodwillie, R. & Mooney, E. (2000). The distribution, ecology and conservation of blanket bog in Ireland Enviroscope Environmental Consultancy, Dublin, Ireland [A synthesis of the reports of the blanket bog surveys carried out between 1987 and 1991 by the National Parks & Wildlife Service].

Flora (Protection) Order, 2022. S.I. No. 235 of 2022.

Lockton, A.J. (2022). Species account: Lycopodiella inundata. Botanical Society of the British Isles. Available at: bsbi.org. Accessed: 5th November 2022.

Rasmussen, K.K. & Lawesson, J.E. 2002. Lycopodiella inundata in British plant communities and reasons for its decline. Watsonia 24: 45-55.

Praeger, R.L. (1934) The Botanist in Ireland. Hodges, Figgis & Co., Dublin. WyseJackson,M., FitzPatrick, Ú., Cole, E.,Jebb, M., McFerran,D., SheehySkeffington,M. & Wright, M. (2016) Ireland Red List No. 10: Vascular Plants National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Dublin, Ireland

Hunting for wintergreen horsetails in Co. Louth (H31)

Ciarán Flynn, Castlecarragh, Riverstown, Dundalk, Co. Louth

Email: ciaranflynn02@gmail.com

Having finished college for the Christmas break, I was looking for some interesting species that I could focus on searching for over the winter. Since I was unfamiliar with the wintergreen Equisetum (Horsetail) species and the vegetation is lower at this time of the year, I decided this would be a suitable group.

There are eight horsetail species (excluding hybrids) found in Ireland, seven of which occur in Co. Louth (H31). Equisetum pratense (Shady Horsetail) is absent from the county, the nearest site being 30km north of the VC boundary in Co. Down (H38) (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, 2023). Two of the eight species are wintergreen: E. hyemale (Rough Horsetail) and E. variegatum (Variegated Horsetail). Both of these species belong to the subgenus Hippochaete, whereas the other taxa are in subgenus Equisetum. This is important as hybrids will form within, but not between, the subgenera (Jermy et al., 1998).

A single record of E. hyemale from 1906 is listed on the DDb for Co. Louth (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, 2023). William de Vismes Kane, who is better known for his studies of Lepidoptera (Praeger, 1949), found it in O09 in the centre of the county. A voucher is deposited in the National Herbarium (DBN), National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. However, there is an earlier record from Cooley by Nathaniel Colgan. He found it growing ‘by a stream in the Carlingford Mountains above Omeath, at a height of 800 feet’ (Colgan, 1902)

E. variegatum is restrictedtotwohectads. Themostrecentrecord has beenin2019 by Shane Farrell at Loughanmore, west of Gyles Quay (J10). It has also been found in Baltray in the south of the county.

The hybrid between E. hyemale and E. variegatum is also wintergreen. E. x trachyodon (Mackay’s Horsetail) was recorded by Donal Synnott in 1977 ‘[i]n a marsh on the right bank of the Castleton River below Riverstown, J10’ (Synnott, 1979). Again, this is close to Gyles Quay.

E. x moorei (Moore’s Horsetail) is the fourth wintergreen taxon in Ireland. Semievergreen might be a more accurate description as it only remains wintergreen in warm, sheltered locations (Jermy et al., 1998). However, it is restricted to the coasts of Co. Wicklow (H20) and Co. Wexford (H12) (Stace, 2019).

Whilst most of the three taxa can grow in a variety of damp habitats, all of them can be found on the banks of streams or rivers. Hence, I focussed my search in these habitats.

Enda Flynn and I happened to be visiting Co. Leitrim (H29) on the 2nd of January, so we decided to visit a known site for E. x trachyodon west of Manorhamilton. It is a magnificentcolony, containingthousandsofstemsgrowing on awoodedriverbank. Neither of us had seen this taxon before, so getting experience with one of its important characters was a useful exercise. This is the sheath teeth. In E. x trachyodon, the teeth are more persistent relative to E. hyemale. Also, the teeth apices have a long narrow point that distinguishes it from E. variegatum.

Well-informed of the features of E. x trachyodon, I set out to re-find its old site in Cooley. Walking from Gyles Quay, I headed up the Castletown River on a couple of occasionsinJanuary. SomepteridophytesIencounteredincluded Asplenium scolopendrium (Hart’s-tongue) and Polystichum setiferum (Soft Shield-fern), the latter growing abundantly. There didn’t appear to be any marshy ground on either side of the river as I walked upstream. Much of the riverbanks were sheep-grazed pasture or had dense vegetation. Some potentially suitable habitat was present (wooded riverbank), but I suspect much of it wasn’t damp enough. There is some marshy ground near the mouth of the river. Unfortunately, this is quitenutrient-richas shown by the growth of species including Typha latifolia (Bulrush) and is an exposed site. In Ireland, many sites for E. x trachyodon are sheltered (Online Atlas of the British Flora, 2023). A few years ago, the course of the river changed after a storm. Instead of turning abruptly to flow east (as still depicted on the OSI map for the area), the river continues straight. As I wasn’t very familiar with the habitats here before this event, it’s unclear how this has impacted any potential sites for E. x trachyodon.

Next up was a walk along a stream at Ballymakellett. This runs parallel to a forestry plantation and is a secluded location with higher ground on three sides at times.

Firstly, I noticed dead stems of E. telmateia (Great Horsetail). These were abundant on the slope to the north. I was unaware the dead stems remained conspicuous during the winter. The ‘ivory-white’ internodes, blackening somewhat during the winter (Merryweather, 2020), and the large stems with erect branching is distinctive. Whilst looking more elegant inthe summer, itcouldbeaspeciesto watchoutforduringany winterbotanisinginaddition to the wintergreen species.

Whilst I was observing E. telmateia, Enda spotted E. hyemale growing upstream beside the path. I should have learned by now not to let him walk ahead of me because he’ll spot the rarities! The colony consisted of at least 120 stems, a few of which had been trampled by walkers. They were growing through grasses and some Pteridium aquilinum (Bracken)soit’squitelikelythatthey’dbehardtospotduringthesummer. Asitwasgetting dark when we found them, we couldn’t check the whole length of the stream. I revisited the site a few days later to walk further upstream but no more populations were found. This species was once used as a pan scrubber dueto the abundance of silica along its stem ridges (Merryweather, 2020). The bedrock in this area and in the mountains upstream is granite, a silica-richigneousrock. Thisfitswiththehabitatconditionsinmanyothersites(D. Doogue, pers. comm., 2023). Whilst this contributes to the production of acidic conditions, the presence of E. telmateia suggests that, at least locally, the soil is base-rich.

Obviously, most of my searches were unsuccessful but they gave me an opportunity to visit new areas. For example, I walked along the Flurry River south from Dromad and in the adjacent woodland. Unfortunately, both Prunus laurocerasus (Cherry Laurel) and Rhododendron ponticum (Rhododendron) grow here, especially R. ponticum which dominates large parts of the woodlandandextends tothe riverbank. Asa consolation for not finding any Equisetum, I came across some Polystichum aculeatum (Hard Shieldfern), an uncommon species in the county.

Clearly, Iwasbiasedtothenorthofthecountyinmysearches. Perhapsthearticle’s title is misleading in this respect! However, it shows that when you go in search of a particular group of species it is entirely possible to find them despite the lack of records for a verylong period of time. And youmay just stumbleacross some other interesting species.

If you have any records of these wintergreen horsetails in Co. Louth that I haven’t mentioned, then it’d be great if you could let me know. My email address is printed at the top of the article.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Declan Doogue for an insightful discussion on the habitats of E. hyemale.

References

Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (2023). BSBI Distribution Database. Available at: https://database.bsbi.org Accessed: 21st January 2023.

Colgan, N. (1902). Some New County Records. Irish Naturalist 11: 184.

Jermy, A., Page, C. & Acock, P. (1998). Equisetum. In: Rich, T. & Jermy, A. (eds.) Plant Crib 1998. Botanical Society of the British Isles (BSBI).

Merryweather, J. (2020). Britain's Ferns: A Field Guide to the Clubmosses, Quillworts, Horsetails and Ferns of Great Britain and Ireland, Princeton University Press.

Online Atlas of the British Flora (2023). Equisetum hyemale x variegatum (E. x trachyodon). Available at: https://plantatlas.brc.ac.uk/plant/equisetum-hyemale-x-variegatum-e-x-trachyodon. Accessed: 6th February 2023.

Praeger, R. L. (1949). Some Irish naturalists: a biographical note-book, W. Tempest, Dundalk. Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles, C & M Floristics, Suffolk Synnott, D. (1979). Further Additions to the Flora of Louth (H31). The Irish Naturalists' Journal 19: 406

On the escape of Lathraea clandestina (Purple Toothwort) along the River Tolka in Dublin City

Alexis FitzGerald

Email: alexisfitzgeraldibn@gmail.com

Lathraea clandestina L (Purple Toothwort) (Orobanchaceae) is a very rare neophyte garden escape plant species in Ireland. It is a much more widespread neophyte in Britain, particularly within England, but is also scattered in parts of Wales and Scotland (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, 2022) In Britainand Ireland, it is known from “damp places on Salix, Populus and other associates such as Gunnera” (Stace, 2019). It is considered to be truly native in western and southwestern Europe (Stace, 2019), and the first European record in the botanical literature was from 1578 in north central Spain (Atkinson & Atkinson, 2020). In continental Europe, it is often associated with river and stream banks, and most often riparian or other humid/wet woodlands (Atkinson & Atkinson, 2020). In Europe, a much wider array of host plants have been recorded for the species (Atkinson & Atkinson, 2020). It is the closest relative of our native Irish Lathraea squamaria (Toothwort).

As with many other members of the Orobanchaceae family, this species is a holoparasite (a total parasite), lacking any chlorophyll and deriving its nutrition solely via parasitising the roots of host plants (Stace, 2019). The scientific name ‘clandestina’ refers to its penchant for clandestine shaded habitats. Therefore, this species is likely to be under-recorded, especially as it is a perennial underground geophyte which only reveals its diminutive and yet showy purple-flowered inflorescences (which may be hidden below the leaf litter) from April to June, and plants may grow for multiple years underground before flowering (Atkinson & Atkinson, 2020)

The first recorded naturalised populations of Lathraea clandestina (Purple Toothwort) in Ireland occur within the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, where the species was originally planted but has since become wild there. It was recorded from wet shaded areas on and near the banks of the River Tolka, which flows west to east along the northern side of the gardens. BSBI (2022) records a second Irish population of the species being found in 2019, justeast ofthe National Botanic Gardens, again alongthe banks of the RiverTolka. Theauthorhasalso seen(possibly) planted specimensof L. clandestina further to the south-east in Griffith Park (in shade near the river banks) in 2022.

The third known naturalised Irish population was found by Alexis FitzGerald and Cathal O’Brien in early April 2022, in an undisclosed location on the banks of the Tolka River further east south-east of the National Botanic Gardens than the previously known populations (see back cover). The species was found to be extensively naturalised under

scrub andherbaceous vegetation below riparian woodlandcanopy of mostly Salix (Willow) species. The scrub habitat was dominated by Rubus fruticosus agg. (Brambles), while the herbaceous vegetation adjacent to it was dominated by Smyrnium olusatrum (Alexanders) and Urtica dioica (Common Nettle). The plants were likely parasitising the roots of the canopy Salix treesabove. Approximately 32 plants were counted here in total, however, the total count is uncertain as many plants were (at least partially) hidden under the herb layer, leaf litter and/or scrub cover. Some plants were also producing multiple inflorescences perhaps from the same underground rooting system, in which case, each close agglomeration of inflorescences was considered as one plant.

This newly discovered population was recorded from a relatively remote, isolated, semi-natural, scrubby river bank habitat and so it isconsidered unlikely that the species was planted in this exact location. Therefore, given the downstream trajectory of the recorded Dublin populations thus far, it is considered very likely that fertile seeds of this species are being transported downstream along the River Tolka from the original introduction site in the National Botanic Gardens, and whichare then depositing on the riverbanks andbecome established in suitable habitat, including wet riparian woodland. Indeed, the seeds of this species are explosively ejected and can be spread up to 8 metres in this manner, and movement of seed along watercourses is considered to be “an important method of dispersal” ofthespecies(Atkinson &Atkinson, 2020). Although (given its diminutive size) this species does not have the same invasive potential as such fellow riparian non-native invasiveslike Impatiens glandulifera (HimalayanBalsam),itnonethelesshassomeinvasive potential, and it is likely to establish in some areas of downstream wet woodland which are classifiable as the EU Habitats Directive priority Annex I habitat [91E0*] Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae) (National Parks and Wildlife Service, 2019).

Given the relative inaccessibility of many of the river banks in this area due to dense scrub encroachment and the adjoining urban infrastructure, there may well be further as yet undiscovered populations of the species along the banks of the River Tolka, waiting to be revealed by intrepid botanists

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the National Transport Authority for agreeing to the release of the above details on the 2022 plant record.

References

Atkinson, M.D. & Atkinson, E. (2020). Biological Flora of the British Isles: Lathraea clandestina Journal of Ecology 108: 2145-2168. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13473.

Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (2022). BSBI Distribution Database. Available at: https://database.bsbi.org/. Accessed: 10th December 2022.

National Parks and Wildlife Service (2019). The Status of EU Protected Habitats and Species in Ireland. Volumes 1-3. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dublin.

Stace, C. (2019) New Flora of the British Isles. 4th edition. C & M Floristics, Suffolk

Interesting pondweed hybrid in Offaly (H18)

Email: findevery@yahoo.co.uk & John Lucey,

In September 2021 we discovered what looked like an interesting pondweed in the Camcor River, near Birr, in Co. Offaly. Oncloser examination the plant keyed out as the rare hybrid Potamogeton x lanceolatus (P. coloratus x P. berchtoldii) (see Page 44), which is only known from west of the Shannon in Clare, Galway and Mayo.

Further searches were undertaken in the following summer when the plant was found, in fairly large amounts, at other sites in the same river as well as in the Little Brosna River at their confluence and downstream into Co. Tipperary. A sample specimen was sent to Nick Stewart who in discussions with Chris Preston more or less confirmed the identification.

A definitive identification, however, can only be confirmed by DNA analysis which will now be carried out

Margaret Norton, Tinode, Manor Kilbride, Blessington, Co. Wicklow

Email: kilnorbot200@gmail.com

(Author Note: Information on the location of Barnes’ copy of Cybele Hibernica is particularly welcome)

William Arthur Barnes (1839-1912) lived in Co. Meath at Westland, Moynalty for the durationof hislife. Having graduated witha BA fromTrinityCollege, Universityof Dublin in 1868, he subsequently received an award from that university for the exemplary manner in which he managed the farmland at Westland. He was appointed as the first Professor of Agriculture at Trinity College in 1906, a chair which he held for six years. His students were frequent visitors to Westland where his investigations into the use of waste creamery products as a fertiliser received international recognition (Miller 1910). Barnes’ botanical activities can be traced back to 1864 when he and his sister Harriet were awarded medals by the Royal Horticultural Society for their collections of dried wild plants from counties Meath and Cavan respectively (Middleton 2014). The location of these herbaria was not resolved by Kent and Allen (1984) and as yet remains unknown. Barnes later pursued his botanical fieldwork while conducting farmland valuations on behalf of the Land Commission (Marshall-Barnes in litt. 1985), the twelve volumes of English Botany in his ownership indicative of his taxonomic interest. It was during one such farmland visit that he discovered Sisyrinchium bermudiana (Blue-eyed-grass) on the lakeshore of Upper Lough Erne, Co. Fermanagh, a significant extension to its then known range in Ireland

(Barnes 1901), though now more widely recorded within that county (Forbes & Northridge 2012). His contribution to the study of the distribution of Fumaria in Ireland, instigated by Praeger, was deservedly acknowledged (Praeger 1905). Barnes’ specimens, determined by Pugsley in light of the then recent taxonomic revisions (Pugsley 1902), are an important component of the Fumaria collection at DBN. They include the paralectotypes designated by Sell in 1988 of F. bastardii var. hibernica (Praeger) Pugsley.

The environs of Barnes’ ancestral home near Moynalty provided the hunting ground for many of his botanical discoveries, in particular Westland, Oakley Park and Baltrasna, the connections to these locations evident in his family history. The Barnes’ association with Meath began in 1666 when Lieutenant Thomas Barnes was granted lands in the townland of Donore, Moynalty. William Arthur belonged to the eighth of ten generations to live at Donore, inheriting the c.1790 built Westland House and its surrounding 464 acres in 1878 (Bamford 2005).

Westland features prominently amongsttheannotations by Barnes in a copy of the second edition of Cybele Hibernica (Colgan & Scully 1898) offered for sale at Naughton Booksellers, Dún Laoghaire in 1989. These annotations were transcribed by MN at that time, fortuitously as the current location of the book is unknown. The inscription ‘W.A. Barnes, Westland, Moynalty 1901’ to the fore of the book is significant given that this was only three years after the publication of Cybele Hibernica and the same year as the publication of Irish Topographical Botany (Praeger 1901a). Praeger had not included Moynalty in his extensive fieldwork between 1896 and 1900, although he had explored the nearby areas of Nobber, Cruicetown and Kilmainham (Praeger 1896-1900), these being more readily accessible by train. As none of the Meath records by Barnes appear in Irish Topographical Botany, it was most likely its publication, or that of Plant Records Wanted (Praeger 1901b), which motivated him to record within his home county. The majority of his records originate from the period 1901 to 1906, but some are retrospectively dated as early as 1862, presumably based on specimens submitted to the 1864 Royal Horticultural Society’s competition. His commitment to fieldwork, which yielded fifteen taxa new to the county including six listed in Plant Records Wanted, was acknowledged by Praeger (1903, 1904 & 1906b). A smaller number of records were made between 1906 and 1909, while none are dated in the years immediately preceding his death in 1912.

The evidence indicates that Barnes and Praeger were in direct communication between 1901 and 1906. Many of the Barnes’ records published by Praegerare followed by a note of exclamation (!), which symbol indicates that Praeger had examined a specimen from the named location. Themajority ofBarnes’ specimensdepositedin DBN are labelled ‘Ex. Herb. R. LloydPraeger’. Praegercollected Poa nemoralis (WoodMeadow-grass) from old walls at Westland during August 1903 (DBN). Both visited Breakey Lough that same month. Specimens by Praeger from the lake are dated 23 August 1903, coinciding with his collection of Geranium columbinum (Long-stalked Crane's-bill) from Moynalty (DBN) where it was known to Barnes for almost four decades. The date of the Breakey Lough visit also coincides with that of Praeger’s specimens of Trifolium campestre (Hop Trefoil) from a meadow at Moynalty (DBN) and of Carduus nutans (Musk Thistle) ex hort. Westland (DBN).

Barnes’ records annotated in his copy of Cybele Hibernica (Appendix) far outnumber those published (Praeger 1902, 1903, 1904, 1905, 1906a). His marginalia

included precise locations, often supplemented by topographical and ecological comments, for species many of which are now much rarer in Meath. These annotations provide a snapshot of an era that predates the transition from arable to grassland farming, and the extensive use of lime, herbicides and fertilisers. The land near Westland, just south of Moynalty, consists of brown earth soils of the Kells Series, these being well-drained friable soils suited to tillage and grassland crops (Finch et al. 1983). Such ground was also ideal for tillage weeds. Omalotheca sylvatica (Heath Cudweed), a herb of dry acidic often sandy soils, wasdescribedbyBarnesasplentifulinfieldsatRathbane, ShancarnanandStonefield. Equally significant, Scleranthus annuus (Annual Knawel), a plant of disturbed sandy soils, was recorded in fields at Glenfield and Shancarnan. The precipitous decline in Ireland of both of these weeds of acid arable ground has resulted in their continued inclusion in the Flora (Protection) Order (Government of Ireland 2022). The farm at Westland was home to many other tillage weeds. Agrostemma githago (Corncockle), now rare as a crop contaminant due to improved seed-cleaning methods, occurred ‘occasionally in corn’. Orobanche minor (Common Broomrape), a parasitic plant, was frequent in the ‘first crop clover’. The annuals Viola arvensis (Field Pansy), Thlaspi arvense (Field Penny-cress) and Sherardia arvensis (Field Madder) were also recorded at Westland along with Veronica agrestis (Green Field-speedwell) and V. polita (Grey Field-speedwell). The two speedwells noted as being ‘very common’ and ‘common’ respectively are now much scarcer. Also benefiting from the light free-draining soils at Westland were Valerianella locusta (Common Cornsalad) and V. dentata (Narrow-fruited Cornsalad), the latter then noted as common is now a rare arable weed. A third member of this genus V. rimosa (Broad-fruited Cornsalad), alsoa victim of land-use changes, occurred nearby at Carrickspringan. Cuscuta epithymum (Dodder) and Fumaria densiflora (Dense-flowered Fumitory) were found on Miss Woods’ farm in the neighbouring townland of Ballintlieve: the Dodder, a rootless parasitic herb, is now seldom found on field crops; the Fumitory is now a very rare plant categorised as regionally extinct on the Ireland Red List (Nelson & Marnell 2016), the majorityofrecentrecordssuchasthatinDublinofuncertainprovenanceduetoitsinclusion in wildflower seed-mixes (McMullen 2018).

Two of the arable weeds mentioned by Barnes were at that time only becoming established in Ireland. Veronica persica (Common Field-speedwell), first recorded from Meath oncultivatedlandatBeauparc1895(RLP DBN), wasnotedbyBarnes (withoutdate) as common at Westland. Its subsequent increase within the county contrasts with the now diminished occurrence of V. agrestis and V. polita, a phenomenon noted elsewhere in Ireland and Britain (Stace & Crawley 2015). Matricaria discoidea (Pineappleweed), an ‘aggressive alien’ first recorded from Meath in 1900 on the roadside near Dowth, and between there and Newgrange (Colgan 1900), was noted by Barnes at Ballivor in 1902. It is now widespread throughout Ireland.

In addition tothemany tillage weedsevidentatWestland, the light soils supported the calcifuges Hypericum humifusum (Trailing St John’s-wort) and Veronica officinalis (Heath Speedwell), and the calcicoles Galium verum (Lady’s Bedstraw), Centaurium erythraea (Common Centaury) and Knautia arvensis (Field Scabious), the ‘not very frequent’ occurrence of the latter reflecting the preponderance of base-poor soils. Also notable was the presence of Hypericum maculatum (Imperforate St John’s-wort), a species with few known Meath sites. Further afield, several now uncommon archaeophytes

occurred on roadsides including Ballota nigra (Black Horehound), Lamium album (White Dead-nettle), Conium maculatum (Hemlock)and Silybum marianum (MilkThistle), thelast named being from its only known site within the county. Verbena officinalis (Vervain) was recorded along the north side of the R. Nanny.

Wetland plants annotated by Barnes provide a picture of the landscape near Moynalty before localised drainage operations by farmers and the extensive Boyne Arterial Drainage Scheme of 1969-1986. Ground by the lake and streams at Westland was host to Caltha palustris (Marsh-marigold), Persicaria hydropiper (Water-pepper), Stellaria alsine (Bog Stichwort), Galium palustre (Common Marsh-bed-straw), Myosotis scorpioides (Water Forget-me-not), M. laxa (Tufted Forget-me-not), Veronica scutellata (Marsh Speedwell), V. beccabunga (Brooklime), Achillea ptarmica (Sneezewort), Bidens cernua (Nodding Bur-marigold) and Helosciadium nodiflorum (Fool’s-water-cress). Barnes noted that Angelica sylvestris (Wild Angelica) was ’too common in Westland lawn’ and Montia fontana (Blinks) was ‘plentiful on back and front avenues’, giving an indication of the then damp nature of the property. The most remarkable record at Westland is that of Sium latifolium (Great Water-parsnip), but this must be treated with extreme caution. Webb (1956) considered unconfirmed records of this species outside of the Shannon and Erne basins, apart fromthoseontheBoyne, tobemostlikelyreferableto Berula erecta, a species that Barnes did not record in Meath. Marshes elsewhere in the vicinity of Moynalty supported Ranunculus lingua (Greater Spearwort), Lysimachia tenella (Bog Pimpernel), Epilobium palustre (Marsh Willowherb), Stellaria palustris (Marsh Stitchwort) and Menyanthes trifoliata (Bogbean). Theextentandqualityof such wetlandhabitatsinthearea is now greatly diminished. Hypericum elodes (Marsh St John’s-wort), a species particularly susceptible to drainage, was recorded ‘at edge of marsh close to road from Virginia Road Station to Oldcastle’, this being its only known site within the county. Somewhat further afield, BarnesandPraegerbothvisitedBreakeyLoughinAugust1903.Thiswasmostlikely a joint excursion given that Praeger’s specimens from Breakey and from Westland were all collected on the same date. Breakey Lough is located within the drumlin belt of N Meath, the floraof suchinter-drumlinlakes being distinct from that of other waterbodies within the county. Barnes’ records from Breakey included Nymphaea alba (White Water-lily), Cicuta virosa (Cowbane) and Persicaria minor (Small Water-pepper), all of which are uncommon in the county but still persist in N Meath.

A number of other species observed by Barnes have very few Meath records. Those recorded in the vicinity of Moynalty include Ranunculus auricomus (Goldilocks Buttercup), Reseda lutea (Wild Mignonette), Lepidium heterophyllum (Smith’s Pepperwort) and Platanthera bifolia (Lesser Butterfly-orchid). Elsewhere, Diplotaxis muralis (Annual Wall-rocket) occurred at Laytown, while Gentianella amarella (Autumn Gentian) was recorded on the road through Allenstown bog. All but D. muralis and P. bifolia have been recently found within the county, although not necessarily in the same areas as noted by Barnes.

Significant finds by Barnes from the coast near Mayden Tower at Mornington included Anthriscus caucalis (Bur Chervil), a rare plant of open well-drained sandy soils not recently seen in Meath, and Polygonum oxyspermum (Ray’s Knotgrass), a seldomencountered strandline plant which still occurs sporadically on the gravel shores at Mornington and Laytown. Apium graveolans (Celery) was also noted near Mayden Tower

on the R. Boyne and further south on the R. Nanny, a plant that still persists on the muddy tidal sections of both rivers although rarer on the latter.

The wealth of records annotated by Barnes in his copy of Cybele Hibernica over a century ago constitute a unique snapshot of the Meath flora, particularly in the neighbourhood of Moynalty, as it existed in the early 1900s. His association with farming meant he was well positioned to document the variety of arable weeds, many of which are now extremely vulnerable. The diversity of wetland plants and the range of rare plants that he recorded are indicative of the richness of habitat types at that time, whose existence is now all too often threatened.

Acknowledgments

Sincere thanks to Naughton Booksellers, Dún Laoghaire for permission to transcribe annotationsbyBarnesin Cybele Hibernica;MatthewJebb(DirectoroftheNationalBotanic Gardens) and Colin Kelleher (Keeper of the National Herbarium) for access to specimens at DBN; Trinity College, University of Dublin for confirmation of Barnes’ tenure as Professor of Agriculture; Con Breen for providing sight of the letter by Ruby MarshallBarnes (granddaughtertoW.A. Barnes);andmembers of theDublinNaturalists’FieldClub for expert advice.

References

Bamford, P. (2005). The Irish Bomfords. Available at: http://www.bomford.net/IrishBomfords. Accessed: 10 January 2023. Barnes, W.A. (1901). Sisyrinchium angustifolium on Lough Erne. Irish Naturalist 10: 230.

Colgan,N. &Scully,R.W.(1898) Contributions towards a Cybele Hibernica,second edition.Edward Ponsonby,Dublin.[referred to as Cybele Hibernica]

Colgan, N. (1900). Matricaria discoidea in Ireland. Irish Naturalist 9: 232.

Finch, T.F., Gardiner, M.J., Comey, A. & Radford, T. (1983). Soils of Co. Meath. An Foras Talúntais, Dublin.

Forbes, R.S. & Northridge, R.H. (2012). The Flora of County Fermanagh. National Museums Northern Ireland, Holywood. Government of Ireland [Department of Housing,Local Government and Heritage](2022). Flora (Protection) Order 2022 (S.I.No. 235 of 2022). Stationary Office, Dublin

Kent, D.H. & Allen, D.E. (1984). British and Irish herbaria: an index to the location of herbaria of British and Irish vascular plants, second edition. Botanical Society of the British Isles, London.

