THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
227
FIELD MEETING AT FYFIELD AND NORTON
HEATH (426th MEETING).
Saturday, 19th July 1913.
The chief object of this excursion was botanical, the district being
one of the most interesting to botanists in the whole county, and to visit
the twin churches of Willingale Spain, and Willingale Doe, both situated
in one large churchyard, where the two parishes join. Some of the most
local of Essex plants occur about Fyfield, the home of the "Fyfield
Pea" (Lathyrus tuberosus), including Bupleurum rotundifolium and Inula
helenium ; while Norton Heath boasts, as its greatest rarities, Bupleurum
falcatum and Pulicaria vulgaris.
The conductors were Miss Kate Skinner, Miss E. Willmott, F.L.S.,
and Mr. Percy Thompson.
In spite of adverse climatic conditions, a small but determined band
of botanical members met at Ongar at the appointed hour, and made
their way, through a steady downpour of rain, by way of field paths to
High Ongar and Fyfield, practical proof of the clayey nature of the subsoil
(Boulder Clay) being afforded by the muddy, slippery paths, along which
the devoted band splashed and "skidded" with but little leisure to look
for flowers ; hence, perhaps, the reason why Bupleurum rotundifolium
was sought in vain in the cornfields towards Fyfield, where it normally
occurs. Arrived in Fyfield village, however, at a little past noon, the
rain ceased, and thenceforth the day, though dull, was dry and
comfortable.
Quite a number of interesting plants were found, and Miss Skinner
has kindly furnished a list, which is printed at the end of this report.
She informs us that the neighbourhood of Fyfield and Ongar is a capital
hunting-ground, and had the weather been finer, many more of the in-
teresting plants for which it is famed ought to have been seen, such as
Bupleurum rotundifolium and Inula helenium. The "Sulphur Clover,"
Trifolium ochroleucum, was seen in many places in the fields, and along
road-sides, with its pretty cream-coloured heads. A very tall specimen
of Conium maculatum (Hemlock) with its curious spotted stem, seven
feet high, was seen near the river.
After lunch, the party was conducted by Miss K. Skinner to a known
spot where, in a low hedge bank between two fields, and fortunately out
of sight from the road, two glorious masses of the Fyfield Pea (Lathyrus
tuberosus) were met with, clambering wildly over the bank and even in-
vading the ploughed land. Its pretty sweet scented flowers of pinky-
purple made a bright patch even on this dull day, and when seen on a
bright sunny morning they are even more beautiful.
Careful search was made for the Elecampane (Inula helenium) in a
spot where it was known to have been growing some dozen years ago,
but no trace of this conspicuous plant could be seen.
Along the roadside leading to Willingale, large patches of the local
Sulphur-headed Clover (Trifolium ochroleucum) were observed, with
numerous commoner plants of "chalk facies,'' such as Melilotus officinalis,
Plantago media, Ononis arvensis, Scabiosa arvensis, Cichorium intybus,
while Traveller's Joy (Clematis vitalba) wreathed the hedges.