Jevington

Meeting date: 2 May 2012

(Leader: Matthew Berry)

There was a good turnout of ten members given the mid-week scheduling and overcast skies. In the morning we split into two unequal groups, one following the leader to botanize in TQ50Q and the other, comprising Helen and Peter, taking on TQ50R. Out of a total of thirteen new records for the former, notable finds included the missing SPA natives Moehringia trinervia (Three-nerved Sandwort) and Sanicula eropaea (Sanicle). We also found a good population of Adoxa moschatellina (Moschatel). Carex caryophyllea (Spring Sedge), one of our ‘target’species, was present in some decent chalk grassland. Another target species, Arabis hirsuta (Hairy Rock-cress) could not be found. In the Filching area Helen and Peter achieved the highest number of new tetrad records, with 33 species. Their finds included aliens such as Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-mist) and Alchemilla mollis (a Lady’s-mantle).

After lunch we walked as a group into TQ50K, spending most of the remaining time on Lullington Heath. Viola canina (Heath Dog-violet), Myosotis ramosissima (Early Forget-me-not) and Erophila verna (Common Whitlowgrass) occurred close to our footpath. Broken ground along a track at the more sheltered western edge of the heath produced Myosotis discolor (Changing Forget-me-not), Trifolium micranthum (Slender Trefoil) and T. subterraneum (Subterranean Clover). Eighteen new records were added to the tetrad.

Despite the sometimes almost wintry temperature, the general concensus was that this had been a worthwhile meeting.