MSc Plant Diversity Field Course – Day 7 Gwendreath, Cornwall

MSc Plant Diversity students learning grass ID

MSc Plant Diversity students learning grass ID

Since Monday the MSc Plant Diversity group has been travelling along the southern coast of England on its Summer Term field trip.  After 5 nights in youth hostels in Dorset and Devon we have now settled in static caravans at the Lizard Peninsular in southern Cornwall.  Each day we have been compiling a species-seen list and studying the vegetation type of the area.

MSc Plant Diversity Field Course 2015 starting in Reading on Monday 20th April

MSc Plant Diversity Field Course 2015 starting in Reading on Monday 20th April

Today, Sunday, we walked the heathland and meadows near our caravan park which are on serpentine soils, something that makes the Lizard Peninsular so interesting to botanists.  Today’s species list from a four hour survey is just over 140.  Some of them are illustrated in the Gallery below.

The species list for those who need it!

Aspleniaceae Asplenium adiantum-nigrum Maidenhair Spleenwort
Aspleniaceae Asplenium scolopendrium Hart’s-tongue
Dennstaedtiaceae Pteridium aquilinum Bracken
Dryopteridaceae Dryopteris affinis agg. Scaly Male-fern
Dryopteridaceae Dryopteris dilatata Broad Buckler-fern
Polypodiaceae Polypodium interjectum ? Intermediate Polypody
Polypodiaceae Polypodium vulgare Polypody
Cyperaceae Carex demissa Yellow sedge
Cyperaceae Carex flacca Glaucous Sedge
Cyperaceae Carex pendula Pendulous Sedge
Cyperaceae Schoenus nigricans Black Bog-rush
Dioscoreaceae Tamus communis Black Bryony
Iridaceae Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora Montbretia
Iridaceae Iris foetidissima Stinking Iris
Juncaceae Juncus bufonius Toad Rush
Juncaceae Juncus effusus Soft-rush
Juncaceae Juncus inflexus Hard Rush
Juncaceae Luzula campestris Field Wood-rush
Juncaceae Luzula multiflora ssp. congesta Heath Wood-rush
Liliaceae Allium triquetrum Three-cornered Garlic
Liliaceae Hyacinthoides non-scripta Bluebell
Liliaceae Ruscus aculeatus Butcher’s-broom
Orchidaceae Orchis mascula Early-purple Orchid
Poaceae Agrostis curtisii Bristle bent
Poaceae Agrostis stolonifera Creeping bent
Poaceae Anthoxanthum odoratum Sweet Vernal-grass
Poaceae Arrhenatherum elatius False Oat-grass
Poaceae Brachypodium sylvaticum False-brome
Poaceae Bromus hordeaceus Soft-brome
Poaceae Cortaderia selloana Pampas-grass
Poaceae Cynosurus cristatus Crested Dog’s-tail
Poaceae Dactylis glomerata Cock’s-foot
Poaceae Danthonia decumbens Heath grass
Poaceae Deschampsis cespitosa Tufted hair grass
Poaceae Festuca rubra Red Fescue
Poaceae Glyceria declinata Small Sweet-grass
Poaceae Holcus lanatus Yorkshire-fog
Poaceae Lolium perenne Perennial Rye-grass
Poaceae Molinia caerulea Purple Moor-grass
Poaceae Poa annua Annual Meadow-grass
Poaceae Poa trivialis Rough Meadow-grass
Poaceae Schedonorus arundinaceus Tall fescue
Aceraceae Acer pseudoplatanus Sycamore
Apiaceae Aegopodium podagraria Ground-elder
Apiaceae Angelica sylvestris Wild Angelica
Apiaceae Anthriscus sylvestris Cow Parsley
Apiaceae Heracleum sphondylium Hogweed
Apiaceae Oenanthe crocata Hemlock Water-dropwort
Apiaceae Smyrnium olusatrum Alexanders
Araceae Arum maculatum Lords-and-Ladies
Araliaceae Hedera helix/hibernica Ivy
Asteraceae Bellis perennis Daisy
Asteraceae Carlina vulgaris Carline Thistle
Asteraceae Centaurea nigra Common Knapweed
Asteraceae Chamaemelum nobile Chamomile
Asteraceae Cirsium arvense Creeping Thistle
Asteraceae Cirsium palustre Marsh Thistle
Asteraceae Cirsium vulgare Spear Thistle
Asteraceae Crepis capillaris Smooth Hawk’s-beard
Asteraceae Eupatorium cannabinum Hemp-agrimony
Asteraceae Hypochaeris radicata Cat’s-ear
Asteraceae Lapsana communis Nipplewort
Asteraceae Leontodon saxatilis Lesser Hawkbit
Asteraceae Petasites fragrans Winter Heliotrope
Asteraceae Pulicaria dysenterica Common Fleabane
Asteraceae Senecio jacobaea Common Ragwort
Asteraceae Taraxacum officinale agg. Dandelion
Brassicaceae Cardamine flexuosa Wavy Bitter-cress
Brassicaceae Cardamine pratensis Cuckooflower
