Scilly, Part I

Photocopied map from the new flora

Friday 1st - pre-game

Briza maxima was the first thing I saw when I stepped out of the car in Penzance. There was also pavement weed Nasturtium and plenty of Mexican Fleabane on display. Had I paid attention I would have had other things, but I did get them at the end (to be resumed)

The Scillonian III was waiting for us in at the quay.

and the first of many fish and chips to build up the stamina for the week ahead

Saturday, 2nd July

Leaving Penzance

Travel to St.Mary's by Scillonian III from Penzance, arriving in the afternoon. We saw some probably-Common dolphins, but not good enough views to be sure - for us, at least. Luggage took a bit of time to arrive with Island Carriers, but otherwise a drama (and excitement) free trip. Our luggage was picked up early on the way back so we must have been near the start/end of the circuit.

Our first look at the Scilly vegetation, with plenty of new things to look at as soon as we got off the boat. Bizarrely, I didn't take any decent pics of the abundant Aeoniums, even though it's kind of a signature plant of Hugh Town. I do have this Fleshy Yellow Sorrel, though.

We had a quick tour of the Garrison on Saturday night, picking up a few plants along the way, including Hairy Bird's-foot Trefoil and Sea Storksbill.

Purple Dewplant (Disphyma crassifolium) is everywhere, both in gardens and out and I got my first gripping views of the legend that is Annual Mercury. We had some nice Jersey Cudweed, Rubus ulmifolius and Hoary Stock, all together in a little storage yard beside the road. Don't expect me to remember English and scientific names. Not at the same time, anyway.

Sunday, 3rd July, terrestrial

With rock pooling awaiting us in the afternoon a short trip to Peninnis Head was scheduled. There were plenty of bits and bobs encountered, with a trip-target Teloschistes albicans (Golden Hair Lichen) waiting for us on the rocks beneath the lighthouse.

First, we zig-zagged down Buzza Hill and this Silverleaf Everlastingflower was on the hedge to the hospital. It is also everywhere else too, though.

Balm-leaved Figwort is also almost ever-present. I didn't photograph the leaves - of course not!

We also saw the short, papillose leaves of Pale Dewplant, though I can't recall if we recognised it at the time. Let's say we did and move on.

Cape Daisy (Osteospermum jucundum) is also just about everywhere, apparently in every single garden, and inevitably elsewhere too. Flat, toothy leaves stand out from the crown.

I also had my first ever Conehead (Long-winged - straight cerci), though I did think I had a cricket at first.

Another ever-present on the islands is Karo - Pittosporum, with some rather aesthetically-pleasing seed pods.

And finally ... the Teloschistes near the lighthouse. It's the yellow stuff in the foreground on the right here. The rock formations here are a feature in their own right.

Sunday 3rd,  marine ... later

NT18 vascular plant update

Middle of June I have recorded vascular plants in 52 of the 81 terrestrial squares in NT18. That looks like this:

I've recorded 409 of targetted 500 plants and added 24 species to the square list. I think I'm still in with a decent chance. I slowed down after the winter-available plants started to dry up and there was a degree of repetition creeping in. That looked like this...

Now I'm on a steady climb and if I can turn a blind eye to inverts once in a while it'll be all good. Also if I can start to work on my Poaceae, Cyperaceae, Juncaceae ...

Also, I today exceeded my previous plant record highest total with a new total of  1978 records - previous high 1973 records in 2020. I expect I may add one or two more. I've seen 51 new vascular plants this year, though a good few of those haven't been in NT18 or VC85.

Great Lettuce in Dalgety Bay

A random find in the back of the industrial estate while out cycling with the boy. About 20 plants here, and another in a different back street on the way home. Flowering plant 414 for the Bay

May Flies

A good month for new flies in May, both for me and the county 

Well, I woke up this morning ....

A pre-breakfast stroll around the eastern cliffs of Dalgety Bay turned up a remarkable three new flowering plant species (for Dalgety Bay) and a moth. I was sort of looking for something else (Spring Vetch, Purple Milk Vetch), but that'll do for one morning. I was supposed to be gathering flies but fortunately it was too windy.

Kidney Vetch

Common Centaury

Common Mallow

While searching the heath at Hopeward Point I noticed a really scabby Lotus, which at first I thought was a different plant until I realised it was being eaten alive by Coleophora discordella. That was new for me, so a nice random find.

Love is the (Berwick) Law

A brief family wander up Berwick Law unexpectedly delivered three new plants. First up as we made our way up the path was this lovely Purple Milk Vetch

Had I read up properly in advance I would have known this was a possibility. I was only vaguely looking out for Dianthus, which I didn't see. Probably needed to go off piste a bit more. Second up was this nice Meadow Rue nearer the top.

And then, fully three days later, I sussed this Bur Chervil that was at the summit. I had spotted this tiny Anthriscus but couldn't believe it was the usual one (sylvestris). Turned out it really was an Anthriscus after all though - A.caucalis. Since I figured it out from a small section in a packet from my wallet it's also the first specimen I've identified from a "herbarium specimen". The fruits are distinctively hook-haired and I bounced off Rose onto the BSBI handbook for confirmation.

Shame none of them were in Fife, but you can't have everything.

Common Cornsalad in Dalgety Bay - 400th flowering plant

This afternoon found a large area of flowering Common Cornsalad in the car park of BAE (waiting for someone to challenge me for loitering in BAE car park!). This is the 400th flowering plant I have a record for in Dalgety Bay.

Must be some sort of salad on the cards as there was also Allium vineale, Wild Garlic (Onion) and some peas, albeit Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea.