Corn Marigolds in Wexford

One of my fond memories of 2014 will be the stubble fields covered in Corn Marigolds. This was a common site across the county in September. The above photo was taken near Bridgetown in December. Field Woundwort was also common in the stubble fields, like the Marigolds both turned up in many new monads.

Viola x contempta

2014 has been a very good year for weeds of stubble fields. One of the surprises was finding what I take to be Viola x contempta in two locations. The first at Ballyvalloo where it grew with both parents V. arvensis and V. tricolor, the second was at Mullaunreagh where there were lots of the hybrid and V. arvensis, but no V. tricolor.  If my ID is correct this will be the fourth time I have seen V. x contempta in Co. Wexford. The other two sites I hadn't thought about the hybrid at the time. The above picture if not of a really good example, but the best I have.

Muehlenbeckia complexa (Wireplant) new for Wexford

Wireplant has been added new to the Wexford list. It was growing over a ditch and up four trees. The three large trees covered in green in the picture are smothered by Wireplant. There are no dwellings near this site.

Oenothera x fallax on dunes south of Morriscastle

The above 3 pictures were taken this summer on the dunes south of Morriscastle. Ro FitzGerald first recorded this hybrid from the dunes in 1990. I sent my specimen to Rose Murphy the BSBI referee for Oenothera. Very glad that Rose agreed with my and Ro's ID. This hybrid evening-primrose grows in several spots on the dunes here. There are two other records for the county, both on waste ground. Neither of the parents grow on the dunes at Morriscastle.

Kniphofia at Rosslare Harbour

Red-hot-pokers have been established on the cliffs above Rosslare Harbour since David McClintock reported it as Kniphofia uvaria in 1950, this year I decided to make the effort to record the slopes above the harbour. I studied the Red-hot-poker and have decided they are K. praecox. I'm sure what I was seeing is the same plants as what David was seeing as they are in the same location and clumps of many sizes. The plants must be regenerating by seed as they are well scattered over the cliffs. Did K. uvaria once grow there?

Alopecurus myosuroides - 3rd county record

Four flower spikes of Black-grass in a potato field near Blackwater. This is only the 3rd record for the county. 

Equisetum hyemale (Rough Horsetail)

 Rough Horsetail has been found at Growtown. This is the first new county site for 9 years. The patch stretched along the road verge for over 20m.

Crataegus laevigata added to the Wexford flora

 Midland Hawthorn was found in a field hedge at Bree. This is the first record for the county. A species I have not seen in Ireland before. There were four bushes. The photo above shows one of the trees on the field bank, well nibbled by horses. Below is fruits and leaves.

Sparganium emersum (Unbranched Bur-reed) a fifth site for the county

This is only the 5th county record for Unbranched Bur-reed in the county. Found at Castletown in the far north of the county. I looked at it and walk on thinking it was Sparganium erectum (Branched Bur-reed). It was only because it was a much smaller plant than Branched Bur-reed which also grew in the ditch, and the leaves were a yellowish green, made me take a second look. A species I normally think of as growing in water, this ditch was almost over grown.

Clematis tangutica - Orange-peel Clematis new to Wexford

 Passing an area of waste ground in Wexford Town, I decided it was time I made an effort to stop and take a look. Very surprised to find Orange-peel Clematis growing over a shrub. It is a species I have only ever seen self-sown on dunes in Scotland before. This is the first Irish record also.

Greater Duckweed refound for Wexford - first record since 1901

Greater Duckweed - Spirodela polyrhiza has been found by Roy Watson at Sigginstown on the north side of Tacumshin Lake. Last reported from the county in 1901 from pool near Lady's Island Lake.

Pale Galingale - new to the Wexford flora

 Pale Galingale - Cypercus eragrostis has been found on a roadside at Grange by Jim Hurley. This is a new non-native species to the county.

Epilobium x confusilobium new to Co. Wexford

 Mr Pennington the BSBI referee for Epilobium has just returned my specimen and agreed with me that my Epilobium x confusilobium is the correct hybrid. A new species for the Wexford list. This is the hybrid between the native E. montanum and the introduced E. brunnescens. There was just one plant on a forest road (see above) in the very north of the county. Below is a close up of the plant taken before I pressed it. Has the bronzy colour leaves of E. brunnescens, growth habit of E. montanum and flowers that drop like E. brunnescens.

Some great finds from the marshes below Cahore Point

 

Shane Farrel has been finding some great species in the marshes on the east coast of Wexford below Cahore Point. Pictured here are two photos of Golden Dock (Rumex maritimus), the first county record away from the south coast of the county. He also found Senecio inaequidens (Narrow-leaved Ragwort), the 2nd county record. Here it grew in large numbers along a gravel track (see bottom photo). He also found Cynoglossum officinale (Hound's-tongue) (not pictured here), the first record from the dunes adjoining the marsh since H.C. Hart reported it there in 1881. He also had Scutellaria galericulata (Skullcap), the first county record since 1991.



Sarcocornia perennis (Perennial Glaswort) - a new site in Bannow Bay

 A new site for Perennial Glasswort has been found at Saintkierans on the NW side of Bannow Bay. P. Glasswort is only known from Co. Wexford in Ireland. Above is a close up of a flower.

 Above the patch half submerged at high tide.

Showing habitat on side of the creek, a patch of Sea-purslane grows by the P. Glasswort and behind is a large stand of Sea Rush.

Spergularia bocconei found new for Ireland at Rosslare Harbour

The above photo is the site of Spergularia bocconei (Greek Sea-spurrey) - forgot to take a photo - which grew by the thousands over this area of flat waste ground. Jim Ratter the BSBI Referee for Spergularia has just confirmed my ID for me. A specimen will be placed in Glasnevin (DBN).

Little-Robin found new for the county

Geranium purpureum (Little-Robin) was added to the list of species found in Wexford in June. The picture above was taken at Rosslare Harbour where it grew with Geranium lucidum (Shining Crane's-bill) on a large area of flat waste ground which joins the ferry port. Little-Robin is a rare species in Ireland only known otherwise from Cos Cork & Waterford.

 Above: close up of flower

The same day Little-Robin was found at another site in the county, this time on the site of the disused railway station at Ballycullane. Here Little-Robin grew on the old station platform as well as along the railway. At Dungarvan, Co. Waterford the Little-Robin also grew along the railway (now disused and is a footpath), these two railways were once linked. Could the Little-Robin have travelled along the railway line like other species? Could there be other populations waiting to be discovered?

Rough Clover on the Hook refound after 132 years

H.C. Hart reported Trifolium scabium Rough Clover from margin of cliff a little south of Carnivon Point on the Hook in August 1882. There have been no reports since. In May Ro FitzGerald, Paula O'Meara (in photo above) and myself went and visited the site. To our surprise we found the clover over a 30m stretch in good numbers. Below is the clover.

French Oat-grass

French Oat-grass - Gaudinia fragilis was found new to the county by Paula O'Meara on the Hook in May. It has now been found in 4 joining monads

The first blog on Wild Flowers of Wexford

This is the first record of Treacle Mustard - Erysimum cheiranthoides in Wexford since 1993. Found on rough ground on the edge of the dunes at Rosslare.