Marshall-Barnes, R. (in litt. 1985). Letter to Con Breen from Ruby Marshall-Barnes [granddaughter of W.A. Barnes] regarding the unknown location of Barnes’ Royal Horticultural Society 1864 medal-winning collection of dried plants, and details of his subsequent botanical activities.

McMullen, R. (2018). Fumaria densiflora in Sallynoggin, Co. Dublin H21. Irish Botanical News 28: 54-55.

Middleton, R. (2014). The Royal Horticultural Society’s 1864 botanical competition. Archives of Natural History 41: 25-44.

Miller, H.B. (1910). The newest fertiliser: waste milk profitability used in Irish dairy experiments. Daily Consular and Trade Reports 1: 156.

Nelson, B. & Marnell, F. (eds.) (2016). Ireland Red List No. 10: Vascular Plants. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Dublin.

Praeger, R.L. (1896-1900). Praeger’s hand-drawn routes on the Co. Meath map from Philips' Handy Atlas of the Counties of Ireland [inserted into Praeger’s annotated copy for Co. Meath of The London catalogue of British plants (ninth edition)]. Original retained in DBN

Praeger, R.L. (1901a). Irish Topographical Botany. Proceedings Royal Irish Academy, third series 7: 1-410 (preceded by vclxxxviii).

Praeger, R.L. (1901b). Plant Records Wanted. Irish Naturalist 10: 176-189.

Praeger, R.L. (1902). Additions to 'Irish Topographical Botany' in 1901. Irish Naturalist 11: 1-8.

Praeger, R.L. (1903). Additions to 'Irish Topographical Botany' in 1902. Irish Naturalist 12: 23-40.

Praeger, R.L. (1904). Additions to 'Irish Topographical Botany' in 1903. Irish Naturalist 13: 1-15.

Praeger, R.L. (1905). Distribution of Fumitories in Ireland. Irish Naturalist 14: 156-163.

Praeger, R.L. (1906a). Additions to 'Irish Topographical Botany' in 1905. Irish Naturalist 15: 47-61.

Praeger, R.L. (1906b). Irish Topographical Botany: Supplement 1901-1905. Proceedings Royal Irish Academy 26B: 28.

Pugsley, H.W. (1902). The British Capreolate Fumitories. Journal of Botany 40: 129-136 & 173-181.

Sell, P. & Murrell, G. (2018). Flora of Great Britain and Ireland. Volume 1, pp. 249-262. Cambridge University Press.

Stace, C.A. & Crawley, M.J. (2015). Alien Plants. The New Naturalist Library. Collins, London.

Stace, C.A. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles, fourth edition. C & M Floristics, Suffolk.

Webb, D.A. (1956). Sium latifolium on the Boyne, and Cladium mariscus in Co. Waterford. Irish Naturalists' Journal 12: 111.

Appendix

Unless otherwise stated, the following records were annotated by Barnes in his copy of the second edition of Cybele Hibernica (Colgan & Scully 1898). The listing follows the taxonomyandnomenclatureadoptedbyStace(2019), withnamesusedin Cybele Hibernica givenin parentheses { } where these differ. Firstcounty records are indicated by an asterisk (*). All locations, topographical details and ecological comments are as stated by Barnes with comments by MN in square brackets [ ]. Undated records were most likely made between 1901 (the date inscribed by Barnes in Cybele Hibernica) and 1909 (the last dated entry before his death in 1912). In some cases, specimens collected by Barnes (WAB) are incorporated into the herbaria of National Botanic Gardens (DBN) and National University of Ireland Galway (GALW), and these are indicated as such below. Records published by Praeger are referenced, the note of exclamation (!) indicating that Praeger had either examined a specimen provided by Barnes (Barnes!) or had seen the plant growing at the named location (e.g. Moynalty!).

Nymphaea alba (White Water-lily): Breakey Lake [Breakey Lough] 1903.

Nuphur lutea {Nuphar luteum} (Yellow Water-lily): in Donover pond 1901.

Papaver rhoeas (Corn Poppy): plentiful about Navan, and in most limestone districts in Meath.

Papaver dubium (Long-headed Poppy): plentiful in Westland till reduced by cultivation. More califuge than calicole. Along sea between Gormanston and Laytown 1902.

Chelidonium majus (Greater Celandine): on road near Ballair 1901.

* Fumaria bastardii var. hibernica {[included under] F. confusa} (Tall Ramping-fumitory) [not annotated byBarnes]; Moynalty1902, 1903 &1904 (WAB DBN), specimens subsequently determined and designated by Sell in 1988 as paralectotypes of Fumaria bastardii var. hibernica (Praeger) Pugsley.

Fumaria muralis subsp. Boraei {[included under] F. muralis} (Common Rampingfumitory):[notannotatedbyBarnes];Moynalty1904(WABDBN, det. Sell1986).

Fumaria officinalis (Common Fumitory): plentiful at Westland 1901; ‘Moynalty, ’04W.A. Barnes’ (Praeger 1905). F. officinalis subsp. officinalis var. elegans: Moynalty 1904 (WAB DBN, det. Sell 1986). F. officinalis subsp. wirtgenii var. wirtgenii: Moynalty 1904 (WAB DBN, det. Sell 1986). [Varieties follow taxonomy and nomenclature adopted by Sell & Murrell 2018].

* Fumaria densiflora (Dense-flowered Fumitory): in a field in Miss Woods' farm, Ballintlieve 1903; Moynalty 1904 (WAB DBN, fide Pugsley); ‘Moynalty, ’04W.A. Barnes’ (Praeger 1905).

Caltha palustris (Marsh-marigold): plentiful at Westland 1901.

Clematis vitalba (Traveller’s-joy): on road between Slane and Drogheda 1905.

Ranunculus acris (Meadow Buttercup): plentiful at Westland 1901.

Ranunculus bulbosus (Bulbous Buttercup):plentiful at Miller's fieldWestland, alsoinother field of old pasture. A variety with green flowers in bottom near Screen [= Screebog?] 1901.

Ranunculus auricomus (Goldilocks Buttercup): roadside between Virginia Road Station and Woodpole, at Balgree 1903.

Ranunculus sceleratus (Celery-leaved Buttercup): frequent about Westland; in most of marshes about Westland 1901.

Ranunculus lingua (Greater Spearwort): plentiful in marsh at foot of Pat Sheridan's garden, Westland. Common in marshes around Westland.

Ranunculus flammula (Lesser Spearwort): in all the marshes about Westland.

Ranunculus hederaceus (Ivy-leaved Crowfoot): in a marsh in Doneen; Westland.

Ranunculus circinatus (Fan-leaved Water-crowfoot): drain from Curragh.

Ficaria verna {Ranunculus ficaria} (Lesser Celandine): plentiful at Westland 1901.

Thalictrum flavum (Common Meadow-rue): plentiful in a meadow near Ballivor 1900.

Lotus corniculatus (Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil): common at Westland.

Lotus pedunculatus {L. uliginosus} (Greater Bird’s-foot-trefoil): common at Westland.

Lathyrus pratensis (Meadow Vetchling): common at Westland.

Trifolium campestre {T. agrarium} (Hop Trefoil): in Miss Woods' farm Ballintlieve 1903; meadow, Moynalty 1903 (RLP DBN); ‘Meadows at Moynalty, ’03’ (Praeger 1904).

Trifolium dubium (Lesser Trefoil): common at Westland.

Trifolium medium (Zigzag Clover): along Navan to Kingscourt railway; Lynch’s Island, Oakley Park.

Cytisus scoparius (Broom): frequent at Westland.

Polygala vulgaris (Common Milkwort): in a field along Borora [River] in Ballintlieve 1863-1903.

Agrimonia eupatoria (Agrimony): plentiful on the road between Williamstown front gate and Norbinstown 1903.

Hypericum perforatum (Perforate St John’s-wort): in limestone districts.

* Hypericum maculatum {H. dubium} (Imperforate St John’s-wort): at Westland 18651905. [Listed for Meath in Plant Records Wanted (Praeger 1901b)].

Hypericum humifusum (Trailing St John’s-wort): fairly frequent on recently laid down fields at Westland 1900; ‘Moynalty, ’02 – Barnes’ (Praeger 1903).

Hypericum pulchrum (Slender St John’s-wort): on road opposite front gate Westland 18651905.

* Hypericum elodes (Marsh St John’s-wort) at edge of marsh close to road from Virginia Road Station to Oldcastle, about halfmile from station on farm of Bartle Costelloe (Clonasillagh) north side of road 1904; marsh, near Virginia Road Station, Co. Meath (WAB DBN); 'Near Virginia Road Station, ’05 – W.A. Barnes!' (Praeger 1906a).

Viola tricolor {V. curtisii}(WildPansy):commonbetweenmouthofBoyneandBettystown 1902.

Viola arvensis (Field Pansy): common at Westland 1863-1903.

Linum bienne {L. angustifolium} (Pale Flax): in field on farm of [The?] Lynch, Gillstown; between Beauparc and Duleek 1905.

Linum catharticum (Fairy Flax): Lynch’s Island, Oakley Park; Turkstown; Baltrasna 1900.

* Geranium columbinum (Long-stalked Crane’s-bill): fairly plentiful in Miss Woods’ farm, Ballintlieve and along the lane from it to road 1863-1901; edges of fields for the last30 years, Moynalty1902 (WAB DBN&GALW) &oldhedgebank, Moynalty 1903 (RLP DBN); 'In plenty at Moynalty, on edges of cultivated fields in light

soil ’01- W. A. Barnes!’ (Praeger 1902); ‘In old stony hedgebanks as well as cultivated fields at Moynalty! For 40 years past - Barnes' 1903 (Praeger 1904).

Geranium pyrenaicum (Hedgerow Crane’s-bill): on road near Newtown Church 1901; near Mabe's Bridge on Kells road.

Geranium molle (Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill): abundant at Westland 1863-1901.

Geranium lucidum (Shinning Crane’s-bill): abundant on road between Kells and Mabe's Bridge 1863-1905.

Geranium robertianum (Herb-Robert): very common at Westland.

Erodium cicutarium (Common Stork’s-bill): between Laytown and Mayden Tower 1902. Epilobium palustre (Marsh Willowherb): in marshes about Westland 1900.

* Chamaenerion angustifolium {Epilobium angustifolium} (Rosebay Willowherb): on Rahendrick Bog 1909.

Circaea lutetiana (Enchanter’s-nightshade): at Westland 1865-1905.

Malva moschata (Musk Mallow): on road in Ballintlieve 1865; in field at Kingsfort 1900.

Malva sylvestris (Common Mallow): close to Kells on road to Ballalley 1903.

Malva pusilla {M. rotundifolia} (Small Mallow): close to Nobber on road to Whitewood 1900; at Collierstown along road south of Bellewstown race course 1904.

Reseda luteola (Weld): plentiful on side of old limestone quarry at Mabe's Bridge next road from Moynalty to Kells 1903.

Reseda lutea (Wild Mignonette): on road from Moynalty to Kingscourt at Carrickspringan 1863, ‘not seen since’.

Capsella bursa-pastoris (Shepard’s-purse): at Westland 1863-1901.

Barbarea vulgaris (Winter-cress): common about Westland.

Rorippa palustris {Nasturtium palustre} (Marsh Yellow-cress): along Blackwater on south side between Maudlin Bridge and Headfort 1901; along road from Moynalty to Carlanstown in damp hollow at commencement of Newtown to south of farm house on east of road 1903.

Nasturtium officinale (Water-cress): plentiful in stream by Carrolan's ground between Westland and Kingsfort 1901.

Cardamine pratensis (Cuckooflower): common at Westland 1901.

Cardamine flexuosa (Wavy Bitter-cress): frequent at Westland.

Cardamine hirsuta (Hairy Bitter-cress): common at Westland 1901.

Lepidium heterophyllum {L. hirtum} (Smith’s Pepperwort): along road from Moynalty to Bailieborough at Newcastle 1902; ‘North of Carnross ’02 -Barnes!’ [Carnaross] (Praeger 1903).

Erophila verna sensu lato {E. vulgaris} (Common Whitlowgrass): at Westland and on Moynalty Bridge.

Diplotaxis muralis (Annual Wall-rocket): on Wooden Bridge [wooden bridge?], Laytown 1905.

Brassica rapa (Turnip): abundant along mearing drain between Baltrasna and Oakley Park in Lynch Field 1902.

Sinapsis arvensis {Brassica sinapsis} (Charlock): at Westland 1901.

Cakile maritima (Sea Rocket): near Mayden Tower, mouth of Boyne 1902.

Sisymbrium officinale (Hedge Mustard): on roads about Westland, not very plentiful 1901.

Alliaria petiolata {Sisymbrium alliaria} (Garlic Mustard): at entrance to Crockawella, Westland; at Avondale crossroads near Moynalty 1862-1901.

Thlaspi arvense (Field Penny-cress): at Westland School House on soil by foundations 1906.

Cochlearia anglica (English Scurvygrass): [not annotated by Barnes]; S bank of R. Boyne two miles W of Drogheda 1904 (WAB DBN, det. Wyse Jackson 1972); ‘South bank of R. Boyne above Drogheda, ’05 – W.A. Barnes!’ (Praeger 1906a).

Cochlearia officinalis agg. {C. officinalis} (Scurvygrass): common along south side of Boyne between Drogheda and sea.

Persicaria maculosa {Polygonum persicaria} (Redshank): abundant at Westland.

Persicaria lapathifolia (Pale Persicaria): frequent at Westland.

Persicaria hydropiper (Water-pepper): common at Westland.

* Persicaria minor {Polygonum minus} (Small Water-pepper): on shore Breakey Lake 1903; ‘Breakey Lough, ’03 – P’ (Praeger 1904); [Barnes and Praeger both visited Breakey Lough in August 1903].

Polygonum oxyspermum {P. Raii} (Ray’s Knotgrass): near Mayden Tower 1902.

Polygonum aviculare agg. {P. aviculare} (Knotgrass): too common at Westland.

Fallopia convolvulus {Polygonum convolvulus} (Black Bind-weed): common at Westland.

