Monday 4 January 2016

BSBI New Year Plant Hunt Settle 1 Jan 2016 report - results and lots of pictures




I'm not usually a fan of  street furniture,
but this post on the cobbles  gave protection to
Common Chickweed and
Shepherd's Purse.

You can see how cold  it is by our
woolly hats and white knuckles
Five of us from Craven Conservation Group set off on the bitterly cold afternoon of 1st January to look for wild plants in flower in Settle. 
as part of the fifth BSBI NewYear Plant Hunt

 We found 21 wild plants in flower (17 truly wild, 4 rather "iffy")- which was two more than  last year. 

Five of last year's plants were missing in flower this year and we found 5 extra this year.




Foot of the above post 
with Shepherd's Purse


The  "iffy" flowers were-
1. The wild Primroses were ones that had been planted in  the Anglican churchyard.
2. The beautiful blue garden escape: Campanula portenschlagiana Adria Bellflower, or Wall Bellflower - growing on several walls in Settle
3. Wallflower (planted)
4. Snowdrop (planted)



The 21 Plants were:
(The first 17 are truly wild)
1Annual meadow grassPoa annua
2Common chickweedStellaria media
3DaisyBellis perennis
4DandelionTaraxacum sp
5GroundselSenecio vulgaris
6Hairy BromeBromopsis ramosa
7Herb BennetGeum urbanum
8Herb RobertGeranium robertianum
9IvyHedera helix
10Ivy-leaved toadflaxCymbalaria muralis
11Petty spurgeEuphorbia peplus
12Pineapple-weedMatricaria discoidea
13Rue-leaved saxifrageSaxifraga tridactylites
14Shepherd’s purseCapsella bursa-pastoris
15Sticky mouse-ear chickweedCerastium glomeratum
16Wavy bittercressCardamine flexuosa
17Wild strawberryFragaria vesca

Below: not quite so wild:-
18PrimrosePrimula vulgaris
19Wall Bell-flowerCampanula portenschlagiana
20Wall-flowerErysimum cheiri
21SnowdropGalanthus nivalis 


Pictures shown in order of being taken


This is the Red Red Valerian seen flowering last year
- but just healthy leaves this year.

Further down that "lane behind the houses"
we find our first Petty Spurge and a Wavy Bittercress


Wavy Bittercress




Petty Spurge



Wall (or Adria) Bellflower


Herb Robert behind  the old Methodist Chapel

Wild Strawberry next to the road wall in the Methodist Churchyard






I front is Wallflower -only in bud,
but we see it in flower elsewhere.





Daisy in St John's churchyard lawn -
and then lots more in the Anglican Churchyard


This is a very beautiful Geum in the
Anglican churchyard beside the church
 -but we did not count it as native.

Wild Primroses in the Anglican churchyard- but planted





Not counted on our list -but still blooming beautifully
- a late autumn rose at the Anglican Church


Hairy Brome - under the arches
of the Railway Viaduct, next to the Petrol Station

A type of Garden Spurge (not counted)


Rue-leaved (or fingered) Saxifrage near the Old Library -Delaney Court

Not counted- but Hellebore in road to Greenfoot Car Park garden

Alison Evans pointed out the Dryopteris sieboldii growing in the same shady area - so the other four of us learned a new fern


Rather out of focus Wood Aven ( Herb Bennet)
- but that is wild and was counted)



A blue Periwinkle but not counted because presumed planted

Thank you to the BSBI for holding this, their 5th New Year Plant Hunt, - and to all the other people thourghout the UK who braved the elements to take part this year.

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