NT18 - It's a mystery, and reminders

Inevitably over the past three weeks the number of mysteries has been steadily growing, though not too horribly. At least some of them, if noted, will repay a visit when they've gone beyond vegetative. Hopefully.

Aberdour shore edge

Aberdour shore - I know this ... hmmm ...

Inverkeithing

N.Queensferry - heboid

Cullaloe - mystery St John's-wort

Inverkeithing and Calais Muir

N.Queensferry

Limekilns and Inverkeithing

Actually, that's more than I thought. Some of them may no doubt give me "duh" moments later on as it dawns on me. Others may remain a mytery for who knows how long.

Cultural learnings from the last week: I found Jointed rush (J.articulatus) and Large Bittercress (C.amara) together in two places last week, which by the looks of it puts those spots in the neighbourhood of MG10 wet neutral grassland (sounds legit). Thanks, Ben Averis and "Plants and Habitats". British Plant Communities doesn't mention the bittercress, but the assemblage looks about right. Both areas were bordering more-or-less static small bodies of water. The spot at Cullaloe where I found C.amara last year was also on the edge of the very smallest "pool" (a puddle, really).

To save me searching in future I should expect Yorkshire Fog (Holcus lanatus) (well, ok...),  Creeping Bent (Agrostis stolonifera), (Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens), which all sounds reasonable.

Carex panicea (Carnation Grass) would be nice, though I didn't see any signs of old stuff. 

Some of the others definitely look not unreasonable too, with Ragged Robin, Yellow Iris, Common Mouse-ear, Meadowsweet joining a cast of wet grassland regulars.

Common Fleabane's also listed, curiously. Not one you see much around these parts, though I did have it once last year.

I definitely need to have a browse of aquatic communities before I get much further down the line, too.

NT18 - Snowdrop

On our routine exercise walk her indoors (working from home) pointed out an odd looking group of snowdrops, so I stuck one in my pocket for later perusal. Turned out it was Galanthus woronowii, the Green-leaved Snowdrop. Wide, flat, and slightly hooded leaves are bright green, without a hint of the glaucous bloom usually seen on snowdrops. 

I'm trying to persuade her she has a calling for botany, but she's not having it.

(ruler just holding flower in position)

NT18 - Aberdour

A definite hotspot for the future this lunchtime, with 55 species. That's a pretty good lunchtime in January. As usual coastal walls and scabby bits of scrub with sand provide plenty of nooks and crannies for coastal species and garden escapes.

iRecord vascular records for the year now stand at 870, versus 748 last year, and 1974 for the year before (when I did >1500 in Nov/Dec for BotSoc Scotland urban flora scheme).

Aberdour harbour wall

Inchcolm, from Aberdour

At first I thought the 500 target was going over the top, but at this rate I'm not so sure.

NT18 - Inverkeithing Backwater

On Thursday I popped to Inverkeithing just to fill in a gap. I know there are plants unique to here from NT18, at least in my limited experience. It's a heavily industrial area, with a large metal recycling plant - chopped metal being loaded onto boats, and a recently re-opened large quarry, with a nice pier area being brought into re-use and removing all my Viper's-bugloss (see previous post).

There wasn't much to raise hopes from the Viewranger map, but I spotted the edge of a pond with submerged greenery and forced my way through the trees

Google maps shows much more promise

and indeed when I (finally) found a path around the back of the pond it turned out that there's a very nice bit of habitat here shielded from the mud and dust of the neighbours by a small bit of woodland.

There's a lot of Bog Pondweed, some Water Plantain, Jointed Rush, and some nice marginal plants too. Some of those will need to be checked later as they're well out of season

The margins of one end of pond were liberally sprinkled with Large Bittercress (C.amara)

Nobody thinks about this band very much these days, despite them being ubiquitous in daily life at one point. They had some pretty decent tunes.

NT18 - missing plants

 Already two of my NT "bankers" have been wiped away by developments since the last time I recorded them.

In Dalgety Bay, there has been a lot of work in removing radioactive particles from the beach, which means they are building a new slipway etc. around the sailing club. This means it is now going to be tidy/sterile - at least for a while. Hairy Sedge ought to be findable elsewhere, and is recorded elsewhere,  in NT18 but now I have to find it again - bugger. At the moment I have to consider it extinct in Dalgety Bay. Yikes!

Hairy sedge no more

Yesterday a surprisingly nice trip  to Inverkeithing (more later) also showed that the re-opening of Cruicks quarry has pretty much scraped all my reliable Viper's-bugloss off the face of the earth. That, too, is a species I ought to be able to find elsewhere, though in my recollection I haven't previously.

Maybe, being optimistic, I can hope that site traffic might bring in something odd by way of compensation.

NT18 - the story so far

In the 26 days of January, I've managed to see 250 vascular plant species. That's way more than I had anticipated. To be fair, some of those are not genuinely identifiable as they are. It's only the fact that I know what they are from previous recording that allows me to name a species (that watercress - is it fertile? Yes it  ... will be). I've "only" visited 25 of the 81 land squares in the hectad. There are plants which I know are there but which I haven't bothered to visit. And some that I have (Sea Pearlwort on a roundabout in Dunfermline). I did also manage a whole session in a square outside NT18 because it didn't dawn on me that I'd boobed (despite writing NT0987 at the top of the page).

I came a cross a surprise Himalayan  Honeysuckle in the woods this morning - in a square I've worked  extensively. Never mind - it's only 2 metres tall and has clearly been growing there for years.

250 (251) species is 33% of the 757 species recorded from NT18 and 52% of the 482 species I've recorded in  the hectad. Obviously, it's about 50% of the year target. Aside from sniffing around for early species (e.g. Spring Vetch), I'll probably more or lass take a break from plants for a week or two. On the other hand, I might decide to bash a few more of those squares and try and find some aquatics, or at least decent spots for aquatics.

Last year I submitted 748 records of vasculars on iRecord. This year so far - 763.

The list so far:

#	Scientific	English	Stace
1	Acaena novae-zelandiae (2005) 0 1	Pirri-pirri-bur	037-017
2	Asplenium ruta-muraria (2021) 0 26	Wall Rue	014-001
3	Dryopteris filix-mas (2020) 0 37	Male-fern	020-003
4	Pinus sylvestris (2020) 0 18	Scots Pine	023-002
5	Taxus baccata (2020) 0 9	Yew	026-001
6	Ranunculus repens (2020) 0 67	Creeping Buttercup	036-013
7	Aquilegia vulgaris (2020) 0 6	Columbine	036-017
8	Sedum album (2020) 0 5	White Stonecrop	043-007
9	Sedum sexagulare	Tasteless Stonecrop	043-007
10	Petrosedum forsterianum (2020) 0 1	Rock Stonecrop	043-010
11	Trifolium dubium (2020) 0 30	Lesser Trefoil	046-027
12	Trifolium pratense (2020) 0 33	Red Clover	046-027
13	Trifolium repens (2020) 0 62	White Clover	046-027
14	Ulex europaeus (2021) 0 60	Gorse	046-034
15	Prunus spinosa (2020) 0 17	Blackthorn	048-008
16	Cotoneaster × watereri (2019) 0 2	Waterer's Cotoneaster	048-017
17	Crataegus monogyna (2021) 0 59	Hawthorn	048-021
18	Filipendula ulmaria (2020) 1 27	Meadowsweet	048-022
19	Rubus fruticosus agg. (2021) 0 83	Bramble	048-023
20	Potentilla sterilis (2021) 0 30	Barren Strawberry	048-024
21	Alchemilla mollis (2020) 0 5	Soft Ladies-mantle	048-035
22	Geum urbanum (2021) 0 60	Wood Avens	048-999
23	Ulmus glabra (2020) 0 27	Wych Elm	051-001
24	Urtica dioica (2021) 1 88	Nettle	054-001
25	Quercus robur (2020) 0 24	Pedunculate Oak	056-003
26	Oxalis corniculata (2018) 0 1	Procumbent Yellow-sorrel	063-001
27	Euphorbia amygdaloides (2018) 0 1	Wood Spurge	069-003
28	Euphorbia helioscopia (2021) 0 7	Sun Spurge	069-003
29	Euphorbia peplus (2020) 0 28	Petty Spurge	069-003
30	Geranium lucidum (2021) 0 10	Shining Crane's-bill	071-001
31	Geranium pyrenaicum (2021) 0 27	Hedgerow Crane's-bill	071-001
32	Geranium robertianum (2021) 0 71	Herb-Robert	071-001
33	Epilobium hirsutum (2020) 1 26	Great Willowherb	073-001
34	Chamaenerion angustifolium (2020) 0 71	Rosebay Willowherb	073-002
35	Acer pseudoplatanus (2021) 0 82	Sycamore	077-003
36	Reseda luteola (2020) 0 23	Weld	085-001
37	Capsella bursa-pastoris (2020) 0 32	Shepherd's-purse	087-005
38	Cardamine flexuosa (2020) 0 35	Wavy Bittercress	087-011
39	Cardamine hirsuta (2020) 0 13	Hairy Bittercress	087-011
40	Lunaria annua (2020) 0 11	Honesty	087-014
41	Erophila verna s.l. (2020) 0 8	Common Whitlowgrass	087-025
42	Sisymbrium officinale (2020) 0 23	Hedge Mustard	087-038
43	Cytisus scoparius (2020) 0 26	Broom	087-999
44	Glechoma hederacea (2020) 0 20	Ground-ivy	087-999
45	Lepidium didymum (2020) 0 3	Lesser Swine-cress	087-999
46	Rumex obtusifolius (2021) 0 63	Broad-leaved Dock	092-010
47	Stellaria media s.s. (2020) 0 47	Common Chickweed	094-007
48	Silene dioica (2021) 0 45	Red Campion	094-020
49	Rhododendron ponticum (2020) 0 12	Rhododendron	108-004
50	Galium aparine (2021) 0 73	Cleavers	110-005
51	Pentaglottis sempervirens (2021) 0 14	Green Alkanet	114-013
52	Myosotis arvensis (2020) 0 37	Field Forget-me-not	114-019
53	Myosotis ramosissima (2015) 0 4	Early Forget-me-not	114-019
54	Digitalis purpurea (2021) 0 29	Foxglove	120-001
55	Veronica agrestis (2020) 0 5	Green Field-speedwell	120-003
56	Veronica persica (2021) 0 21	Common Field-speedwell	120-003
57	Linaria purpurea (2020) 0 17	Purple Toadflax	120-011
58	Plantago lanceolata (2021) 0 86	Ribwort Plantain	121-001
59	Buddleja davidii (2020) 0 32	Buddleia	124-007
60	Lamiastrum galeobdolon (2020) 0 7	Yellow Archangel	128-006
61	Lamium album (2021) 0 32	White Dead-nettle	128-007
62	Lamium purpureum (2021) 0 18	Red Dead-nettle	128-007
63	Prunella vulgaris (2020) 0 28	Selfheal	128-016