Buddlejaceae Buddleja davidii Butterfly-bush
Callitrichaceae Callitriche stagnalis Common Water-starwort
Caprifoliaceae Lonicera periclymenum Honeysuckle
Caprifoliaceae Sambucus nigra Elder
Caryophyllaceae Cerastium diffusum Sea mouse-ear
Caryophyllaceae Cerastium fontanum Common Mouse-ear
Caryophyllaceae Cerastium glomeratum Sticky Mouse-ear
Caryophyllaceae Montia fontana Water brickweed
Caryophyllaceae Sagina procumbens Procumbent Pearlwort
Caryophyllaceae Silene dioica Red Campion
Caryophyllaceae Stellaria alsine Bog Stitchwort
Caryophyllaceae Stellaria media Common Chickweed
Clusiaceae Hypericum androsaemum Tutsan
Crassulaceae Crassula tillaea Mossy Stonecrop
Crassulaceae Umbilicus rupestris Navelwort
Ericaceae Calluna vulgaris Ling
Ericaceae Erica cinerea Bell Heather
Ericaceae Erica vagans Cornish Heath
Euphorbiaceae Mercurialis perennis Dog’s Mercury
Fabaceae Lotus corniculatus Common Bird’s-foot-trefoil
Fabaceae Lotus pedunculatus Greater Bird’s-foot-trefoil
Fabaceae Medicago arabica Spotted medick
Fabaceae Medicago lupulina Black Medick
Fabaceae Trifolium repens White Clover
Fabaceae Ulex europaeus Gorse
Fabaceae Ulex gallii Western Gorse
Fabaceae Vicia sativa Common Vetch
Gentianaceae Centaurium erythraea Common Centaury
Geraniaceae Erodium cicutarium Common storksbill
Geraniaceae Geranium dissectum Cut leaved cranesbill
Geraniaceae Geranium robertianum Herb-Robert
Lamiaceae Ajuga reptans Bugle
Lamiaceae Glechoma hederacea Ground-ivy
Lamiaceae Lamium galeobdolon subsp. argentatum A Yellow Archangel
Lamiaceae Prunella vulgaris Selfheal
Lamiaceae Teucrium scorodonia Wood Sage
Lamiaceae Thymus polytrichus Thyme
Linaceae Linum bienne Pale Flax
Onagraceae Circaea lutetiana Enchanter’s-nightshade
Orobanchaceae Pedicularis sylvatica Lousewort
Plantaginaceae Digitalis purpurea Foxglove
Plantaginaceae Plantago coronopus Buck’s-horn Plantain
Plantaginaceae Plantago lanceolata Ribwort Plantain
Plantaginaceae Plantago major Greater Plantain
Plantaginaceae Plantago maritima Sea Plantain
Plantaginaceae Veronica montana Wood Speedwell
Plantaginaceae Veronica serpyllifolia Thyme-leaved Speedwell
Polygalaceae Polygala serpyllifolia Heath Milkwort
Polygonaceae Rumex acetosa Common Sorrel
Polygonaceae Rumex acetosella Sheep’s Sorrel
Polygonaceae Rumex obtusifolius Broad-leaved Dock
Polygonaceae Rumex sanguineus Wood Dock
Primulaceae Anagallis arvensis Scarlet Pimpernel
Primulaceae Primula vulgaris Primrose
Primulaceae Samolus valerandi Brookweed
Ranunculaceae Ficaria verna Lesser Celandine
Ranunculaceae Ranunculus acris Meadow Buttercup
Ranunculaceae Ranunculus flammula Lesser Spearwort
Ranunculaceae Ranunculus hederaceus Ivy-leaved Crowfoot
Ranunculaceae Ranunculus repens Creeping Buttercup
Rosaceae Crataegus monogyna Hawthorn
Rosaceae Filipendula ulmaria Meadowsweet
Rosaceae Filipendula vulgaris Dropwort
Rosaceae Geum urbanum Wood Avens
Rosaceae Potentilla erecta Tormentil
Rosaceae Prunus spinosa Blackthorn
Rubiaceae Galium album Hedge Bedstraw
Rubiaceae Galium aparine Cleavers
Rubiaceae Rubia peregrina Wild Madder
Salicaceae Salix caprea Goat Willow
Salicaceae Salix cinerea Grey Willow
Salicaceae Salix repens Creeping Willow
Sapindaceae Aesculus hippocastanum Horse-chestnut
Scrophulariaceae Scrophularia auriculata Water Figwort
Ulmaceae Ulmus minor ? Small-leaved Elm
Urticaceae Urtica dioica Common Nettle
Valerianaceae Valerianella sp Corn-salad
Violaceae Viola reichenbachiana Early Dog-violet
Violaceae Viola riviniana Common Dog-violet

Tomorrow we visit Lizard Point to look at Fabaceae species.

About Alastair Culham

A professional botanist and biologist with an interest in promoting biological knowledge and awareness to all.
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One Response to MSc Plant Diversity Field Course – Day 7 Gwendreath, Cornwall

  1. Nice post thanks, was a great trip! Can you clarify which nomenclature you are following, some of these names and families are different from Stace (2010) which Dr M follows!

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