Sunday 29 May 2016

Valerianella rimosa (Broad-fruited Cornsalad) at a new site in Wexford

 Broad-fruited Cornsalad is a rare species in Ireland these days. This is the first record in Wexford for 6 years, and only the 5th site for the county. There was just the one plant on some disturbed ground.
 The stem leaves are much more toothed and larger than that of Common Cornsalad.
 Can just make out the plant in the above photo. Below is a photo of the site, the rough ground between the road and the ditch.

Saturday 14 May 2016

Crassula tillaea (Mossy Stonecrop) new for Co. Wexford

 I was walking along today at Rosslare and found Mossy Stonecrop over a 30m stretch of a gravelly narrow strip which walkers use as a path. This is a new county record. Later on I popped over to the dunes to look at clovers and found the Mossy Stonecrop again (below). This time it was growing along a wide strip of bare ground. I have been expecting Mossy Stonecrop to turn up in Wexford as it was found last year at Fishguard Ferry Port, Wales. Did expect it to be found at Rosslare Ferry Port rather than at Rosslare which is 5km from the ferry port. Otherwise only known from Co. Down in Ireland.


Friday 13 May 2016

Vicia lathyroides (Spring Vetch), a new site

 I was walking about the dunes at Kilmichael trying to update many of the small spring species for the hectad today. Very surprised to find Spring Vetch as it has never been recorded from the site before, which is a wonder as the dunes are a nature reserve. Only saw about 25 plants, in three locations, in two monads. This site is on the Wicklow border and is 40km north of the nearest site in the county. As it is such a tiny plant it is only easy to spot when flowering.

Thursday 12 May 2016

Trifolium subterraneum (Subterranean Clover) a very rare clover in Ireland turns up in 2 two sites

 I was driving along when I spotted Ornithopus perpusillus (Bird's-foot) on a road bank at Curracloe, a new Monad for Bird's-foot. A big surprise was finding Subteranean Clover in large patches on the road bank and all over a tightly cut lawn. This is the 3rd site for the county. First found for the county only in 2009. Otherwise only known from Co. Wicklow in Ireland. I wasn't satisfied with one new site, I called into the GAA ground at Blackwater, to look at a clover I had seen earlier in the year, yet again it was Subterranean Clover. A great day!

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Prunus cerasus (Dwarf Cherry)

Dwarf Cherry is now flowering well in the hedges across Wexford. This is the best time to spot this cherry which is easy to overlook the rest of the year. It has much darker bark than Wild Cherry. Also it is more of a shrub than a tree.