64	Ilex aquifolium (2021) 0 45	Holly	132-001
65	Arctium lappa (2020) 0 2	Greater Burdock	135-003
66	Cirsium arvense (2020) 0 72	Creeping Thistle	135-006
67	Cirsium vulgare (2020) 0 31	Spear Thistle	135-006
68	Centaurea nigra s.s. (2020) 0 35	Hardheads	135-013
69	Hypochaeris radicata (2020) 0 30	Cat's-ear	135-020
70	Sonchus oleraceus (2021) 0 45	Smooth Sow-thistle	135-027
71	Bellis perennis (2021) 0 75	Daisy	135-067
72	Tanacetum parthenium (2020) 0 22	Feverfew	135-068
73	Achillea millefolium (2021) 0 55	Yarrow	135-071
74	Leucanthemum vulgare (2020) 0 24	Oxeye Daisy	135-079
75	Tripleurospermum inodorum (2020) 0 18	Scentless Mayweed	135-081
76	Senecio inaequidens (2021) 0 23	Narrow-leaved Ragwort	135-083
77	Senecio vulgaris (2021) 0 66	Groundsel	135-083
78	Lapsana communis (2020) 0 42	Nipplewort	135-19
79	Sambucus nigra (2020) 0 41	Elder	137-002
80	Lonicera nitida (2020) 0 3	Wilson's Honeysuckle	138-005
81	Dipsacus fullonum (2020) 0 8	Wild Teasel	140-001
82	Hedera helix s.s. (2021) 0 62	Ivy	143-001
83	Anthriscus sylvestris (2021) 0 34	Cow Parsley	145-013
84	Heracleum sphondylium (2020) 0 59	Hogweed	145-030
85	Aegopodium podagraria (2021) 0 17	Ground-elder	145-037
86	Galanthus nivalis (2020) 0 13	Snowdrop	167-010
87	Juncus effusus (2021) 1 34	Soft-rush	175-001
88	Carex pendula (2014) 0 1	Pendulous Sedge	176-015
89	Cynosurus cristatus (2020) 0 20	Crested Dog's-tail	177-999
90	Poa annua (2020) 0 68	Annual Meadow-grass	177-999
91	Blechnum spicant (2020) 0 7	Hard-fern	018-001
92	Picea abies (2019) 0 7	Norway Spruce	020-003
93	Helleborus foetidus (2020) 0 6	Stinking Hellebore	036-003
94	Ficaria verna (2021) 0 29	Lesser Celandine	036-014
95	Medicago arabica (2021) 0 7	Spotted Medick	046-026
96	Cotoneaster bullatus (2020) 0 1	hollyberry cotoneaster	048-017
97	Cotoneaster horizontalis (2020) 0 11	Wall Cotoneaster	048-017
98	Betula pubescens (2020) 0 7	Downy Birch	059-001
99	Hypericum androsaemum (2020) 0 26	Tutsan	064-001
100	Mercurialis perennis (2020) 0 24	Dog's Mercury	069-001
101	Geranium × oxonianum (2000) 0 1	Druce's Crane's-bill	071-001
102	Cochlearia officinalis agg. (2015) 0 6	Common Scurvygrass	087-051
103	Alliaria petiolata (2021) 0 32	Garlic Mustard	087-999
104	Cerastium glomeratum (2020) 0 19	Sticky Mouse-ear	094-009
105	Primula veris (2020) 0 13	Cowslip	105-001
106	Primula vulgaris (2020) 0 8	Primrose	105-001
107	Cymbalaria muralis (2021) 0 21	Ivy-leaved Toadflax	105-004
108	Origanum vulgare (2020) 0 4	Wild Marjoram	128-021
109	Thymus polytrichus (2020) 0 25	Thyme	128-022
110	Matricaria discoidea (2020) 0 24	Pineappleweed	135-080
111	Tripleurospermum maritimum s.s. (2020) 0 14	Sea Mayweed	135-081
112	Senecio jacobaea (2019) 0 32	Common Ragwort	135-083
113	Doronicum pardalianches (2020) 0 6	Leopard's-bane	135-091
114	Petasites fragrans (2020) 0 1	Winter Heliotrope	135-093
115	Lemna minor (2020) 1 11	Common Duckweed	147-010
116	Iris foetidissima (2020) 0 6	Stinking Iris	165-004
117	Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora (2020) 0 10	Montbretia	165-013
118	Typha latifolia (2021) 1 21	Bulrush	172-002
119	Dactylis glomerata (2020) 0 68	Cocksfoot	177-999
120	Deschampsia cespitosa (2020) 1 24	Tufted Hair-grass	177-999
121	Phalaris arundinacea (2020) 1 16	Reed Canary-grass	177-999
122	Phragmites australis (2020) 0 7	Common Reed	177-999
123	Artemisia vulgaris (2020) 0 22	Mugwort	135-069
124	Polypodium vulgare s.s. (2019) 0 5	Polypody	021-001
125	Mahonia aquifolium (2018) 0 2	Oregon-grape	035-002
126	Alnus cordata (2017) 0 1	Italian Alder	059-002
