Pevensey Levels

Field meeting reports
Picture of Strawberry Clover (Trifolium fragiferum). Photo: Brad Scott
Trifolium fragiferum (Strawberry Clover). Photo: Brad Scott

Meeting date: 26 August 2015

(Leader: Jane Birch)

The forecast of heavy rain threatened to cancel the meeting.  However, gentle persuasion and members’ faith in the convenor’s plan led to its continuation.  Jane, our aquatic plants enthusiast, went out, aquatically, to collect fresh material.  She invited seven members back to her house for an informal workshop.  She showed us the vegetative differences between Potamogeton acutifolius (Sharp-leaved Pondweed) and P. obtusifolius (Blunt-leaved Pondweed) and between Berula erecta (Lesser Water-parsnip) and Sium latifolium (Greater Water-parsnip).  Two microscopes were on hand to enable further study. By 2pm the rain was replaced by a cool breeze and we ventured out to Martin Hole’s farm for an exploration of two ditches.  We were pleased to find the leaves of Hottonia palustris (Water-violet), and Butomus umbellatus (Flowering-rush) still in flower.  The highlight was finding the world’s smallest flowering plant, Wolffia arrhiza (Rootless Duckweed) on the leaves of Hydrocharis morsus-ranae (Frogbit). A big thank-you to Jane for her hospitality.

See also

  1. Scott, Brad. “Some Plants of Pevensey Levels.” Diversions in Natural History. September 06, 2015. Accessed March 24, 2016. https://diversionsinnaturalhistory.wordpress.com/2015/09/06/some-plants-of-pevensey-levels/.