1000 species challenge

Meadow grassland at Westmeston Church - not as many species as earlier in the year

Introduction

As part of the summer's activities of Pan-Species listers a challenge was set to see if it was possible to reach 1000 species of natural history subjects recorded in a day. This target was achieved by Graeme Lyons and Dave Green with a flourish. The achievement of a thousand species in twenty four hours is truly impressive, and there are several reasons why my wife and I fell very short of the figure. For a start, we were laid-back about starting and didn’t get off the ground until after 9 am. Another factor was that we did not use any traps nor things like beating trays and pooters, and we did no pond dipping. The latest score for us is 420 species after checking identifications etc. We included badger and mole, having seen an active sett and mole hills which were fresh.

Volucella inflata in a sunny spot in Blackbrook Wood

We did little planning, and certainly no visits to check out sites before the day. We thought the best thing to do was to visit as many habitats as possible. Woodland was a bit poor for us. Blackbrook Wood was very shaded, and we got few lichens. The grounds of Sussex University used to hold fantastic elm trees with a rich lichen flora. On the day, I did not see a single lichen on elm. For a professional lichenologist to see just 35 lichen species is pathetic!

View across the floodplain at Amberley

Perhaps our best site was the chalk grassland on Bo Peep. Here I found Dianthus plumarius in a site where it has been for many years. Here we also recorded a Small Blue butterfly. We did go all the way to Amberley Wildbrooks which took a lot of time, and this was probably not justified with the low number of extra species we saw, which included five species of damselfly and the sedge Carex vulpina which was particularly pleasing.

It was a great day, and we learned a lot about how to cram the most rewarding sites into a short period of time. More planning would have helped as would restricting ourselves to short distance sites. One thing I did find is that keeping an eye out for species in all groups is particularly demanding. Listing birds while looking out for lichens with a x10 hand lens is not easy. Looking out for higher plants as well as bryophytes can also be confusing.

It has crossed our minds that we might do another similar exercise at the beginning of July and perhaps even the beginning of every month. It was fun. It is one of the most attractive sides to Pan Listing that all groups are included. If we do carry out a more regular challenge, we plan to plan ahead!

Group Totals

Algae 1

Amphibians 1

Arachnida 3

Birds 35

Bryophytes 11

Coleoptera 1

Crustacea 1

Diptera 11

Fungi 5

Hemiptera 2

Higher Plants 280

Hymenoptera 9

Lepidoptera 12

Lichens 35

Mammals 5

Mollusca 2

Odonata 5

Orthoptera 1

Total 420 species

In some cases, species were recorded from the car while driving between sites. My wife Amanda did the driving. A note of the positions of these sites was taken, and a full report with grid references will be prepared for the Biological Records Centre.

1. Ditchling

Amphibians

Common Frog

Arachnida

Pholcus phalangoides

Steatoda nobilis

Birds

Blackbird

Carrion Crow

Chiffchaff

Collared Dove

House Sparrow

Jackdaw

Linnet

Robin

Wren

Diptera

Musca domestica

Tipula paludosa

Fungi

Agaricus campestris

Puccinia malvacearum

Puccinia striiformis

Higher Plants

Acer campestre

Acer pseudoplatanus

Achillea millifolium

Anagallis arvensis

Arrhenatherum elatius

Bellis perennis

Brachypodium sylvaticum

Bromus hordeaceus

Calystegia sepium

Capsella bursa pastoris

Cardamine hirsuta

Carex pendula

Centaurea nigra

Cerastium fontanum

Coronopus didymus

Crataegus monogyna

Crepis capillaris

Epilobium ciliatum

Epilobium montanum

Euphorbisa peplus

Festuca rubra

Fragaria vesca

Fraxinus excelsior

Galium aparine

Geranium molle

Geranium robertianum

Geum urbanum

Hedera helix

Heracleum sphondylium

Holcus lanatus

Hyacinthoides non scriptus

Lamium amplexicaule

Lapsana communis

Leontodon autumnalis

Leucanthemum vulgare

Ligustrum ovalifolium

Lolium perenne

Lotus coniculatus

Medicago lupulina

Myosotis arvensis

Myosotis sylvatica

Orchis morio

Oxalis procumbens

Pinus sylvestris

Plantago lanceolata

Plantago major

Poa annua

Poa pratensis

Polygonum aviculare

Potentilla anserina

Potentilla reptans

Prunella vulgaris

Quercus robur

Ranunculus acris

Ranunculus repens

Rosa canina

Rubus ulmifolius

Rumex acetosa

Rumex crispus

Sagina procumbens

Salix caprea

Sambucus nigra

Senecio vulgaris

Silene dioica

Sonchus asper

Tanacetum parthenium

Taraxacum officinale agg.

Trifolium dubium

Trifolium repens

Urtica dioica

Valerianella locusta

Veronica persica

Vulpia myurum

Hymenoptera

Apanteles glomeratus – pupal cases

Apis mellifera

Bombus hypnorum

Bombus lapidarius

Bombus pascuorum

Bombus pratorum

Bombus terrestris

Bombus vestalis

Lepidoptera

Speckled Wood

Tinea perionella

Lichens

Caloplaca citrina

Candelariella aurella

Hypotrachyna revoluta

Lecanora albescens

Lecanora chlarotera

Lecanora dispersa

Lecanora orosthea

Parmelia sulcata

Mammals

Badger Sett

Mole – Fresh mole hills

Mollusca

Helix aspersa

2. Ditchling – a paddock with unimproved pasture

Birds

Blue Tit

Common Whitethroat

Dunnock

Great-spotted Woodpecker

Song Thrush

Starling

Willow Warbler

Wood Pigeon

Diptera

Bombylius major

Lucilia caesar

Scaeva pyrastri

Syrphus ribesi

Volucella bombylans

Volucella pellucens

Higher Plants

Agrimonia eupatoria

Alopecurus pratensis

Arabidopsis thaliana

Carex curta

Carex flacca

Carex hirta

Carex nigra

Cirsium arvensis

Cirsium vulgare

Dactylis glomerata

Deschampsia cespitosa

Dipsacus fullonum

Equisetum arvense

Filipendula ulmaria

Genista tinctoria

Glechoma hederacea

Hypericum tetrapterum

Iris pseudacorus

Juncus conglomeratus

Juncus effusus

Juncus inflexus

Lathyrus pratensis

Lotus pedicularis

Oenanthe crocata

Persicaria maculosa

Phleum arvense

Prunus x fruticans

Pulicaria dysenterica

Senecio erucifolius

Silaum silaus

Sinapis arvensis

Stachys sylvatica

Stellaria graminea

Vicia cracca

Vicia hirsuta

Vicia sativa

Lepidoptera

Blood-vein

Burnet Companion

Chrysoteuchia culmella

Common Blue

Large Skipper

Meadow Brown

Small Heath

Straw Dot

Lichens

Physcia tenella

Xanthoria parietina

Orthoptera

Chorthippus parallelus – nymph

3. Common Lane, Ditchling

Flowering Plants

Arctium lappa

Hordeum murinum

4. Ditchling Common

Ulex europaea

5. Blackbrook Wood

Arachnida

Mitopus morio

Birds

* Nuthatch

Bryophytes

* Atrichum undulatum

* Brachythecium rutabulum

* Kindbergia praelonga

* Mnium hornum

* Orthotrichum affine

* Ulota crispa

Diptera

* Eupeades corallae
* Volucella inflata

Fungi

* Puccinia cancina ribesii-pendulae

Hemiptera

* Grypocoris stysi

Higher Plants

* Anemone nemorosa

* Anthriscus sylvestris

* Betula pendula

* Carex divulsa

* Carex remota

* Carex sylvatica

* Carpinus betulus

* Circaea lutetiana

* Corylus avellana

* Digitalis purpurea

* Dryopteris dilatata

* Euphorbia amygdaloides

* Hypericum androsaemum

* Ilex aquifolium

* Lonicera periclymenum

* Lysimachia nemorum

* Moerhingia trinervia

* Pteridium aquilinum

* Rosa arvensis

* Rumex latifolius

* Scrophularia nodosa

* Stellaria holostea

Hymenoptera

* Vespula vulgaris

Lepidoptera

* Red Admiral

Lichens

* Flavoparmelia caperata

* Graphis scripta

* Phlyctis argena

* Ochrolechia subviridis

* Punctelia subrudecta

6. Railway Crossing, Spatham Lane

Birds

* Magpie

Higher Plants

* Aesculus hippocastanus

* Equisteum telmateia

* Fagus sylvatica

* Malva sylvestris

7. Westmeston Church

Algae

* Trentepohlia aurea

Bryophytes

* Grimmia pulvinata

* Gyroweisia tenuis

* Homalothecium sericeum

* Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus

Fungi

* Puccinia iridis

Higher Plants

* Anisantha sterilis

* Asplenium adiantum nigeum

* Convolvulus arvensis

* Dryopteris filix mas

* Geranium dissectum

* Hordeum secalinum

* Hypericum perforatum

* Iris foetidissimum

* Linaria purpurea

* Phyllitis scolopendrium

* Poa trivialis

* Primula veris

* Symphoricarpos rivularis

* Taxus baccata

* Veronica chamaedrys

* Viola riviniana

Lichens

* Amandinea punctata

* Belonia nidarosiensis

* Caloplaca flavescens

* Candelariella vitellina

* Catillaria chalybeia

* Diploicia canescens

* Dirina massiliense sorediata

* Lecanora expallens

* Lepraria incana

* Lepraria lobificans

* Llimonaea sorediata

* Opegrapha calcarea

* Pertusaria flavicans

* Porpidia tuberculosa

* Tephromela atra

* Verrucaria nigrescens

8. East of Westmeston

Higher Plants

* Ligustrum vulgare

9. Plumpton Lewes Turn

Higher Plants

* Aegopodium podagraria

* Hypochaeris radicata

* Sisymbrium officinale

10. Lewes

Birds

* Black-headed Gull

* Herring Gull

Higher Plants

* Brassica napus

* Campanula persicifolia

* Chenocpodium album

11. Lewes Roundabout on A27

Higher Plants

* Centranthus ruber

* Reseda luteola

* Rosa rubiginosa

* Senecio jacobaea

* Smyrnium olusatrum

* Sonchus arvensis

* Sonchus oleraceus

12. Between Beddingham and Firle

Higher Plants

* Hirschfeldia incana

* Onobrychis viciifolia

13. Firle and Road to the Beacon

Higher Plants

* Chamaerion angustifolium

* Silene longifolia

* Silene vulgaris

14. Firle Beacon

Birds

* Skylark

Higher Plants

* Ranunculus bulbosus

15. Selmeston

Higher Plants

* Artemisia vulgaris

* Conium maculatum

* Cornus sanguinea

* Brassica nigra

16. Road to Bo Peep

Birds

* Common Pheasant

Higher Plants

* Epilobium hirsutum

* Listera ovata

17. Bo Peep

Birds

* Meadow Pipit

* Red-legged Partridge

* Yellowhammer

Bryophytes

Homalothecium lutescens

Diptera

* Chloromyia formosa

Higher Plants

* Anthyllis vulneraria

* Ballota nigra

* Briza media

* Bromopsis erecta

* Carduus nutans

* Carduus tenuiflorus

* Carex panicea

* Carlina vulgaris

* Centaurea scabiosa

* Cruciata laevipes

* Dactylorhiza fuchsii

* Dianthus plumarius – three plants

* Echium vulgare

* Galium verum

* Gymnadenia conopsea

* Helianthemum nummularium

* Hippocrepis comosa

* Knautia arvensis

* Leontodon hispidus

* Linum catharticum

* Papaver rhoeas

* Phleum pratense

* Pilosella officinarum

* Polygala vulgaris

* Reseda lutea

* Rhinanthus minor calcareus

* Rubus caesius

* Thymus praecox

* Trifolium campestre

* Trifolium pratense

* Tripleurospermum inodorum

* Verbascum thapsus

Lepidoptera

* Small Blue

18. Below Bo Peep

Birds

* Chaffinch

Higher Plants

* Arum maculatum

* Brachypodium pinnatum

* Cirsium acaule

* Linaria vulgaris

* Poa nemoralis

* Potentilla anglica

* Rubus idaeus

* Sanguisorba minor

* Tamus communis

Veronica hederifolia

19. Main Road North of Falmer

Higher Plants

* Lavatera arborea

20. Eastern Brighton By-pass

Higher Plants

* Foeniculum vulgare

* Juniperus communis

* Lathyrus latifolius

21. Brighton – Hangleton Turn

Mammals

* Fox – dead

22. Shoreham Turn towards Steyning

Higher Plants

* Avena fatua

* Clematis vitalba

* Petasites fragrans

23. Steyning By-pass

Mammals

Rabbit

Higher Plants

* Buddleja davidii

* Lepidium draba

* Salix cinerea

24. Wiston

Higher Plants

* Alliaria petiolata

25. A 24 – Ashington

Higher Plants

* Geranium pyrenaicum

26. Washington

Higher Plants

* Oenothera glazioviana

* Populus balsaminifera

27. Amberley

Hemiptera

* Aphis rumicis

Higher Plants

* Cymbalaria muralis

* Erigeron karvinskianus

* Eupatoria cannabinum

* Papaver somniferum

* Parietaria Judaica

* Pseudofumaria lutea

* Symphytum officinale

* Veronica arvensis

28. Amberley Wildbrooks

Birds

* Barn Swallow

* Goldfinch

* House Martin

* Lesser Whitethroat

* Mallard

Mute Swan

Coleoptera

* Gyrinus substriatus

Crustacea

* Oniscus asellus

Diptera

* Episyrphus balteatus

Hemiptera

Aphis fabae

Higher Plants

* Alcea rosea

* Alnus glutinosa

* Asparagus officinalis

* Carex otrubae

* Carex vulpina

* Centaurea montana

* Equisetum palustre

* Festuca pratensis

* Glyceria maxima

* Lemna minor

* Lunaria annua

* Lycopus europaeus

* Matricaria discoidea

* Melilotus officinalis

* Myosotis scorpioides

* Potamogeton natans

* Sagittaria sagittifolia

* Salix triandra

* Stellaria media

* Valeriana officinalis

Odonata

* Calopteryx splendens

* Coenagrion puella

* Coenagrion pulchellum

* Ischnura elegans

* Pyrrhosoma nymphula

29. Sussex University – Falmer Park

Visited for the lichens on elms. Only one elm seen which was too old and dry barked to support any lichens.

Higher Plants

* Tilia x vulgaris

* Ulmus procera

Lichens

* Evernia prunastri

* Melanelixia subaurifera

* Physcia adscendens

* Physconia grisea

Mammals

* Grey Squirrel

30. Falmer Pond

Birds

* Greylag Goose

* Moorhen

Higher Plants

* Tragopogon pratense

31. Road to Devil’s Dyke

Higher Plants

* Filipendula vulgaris

* Iris orientalis

32. Devil’s Dyke – Copse by Pub

Higher Plants

* Acer cappadocicum

33. Burgess Hill access of the A23

Higher Plants

* Centaurium erythraea

* Daucus carota

* Dactylorhiza prate

* Dactylorhiza pratermissa junialis

* Epilobium parviflorum

* Lathyrus nissolia

* Malva moschata

* Ophrys apifera

* Sison amomum

* Vicia tetrasperma

Molluscs

* Monacha cantiana

Plant Lists for the New Year

First flower of the year, Lesser Celandine in garden

It was only the end of last year that I heard about Tim Rich’s BSBI New Year “Plants in Flower” listings. It wasn’t until December that I heard about it, but I determined to give it whirl. I have been year-listing in various groups of organism since 1st January 1977, (there will be more of that in another blog shortly).

January 1st 2015 here in Sussex turned out to be a miserable, overcast and drizzly day. At the time, I thought that listing was confined to three hours on January 1st. I had noted Cymbalaria muralis in the centre of the village, and after finding five species in a garden, including Ranunculus ficaria, which I now evidently have to remember to call Ficaria verna, I had noted a few species on a roadside going to the local supermarket. After this, apart from stretches of dual carriageway verges between Worthing and Arundel, that I had noted in mid-December to be rich in plants still in flower, I had no prior information or plans.

With my wife driving to give me the best chance of seeing plants on verges, we set off for the stretch of road on the A27 between Worthing and Arundel. West Sussex County Council in their lack of wisdom for the requirements of New Year botanists, had mown all the verges to a maximum of one inch high. All I got between Burgess Hill and the A27 was Heracleum sphodylium, Petasites fragrans and considerable eye strain!

Eventually we found a lay-by on the A27, and with traffic whizzing past at high speed on the road, I set off to do some recording. The productive tall ruderal vegetation I had noted was now blackened by frost, and the vast majority of the plants I had seen just a fortnight earlier were now dried up, shrivelled and lacked any flowers. Things like Sonchus asper, Senecio jacobaea and Picris echioides were all gone. Walking the four hundred yards odd to the next lay-by where my wife had parked, I added just six species to my list. Not good! Time was passing. I decided to go down to the coast at Angmering in the hopes that the sea might have ameliorated the recent frosts, and all I added was Ranunculus repens. However frost damage did seem less.

Although I thought I had twenty five species, I had to remove Dactylis glomerata and Lolium perenne as the plants had no anthers, and Mistletoe which, at over fifty feet up in a tree, could not have been confirmed with the presence of its microscopic flowers! This reduced me to 22 species. This did not impress me, especially when I heard of botanists in West Sussex, and Tim Rich himself in Cardiff, achieving over sixty.

When I got home, I reviewed the day, and realised that I needed to be closer to the sea all day to minimise frost impact, and to include industrial sites with waste ground. Next year, I thought to myself, I must take this into account, and do a series of reconnaissance trips to be sure of the most productive areas to visit. I just wished I could go and do more surveying on the 2nd January. Later that evening, my wife who had been studying the internet, found that we actually had until January 3rd, and that we could do 3 three hour listings if we wanted, from different areas. We checked the weather forecast, and the next day was reckoned to be warm and sunny. We decided to go and list Eastbourne, and not start our three hours till we got there.

About twenty years ago, as a freelance ecologist specialising in botany, I had had a contract to study all potential areas of ecological interest in the borough. Of particular interest were areas surrounding beach huts, cliffs on which several exotic species such as Carpobrotus edulis had become naturalised, and most notably large industrial estates.

Parking anywhere near the extensive cliffs proved impossible. The whole world and his wife were on the road seeking coastal sunshine, and/or bargains in the shops. Most roads were at a standstill, and parking places were all full. So, beach huts next. What beach huts? I could find none. A brief stop to look at a recently established verge added five species, but as throughout Eastbourne, the vegetation had been razed to a maximum of one inch. With the desperate traffic, blinding sunshine to the south west, and the lack of potential for flowers, I began to become very frustrated. We left for my supposed industrial botanical paradise. We found an area with tall vegetation which was all quite dead. Weed killers had evidently been used.

A chap came over from an office.

“Are you lost? Can I help?” He asked. I explained what we were up to. He was very doubtful whether we would find anything in flower in the whole of Eastbourne at this time of year.

“My landlord insists I mow all the grass,” he told us, “And this place [the derelict warehouse we were parked beside] hasn’t been used for two years. It’s going to be developed and turned into a new supermarket site.” Well, if a derelict site was no good, how on earth could I expect anywhere else not to have been ruined botanically either by mowing or the use of a weed killer?

I did find one area of disturbed ground close to a railway in a housing estate. This added six species including Senecio sylvaticus, one of the best species of the whole two days.

We left this area, and tried a housing estate back from the sea with less traffic. It was botanically barren, and all we achieved was to join traffic waiting at a particularly time-consuming level crossing. A visit to a woodland park produced nothing, so we decided to try a churchyard to the north of Eastbourne where there was recently disturbed ground next to a rebuilt wall. In the event, the churchyard added five species including Primula vulgaris. Churchyards could be one possible answer for next January.

One problem I now have is what constitutes a species being in flower. I took it to mean if I could see any petals that had the colour of the expected flower. With just a recently shrivelled flower head, this could not be used. However, in the sort of weather we had had on the 1st, I recorded Stellaria media if white petal tips could be seen extending from the top of the bud. When year listing, I always count grass species if the head is green. This year, all I could see with anthers was Poa annua. Later in the year, the problem of recording sedges in flower would present a considerable problem. I guess sedges would have to be identified in fruit, and plants still in flower in the colony could be added.

Planning the three hours by doing reconnaissance during the year, and especially in the run up to Christmas is essential. Good industrial sites, well vegetated walls and fairly recently disturbed road verges with tall, ruderal vegetation should be productive. The best botanical sites and SSSIs will probably add nothing or next to nothing. Such vaguely competitive exercises are great fun, and get the participant to think ecologically, which is excellent. The two days in the field have taught me much, and weather permitting, I hope to be much more successful. If frost proved to be a problem, perhaps we’ll try and book into a Premier Inn somewhere in the West Country. Anyway, the most important aspect of this is that it has added a new, and enjoyable dimension to New Year’s Day. My bird list has taken second place for the first time since 1984!

These are what I recorded during the two days:-

1st January 2015 Garden in Ditchling, East Sussex 1 Ficaria verna (Ranunculus ficaria) Lesser Celandine 2 Euphorbia peplus Petty Spurge 3 Poa annua Annual Meadow-grass 4 Stellaria media Common Chickweed 5 Cardamine hirsuta Hairy Bittercress 6 Veronica persica Common Field Speedwell In Ditchling Village 7 Conyza canadensis Canadian Fleabane 8 Cymbalaria muralis Ivy-leaded Toadflax Approaching Burgess Hill, West Sussex 9 Taraxacum officinale Dandelion Roadside Verge to Tescos, Burgess Hill, West Sussex 10 Bellis perennis Common Daisy 11 Corylus avellana Hazel 12 Achillea millefolium Yarrow Twineham 13 Petasites fragrans Winter Heliotrope Steyning 14 Heracleum sphondylium Sheep’s Parsley Clapham 15 Ulex europaea Gorse A27 east of Arundel 16 Sisymbrium officinale Hedge Mustard 17 Senecio vulgaris Common Groundsel 18 Lamium album White Deadnettle 19 Tripleurospermum inodorum Scentless Mayweed 20 Picris echioides Prickly Ox-tongue Arundel 21 Erigeron karvinskianum Mexican Fleabane Angmering 22 Ranunculus repens Creeping Buttercup 2nd January 2015 All species total given second Eastbourne 1 Ulex europaeus Gorse 2 23 Capsella bursa pastoris Shepherd’s Purse 3 Bellis perennis Common Daisy 4 Poa annua Annual Meadow-grass 5 Veronica persica Common Field Speedwell 6 Senecio vulgaris Common Groundsel 7 Taraxacum officinale Dandelion 8 Stellaria media Common Chickweed 9 Euphorbia peplus Petty Spurge 10 Ficaria verna Lesser Celandine 11 Petasites fragrans Winter Heliotrope 12 24 Centranthus ruber Red Valerian 13 Achillea millefolium Yarrow 14 Conyza canadensis Canadian Fleabane 15 25 Aster novi belgii Michaelmas Daisy 16 26 Lamium purpureum Red Deadnettle 17 27 Matricaria discoidea Pineapple Weed 18 28 Senecio sylvaticus Heath Groundsel 19 29 Mercurialis annua Annual Mercury 20 30 Sinapis arvensis Charlock 21 Tripleurospermum inodorum Scentless Mayweed Folkington, East Sussex 22 Heracleum sphondylium Sheep’s Parsley 23 31 Sonchus arvensis Smooth Sowthistle 24 32 Lapsana communis Nipplewort 25 33 Leontodon autumnalis Autumnal Hawkbit 26 34 Primula vulgaris Primrose

The brief and glorious flowering of the Arctic summer

Salix polaris - the tallest shrub of the High Arctic

One of the major factors in enjoying the sudden blossoming of the Arctic is that it takes place over a very short period which can be unpredictable. Depending on the developing of the spring, it can occur at any time during mid summer from the beginning of June to about mid July. It is quite possible to visit an area that has a rich flora and find everything in full flower one year, to find that nothing has happened yet in another, or that everything is finished. An enormous advantage with the Arctic flora is, that if you hit it right, everything will be at its best. Although not technically in the Arctic, I am including some of the flora of Iceland in this account.

My first experience of the flora of the Arctic was close to the tongue of a glacier close to the ice cap of Vatnajökull in Iceland. I was accompanying a group as a botanist, and spotted a floristically rich area close to the road, and asked the coach driver to stop. For the next half hour or so, we studied an area of stable scree that supported a most interesting flora. I had actually spotted the Glacier Buttercup, Ranunculus glacialis from the moving coach and this was a species I particularly wanted to see. As well as this, we found specimens of the Arctic Poppy Papaver radicatum and a fine saxifrage Saxifraga cotyledon. On another occasion in the north of Iceland near Akureyri, an Icelandic lecturer friend of mine lent me his car, and I drove off some distance to a river valley to see the Arctic River Beauty Chamerion latifolium. What a superb plant, especially when growing in quantity. This is a most interesting element of the Icelandic flora in that it is Nearctic, occurring nowhere further east.

Ranunculus glacialis

Papaver radicatum

The Penguins, Great Characters of the Falkland Islands

It is impossible to meet the penguins who spend the summer on the Falkland Islands without being anthropomorphic about them. They are all such characters, displaying human-like behaviour and emotions, and all four species are very different. It is just so fortunate that during the whole of the Falklands conflict, they were far away and at sea. It is also very fortunate that being birds, penguins are light in weight, and are in no danger from land mines.

Gipsy Cove

When my wife and I visited the Falkland Islands, we first met penguins at Gipsy Cove, not far from Stanley. Since the conflict, it has not been possible to enter Gipsy Cove because of the danger of mines. However, a fenced footpath passes above the Cove that has regular posts warning of the danger of the mines (much of this has now been cleared I gather). The path runs straight through a Magellanic Penguin colony, and far from the fence being a protection from humans, several penguins nest within two or three feet of the path. We were introduced to one very special character who is affectionately known as Harold. He has been coming back to the same burrow for several years. He stands proudly at the entrance, perhaps three feet from his human admirers, and periodically announces his presence, and probable importance, with a racket that seems impossible to be produced from such a little fellow. He puts his head back, his flippers out and brays just like a donkey (a close relative of Magellanic Penguins that lives in South Africa is called the Jackass Penguin).

Harold standing proudly in front of
his burrow

Harold braying

That was fun, but haven’t we got dirty tummies
– hope no-one will be cross!

Plants of the Falkland Islands

A group of king penguins in a field of sea cabbage, Senecio candidans

A few years ago, my wife and I visited the Falkland Islands at the beginning of January. Although the human population is extremely British in both origin and speech, there are considerable differences between the way of life in the Falkland Islands and life at home. Although approximately at the same latitude as London, the lack of a Gulf Stream makes the weather much colder. The islands are greatly affected by strong winds coming up from the Antarctic. Quite naturally, the land is treeless out in the country. The Falklands are divided into farms rather than districts or villages. In order to access farmland other than by accepted public footpaths, it is necessary to contact the farmer who owns the land. Casual entry into a piece of countryside that looks interesting for plants is not possible.

Gardens in Tenerife in May 2014

There are several fascinating gardens in Tenerife. One of the most exciting, enchanting and beautiful to visit is the Orotava Acclimatization Gardens on the edge of Puerto de la Cruz. It was established as a result of the enthusiasm for plants and drive of the Marquis of Villanueva del Prado for species from tropical America in the late 18th and 19th centuries. It reached its heyday in the 19th Century when looked after by the great botanist Hermann Wildpret, after whom the magnificent Echium wildpretii was named. He was also honoured with the name Sonchus wildpretii, a particularly rare endemic species from La Gomera. Although the 19th century is reckoned to have been the zenith of the gardens, they are nonetheless a most important, and impressive place to visit today.

Gates at the old entrance to the Garden of Acclimatisation

The gardens are set in Orotava, which is a suburb of Puerto de la Cruz, the second most major town in Tenerife. An impressive gateway leads the visitor into the gardens, and immediately they must be impressed by a mature tree liberally festooned with Spanish Moss, Tillandsia usneoides. This is not a moss or a lichen, in spite of its close resemblance to lichens of the genus Usnea. It is in fact a bromeliad and occasionally will develop tiny green flowers. Beyond the Tillandsia usneoides, a series of paths passing through gardens shaded by magnificent trees beckons. The plants in the gardens are well labelled, and range from Canarian endemic species, to New World plants that have survived since the time the gardens were first established.

Spanish Moss on the entrance tree

Tillandsia usneoides in flower, Wisley Gardens

A truly impressive specimen tree that cannot possibly be missed is a fine Banyan Tree. This tree is a member of the fig family. Flitting around this, and around many of the trees in the garden, may be seen examples of the several endemic birds that inhabit the Canary Islands. Close to the larger of the two ponds, a particular canary made fairly frequent visits while we were there, to a wall top, enabling some useful photos to be taken. The canary is a species of finch which, as a wild bird, is endemic to the Canary Islands and Madeira. The Canarian Chiffchaff, the Tenerife Kinglet and Afrocanarian Bluetit are special bird species which may also be seen. On the ground, the endemic Canarian Lizard may be seen scuttling to and fro. The males are especially impressive often being puffed up, and having a considerable amount of blue decoration. The endemic Canary Speckled Wood is also easy to see as it flits around the gardens.

The Banyan Tree

A canary

Canary Lizard

Canary Speckled Wood

It was a little disappointing that a pond which used to support a fine collection of Lotuses…(the “Water lily” rather than the bird’sfoot trefoil) had been dredged. During our most recent visit, a single pink flowered lotus graced the centre of the largest pond, with a terrapin lounging in the sunshine on a nearby leaf. The pond full of lotuses before it was dredged, also attracted a good range of attractive dragonflies.

The single Lotus in the largest pond today

Garden of Acclimatization pond in the past,
as it was before dredging

The gardens contain all manner of attractive plant species, and while we were there, we enjoyed seeing a pineapple in full flower, amongst other things. Several cheese-plant species may be seen climbing up walls and trees and form a particular collection in the covered walkway near the main entrance. These are often graced with their white flowers.

In the Garden of Acclimatisation

In the Garden of Acclimatisation

In the Garden of Acclimatisation

Philodendron giganteum

Two important Canary Islands endemics grow in the gardens. The first of these is another species of giant viper’s bugloss, Echium simplex. As a wild species, this is rare in Tenerife, and I have seen it on steep slopes near Chinamada. It is not quite as tall as Echium wildpretii, and has white flowers. Recently, it seems to be grown more frequently in gardens, and notably in company with the giant dragon tree at Icod. As a lichenologist, I carry a sheath knife for collecting specimens. Having seen and photographed Echium simplex at Chinamada, I was stopped, and all but arrested by the Guardia Civil in the Tenerife North Airport while attempting to make my way to Gran Canaria. The film with the Echium photos must have slipped out of my pocket, because I never saw it again. The second is Euphorbia atropurpurea. With its purplish flowers, it is more dramatic than many of the other endemic spurges.

Pineapple plant in flower

Echium simplex

Euphorbia atropurpurea

Aloe castanea

Strelitzia nicolai, Giant Bird of Paradise

Not far away from the Acclimitisation Gardens is an establishment called Bananeria which has also been worth a visit. Here a range of bananas are grown including some non fruit bearing species of Musa. The visitor can also enjoy, and buy liqueurs made from bananas. On this latest visit we were not able to visit and fear that it may have suffered in recent economic conditions.

A banana plant in flower

Another most exciting visit should be made to Icod de los Vinos, where the largest and currently oldest example of the Dragon Tree, Dracaena draco stands. It is known as El Drago Milanerio, the thousand year old dragon, however estimates of its age put it at around three hundred years and perhaps just a little more. Being a member of the monocotyledons, it does not increase in size by putting on annual rings of growth, so assessing its age is difficult. However, it is unlikely that it really is a thousand years old. To visit the tree closely is an expensive exercise, however close to a church that stands above the tree, fine views may be had of it from above. Of some interest is the presence of mature screwpines, Pandanus utilis some of which produce fruits. Like the dragon tree, it is not a pine, but a monocotyledonous tree.

Icod Dragon Tree

Echium simplex below the Icod Dragon Tree

The Screwpine, Pandanus utilis

Screwpine fruit

Another most important garden which is doing a wonderful job keeping Canarian endemic plants in cultivation is La Tahonilla Environmental Centre situated just outside La Laguna. Although not generally open to the public, we were given a warm welcome when we visit it. In serried ranks, pots of developing endemic plants are the first thing the visitor sees. However beyond these, there are some most attractive gardens on steep banks beneath trees where important Canary Island endemic plants can be seen and admired. I was particularly pleased to see members of the genus Lotus, and especially the very beautiful Lotus maculatus. Unfortunately well past its best, a few examples of the Canarian Dragon Lily, Dracunculus canariensis may be seen in flower beds close to the entrance. An endemic mallow Lavatera acerifolia near the entrance was another endemic I had never seen before.

Endemic plants being propagated in
La Tahonilla Environmental Centre
       near La Laguna

La Tahonilla Environmental Centre gardens

Lavatera acerifolia, an endemic

Dracunculus canariensis
The Canary Dragon Lily, a bit past its best!

The fine terraced gardens at Vilaflor which are home to fabulous displays of the very rare, and endemic Lotus berthelotii have already been mentioned in a previous blog. In the centre of Puerto de la Cruz, there is another series of terraces supporting some fine gardens which include ponds with lotuses in fine condition. In the past, there were glass houses here, and I took the chance to photograph Aristolochia gigantea which was very impressive.

The Gardens at Vilaflor

Pond with Lotuses in the Puerto de la Cruz terraced gardens

Bougainvillaea in the Puerto de la Cruz terraced gardens

Aristolochia gigantea