127	Daucus carota (2020) 0 6	Carrot	145-023
128	Sorbus aria	Common Whitebeam	048-014
129	Hippophae rhamnoides (2020) 0 8	Sea-buckthorn	049-001
130	Alnus glutinosa (2020) 1 27	Alder	059-002
131	Geranium pusillum (2019) 0 2	Small-flowered Crane's-bill	071-001
132	Ligustrum ovalifolium (2020) 0 5	Garden Privet	117-005
133	Pimpinella saxifraga (2019) 0 15	Burnet-saxifrage	145-024
134	Lagarosiphon major (new)	Curly Waterweed	151-006
135	Juncus inflexus (2019) 0 5	Hard Rush	175-001
136	Equisetum fluviatile (2019) 0 10	Water Horsetail	005-001
137	Pteridium aquilinum (2020) 0 30	Bracken	011-001
138	Asplenium marinum (2008) 0 1	Sea Spleenwort	014-001
139	Lotus corniculatus (2020) 0 34	Common Bird's-foot-trefoil	046-012
140	Lathyrus pratensis (2020) 0 29	Meadow Vetchling	046-021
141	Sorbus aucuparia (2020) 0 24	Rowan	048-014
142	Rubus idaeus (2020) 0 30	Raspberry	048-023
143	Potentilla reptans (2020) 0 13	Creeping Cinquefoil	048-024
144	Geum rivale (2015) 0 3	Water Avens	048-999
145	Parietaria judaica (2020) 0 15	Pellitory-of-the-wall	054-002
146	Fagus sylvatica (2020) 0 31	Beech	056-001
147	Betula pendula (2020) 0 22	Silver Birch	059-001
148	Corylus avellana (2020) 0 14	Hazel	059-04
149	Viola riviniana (2021) 0 37	Common Dog-violet	066-001
150	Populus tremula (2019) 0 8	Aspen	068-001
151	Aesculus hippocastanum (2018) 0 9	Horse Chestnut	077-002
152	Armeria maritima (2020) 0 16	Thrift	091-001
153	Rumex acetosa (2020) 0 24	Common Sorrel	092-010
154	Rumex crispus (2020) 0 36	Curled Dock	092-010
155	Rumex longifolius (2015) 0 2	Northern Dock	092-010
156	Cerastium fontanum (2020) 0 32	Common Mouse-ear	094-009
157	Silene uniflora (2020) 0 12	Sea Campion	094-020
158	Claytonia sibirica (2020) 0 11	Pink Purslane	099-001
159	Vaccinium myrtillus (2020) 0 8	Bilberry	108-013
160	Pyrola minor	Common Wintergreen	108-014
161	Cruciata laevipes (2020) 0 9	Crosswort	110-006
162	Fraxinus excelsior (2020) 0 40	Ash	117-003
163	Plantago coronopus (2021) 0 13	Buck's-horn Plantain	121-001
164	Plantago maritima (2020) 0 14	Sea Plantain	121-001
165	Teucrium scorodonia (2020) 0 33	Wood Sage	128-012
166	Mentha spicata (2019) 0 1	Spear Mint	128-024
167	Tanacetum vulgare (2020) 0 15	Tansy	135-068
168	Lonicera periclymenum (2020) 0 28	Honeysuckle	138-005
169	Allium vineale (2016) 0 3	Crow Garlic	167-001
170	Juncus acutiflorus (2018) 0 7	Sharp-flowered Rush	175-001
171	Arrhenatherum elatius (2020) 0 66	False Oat-grass	177-999
172	Lolium perenne (2020) 0 28	Perennial Rye-grass	177-999
173	Asplenium scolopendrium (2020) 0 16	Hart's-tongue	014-001
174	Arabidopsis thaliana (2020) 0 14	Thale Cress	087-002
175	Brassica napus (2021) 0 8	Rape	087-028
176	Senecio viscosus (2020) 0 7	Sticky Groundsel	135-083
177	Cortaderia selloana (2016) 0 1	Pampas-grass	177-999
178	Symphoricarpos orbicularis	Coralberry
179	Pinus nigra (new)	Black Pine	023-002
180	Caltha palustris (2020) 1 18	Marsh-marigold	036-001
181	Aphanes australis (2019) 0 3	Slender Parsley-piert	048-036
182	Rosa rugosa (2020) 0 11	Japanese Rose	048-037
183	Rumex sanguineus (2019) 0 7	Wood Dock	092-010
184	Veronica officinalis (2019) 0 5	Heath Speedwell	120-003
185	Senecio sylvaticus (2020) 0 8	Heath Groundsel	135-083
186	Carex arenaria (2019) 0 2	Sand Sedge	176-015
187	Carex otrubae (2020) 0 6	False Fox-sedge	176-015
188	Brachypodium sylvaticum (2020) 0 18	False Brome	177-999
189	Leymus arenarius (2020) 0 7	Lyme-grass	177-999
190	Helmninthotheca echioides (new)	Bristly Ox-tongue	128-024
191	Sagina apetala (2015) 0 2	Annual Pearlwort	094-011
