Poa infirma new for Co. Wexford

 On Good Friday I found Poa infirma (Early Meadow-grass) on the dunes at Rosslare Ferry Port while waiting for a bus, a new county record. This tiny little green grass isn't very stunning, certainly not much to look at. It is like a compressed small green version of Poa annua. It is likely that it arrived via ferry traffic, but could be worth looking on other dunes in the county, as there is a chance it could be native.

Clinopodium vulgare refound for Co. Wexford

Paula O'Meara has just re-found Wild Basil for Co. Wexford at a site where it was last reported in 1889. The only other site for the county was last reported in 1943 by Miss Rawlins. Just goes to show that it is worth going out recording at this time of year. Will have to visit the site myself later in the year to see it flowering.

Galium murale at Rosslare Harbour

I have been trying to find Galium murale at Rosslare Harbour since I found it at Fishguard ferry port (Wales) in 2012. Paul Stanley informed me he found it at Rosslare Harbour in June 2014, I went to look the other day and found the Galium in three sites. At this time of year it looks rather like a non-flowering Sherardia arvensis (Field Madder). This is another new non-native species to be added to the Irish list. At Fishguard there are now 1000s of plants, will be interesting to see how it spreads at Rosslare. 

Erodium moschatum at St Helen's

Musk Stork's-bill is flowering nicely at St Helen's on the golf course. Even though this is the first time I have seen the Stork's-bill here, it has a long history in the area as it was first reported by H.C. Hart in 1882. The Stork's-bill was common over the golf course, also growing with it was Jersey Cudweed and Lesser Chickweed.

Callistemon viminalis at Gorey - a new alien species for Ireland

I stopped at Gorey on my way to Dublin to check a Bottle-brush growing on waste ground I couldn't get to last year. Climbed over the high gate this visit. After much searching on the internet have come to the conclusion it is Callistemon viminalis. This is as far as I can tell a new alien for Ireland. The parent plant was growing in a neighbouring garden. There must of been getting on for a 100 Callistemon self-sown on the waste ground, the tallest getting on for a metre.

Myriophyllum aquaticum - first new county record of the year

 Paula O'Meara has found the first new species for the county this year, Parrot's-feather. This non-native aquatic can be very invasive, smothering out other native aquatic species. There are several large patches in the pond, as can be seen from the picture below.

Snowdrop map of Wexford

Snowdrops have started to flower. You may like to try and add a new monad dot to this map. All records are very welcome.