Ashdown Forest

Field meeting reports

Meeting date: 19 September 2004

(Leader: Alan Knapp)

Alan decided that as TQ43W has now been adequately covered for Local Change Monitoring, he would make a start on recording for the new Flora in TQ42U.

Of the 100 or so species recorded in the morning, nearly two thirds were found on the road verges, and therefore were not typical of the area. The true Forest plants included Euphrasia anglica, E. nemorosa (Eyebright species), Narthecium ossifragum (Bog Asphodel) and Eriophorum angustifolium (Common Cotton-grass).

The south-west side of the B2026 is a well known site for Gentiana pneumonanthe (Marsh Gentian) and, after tramping through much Molinia caerulea (Purple Moor-grass), some 40 plants were found; in the same area were Cirsium dissectum (Meadow Thistle) and Salix repens (Creeping Willow). Alan later confirmed that the Spergularia found on the road edge was S. marina (Lesser Sea-spurrey). Is this to be the next maritime species to spread inland? Not as easy as Cochlearia danica to spot from a car though…