192	Calluna vulgaris (2019) 0 6	Heather	108-008
193	Erica cinerea (2005) 0 2	Bell Heather	108-009
194	Galium saxatile (2020) 0 9	Heath Bedstraw	110-005
195	Senecio squalidus (2020) 0 6	Oxford Ragwort	135-083
196	Eriophorum vaginatum (2013) 0 1	Hare's-tail Cottongrass	176-001
197	Ilex x altaclerensis (new)	Highclere Holly	132-001
198	Sasa palmata (2021) 0 3	Broad-leaved Bamboo	177-999
199	Cotoneaster simonsii (2019) 0 6	Himalayan cotoneaster	048-017
200	Aphanes arvensis	Parsley Piert	048-036
201	Geranium molle (2020) 0 28	Dove's-foot Crane's-bill	071-001
202	Elodea nuttallii	Nuttall's Waterweed	151-004
203	Picea sitchensis (2019) 0 4	Sitka Spruce	020-003
204	Chrysosplenium oppositifolium (2020) 0 5	Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage	042-007
205	Epilobium montanum (2020) 0 33	Broad-leaved Willowherb	073-001
206	Cornus sericea (2019) 0 1	Red-osier Dogwood	102-001
207	Myosotis scorpioides (2020) 1 13	Water Forget-me-not	114-019
208	Symphoricarpos albus (2020) 0 22	Snowberry	138-001
209	Heracleum mantegazzianum (2020) 0 11	Giant Hogweed	145-030
210	Phleum pratense s.s. (2019) 0 4	Timothy	177-999
211	Malus sylvestris s.s. (2019) 0 3	Crab Apple	048-013
212	Oxalis acetosella (2021) 0 12	Wood-sorrel	063-001
213	Stellaria holostea (2020) 0 11	Greater Stitchwort	094-007
214	Mentha aquatica (2020) 1 17	Water Mint	128-024
215	Berberis darwinii (2002) 0 1	Darwin's Barberry	035-001
216	Petrosedum rupestre	Reflexed Stonecrop	043-010
217	Myriophyllum spicatum (2014) 1 2	Spiked Water-milfoil	044-002
218	Fragaria vesca (2020) 0 28	Wild Strawberry	048-999
219	Ligustrum vulgare (2019) 0 4	Wild Privet	117-005
220	Veronica chamaedrys (2020) 0 23	Germander Speedwell	120-003
221	Pilosella aurantiaca (2020) 0 13	Fox-and-cubs	135-033
222	Veronica salicifolia (new)	Narrow-leaved Hebe	120-003
223	Asplenium adiantum-nigrum s.s. (2019) 0 5	Black Spleenwort	014-001
224	Hypericum pulchrum (2020) 0 5	Slender St John's-wort	064-001
225	Callitriche stagnalis s.l. (2014) 1 4	Water Starwort	123-001
226	Ajuga reptans (2020) 0 14	Bugle	128-013
227	Glyceria fluitans s.s. (2021) 0 11	Floating Sweet-grass	177-999
228	Soleirolia soleirolii (new)	Mind-your-own-business	054-003
229	Asplenium trichomanes (2020) 0 14	Maidenhair Spleenwort	014-001
230	Cupressus lawsoniana (2015) 0 1	Lawson's Cypress	025-008
231	Papaver somniferum (2020) 0 4	Opium Poppy	034-001
232	Malva sylvestris (2020) 0 6	Common Mallow	080-003
233	Erysimum cheiri (2019) 0 5	Wallflower	087-999
234	Mycelis muralis (2020) 0 8	Wall Lettuce	087-999
235	Cerastium tomentosum (2019) 0 7	Snow-in-summer	094-009
236	Galium album (2019) 0 1	Upright Hedge Bedstraw	110-005
237	Tripolium pannonicum (2019) 0 8	Sea Aster	135-060
238	Helianthemum nummularium (2020) 0 11	Common Rock-rose	082-002
239	Lamium hybridum (2020) 0 3	Cut-leaved Dead-nettle	128-007
240	Pilosella officinarum (2020) 0 13	Mouse-ear-hawkweed	135-033
241	Elodea canadensis (2020) 0 10	Canadian Waterweed	151-004
242	Acer campestris	Field Maple	077-003
243	Sagina maritima (2000) 0 1	Sea Pearlwort	094-011
244	Alisma plantago-aquatica (2020) 1 11	Water Plantain	149-004
245	Ranunculus peltatus (2018) 0 6	Pond Water-crowfoot	036-013
246	Fuchsia magellanica (2017) 0 3	Fuchsia	073-006
247	Galium palustre (2020) 1 9	Marsh-bedstraw	110-005
248	Erythanthe guttata (2015) 1 4	Monkeyflower	129-001
249	Cirsium palustre (2020) 0 19	Marsh Thistle	135-006
250	Glyceria maxima (2018) 0 2	Reed Sweet-grass	177-999
251	Leycesteria formosa (2017) 0 2	Himalayan Honeysuckle	138-003

NT18 - 250 spp. of vascular plant, and a non-vascular one

Glyceria maxima was the 250th vascular plant in NT18 this year. Had a marvellous wade around the edge of the Cullaloe pond in wellies. Look at these glamour-shot cross-veins. Bee-oo-tiful.

Riccardia chamedryfolia was an unexpected 101st bryo for Cullaloe LNR in amongst the Typha bases (the Typha which may have killed off the scarce Needle Spike Rush that it's an SSSI for - oops!)

Most interesting, and unresolved, species was this Hypericum( St.John's-wort), which is lacking any black dots or hair and therefore has rolled off every attempt at keying it thus far. I sort of assumed it was going to be elodes/marsh, but that's supposed to be glaucous and hairy. Hmm. No. It has a square stem, so I suppose it ought to be square-stalked, but it just doesn't seem to be.

I'll update the year list tomorrow, but a good day all round, including keying out the Staph Stenus fulvicornis from Calais Muir yesterday - it's still good for something!

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NT18 - Duloch Park and Calais Muir Wood

In the last few days I decided that with the least fruitful month coming up (i.e. February) for vascular plants I would switch to trying to make 100 beetle records. Inevitably, that would produce some new beetles. Nevertheless, there are a good few individual plant species which are available before it all becomes a bit "samey".

I have been surprised about how much water is available in NT18, including this nice pond in Calais Muir Wood (NT1386):

This is part of the DEX - Dunfermline Eastern eXpansion - and that hosts another nice pond from which the name of the housing development is taken - Duloch Park. This is widely mis-pronounced as dull-loch,  rather than doo-loch (Dubh Loch). Worthy locals will definitely correct you on it if you allow it, which is funny because nobody who moves to new houses there knows how to pronounce it.

The amazing efficiency of the Gaelic is revealed here. "Dubh" is Gaelic for "Thousands of lazy, dirty, selfish  {expletive deleted} and their untrained and untethered dogs ruining a place which used to have otters before it became a dog toilet and a doss-house for people living in tents working for Amazon across the road". Something like that - Gaelic is a very nuanced language. Some people might interpret it simply as "black loch", but all the clues are there if you look. They are currently developing even more houses right up to the ditch on the edge of the wood. Might as well just burn it down and build houses on the rest, but then they would take their hordes of dogs somewhere else. Would be great if we could sacrifice one big dog field and force all of them to go there so they can have the Cult of Dog conversation. "Oh, he's so cute - what's his name? How old is he? etc., etc." 

There are some carved deer and squirrels. Should be also some carved skylarks, which used to be singing gaily about now on these fields, and some carved Wheatear, which used to be numerous here on passage. All this site deserves now is some plastic ducks. 

I did manage some nice water plantain, which must be regretting its choice to grow here. Unbelievably, I had a new for Fife lichen here too once upon a time, but presumably that won't last for long. Anything that grows on dog shit, however, has a golden future.

Water Plantain

NT18: North Queensferry - wall to wall walls

 A decent wander in NQ of about 3km today. North Queensferry is always a place that's likely to have good things. It's an old town (where the queen famously crossed the river, obviously) There are lots of old walls. There are lots of old people. There are lots of garden escapes because old people keep gardens, it's windy, and there are lots of nooks and crannies for a seed to rest in. And the coast, with a tiny saltmarsh area, where I went looking for glassworts. As half-suspected, January is not primetime for glassworts. But they're there and I'll get the later. So are other things I'll have to get later, so it's definitely flagged for repeat visits.

What there are, however, are walls - Wall Rue, Wallflower, Wall Lettuce, Pellitory-of-the-wall, Wall Maidenhair Spleenwort. Wait, that's not right. But the little bits of rough ground and old walls make for an interesting tour.

What was my favourite species of the day?

Mind-your-own-business.

Soleirolia soleirolii

NT18 plants: Goodbye, Rubus ... erm ... Thursday

 ... or possibly hello with this multi access Rubus key

Rubus key

NT18 list for 2022 stands at 225 after a whirlwind tour of south-central Fife with Seth yesterday turned up goodies new and old (my favourite was Spiked Water-milfoil Seth found while grabbing some Lagarosiphon, Curly Waterweed). Shock of the day was discovering the Biting Stonecrop on my driveway is actually Tasteless Stonecrop, so I need to nail down some actual Biting Stonecrop! I first recorded this in NT1582, so I'm bracing myself to discover the whole lot is not Biting. (However I can see a difference in leaf shape so I'm moderately unphased ... moderately ...)

