Helleborus viridis (Green Hellebore) new for Wexford

 Today I walked along the River Slaney in lovely warm sun and came across Green Hellebore in a beech wood by a large ruin (below). This is the first time Green Hellebore has been recorded for the county. The strange thing was later in the day I came across the Hellebore again, this time on the bank of a stream by the roadside. There were many clumps in the beech wood and 3 clumps of the Hellebore on the stream bank.
The beech wood was really nice as Sweet Violet and Early Dog-violet were both common, the latter is a rare Violet in the county. Ranunculus auricomus (Goldilocks Buttercup) was also in the beech wood, a new species for the hectad.

 Below: Green Hellebore on stream bank.

False Oxlip - hybrid between Primrose & Cowslip

 False Oxlip is a rare hybrid in the county, only recorded from 13 locations. The reason for this is because Cowslip is a rare species in the county. Above - something had been eating the flowers.

 There was one clump of False Oxlip (above, below) and 90 plants of Cowslip and a scattering of Primroses in the churchyard at Hollyfort today.

Euphorbia oblongata (Balkan Spurge) new for Wexford

 Balkan Spurge looks just like Irish Spurge, but it is hairy. A rare garden escape in Ireland. Surprised to find 3 plants along the edge of a field today at Bunclody. This is the first time Balkan Spurge has been seen in Co. Wexford.

 Looks very like Irish Spurge in this photo

 Two mature plants which were flowering, plus this one young plant

 Bright green clump in centre of picture below fence

Looking along the hedge from the field gate

Viola odorata var. imberbis

My first white Sweet Violet of the year. This is Viola odorata var. imberbis - note the pale pinkish spur. The other white Sweet Violet, Viola odorata var. dumetorum has a dark purple spur.

This is the first record for Wexford of var. imberbis.

It was a good afternoon for the varieties of Sweet Violets as I also saw var. dumetorum, var. odorata & var. praecox.

Article on Wexford Botany in local newpaper 'Wexford People'

http://www.wexfordpeople.ie/lifestyle/missing-flowers-spring-up-in-wexford-after-15-years-34356179.html

The link above should take you to a short article about Wexford Botany in the Wexford People newspaper. Bird's-nest Orchid below - one of the species mentioned in the article

Polystichum aculeatum (Hard Shield-fern) first county record since 1961

 I was doing some early spring recording in the very north of Wexford today at Knocknagappie and came across one Hard Shield-fern in the roadside hedge. This is the first reported record for the county since 1961. There might also be the hybrid with Soft Shield-fern on the same bank, something I will have to go back later in the year to check. It was the very last species I added to my recording card before I got back to the car. A great end to the day!

Orchis mascula (Early-purple Orchid)

Good to see leaves of Early-purple Orchids today. A new monad record. Now have 27 monads with E.P. Orchids recorded. These today were growing along the centre of a green lane, 36 rosettes.