Moehringia trinervia {Arenaria trinervia} (Three-nerved Sandwort): on wall along west of road at Oakley Park 1904.

Stellaria media (Common Chickweed): too common at Westland.

Stellaria holostea (Great Stitchwort):on roadthroughBillywoodnear FarranadoonySchool House 1906.

Stellaria palustris (Marsh Stitchwort): in marsh at Williamstown 1903; opposite Oakley Park House 1903.

Stellaria graminea (Lesser Stitchwort): common at Westland.

Stellaria alsine {S. uliginosa} (Bog Stichwort): common at Westland.

* Scleranthus annuus (Annual Knawel): along easterly headlands of Glenfield and Carrolan's ground [= Shancarnan] 1902; ‘Moynalty in fields, ’02 – Barnes!’ (Praeger 1903).

Agrostemma githago {Lychnis githago} (Corncockle): occasionally in corn at Westland, rare.

Silene uniflora {S. maritima} (Sea Campion): near Mayden Tower, mouth of Boyne 1902.

Silene vulgaris {S. cucubalus} (Bladder Campion): at Westland, not very common.

Silene latifolia {Lychnis vespertina} (White Campion): near Mayden Tower, mouth of Boyne 1902; Laytown 1905.

Silene flos-cuculi {Lychis flos-cuculi} (Ragged-Robin): frequent about Westland, west of pond 1900.

* Montia fontana (Blinks): plentiful on back and front avenues, Westland; ‘Moynalty, ’02 - Barnes!’ (Praeger 1903). [Listed for Meath in Plant Records Wanted (Praeger 1901b)].

* Cornus sanguinea (Dogwood): in bog at Oakley Park. [C. sericea is widely planted in the county].

Primula vulgaris (Primrose): common at Westland.

Primula veris {P. officinalis} (Cowslip): common at Westland lawn.

Lysimachia vulgaris (Yellow Loosestrife): frequent on Blackwater; at Bathing House, Cakestown [N of Kells] and on islandabove Clavens Bridge 1900; ‘Moynalty, ’02 -Barnes!’ (Praeger 1903).

Lysimachia nummularia {Creeping-Jenny}: along the Boyne about 2 miles west of Drogheda 1904.

Lysimachia tenella {Anagallis tenella} (Bog Pimpernel): Lynch's Island, Oakley Park.

* Lysimachia nemorum (Yellow Pimpernel): on road from Moynalty to Bailieboro[ugh] 1902; ditto from Moynalty to Kingscourt 1905; Meath (Praeger 1903); Moynalty (Praeger 1904). [Listed for Meath in Plant Records Wanted (Praeger 1901b)].

Lysimachia arvensis {Anagallis arvensis} (Scarlet Pimpernel): very common at Westland.

Samolus valerandi (Brookweed): plentiful in marsh below Drogheda railway bridge.

Sherardia arvensis (Field Madder): common at Westland.

Galium odoratum {Asperula odorata} (Woodruff): on road between Farranadoony and Billywood Cross Roads 1902.

Galium palustre (Common Marsh-bed-straw): common at Westland.

Galium verum (Lady’s Bedstraw): common about Westland.

Galium saxatile (Heath Bedstraw): on road near Mullagh Bridge. [Mullagh Bridge is on the border between Meath and Cavan; thus this record may be assignable to either county.]

Galium aparine (Cleavers): too common at Westland.

Centaurium erythraea {Erythraea Centaurium} (Common Centaury): at Westland.

Blackstonia perfoliata {Chlora perfoliata} (Yellow-wort): in townland of Ballymad, south of Pilltown 1904.

Gentianella amarella (Autumn Gentian): on road through Allenstown bog [= SE of Kells] 1900.

Echium vulgare (Viper’s-bugloss): common near Mayden Tower, Boyne mouth 1902.

Lycopsis arvensis (Bugloss): occasional at Westland.

Myosotis scorpioides {M. palustris} (Water Forget-me-not): common along streams at Westland.

Myosotis secunda {M. repens} (Creeping Forget-me-not): on road from Moynalty to Kingscourt 1905.

Myosotis laxa {M. caespitosa} (Tufted Forget-me-not): frequent at Westland.

Myosotis arvensis (Field Forget-me-not): very common at Westland.

Myosotis discolor {M. versicolor} (Changing Forget-me-not): at Westland 1900.

Calystegia sepium (Hedge Bindweed): common at Westland.

Cuscuta epithymum {C. trifolia} (Dodder): Miss Woods’ farm, Ballintlieve 1905; meadow, Westland 1905 (WAB, DBN).

Solanum dulcamara (Bittersweet): [ticked, no detail given].

Fraxinus excelsior (Ash): common at Westland.

Ligustrum vulgare (Wild Privet): common about Westland.

Veronica officinalis (Heath Speedwell): frequent at Westland.

* Veronica scutellata (Marsh Speedwell) Westland: in marsh at S corner of Carrolan's ground1904;‘Moynalty, ’02–Barnes!’(Praeger1903). [Listed for MeathinPlant Records Wanted (Praeger 1901b)].

Veronica beccabunga (Brooklime): common by streams at Westland.

V. anagallis-aquatica sensu lato {Veronica anagallis} (BlueWater-speedwell):in drains in Crockawella and bottoms 1902.

Veronica serpyllifolia (Thyme-leaved Speedwell): frequent at Westland.

* Veronica agrestis (Green Field-Speedwell): very common at Westland 1901; ‘Moynalty’01-W.A. Barnes!’(Praeger1902). [Listed for Meathin Plant Records Wanted (Praeger 1901b)].

Veronica polita (Grey Field-speedwell): common at Westland 1902.

Veronica persica {V. tournefortii} (Common Field-speedwell): common at Westland.

Veronica chamaedrys (Germander Speedwell): abundant at Westland.

Veronica arvensis (Wall Speedwell): frequent at Westland.

Chaenorhinum minus {Linaria minor} (Small Toadflax): Kilmessan.

Plantago major (Greater Plantain): [ticked, no detail given].

Plantago lanceolata (Ribwort Plantain): [ticked, no detail given].

Litorella uniflora {L. lacustris} (Shoreweed): common on shore of Breakey Lake 1903.

Verbascum thapsus (Great Mullein): Foot Bill Field at Westland 1870-1905.

Scrophularia auriculata {S. aquatica} (Water Figwort): along stream at Oakley Park.

Verbena officinalis (Vervain): along north side of River Nanny at Smithstown (English's fruit farm) 1904.

Ballota nigra (Black Horehound): on road between Rahood and Nobber.

Lamium album (White Dead-nettle): common roads about Westland and on roads from Moynalty to Kells 1900.

Ajuga reptans (Bugle): common along Borora [River] 1885-1905.

Origanum vulgare (Wild Marjoram): abundant on road from Oldcastle to Finea.

Lycopus europaeus (Gypsywort): sides of Williamstown Lake 1903.

Euphrasia officinalis agg. {E. officinalis} (Eyebright): Westland, frequent.

Odontites vernus {Bartsia odontites} (Red Bartsia): common at Westland.

Orobanche minor (Common Broomrape): frequent in first crop clover at Westland 1900.

Menyanthes trifoliata (Bogbean):verycommoninmarshesaroundWestland;verycommon between Boyne mouth and Gormanstown.

Carlina vulgaris (Carline Thistle): plentiful in light hills [light soils?] at Cullendragh about 5 miles from Oldcastle on road to Finea (in Crean's farm).

* Silybum marianum (Milk Thistle): on road between Trim south and Ballivor about half way on north side of road 1901; ‘Several places between Trim and Ballivor, ’02

Barnes!’ (Praeger 1903).

Sonchus arvensis (Perennial Sowthistle): on Kells road at Oakley Park and limekiln at Westland 1902.

Sonchus oleraceus (Smooth Sowthistle): at Westland.

Sonchus asper (Prickly Sowthistle): very common at Westland.

Omalotheca sylvatica {Gnaphalium sylvaticum} (Heath Cudweed): plentiful in two fields close to Maxwell's Cross, in Rathbane and in Shancarnan (Carrolan's farm) 1901; plentiful in Farrelly's Farm, Stonefield 1905; ‘North of Moynalty abundant, ’02Barnes’ (Praeger 1903).

Tripolium pannonicum {Aster tripolium} (Sea Aster): abundant along Boyne from Drogheda to sea.

Bellis perennis (Daisy): at Westland.

Achillea ptarmica (Sneezewort): common at Westland.

Achillea millefolium (Yarrow): abundant at Westland.

Matricaria discoidea (Pineappleweed): near Ballivor 1902; ‘Ballivor!’ (Praeger 1905).

Bidens cernua (Nodding Bur-marigold): at Westland pond and abundant in marshes in Baltrasna.

* Bidens tripartita (Trifid Bur-marigold): in ditch along road through Feegat 1901; in hollow near farm house at beginning of Newtown, to east of road, Moynalty to Carlanstown 1903; ‘Moynalty, ’02 - Barnes!’ (Praeger 1903). [Listed for Meath in Plant Records Wanted (Praeger 1901b)].

Eupatorium cannabinum (Hemp-agrimony): in most lime districts along water.

Valerianella locusta {V. olitoria} (Common Cornsalad): common about Westland.

Valerianella rimosa {V. auricula} (Broad-fruited Cornsalad): on road from Moynalty to Kingscourt at Carrickspringan 1903.

Valerianella dentata (Narrow-fruited Cornsalad): common at Westland.

Valeriana officinalis (Common Valerian): frequent along Borora River.

Knautia arvensis {Scabiosa arvensis} (Field Scabious): at Westland, not very frequent.

Succisa pratensis {Scabiosa succisa} (Devil’s-bit Scabious): common on coarse pastures.

Hedera helix sensu lato {H. helix} (Ivy): too common at Westland.

Sanicula europaea (Sanicle): on road from Ballivor to Hill of Down; at Kilmer 1900.

Oenanthe aquatica {O. phellandrium} (Fine-leaved Water-dropwort): in drain from Curracusheen Lough to Borora River near Carlanstown 1905.

Sium lathifolium (Great Water-parsnip): at Westland 1900. [Webb (1956) considered unconfirmed records outside of the Shannon and Erne basins, apart from those on the Boyne, most likely referable to Sium (Berula) erecta, a species notrecorded by Barnes in Meath.]

Helosciadium nodiflorum {Apium nodiflorum} (Fool’s-water-cress): common about Westland.

Cicuta virosa (Cowbane): abundant in and around Breakey Lakes 1903.

Smyrnium olusatrum (Alexanders:) at the cross road Moynalty 1865-1905.

Anthriscus sylvestris (Cow Parsley): plentiful in roads about Kells; at bridge over stream between Westland and Kingsfort; on road from Moynalty to Carnaross.

Anthriscus caucalis {A. vulgaris} (Bur Chervil): at Mayden Tower mouth of Boyne 1902.

Torilis japonica {Caucalis anthriscus} (Upright Hedge-parsley): common about Westland.

Torilis nodosa {Caucalis nodosa} (Knotted Hedge-parsley): along stream at Saltford, Moynalty 1900; ‘Moynalty, ’02, Barnes!’ (Praeger 1903).

Daucus carota (Wild Carrot): at Baltrasna near quarry; common in limey soils in Meath but not elsewhere 1900.

Heracleum sphondylium (Hogweed): too common at Westland.

Aegopodium podagraria (Ground Elder): too plentiful at Westland.

Apium graveolans (Celery): near Mayden Tower, Boyne mouth 1902; on [River] Nanny 1905.

Conium maculatum (Hemlock): on road from Carlanstown to Oristown, quarter mile from Carlanstown 1900.

Angelica sylvestris (Wild Angelica): too common in Westland lawn 1900.

Platanthera bifolia {Habenaria bifolia}(LesserButterfly-orchid):onbottomsalongBorora River, frequent.

Gymnadenia conopsea sensu lato {Habenaria conopsea} (Chalk Fragrant-orchid): along south side of railway from Kilmessan to Trim.

Anacamptis pyramidalis {Orchis pyramidalis} (Pyramidal Orchid): frequentabout halfway on road from Trim Station to Ballivor 1901.

An annotated checklist of Potamogeton L. and Stuckenia Börner (Pondweeds) in Co. Meath (H22)

Margaret Norton, Tinode, Manor Kilbride, Blessington, Co. Wicklow

Email: kilnorbot200@gmail.com

The diversity of wetland types in Co. Meath (H22) provides an abundance of suitable habitats for pondweeds. The R. Boyne, together with its main tributary the R. Blackwater, transverses much of the county and has its own unique Potamogeton flora which includes three hybrids and their parent species. The associated Boyne Navigation or Boyne Canal, built to bypass the many weirs on the lower section of the river, consists of a series of now mostly derelict canals between Navan and Oldbridge. The Royal Canal differs in its continuous nature, its waters supplied primarily from the spring-fed lime-rich Lough Owel before flowing from its summit level near Mullingar in Westmeath through Meath, and thence onto Kildare and Dublin. Important aquatic habitats are also provided by the interdrumlinlakes ofN Meath, andthemarl-rich lakesof NW Meath. The wetlands oftheeskerrich SW Meath, and the pools and drains within the bogs of W Meath, are also of interest. Additionally, there are quarry ponds and artificial lakes scattered throughout the county. The following checklist employs the taxonomy and nomenclature adopted by Stace (2019). Synonyms are given where the published record differs to Stace. All species included are of native status (Jebb 2019). The relative frequency and habitats of each taxon are given. The first recordmay be given in more than one state: a hitherto unpublished field record, a herbarium specimen, or a published record. Place names are as stated in the original record and are thus not always closely localised or assignable to a specific hectad. The R. Blackwater refers to that which joins the R. Boyne at Navan rather than the smaller R. Blackwater near Longwood. The suffix BGX indicates that the record was made on a hectad basis using an extension of the British Grid (Perring & Walters 1962). Initials are used to identify recorders and collectors as follows: CB (Charles Bailey), CDP (Chris D. Preston), DM (David Moore), DMcC (David McClintock), EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), HCH (Henry C. Hart), MN(Margaret Norton), RLP(RobertL. Praeger)and RPM (Richard P. Murray). Surnames are given for determiners and authors of published records. RLP-Lond. Cat. refers to Praeger’s annotated copy for Meath of The London catalogue of British plants (Praeger 1896-1900). Acronyms for herbaria are given in bold and follow Kent and Allen (1984). Some of the specimens referenced may no longer exist as many, including a number on loan to Dandy and Taylor from several institutions, were damaged

when incendiary bombs fell on the British Museum in 1940 (Preston 1988). The hectad distribution of each taxon is listed, the brackets indicating that only pre-2000 records are known.

Potamogeton natans L. Broad-leaved Pondweed

Widespread and common, often dominating the water’s surface. Standing and smoothflowing permanent waterbodies of moderate depth. Inter-drumlin lakes of N Meath; marl-rich lakes of NW Meath; quarry ponds of esker-rich SW Meath and of shales near Moynalty;margins of slow-flowingrivers; Boyne and Royalcanals; deep ponds of cutover bogs and fen peat; artificial lakes.

First record(s): Enfield & near 1896 (RLP-Lond. Cat.); H22 (Praeger 1901). [Earlier records from ‘Curragha bogs’ which straddled the Dublin-Meath border and from the Royal Canal (Baily 1833) did not specify counties.]

Distribution: N48, 54, 57, 64, 65, (66), 67, 74-6, (77), 78, 79, 84-6, (88), 89, 93, 94, (95), 97; O(06), 07, 16, 17.

Potamogeton polygonifolius Pourr. Bog Pondweed

Localised and occasional, often plentiful. Most frequent in shallow water of bog pools and drains; more rarely in pools on fen peat.

First record(s): bog 4 miles ENE of Athboy 1896 (RLP-Lond. Cat.); H22 (Praeger 1901).

Distribution: N48, 57, 58, 64, (65), 66, (75), 87, 89.

Potamogeton coloratus Hornem. Fen Pondweed

Localised and uncommon. Base-rich water of shallow to moderate depth. Most frequent in the marl-rich area of NW Meath and the esker-rich area of SW Meath. Pools and drains in fen peat; ponds of disused limestone quarries; by and in the Royal Canal.

First record(s): Enfield & near 1896 (RLP-Lond. Cat.); ‘canal at Enfield’ and ‘ditch, Enfield’, both 1896 (RLP DBN, conf. Dandy); (as P. plantagineus) Enfield 1896 (Praeger 1901).

Distribution: N57, (66), 74, 84, 85, 86.

Potamogeton lucens L. Shining Pondweed

Localised and occasional. Standing and smooth-flowing deep waters rich in calcium. Interdrumlinlakes of N Meath;marl-rich lakes of NWMeath; Royaland Boynecanals; rare in the lower R. Boyne.

First record: in the canal [Boyne] at Navan 1868 (CB, More 1872). [The earlier record from the Royal Canal (Baily 1833) did not specify counties].

Distribution: N48, 57, 64, (86), 88, (97), 98; O07.

Potamogeton x angustifolius J. Presl. (P. lucens x P. gramineus) Long-leaved Pondweed

Localised and occasional. Scattered in the R. Boyne from below Navan to above Slane Bridge, and in its canal from Navan to Oldbridge;also in its tributary the R. Blackwater. The P. lucens parent is relatively rarein the Boyne iverand canal, and has not been recorded from the Blackwater. The P. gramineus parent is abundant in the R. Boyne and occasional in the R. Blackwater.

First record: (as P. angustifolius) plentiful in the Boyne at Bective 1896 (Praeger 1897).

Distribution: N(85), 86, 87, 97; O07.

Potamogeton x salicifoliusWolfg. (P. lucens x P. perfoliatus) Willow-leavedPondweed

Localised and uncommon, both in Meath and in Ireland. Smooth-flowing deep water. Recorded from the Boyne Canal near Navan, and by riverbanks of the Boyne between Navan and Roughgrange. The P. lucens parent is relatively rare in the Boyne, whereas the P. perfoliatus parent is common.

First record: (as P. decipiens) Boyne Canal at Navan 1868 (CB BM & MANCH, det. Dandy & Taylor). The Botanical Exchange Club (Boswell Syme 1869) reported: ‘Mr. Charles Bailey sends a specimen of this plant from the canal at Navan, collected in 1868. Unfortunately, he was not aware at the time he gathered it that it was a plant new to the Irish Flora, and so brought away only two specimens’. [An earlier specimen from the R. Liffey near the Salmon Leap in Co. Dublin 1866 (HCH DBN) was subsequently determined by Dandy.]

Distribution: N86, 97; O07.

Potamogeton gramineus L. Various-leaved Pondweed

Widespread and locally abundant, often as dense beds, in the R. Boyne; also present in the Boyne Canal and R. Blackwater. The P. gramineus of the R. Boyne, much of which is exceptionally long-leaved, was a source of great interest in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Tentatively listed under P. heterophyllus [= P. gramineus] (Moore & More 1866), alternative proposed identities included that of the American species P. lonchitis (Boswell Syme 1869). This uncertainty stimulated a substantial accumulation of herbarium material. First collected by Moorein1857,itwasalsogatheredfromNavanbetween1866and1896byBailey, W.R. Linton, E.F. Linton, Praeger and Scully. Many of their specimens, some distributed through the Botanical Exchange Club, were later deposited in ABS, BIRM, BM, CGE, DBN, E, LSR, MANCH, NCH and SLBI. All such plants subsequently viewed by Dandy & Taylor were determined as P. gramineus.

Firstrecord(s): R. Boynebelow Navan1857(DMCGE,det. Dandy&Taylor)[anundated specimen by MoorefromtheR. Boyneexistsin DBN];'A singularplant, withlong lanceolatesubmergedleaves, occurringintheR. Boyne, below Navan, maybelong to the present species’ [= P. heterophyllus] (Moore & More 1866).

Distribution: N(75), 77, 85-7, 97; O07.

Potamogeton x nitens Weber (P. gramineus x P. perfoliatus) Bright-leavedPondweed

Locally common in the R. Boyne, often as dense beds, from Derrindaly Bridge above Trim to Ballinter Bridge above Navan, also upstream of Obelisk Bridge; rarely in the Boyne Canal. Both parents are widespread in the R. Boyne. Elsewhere, a shallow water variant is recorded from a sheltered bay at Lough Bane.

First record: Boyne Canal at Roughgrange O0171, 1989 (MN CGE, det. Preston).

Distribution: N57, 75, 85, 86; O(07).

Potamogeton alpinus Balb. Red Pondweed

Localisedandrare. ItssingleMeathsiteatErveyLough, withinthedrumlinbeltofNMeath, is on the fringe of its predominantly northern distribution in Ireland.

First record: common in shallow water over silty grey soil on the S shore of Ervey Lough N7693, 2018 (MN, det. Preston).

Distribution: N79.

Potamogeton praelongus Wulfen Long-stalked Pondweed

Localised and uncommon. Standing and smooth-flowing deep waters of the Boyne and Royal canals.

First record: Navan, [Boyne] canal 1879 (CB MANCH & BM, det. Dandy).

Distribution: N64, (86), (97).

Potamogeton perfoliatus L. Perfoliate Pondweed

Locally common. Permanent water bodies of moderate depth. Widespread in the R. Boyne and its tributary the R. Deel; also present in the Boyne and Royal canals, the interdrumlin lakes of N Meath and the marl-rich lakes of NW Meath.

First record: plentiful in the [Boyne] canal near Navan, growing near the Corn Mill 1868 (CB MANCH, det. Dandy & Taylor).

Distribution: N48, 64, (65), 75, 79, 85-7, 89, 97; O07.

Potamogeton obtusifolius Mert. & W.D.J. Koch Blunt-leaved Pondweed

Localised and uncommon. Shallow to moderately deep water of lakes within the drumlin belt of NMeath;alsointheartificiallakeonthe R. Blackwater atHeadfordBridge, which waters originate within the drumlin belt of Co. Cavan.

First record(s): Whitewood Lough 1897 (RLP DBN, fide Bennett, conf. Dandy); 1897 (Praeger 1901).

Distribution: N77, 78, (79), 89.

Potamogeton pusillus L. Lesser Pondweed

Localised and occasional. Standing water of lakesand ponds, both base-rich and base-poor, in shallow to moderate depth. Records under the name P. pusillus originally encompassed the two taxa now known as P. pusillus and P. berchtoldii. The importance of stipule morphology in distinguishing between the two taxa was first recognised by Hagström (1916), the correct nomenclature subsequently established by Dandy and Taylor (1938). Records which predate 1938 should only be accepted if supported by expertly determined specimens (Preston 1995).

First record: water-filled rusty skip at disused quarry c.2km SW of Donore O0470, 1991 (CDP & MN CGE, det. Preston). [There are no traceable specimens to clarify Praeger’s earlier records from the bog 4 miles ENE of Athboy 1896 (RLP-Lond. Cat.), Navan & westward 1896 (RLP-Lond. Cat.) and H22 (Praeger 1901).]

Distribution: N48, 76, 78, 89; O(07).

Potamogeton berchtoldii Fieber Small Pondweed

Widespread and occasional, often occurring in quantity. Standing and smooth-flowing waters, both base-rich and base-poor. Lakes, ponds and canals; slow-flowing sections of rivers, streams and ditches.

Firstrecord: Beau Parc [on R. Boyne] 1957 (DMcC RNG & SLBI, det. Dandy &Taylor).

Distribution: N57, (74), (75), 78, 84-7, 89, 94, (97), 98; O(05-7).

Potamogeton crispus L. Curled Pondweed

Widespread and common. Rivers and streams; lakes; canals and deep ditches.

First record(s): Bective [on R. Boyne] 1896 (RLP-Lond. Cat.); H22 (Praeger 1901).

Distribution: N(48), (54), (57), 58, 64, (65), (74-7), 78, 79, 84, (85), 86, (87), 88, (89), (96), 97, (98); O05, 06, 07, (17).

Stuckenia filiformis (Pers.) Börner Slender-leaved Pondweed

Localised and rare. Recorded from NW Meath at White [= Annagh] Lough and Lough Sheelin, both sites on the margin of its predominately northwestern distribution in

Ireland. It occurs in shallow water of these base-rich lakes, with plants exposed in the drawdown zone during dry summers.

First record: (as Potamogeton filiformis) White Lough N5073 & N5173, 2010 (EPA).

Distribution: N48, 57.

Stuckenia pectinata (L.) Börner Fennel Pondweed

Localisedanduncommon. Standingandsmooth-flowingnutrient-richwaters. Inter-drumlin lakes in N Meath; uncommon in the Royal Canal; rare elsewhere.

First record: (as Potamogeton pectinatus) Laytown-BGX 14/22, 1957 (DMcC).

Distribution: N(64), (77), 78, 88, (89); BGX-14/22.

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks are due to Chris Preston for determination of specimens and for his knowledgeable advice on the draft script; Nick Stewart for verification of several records; Matthew Jebb (Director of the National Botanic Gardens) and Colin Kelleher (Keeper of the National Herbarium) for access to specimens at DBN; and members of the Dublin Naturalists’ Field Club for their expert guidance and instruction.

References

Baily, K.S. (1833) The Irish flora, comprising the phaenogamous plants and ferns. Hodges and Smith, Dublin [Published anonymously].

Boswell Syme, J. (1869). Report of the curator for 1869, and list of desiderata for 1870. Botanical Exchange Club 1869, p. 15.

Dandy, J.E. & Taylor, G. (1938). Studies of British Potamogetons -1. Journal of Botany 76: 89-92.

Hagström, J.O. (1916) Critical researches on the Potamogetons Kungliga svenska Vetenskapsakademiens Handlingar, 55: 1-281.

Jebb, M. (2019) Irish Vascular Plant Synonym Workbook. National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. Online at: http://botanicgardens.ie/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/2-syno.xls Accessed: 1st January 2023.

Kent, D.H. & Allen, D.E. (1984) British and Irish herbaria. Botanical Society of the British Isles, London. Moore, D. & More, A.G. (1866) Contributions towards a Cybele Hibernica. Hodges, Smith & Co., Dublin. More, A.G. (1872). On recent additions to the flora of Ireland. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, second series 1: 256-293.

Perring, F.H. & Walters, S.M. (eds.) (1962). Atlas of the British flora. Thomas Nelson and Sons, London.

Praeger, R.L. (1896-1900) Annotated copy for Meath of The London catalogue of British plants (ninth edition). Original retained in DBN.

Praeger, R.L. (1897) Irish plants, collected chiefly in the province of Leinster in 1896. Irish Naturalist 6: 89-100.

Praeger, R.L. (1901) Irish topographical botany. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, third series 7: 1-410 (preceded by v-clxxxviii).

Preston, C.D. (1988). The Potamogeton L. taxa described by Alfred Fryer. Watsonia 17: 23-35.

Preston, C.D. (1995). Pondweeds of Great Britain and Ireland. BSBI Handbook No. 8. Botanical Society of the British Isles, London.

Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles, fourth edition. C & M Floristics, Suffolk.

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Deep diving Water-cress

Cilian Roden, Kinvara, Co. Galway

Email: cilianroden@icloud.com

In 2007 I was contracted by Meath County Council to survey the underwater vegetation of Lough Bane on the Meath/Westmeath border. This marl lake had very clear water, fed by underwater springs, with many charophyte species, some growing to a depth of 8-9m. One spring along the southern shore emerged through loose cobbles and gravel between 3 and 5 m below the surface. There were no charophytes present, instead bryophytes dominated, along with a very strange and unrecognizable plant which I collected (I was surveying by snorkelling with a friend providing boat cover). It resembled no submerged macrophyte described in any standard key, had no flowers and strange stalked entire translucent leaves with small rootlets at each node. Defeated, I dismissed the specimen as some unusual aberration.

Subsequently I became very involved in describing the vegetation of marl lakes along with my colleagues Paul Murphy and Jim Ryan, working mainly for the National Parks and Wildlife Service. In 2018 we resurveyed Lough Bane and revisited the underwater spring and as before, the peculiar plant was still growing at 3-5 m amongst different bryophytes. We gathered some material which I placed in a small tank on a north facing window. Over the winter of 2018 it gradually revealed its true nature by first developing opaque pinnate leaves and then erect stems. At this point we guessed it was a crucifer and very likely a water-cress. The following summer it was large enough to be placed in a newly established small outdoor pond; where it grew rapidly but produced no flowers. In 2020 a possible flowering stem aborted. In summer 2021 it finally flowered and fruited, revealing itself to be the rather widespread species Nasturtium microphyllum or Narrow-fruited Water-cress.

While the plant is widespread, its habitat is another matter. I have never seen any species of water-cress growing at such a depth (3-5m), nor so completely altering its form or habit. There are interesting accounts of experimentally growing the species under water but no flora I know describes the species as a submerged aquatic, certainly not at 3-5 m. The small population around the submerged spring appears to be a minimum of 10 years old and possibly much older; how it became established is a mystery but some form of vegetative reproduction (stem fragments?) must occur to allow it to persist. The chemical environment of the spring is probably different from the lake itself, with higher CO2 levels and hence a lower pH, thus accounting for bryophytes replacing charophytes and possibly higher concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus. Whether other submerged populations of water-cress occur, remains to be seen, but encountering the existing population proves how fieldwork is always full of surprises.

Herbarium specimens both of the submerged plant and the on-grown flowering specimen are lodged in DBN.

The curious incidence of the parasites in the woods

I have always had a fascination for things that disappear. The capricious behaviour of turloughs continues to intrigue me. But I’m also captivated by plants that seem not to reappear each year in the same place. Lathraea squamaria (Toothwort) is one of them and Hypopitys monotropa (Yellow Bird’s-nest) is another. Curiously, L. squamaria is on the front cover of our recent January 2023 BSBI News – and H. monotropa fronted the September 2022 issue. Are they making a come-back?

Lathraea squamaria (Toothwort)

Spurred on last year by my partner Nick Scott finding a new spot for toothwort in the Clarinbridge woods, followed by Hannah Mulcahy telling me of another one elsewhere in thosewoods, Ithought, ‘wellit’sfairlycommonin SEGalway (H15), sothisisnosurprise’. But on consulting the BSBI database (DDb) (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, 2023), I found that about two-thirds of the nine or so records in H15 were in CooleGarrylandNationalNatureReserve, whereIhad firstseenit withCilianRodeninthe1990s. Therefore it appeared not to be as widespread as I thought, or quite possibly, my recording efforts were insufficient.

A species of ‘good soils’, ‘locally common in some limestone areas’ (Clapham, Tutin & Moore, 1989), it does not seem to occur on acid soils. It is virtuallyabsent from the VCs (vice-counties) along the Atlantic coast from Donegal to West Cork and west of Loughs Mask and Conn in Mayo (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, 2023). In West Galway, it turns up in woods on limestone around Lough Corrib; the only record further west is on the Hill of Doon, where it coincides with a band of slightly basic Lakes Marble running across the hill (Morris et al., 1995). Praeger scarcely mentions it in The Botanist in Ireland (Praeger, 1934) but does note that in Killarney, it is found in ‘woods on the limestone’. In fact, the only records for Kerry are from Ross Island on Lough Leane and around Kenmare.

The idea that it is ‘rather rare’ in Ireland (Moore & More, 1866) is perhaps also due to its early appearance in the spring, before botanists start recording in earnest. In the first Atlas (Perring &Walters, 1962), it was shown not to have been found since 1930 in 34 of the 47 hectads (10 km x 10 km) where it was recorded in Ireland. The 13 hectads where itwasre-foundwereintheeastandnorth-eastofIreland, which mayexplainClaphamTutin & Moore (1989)’s comment that it is ‘perhaps now only in the east’ of Ireland. Yet a study of all DDb records for Ireland reveals a bigger, newer picture. Records are now widespread and the majority are post-2000. Indeed, over 70 records have come in for Ireland since December 2019! Is toothwort spreading, flowering more often, or are we out and about earlier in the season? Recording effort has certainly increased in recent decades and records are now mostly at a finer scale.

BecauseIhavefoundtoothwortinre-planted woods, sometimes onsycamore Acer pseudoplatanus or beech Fagus sylvatica, I wondered if it was truly native to Ireland. But I was not familiar enough with it in SE Galway, let alone in Ireland, to come to any conclusion.

So in spring 2022, I set about re-finding all the toothwort records for H15 in DDb as well as some vaguer records in old floras. The first outing, with the Galway group, was an attempt to find a record noted in Cybele Hibernica (Moore and More, 1866) as ‘near

Ballinasloe’. The only woods even at that time seem to be in the Garbally estate. But we failed to find it and a return visit to the wood along the esker, especially the hazel wood on the easternmost part, was without success.

Then I searched for a 1997 record under sycamore in the woods near Labane that had eluded me in subsequent surveys. A delay in meeting Nick meant that I thoroughly searched every tree base in the region of where I remembered finding it – and finally found a veteran sycamore, toppled over but still alive -and there, on the up-ended base and round the tree, spreading up to 2 m away, were 48 spikes! Because I had searched every nearby tree and further afield and because Nick and I had previously recorded the length of the wood keeping toothwort in mind, I am fairly confident that the species is certainly very elusive and rare in those woods. It is odd that it does not seem to occur on the locally frequent native ash or hazel.

At Coole-Garryland National Nature Reserve, there were six records. I did not refind two sites in Garryland, with no evident reason for its ‘disappearance’, but had one triumph: I found it at the exact spot we found underground scaly rhizomes on a 3rd-year excursionin c. October2012, thenpossiblydisturbed bybadgers followingthenarrowpath. The path has all but gone (windthrow disrupts access in these woods), but the toothwort persists (see backcover). A new find nearby on an old hazelmade upforthe two‘lost’ sites. In CoolePark, oneormoresitesmayhavelosttoothwortpopulationsthroughpathwidening and reinforcing with gravel. Another record (2017) by Áine O’Loughlin under beech was not re-found.

In Clarinbridge woods, at Kilcornan, we turned up several patches. The one under beech where we found at least 20 spikes under several trees in 2021, had only two spikes in 2022, confirming that sometimes spikes may not emerge at known sites and supporting the plant’s elusive reputation. Further south, on the lower slopes of the Slieve Aughty Mountains, we re-found a record by Cilian Roden on two old sycamores on the bank of the Owendalulleegh River across from Gortacarnaun Wood and later Frank Farrell found it on the opposite bank and further upriver at Lahardaun Woods. There, it occurs only on the banks of the fast-flowing flashy river or its tributary.

Since hazel scrub is widespread in the Burren, Co. Clare (H9), it is surprising that it has not been more widely recorded there, possibly due to the extensive, rough terrain. About five of the c. nine records for Co. Clare are in the Burren. It may simply be uncommon, even in extensive hazel woods. The hazel wood next to Glencurran Cave (Glenroe), where it was first noted by Eamonn Twomey, was spectacular for the number of trees we found to be infected: 88 spikes were found on 11 hazel trees. I did not attempt to locate it at the other Co. Clare sites, where two are recorded on hazel.

Summarising my 2022 records (Table 1); the host was a non-native tree at three of the 11 sites visited; one beech and two sycamore (2 sycamore trees at Gortacarnaun N). Though recorded under beech, we only found it under wych elm and hazel at Coole Park. Thus, at the majority of the sites, toothwort was found on native trees; ash, wych elm or hazel.

Table1. Sites visited bythe author in2022 wheretoothwort wasfound. Records for a singletree unless specified (Recorders: myself, Nick Scott and Áine O’Loughlin)

Wideningthestudy,aquickglanceatcountyflorasleadtomoreinformation(fullreferences for each flora are at the end), summarised here (clockwise from Fermanagh):

Fermanagh: Fairly widespread in estates and natural deciduous woodland. On hazel but in estates, often on laurel, sometimes lime (R. Forbes, R. Northridge pers. comm.)

Tyrone: Occasional in E & SE, very rare elsewhere ‘on a variety of plants’, in one estate frequent under laurel

NE Ireland: In Co. Down occurs mostly in estates; in Antrim, in many glens; occasionally noted from riversides. Seen on a wide range of hosts; hazel, plum, sycamore, beech, rhododendron, horse-chestnut, Lawson’s cypress, Portuguese laurel, cotoneaster, lime and a hybrid poplar (P. Hackney, pers. comm.)

Monaghan: Rare in dense to more open deciduous woodlands on basic soils, particularly in old hazel coppices – this species has only been found to parasitise hazel in the county to date

Cavan: Rare; on Prunus (sic) and poplar near the river

Dublin: Rare. In estates, sometimes by path or river. On elm, ash, hazel, beech, Portuguese laurel and horse-chestnut

Wicklow: Woods & thickets, some estates. On elm, hazel, laurel, ‘etc’

Wexford: Rare

Waterford: Rare; in an estate and on river-banks. On hazel, cherry laurel

Carlow: Rare

Cork: Local on limestone, Mid- & E Cork

Kerry: Very rare and local. On hazel, beech, ‘etc’

Limerick: Rare; in hazel woods & estate broadleaved woods. On hazel, horse-chestnut, cherry laurel, sycamore, poplar beside open water

Connemara and the Burren: Woods, very rare

A number of points emerge from this. It grows on many more non-native species than native; it is frequent in estates, which are likely to have more planted, alien, trees; it is often noted as beside rivers or open water. I also regularly found it next to paths. Rivers and paths provide disturbance and it may be that toothwort finds it easier to infect a host if its roots are slightly damaged. The slightly more alkaline river-bank soil in an otherwise acid environment may contribute to its presence along the Owendallulleegh River,

to

the scouring and possible dispersal effect of water. We once found it on the eastern shore of Lough Corrib where it was striking how it seemed to stretch along the ‘tideline’ (I did not note the host(s) at that time, probably hazel), suggesting a similar water-driven effect there. This seems to be also the case for its alien relative L. clandestina (FitzGerald, 2023). Toothwort seeds are said to be spread by ants (they have an oil-body appendage, or elaiosome; Forbes & Northridge, 2012), but there must be other factors involved, as surely it would be more widespread within a wood otherwise.

However, what is most striking is the listing of thirteen hosts, of which only ash, hazel and wych elm and plum/Prunus are native. Consultingsome of the British floras (e.g. Clapham et al., 1989; Preston et al., 2002; Stace, 2019) only ash, hazel and elm are mentioned as hosts; in Flora Europaea (Webb, 1972) alder, hazel and beech are listed; my various French floras do not mention toothwort hosts, but the Flora of the Armorican peninsula lists elm, hazel, maple, ash, ivy, ‘etc’ as hosts (des Abbayes et al., 1971). Is its widespread occurrence on roots of exotic species unique to Ireland, or simply not noted on these speciesin other floras? Perhaps toothwort was brought to Ireland withtheimportation of these exotic ornamental trees, hence its frequent occurrence in estates, but since I found nowhere where any exotics are listed as hosts to toothwort, it is both unlikely and perplexing. It may of course have spread naturally to the exotics from native hosts. It would be of interest if the tree(s) it is found under were systematically noted in future recording, both in Britain and in Ireland.

Hypopitys monotropa (Yellow Bird's-nest)

Another capricious species, yellow bird’s-nest was only known to me in H15 from CooleGarryland, where it appeared regularly under a very large beech tree at Coole and I once found a withered spike in March in Garryland, confirming a 1979 record by John Cross for Garryland (Webb & Scannell, 1983). But I had not seen it elsewhere in SE Galway.

A mycoheterotrophic parasite on the genus Tricholoma (Rumsey, 2023), it is both rare and erratic, since presumably it depends on the presence of that fungus to survive. But Tricholoma is widespread and the fact that different species of the fungus associate with broadleaves or conifers can explain why Hypopitys can occur equally under conifers or broadleaves. Known fromunder hazel, beech, pineand Salix repens (Rumsey, 2023), Ihave only found it under beech in SE Galway. And here is an extraordinary story; Áine Dillon told me in August 2020 that she had found Hypopitys in Castletaylor. The only record in DDb (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, 2023) for Castletaylor seems to be by A.G. Morein 1855 (underbeech; Colgan &Scully, 1898); no-onehad seenittheresince!A lockdown bicycle trip confirmed it, growing under beech trees that line the road, giving it the local name of the Dark Road. We also found another patch further along the same tree-line. I have returned to record it in 2021 and 2022 and it seems to appear and disappear, so far at four different spots along the Dark Road. I have not yet found it in the main woods.

Áine O’Loughlin knew well the single station under the beech tree at Coole but we failed to re-find it recently. So I was very interested to hear in July that she’d found a different spot for Hypopitys some 200 m from that beech tree. A few visits yielded a count of nearly 80 spikes in a 4 m long stretch by a path under beech trees (see Page 44). As it is near a car park, it is very surprising that it was missed until last year, but its extent suggests it has been there for some time. Jenni McGuire, who had heard of and seen Áine’s

discovery, then found 84 spikes under beech in Lough Cutra Demesne, south of Gort. So is the species becoming more common, are we looking out for it more, or has some aspect of climate change encouraged it to produce spikes more often? Its sudden discovery in several brownfield sites in Scotland (Milne, 2022) suggests it is more versatile than we supposed. It remains rare, however, and is listed as Near Threatened on the Irish Red List, due to a ‘Decline in Area of Occupancy’ and is Protected in Northern Ireland (Wyse Jackson et al., 2016). There are two subspecies, as yet to be determined fully, so further recording may yield interesting results.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Graham Day for supplying details of a L. squamaria record in Garryland and to those mentioned above, who generously gave details of their records.

References

Booth, E.M. (1979). The Flora of County Carlow. Royal Dublin Society, Dublin. Brunker, J.P. (1950). Flora of the County Wicklow. Dundalgan Press, Dundalk. Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (2023). BSBI Distribution Database. Available at: https://database.bsbi.org/ Accessed: 23.1.2023

Clapham, A.R., Tutin, T.G. & Moore, D.M. (1989) Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Colgan, N. (1904). Flora of the County Dublin. Hodges, Figgis & Co., Dublin. Colgan, N. & Scully R.W. (1898). Contributions Towards a Cybele Hibernica. 2nd ed. Ponsonby, Dublin. des Abbayes, H., Claustres, G., Corillion, R. & Dupont, P. (1971) Flore et Végétation du Massif Armoricain. I Flore Vasculaire. Presses Universitaires de Bretagne, Saint-Brieuc.

Doogue, D., Nash, D., Parnell, J., Reynolds, S., & Wyse Jackson, P. (1998) Flora of County Dublin. Dublin Naturalists’ Field Club, Dublin.