Added a few known quantities today, with Slender Saint-John's Wort, Bugle, Floating Sweet-grass and Black Spleenwort. Wondering if it might be possible to hit half the 500 target by end of January. That would be a good start. I've seen 30% of all species recorded in NT18, 45% of my 500 target, and 47% of all species I've seen in NT18. I've seen 15 new plants in 2022 so far, though two were outside the square.

Still debating whether Callitriche brutia var hamata is clear enough, as it appears to be in both the Poland & Clement key and in the Aquatic Plants (FSC) key. Trying to find the contact for the BSBI water plants referee for a thumbs up. No doubt there WILL be at least one Callitriche species on my list by end of 2022, but hopefully several.

Callitriche, probably (?) brutia

(edit: barely finished typing when I figured this was Callitriche stagnalis, from the Cullaloe Hills, NT1888. It has no strappy lower leaves

)

Here's what the list looks like now:

NT18 - NT1888

A quick loop around the bottom of  Cullaloe Hills, NT1888, essentially to look for a Sticta that I found there before. This is (at least) the second time I couldn't refind it. 

Added Greater Stitchwort, Wood Sorrel and Water Mint to the NT18 year list, though

Wood Sorrel

Greater Stitchwort

Some day soon some of these flowering plants are even going to start having flowers.

Stone Free

Went to Fordell today to pick up a few annual records in NT 18 (giant hogweed, opposite-leaved golden saxifrage, timothy grass) and jammed into two new stoneflies - Leuctra fusca and Capnia bifrons. Lucky I decided to pot them, since I otherwise wouldn't normally bother! They both like a stony stream bed, so no surprise in their position beside Fordell Burn, which was running pretty quickly over a bare stone bed. 

Capnia bifrons

Hogweed forest

Opp G-L Saxifrage

NT18: Cotoneaster

 One plant (yes, I considered it one plant) that I've routinely overlooked has been the Cotoneaster. I have taken a stab at a couple that I thought were OK, but since I'm putting in the effort, why not Cotoneaster(s)?

Easiest of them is, I suppose, C.horizontalis, Wall Cotoneaster. It's everywhere, and it has that horizontal plane like a big cartoon fish bone. Only other one I had from here was Waterer's, which was a result of some keying. Had to do that one because it's at Cullaloe! Seth had showed me C.bullatus, Hollyberry Cotoneaster, in Uig, so three isn't too bad. I found some bullatus in Dalgety Bay this year, 

Latest addition to my Cotoneaster collection is a species already recorded in NT18, but where? As luck would have it, when I was grabbing aquatics in Inverkeithing, my eye was taken by a tree (shrub?) at the edge of the quarry pond, which turned out to be the "missing" species - Simonsii. It didn't help yesterday that I had read it as Simsonii and got into all kinds of confusion when searching. Hopefully that will stick in some neurons somewhere inside my head.

This reminds me of a weird thing I read in Flora of the British Isles (Clapham, Tutin and Moore, rather than The Book of Stace). In the olden times species epithets formed from proper nouns were capitalised. So Cotoneaster simonsii would have been Cotoneaster Simonsii. Funny how conventions which aren't current seem odd.

Now I just need C.integrifolius to complete my NT18 set (of previously recorded spp.)

Nothing to do with the above. Just a tangent from earlier Kyuss. Be interesting to hop from connected lily pads and see how far you could get. I just found out that Dalle and Homme split donkey's ago. Finger on the pulse. 

Will the real Nuttall's please stand up

Soooo ... not at all confident on the previous determination of Elodea nuttallii I headed for Rosyth public park and Inverkeithing and swung a hook into both. Nuttall's Waterweed, Elodea nuttallii, was abundant in the public pond. Here it is below, with true whorls of reflexed leaves below and looking similar to Canadian Waterweed, E.canadiensis, at the growing tip. This is entirely different beast to Curly Waterweed, Lagarosiphon major. 

Both Elodeas are pretty open at the tip, whereas Lagarosiphon is very crowded, opening as it grows. The stem of Lagarosiphon is far more robust and is full of channels (presumably the siphons of the name). Also discernable is that the leaves of Lagarosiphon are not actually whorled, but rather spiral. Even at a distance the whorled nature of Elodea is readily apparent. Collins Flower Guide has a very good pic of all three together

Elodea canadiensis:

Cullaloe LNR

Elodea nuttallii:

Rosyth Public Park

Lagarosiphon major:

Prestonhill Quarry

Collins Guide: