Ditchling Country Park

Field meeting reports

Meeting date: 30 June 2002

(Leader: Paul Harmes)

The aim of this meeting was to search for Carex hostiana (Tawny Sedge) which was last seen in 1989. Since then, scrub has invaded the area and, despite an intensive search, it could not be found.

Country Parks somehow seem rather tidy and this included the pond, with its Nyphaea alba (White Water-lily) and neat edge, but there was one healthy clump of Carex pseudocyperus (Cyperus Sedge), and in a nearby ditch we found Sparganium ermersum (Unbranched Bur-reed), Rumex hydrolapathum (Water Dock) and Ranunculus sceleratus (Celery-leaved Buttercup). Rosa stylosa (Short-styled Field-rose) was confirmed in a nearby hedge.

On the open heath, Dactylorhiza maculata (Heath Spotted Orchid) occurred along with Cirsium dissectum (Meadow Thistle) and Serratula tinctoria (Saw-wort).

The afternoon was spent in the field opposite, which had been heavily grazed. Fortunately the cattle were not very partial to the clumps of Genista tinctoria (Dyer’s Greenweed) which were flowering well, but the Ophioglossum vulgatum (Adder’s-tongue) had been well and truly trampled.