FitzGerald, A. (2023a). Flora of County Monaghan. Manuscript in preparation. To be published in 2023.

FitzGerald, A. (2023b).Ontheescapeof Lathraea clandestina (PurpleToothwort)alongtheRiver TolkainDublin City Irish Botanical News 33: 50-51.

Forbes R.S. & Northridge R.N. (2012) The Flora of County Fermanagh. National Museums of Northern Ireland. Hollywood, Co. Down.

Green, P. (2008) Flora of County Waterford National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Glasnevin, Dublin

Green, P. (2022). Flora of County Wexford. Self-published, Paul Green, New Ross.

Hackney, P. (ed.) (1992) Stewart and Corry’s Flora of the North-East of Ireland. 3rd ed. Institute of Irish Studies, The Queen’s University of Belfast.

MacNeill, I. (2010) The Flora of County Tyrone National Museums of Northern Ireland. Hollywood, Co. Down

Milne, R. (2022) Hypopitys monotropa (Yellow Bird’s-nest) on brownfield sites in Scotland. BSBI News 151: 912.

Moore, D. & More, A.G. (1866). Contributions Towards a Cybele Hibernica. Hodges, Smith & Co., Dublin.

Morris, J.H., Long, C.B., McConnell B. & Archer J.B. (1995). Geology of Connemara. Geological Survey of Ireland, Dublin

O’Mahony, T. (2009). Wildflowers of Cork City and County. The Collins Press, Cork.

Perring, F. & Walters, S.M. (1962) Atlas of the British Flora. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

Praeger, R. Ll. (1934). The Botanist in Ireland. Hodges, Figgis & Co., Dublin.

Reilly, P.A. (2001) Flora of County Cavan. Occasional Papers No. 13. National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin.

Reynolds, S.C.P. (2013). Flora of County Limerick. National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin.

Rumsey, F.J. (2023). Hypopitys monotropa. In: Stroh, P.A., Humphrey, T.A., Burkmar, R.J., Pescott, O.L., Roy, D.B., & Walker, K.J. (editors). BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. Available at: https://dev-brcplantatlas9.pantheonsite.io/atlas/2cd4p9h.82szng. Accessed: 24/02/2023.

Scully, R.W. (1916) Flora of County Kerry. Hodges, Figgis & Co., Dublin Stace, C. (2019) New Flora of the British Isles. C & M Floristics, Suffolk.

Webb,D.A. (1972). 39. Lathraea L. In: Tutin, T.G., Heywood,V.H., Burges, N.A., Moore, D.M., Valentine, D.H., Walters, S.M. & Webb, D.A. (editors) Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Webb D.A. & Scannell, M.J.P. (1983) Flora of Connemara and the Burren. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

WyseJackson,M., FitzPatrick, Ú., Cole, E.,Jebb, M., McFerran,D., SheehySkeffington,M. & Wright, M. (2016) Ireland Red List No. 10: Vascular Plants. National Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Dublin ----------

Vice-county Reports

Recording in Leitrim (H29) 2022

Email: egaughan2016@gmail.com

Most Leitrim recording for 2022 took place during the first half of the year, though there were a few outings in September and October. Over 5,000 records were added to the databasemostlyfrommonads withfewornopreviousrecords. Someofthemoreinteresting finds are outlined below.

Five people (Aoife Delaney, Aisling Blackburn, Sandie McCanney, Andy King and I) took part in a New Year Plant Hunt on January 2nd meeting at Dromod Quay on the River Shannon. We saw 27 species in flower including 3 grasses, one sedge and one tree. Saxifraga tridactylites (Rue-leaved Saxifrage)and Sagina apetala (Annual Pearlwort) were new to the Dromod area.

On January 9th I saw Miscanthus sinensis (Chinese Silver Grass) by a bog track near Cliffony. A new species for Leitrim but possibly dumped there.

On February 23rd a few white-flowered Centaurium erythraea (Common Centaury) were seen on a forest track between Glenfarne and Kiltyclogher. Apart from the flower colour it is unusual to see this species in flower in February!

On March 28th I got a third Leitrim record for Epilobium pedunculare (Rockery Willowherb) in a field south west of Benbo.

On April 9th a third Leitrim sighting of Soleirolia soleirolii (Mind-your-ownbusiness) on a ruined cottage in Glenfarne. The only other Leitrim records are from Tullaghan and Kinlough.

In April, Nuala McNulty found a new hectad site for Lathraea squamaria (Toothwort) by a wooded stream bank between Glenfarne and Kiltyclogher. On April 11th , Patricia McHughand Imet up with Nuala tocollect records from the monad G9339 and got 65 taxa including the Toothwort and also plentiful Ranunculus auricomus (Goldilocks Buttercup) in a new hectad.

On June 12th I recorded the Cam Lough monad H1603 near Cloone and got a new hectad site for Carex pallescens (Pale Sedge). Although there are several recent Leitrim records for this uncommon sedge, there are no Sligo sightings since 1996 (Slish Wood).

Other notable species seen near Cam Lough on that day were Catabrosa aquatica (Whorlgrass) & Erophila glabrescens (Glabrous Whitlowgrass).

OnJune19th ImetupwithBridgetKeehanatEdenRossinverwithkindpermission of the land owner Rod Alston who accompanied us in the search for Pseudorchis albida (Small-whiteOrchid).Theorchidisknownfromthe sitebutwe didn’tfindanytoday. There were plenty of Butterfly Orchids (Platanthera spp.) at the site and interestingly an orchid that keyed out as Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides (Narrow-leaved Marsh-orchid). Bridget had never seen the Small White Orchid but I showed it to her on the slopes of Kesh (Co Sligo) on the following Saturday when we saw over twenty still in bloom. Another notable find at Eden was Carex pallescens (Pale Sedge) onthetrack and in the adjacent woods. The sedge was plentiful here in a new site.

On June 22nd I got records from the north side of Lough Nahoo near Dromahair (where several nice species occur) and found some Carex aquatilis (Water Sedge) in a new hectad site. By the adjacent roadside was Galium album (Hedge Bedstraw) in a new hectad site. ThisBedstrawwhichisnotbelievedtobenativeinIrelandisveryrarelyseeninLeitrim or Sligo.

Finally on July 12th I found yet another new site of Carex pallescens (Pale Sedge) on the eastern side of Lough Allen.

Recording in Sligo (H28) 2022

Email: egaughan2016@gmail.com

In 2022 I took on the role of VCR for Co. Sligo and collected records there in every month of the year (over 19,000 in total). On many of the outings I was accompanied by Patricia McHugh. Others who came on one or more outings were; Sandie McCanney, Mary McCormack, Noel Raftery, Julie Bombule, Ciara Draper, John Mark Dick, Andy King, Bridget Keehan, Paul Green (BSBI Irish Officer and VCR for Co. Wexford H12) and Pat Lenihan from Dublin. On most of the recording sessions, monads with few or no previous records were selected over awide area ofthecounty. New hectad sites werefoundformany species. These included Hypericum humifusum (Trailing St John’s-wort), Erophila glabrescens (Glabrous Whitlowgrass), Veronica hederifolia (Ivy-leaved Speedwell), Ranunculus penicillatus (Stream Water-crowfoot), Dryopteris aemula (Hay-scented Buckler-fern), Avenula pubescens (Downy Oat-grass) (the last two near Culleens in West Sligo), Aphanes arvensis (Parsley-piert), Scutellaria galericulata (Skullcap), Ranunculus trichophyllus (Thread-leaved Water-crowfoot), Samolus valerandi (Brookweed), Honckenya peploides (Sea Sandwort) Zanichellia palustris (Horned Pondweed), Plantago maritima (Sea Plantain) (the last species inland), Catapodium marinum (Sea Fern-grass), Catapodium rigidum (Fern-grass), Symphytum officinale (Common Comfrey), Eleocharis quinqueflora (Few-flowered Spike-rush), Stuckenia filiformis (Slender-leaved Pondweed), Galeopsis speciosa (Large-flowered Hemp-nettle), Gymnadenia conopsea (Fragrant

Orchid) (see page 46), Potamogeton coloratus (Fen Pondweed), Galium odoratum (Woodruff), Catabrosa aquatica (Whorl-grass), Phleum bertolonii (Smaller Cat's-tail) and Utricularia minor (Lesser Bladderwort), amongst several others. Many of those were seen in the more western parts of the county from the coast to the lower slopes of the Ox Mountains. In addition, Trifolium medium (Zigzag Clover) was seen for the first time north of Sligo town and the Garavogue River (see Page 84). A lateseason find was a fourth Sligo site for Epilobium pedunculare (Rockery Willowherb).

In Late April Paul Green visited Sligo and we met at Mullaghmore to check out a record for Viola lutea (Mountain Pansy)inthe Bunduffdunes. Therecordhadonlyamonad grid reference. A good search found only Viola tricolor subsp. curtisii (Dune Pansy). We also saw Taraxacum webbii (Webb’s Dandelion) so a useful update for that species. The record for Viola lutea (August 2000) therefore cannot be validated and anyway the sighting is far outside the known Irish range for that species.

Early in the year the non-native Drabella muralis (Wall Whitlowgrass) was seen at two new sites north of Sligo town (one of them first seen by Mary McCormack in 2021). This species was first recorded in Sligo (town) in 2013 so it seems to be increasing in the county.

In May I climbed Keash Mountain to try and relocate Neotinea maculata (Denseflowered Orchid) without success as at the time I didn’t have a precise grid reference for the site. The Orchid was first found on this mountain by Laszlo Kenderesi in May 2019 and was the first Sligo record. On the day I saw some Asplenium viride (Green Spleenwort) and this was the first sighting on Keash for at least 60 years. Also, this year Noel Raftery saw Neotinea maculata on Knocknarea where it was first found in May 2020.

In June Bridget Keehan and I visited the site for Pseudorchis albida (Small-white Orchid) at Treanmore on the south east side of Keash. This is one of the best sites for the rare orchid nationally as I counted over 100 flowering spikes there in 2011. In recent years the numbers became much reduced and it was hard to find half a dozen. Happily, Bridget and I counted over 20 on what was a very wet morning and given time and better weather we would certainly have seen more.

On June 28th I got records from the Carrowmore limestone uplands near Geevagh. This area has several uncommon species but the best find of the day was a good colony of Carex canescens (White Sedge) in a marshy area. This sedge is decidedly uncommon in Sligo and Leitrim and today’s sighting was in fact my first time to see it in Sligo. Only an old un-localised record for the hectad G82. A few days later Bridget Keehan visited the site and it was her first time to see the sedge.

In mid-August I saw a nice colony of Gentianella campestris (Field Gentian) by the west shore of Lough Talt (see back cover). The last time it was recorded by Lough Talt was in 1987.

In September Sandie McCanney found a flowering plant of Nicandra physalodes (Apple-of-Peru) in her garden. She told me it was not planted or sown there. Perhaps introduced with soil. I would regard it as a garden weed though an exotic one.

A few further highlights of the Sligo recording year are outlined below.

In March, Patricia McHugh and I visited the site for Adiantum capillus veneris (Maidenhair Fern)by the Dunneill Riverbelow Dromore west. Thefinecolony was ingood

condition. The Fern was first recorded there in 1891 and more recently recorded by the late Don Cotton in 2014.

Perhapsthe highlight of the yearfor me was visiting the site for Saxifraga hirculus (Marsh Saxifrage) in the Ox Mountains south of Dromore West. There were two visits. Firstly, Patricia McHugh and I went to one of the flushes where the Saxifrage is known on July 22nd. We found many rosettes, a few with open flowers. On August 5th, Patricia and I returnedto the siteandthistime we were joined by PatLenihan from Dublin who hadnever seen the Saxifrage before. We got records from two of the 3 flushes where the Saxifrage is known (first recorded in June 2012). We were rewarded by many plants of the Saxifrage in flower (see back of front cover). In addition, the site has several other locally uncommon or rare species; notably; Carex diandra (Lesser Tussock-sedge), Vaccinium oxycoccos (Cranberry), Carex limosa (Bog Sedge), Carex dioica (Dioecious Sedge) & Selaginella selaginoides (Lesser Clubmoss). These were accompanied by other less rare but nice species such as Schoenus nigricans (Black Bog-rush), Pedicularis palustris (Marsh Lousewort), Sagina nodosa (Knotted Pearlwort), Juncus subnodulosus (Blunt-flowered Rush) & Pinguicula vulgaris (Common Butterwort). Most of these must have been seen at the site in 2012 but were not entered into the database until I put them in this year. We were pleased to find that the populations of the Saxifrage are doing well at their Sligo site and hopefully will continue to do so there.

Finally, I cannot conclude this article without mentioning the recording work of thelateDonCotton whocollected over20,000 Sligorecordsin 2019alone. Hemadeagood start on the under-recorded western parts of the county but declining health restricted his travels within the county in his last few years. Happily, someuseful recording took place in that part of the county in 2022 which offers many nice habitats and species and may have been eclipsed somewhat in the past by the nationally famous sites in the Benbulben range, and around Lough Gill ----------

Recording in Waterford (H6) 2022

Email: oxmoron@gmail.com

On the 14th April 2022 Ann (Trimble) and I met up with Cliona Byrne, BSBI, near Villierstown where she introduced us to the protocols of recording as a VCR. Somehow during the course of this outing, it became clear that Ann and I were going to become the new VCRs for County Waterford!

In our own neighbourhood (Moneygorm) before we became officially inducted into the role, we checked on various plants that we had found in the previous year. A single Northern Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza purpurella (see Page 43) was a wonderful repeat of the record I hadmade from 2021, the identityof which was confirmed by Paul Green, a first for the county since 1975. Unfortunately, when we took Paddy Tobin and Mark Roper to look at it a few days later it had disappeared, perhaps knocked over or eaten by deer that

used the area as a main thoroughfare. Luckily we were still able to show Paddy and Mark the multitudinous plants of Lesser Twayblade Neottia cordata (see Page 84) that we had discovered within walking distance of our house the previous year too. We estimated that there were at least 300 individual plants in the spruce plantation that I personally remember being planted some 30 years previously. Other interesting plants in our immediate neighbourhood that we rediscovered from earlier outings were White Beak-sedge Rhynchospora alba (see Page 84), Meadow Thistle Cirsium dissectum and the Marsh Clubmoss Lycopodiella inundata, which Paul Green had found several years previously when I was showing him the unusual Sorbus × liljeforsii (S. aucuparia × S. intermedia) that I had initially noticed some 20 years previously and been mystified as to its identity (this particular Sorbus species record being only the second for Ireland, it felt importantto check on its status). I also discovered another Whitebeam species, Common Whitebeam Sorbus aria, close to home to add to the local collection which also includes a record of Irish Whitebeam Sorbus hibernica less than 300m from our garden.

On the 26th June we met up with Dr. Una Fitzpatrick of the National Biodiversity Data Centre and Paul Green (on the wettest day of the summer!) to check on some of the rare plants in our own locality of Carrignagour which would require monitoring. A single Marsh Hawk’s-beard Crepis paludosa was a nice find in the car park where we initially gathered and we also investigated the surrounding woods where Paul showed us Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica and one of the few sites for Killarney Fern Trichomanes speciosum wheretherewereactualfrondstobeseenratherthantheusualgametophytestage which is the form found in many other sites. We then travelled to Villierstown where Paul again showed us Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica and a not yet in flower Helleborine Epipactus species. It was during this excursion that Ann and I were introduced to Julie Larkin and from that meeting we asked her if she too would like to join us as a joint VCR. Thankfully she was up for it so hopefully between the three of us we might prove to cover the county adequately.

A few weeks after this trip, Ann and I stopped off at the site where Paul had shown us the Helleborine in an attempt to get an idea of how many plants might be in the vicinity. Luckily the first plant I found was in flower and I tentatively identified it as a Greenflowered Helleborine Epipactis phyllanthes. I took some photographs and sent them from my phone to Paul who confirmed the identity – a first site for county Waterford. A few weeks later, Ann, Julieand Iwent backtotheareato see if wecould geta definitive number on the individual plants within the site. We were confident of 48 plants which would imply a very well-established site for them, but we were alittle concernedat how close tothe road many of these individuals were growing.

In July, Ann and Julie went to check on various species and identified several sedges and Fir Clubmoss Huperzia selago at a site in the Comeragh Mountains. A Pink Water-speedwell Veronica catenata discovered by Mary Harris and Megan Morris by the River Blackwater between Lismore and Cappoquin in the same month was a good find.

Also that same month, we met Paul and others with two fern experts from the UK atthe same placewe hadcarriedouttherareplantmonitoringschemeearlierinJune. Alison Evans and Roger Golding had extensive knowledge on ferns and had found several interesting specimens in our locality several years previously. They showed us a number of Dryopteris species, all of which were new to me.

On 28th August, Ann accompanied Paul Green into the Comeraghs once more on the hunt for Recurved Sandwort Minuartia recurva and Alpine Clubmoss Diphasiastrum alpinum both of which were successfully recorded after quite a long trek!

In September, Ann and Julie joined Paul and several other BSBI members on Tramore Backstrand for a training outing where the highlights were Eelgrass Zostera species, Glasswort Salicornia species, Orache Atriplex species, BeakedTasselweed Ruppia maritima and Golden-samphire Limbarda crithmoides

As this was our first year as VCRs, we felt we’ve been just getting used to our duties and have tentatively planned a few excursions for 2023.

Field meeting reports – 2022

Inishowen Peninsula, East Donegal (H34), 11th and 12th June 2022

From a habitat point of view, the Inishowen peninsula is quite a diverse corner of the country which boasts a diverse range of habitats and, in particular, a wide range of coastal habitats including shingle beaches, sea-cliffs, coastal heath and extensive sand-dune areas. The peninsula is known for a number of botanical rarities with a northern distribution such as Mertensia maritima (Oysterplant), Bistorta vivipara (Alpine Bistort) and Draba incana (Hoary Whitlowgrass), however, a number of previously recorded rarer species such as Lycopodium clavatum (Stag's-horn Clubmoss), Pyrola media (Intermediate Wintergreen) and Equisetum pratense (Shady Horsetail) have not been seen for well over 100 years. This iscuriousgiventheapparentabundanceofsuitablehabitatinthepeninsulaforthesespecies.

Over the past ten years or so the peninsula has received a boost of botanical recording effort, primarily in advance of the Atlas 2020 deadline, however it is likely that many more botanical rarities await finding with a modicum of effort and luck. The original plan for this field meeting had included a day at higher elevations on the trail of some of theaforementioned rarer upland species, however, thevery showery and windy forecast put paid to those ambitions. Four people attended on both the Saturday and Sunday of the trip and this resulted in the recording of approximately 640 plant records from a total of six coastal locations. Some of the more notable finds are listed below:

Armoracia rusticana (Horse-radish)–Five well-established plants onopenground at Rockytown, Buncrana (C 351327). A very rare species in East Donegal with the only other known records located at the opposite (southern) end of Vice-County near Ballyshannon.

Carex laevigata (Smooth-stalked Sedge) – A few clumps noted along the northeastern margins of Carndonagh Woods (C 456453). The species appears to be rare in Inishowen and this is the first post-1986 record for the peninsula.

Gunnera tinctoria (Giant Rhubarb) – A number of large plants in wet grassland south of the road at Knockglass, Malin Head (C 440 537). It is surprising that this appears to be the first record of the species on the Inishowen peninsula however it is possibly more widespread.

Juncus tenuis (Slender Rush) – Roadsides east of Dunree (C297393). A relatively rare species in Inishowen which is associated with road and track verges. A new hectad record.

Neottia cordata (Lesser Twayblade) – Occasional under low, windshorn Calluna vulgaris (Heather) shrubs close to sea-level, along the Buncrana shore path (C 33143362). A new hectad record for a species which is probably under-recorded on the peninsula.

Saxifraga tridactylites (Rue-leaved Saxifrage) – Sparingly on the walls of Lag Chapel, Malin Head (C 42955292). This species has always been very rare in the northwest of Ireland and this location would appear to be the first record of the species on the peninsula.

Sherardia arvensis (Field Madder)

Occasional on short coastal grassland adjoining shingle beach, north-west of Five Fingers Strand, Malin (C 415537). A very rare species on the peninsula with only one other record in Inishowen from near Greencastle village.

As theweekendcametoanenditwashearteningtoknowthatsomeofInishowen’s more elusive botanical records remain to be rediscovered. One such record is that of Saxifraga spathularis (St. Patricks’s-cabbage) at Knockglass, Malin, last seen in the mid1800’s, which is possibly still hiding out on some relatively inaccessible rock outcrop overlooking Trawbeaga Bay. Roll on 2023.

Book Reviews

Charles Frederick Ball: From Dublin’s Botanic Gardens to the Killing Fields of Gallipoli

Brian Willan

The Liffey Press Ltd, Clontarf Road, Dublin, 2022; pp.xx + 188, with numerous illustrations; paperback, €16.95. ISBN 978-1-7397892-0-6

https://theliffeypress.com/charles-frederick-ball-from-dublin-s-botanic-gardens-to-thekilling-fields-of-gallipoli-by-brian-willan.html

This book is timely in its publication, as we approach the 109th anniversary of the beginningof WorldWar I in August 1914, and indeedata time whenbroadscale war wages once again in Europe in the 21st century.

The book is a brisk, enjoyable celebration of the life of a man who the Irish Times called "one of the best known botanists and horticulturists in Ireland" following his death in 1915.

Charles Frederick Ball, known as Fred, was born in Leicestershire in 1879 and the book begins with a brief description of his family and childhood, recounting Fred's natural talent as a sportsman and his early academic career in school.

Liked by many, it is here that we first get a glimpse of the nature of a man whose amiable character makes the book such a pleasant read.

By the time the story reaches Fred's burgeoning interest in plants, the book has hit its stride, and here it details his early apprenticeships and entrance into the much-esteemed Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew.

Thetellingofmuchof Fred's storyisanchoredwitha wonderful varietyofpictures from Fred's youth that slowly evolves into pictures of various plants, locations, and people of noteasFred'sinterestinbotanyfullyblossoms(including,of particularcuriosity,anearly tree transplanting machine). A number of the photographs were taken by Fred himself.

Fred's time at Kew coincides with the growth of - as the author puts it - "the horticultural needs of empire" and showcases the blooming of both the study and business of plants during the late Victorian era. In doing so, it provides a lot of historical value for readers interested in what they can learn from this aspect of Fred's life.

Along the way, the book boasts quite an interesting cast of names from the era such as William Gumbleton, William Thistelton-Dyer, and the quite splendid George Curling Joad, brief mentions of whom add quite a lot of colour to these chapters of Fred's life. Although it must be mentioned that with so many new names and characters, it can be a little hard to keep track.

The historical insights we can glean from Fred's life have an Irish flavour too. During Fred's consideration for his first position in the Royal Botanic Gardens (now National Botanic Gardens) in Glasnevin, we are told of the Department of Agriculture's wish to fill the role with an Irish candidate. Such decisions to fill civil service positions were what the book calls a "sensitive matter" during a strange limbo for Irish politics.

Fred's time at Glasnevin is a resounding success and the connections and friends he makes at this time lead him to many far-flung places and on many extravagant, exotic trips, the highlight of whichis best described as botanical travels with the King of Bulgaria.

Suchtales reallyhelpfosteranunderstandingofthenatureofamanwhoseobvious passion, generosity, and expertise not only helped to grow the field in Ireland, but seems to have genuinely endeared him to all he met.

It isin hiseditorshipof Irish Gardening and his famed plant breedingefforts (most notably the ornamental Escallonia hybrids, including the eponymous Escallonia ‘C.F. Ball’) that Fred's botanical legacy is the most concrete and enduring. The journal saw significant growth under Fred's watchful eye and became extremely influential at the time in Ireland and even elsewhere as a showcase for "what was being achieved across the Irish Sea".

Fred's life in Ireland is made complete when he meets the love of his life, Alice Lane, whom hemarries in 1914. Itis through her - and her familial connection to the author - that much of this information about Fred survives in notes and letters exchanged between the two.

Following the outbreak of war in 1914, Fred enlists in the Irish Fusiliers, and the final portion of the book is dedicated to the portion of Fred's life as a soldier. It describes his many friends in D Company, his ongoing dedication to his craft even on deployment, his continued charitable spirit, and ultimately the tragedy of his death in an era where many men were cut down cruelly in the prime of their lives.

All told, Fred's story is very touching, and, no matter the reader’s background, seems to hold a wide appeal. It has a decent smattering of botanical and horticultural information for plant lovers; insight into an interesting and overlooked part of history for

the historically minded; and even a lively pace that means those from either background may still enjoy the portrayal of this extremely likeable, interesting, and influential figure in Irish botanical history.

Email: alexisfitzgeraldibn@gmail.com ----------

Captions for pages 39-42 (see page 5 for article relating to Plates 1-5b)

Plate 1. DSC4399. 19th October 2021. 4.38 MB (2 hips – L & D species phenotypes)

Hips: vertical section of L & D phenotypes; left: R. tomentosa – stylar channel long and narrow. (L phenotype); right: R. sherardii – stylar channel short and wide (D phenotype).

Plate 2. DSC4311. 25th September 2021. 4.72 MB (single ripe hip of R. sherardii)

Disarticulating, withered sepals borne on the fleshy hypanthial rim of the hip, their transverse sepal-scars clearly visible. (D phenotype).

Plate 3. DSC4009. 3rd September 2020. 4.69 MB (R. tomentosa infructescence)

Hips: lacking a terminal, fleshy, rim; their transverse sepal-scars borne at the level of the flat or shallow-domed disc.

Plate 4a. DSC4567. 16th August 2022. 4.90 MB (Rosa vosagiaca x R. tomentosa)

A hybrid new to the Irish flora; infructescence: 2 unripe subglobose hips, their sepals already having fallen; leafstipules red-flushed; leaf-rachides with R. tomentosa stipitate-glands; location: minor road hedgebank populations at Killamurren, East Cork

Plate 4b. DSC4582. 16th August 2022. 3.70 MB (Rosa vosagiaca x R. tomentosa)

2 hips: their discs concave, the stylar orifice 1.2-1.4 mm in diameter and 1/4-1/3 the width of its disc (D/L phenotype); location: Killamurren, East Cork (H5, W82.85).

Plate 5a. DSC4545. 13th August 2022. 5.11 MB (2 hips of R. tomentosa. x R. x suberecta)

A hybrid new to the Irish flora; infructescence branch below the unripe hips, displaying acicles inherited from its pollen parent, R. x suberecta; location: upper Glanmire village, East Cork (H5, W70.77).

Plate 5b. DSC4551. 13th August 2022. 5.31 MB (R. tomentosa x R. x suberecta)

Leafofsterileshoot:leaflet shape,toothshape,andrugosityofadaxial(upper)surface,areinherited Rosa sherardii features;location:upperGlanmirevillage,EastCork(H5,W7077);associatedrosetaxa: R. tomentosa, R. sherardii and R. x suberecta

Captions for page 84 & back cover:

Plate 1. Neottia cordata (Lesser Twayblade) from a spruce plantation in Moneygorm, Co. Waterford (H6). Photo A. Malcolm © 2022

Plate 2. Senecio minimus (Toothed Fireweed) plant established in corner by a wall at edge of urban pathway in Dun Laoghaire town centre, Co. Dublin (H21). Photo A. FitzGerald © 2022.

Plate 3. Rhynchospora alba (White Beak-sedge) from Moneygorm, Co. Waterford (H6). Photo A. Malcolm © 2022.

Plate 4. Trifolium medium (Zigzag Clover) near Rosses Point, Co. Sligo (H28). Photo E. Gaughan © 2022.

Plates 5. Lathraea squamaria (Toothwort) between ash & beech, near old track, Garryland, South-east Galway (H15), 7th May 2022. Photo M. Sheehy-Skeffington © 2022

Plates 6. Gentianella campestris (Field Gentian) at Lough Talt, Co. Sligo (H28). Photo E. Gaughan © 2022.

Plates 7. Lathraea clandestina (Purple Toothwort) by the River Tolka, Dublin City (H21). Photo A. FitzGerald © 2022.

Plates 8. Spiranthes romanzoffiana (Irish Lady’s-tresses) at Lough Fea, Co. Tyrone (H36). Photo D. McNeill © 2022.