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Some Notes on Essex Botany, 1957
By BERNARD T. WARD
IN September 1956, during a field meeting of the Club, some members
noticed an abundant growth of a plant on a small pond near the historic
church at Greensted. This plant resembled a narrow-leaved species of Water
Star-wort, Callitriche. Mr. Pratt collected specimens and as this plant could
not be matched with any specimen in the herbaria at Stratford specimens were
submitted to the British Museum (Natural History) for comment. It appeared
that they had already received specimens of the plant from the same site from
another finder together with specimens from a similar locality in Hampshire.
We are informed that the plant was probably deliberately planted at this site.
It is Tillaea recurva Hook. f.. a native of South Australia and Tasmania
Specimens have been placed in the collections at Stratford for future reference.
An alien species of Cyperus which I discovered on the new tip at Barking
has been identified by Dr. Melderis as Cyperus vegeta Willdenow. This appears
to be the first recorded occurrence of this alien from S. America in our County.
The specimen, which is about a foot high, resembles a small Galingale, C.
longus L., the large spikelets being strongly compressed. The seed from which
this plant arose was probably introduced with bird seed as there were in the
vicinity several plants of Hemp, Cannabis sativa L., and Niger, Guizotia
abyssinica (L.f.) Cassini., which also arise from bird seed. The British
Herbarium at the Natural History Museum were without a British specimen
of this plant and so it has been presented to them. The year 1957 has proved
to be an exceptionally good one for the Thorn Apple, Datura stramonium L.,
specimens having been sent to me from various places in the County, from
Highams Park to Colchester. Elsewhere in Britain the plant has appeared
in some quantity and occasioned some comment in the local press. One weekly
publication illustrated the plant and gave a short account of its history in
Britain. At the October meeting of the Club Mr. T. Bartrop exhibited a
well-grown living specimen from his garden at Margaretting where the plant
appears at fairly regular intervals.
The tip at Leigh-on-Sea has this year produced a considerable quantity
of the pink-flowered Lesser Star Thistle, Centaurea diluta Aiton, and Mr.
S. T. Jermyn supplied some excellent material from this site which has been
added to the collection at Stratford. At the same place the Garden Orache
Atriplex hortensis L., appeared in excellent condition.
Following the publication of a paper entitled "The Flora of West Ham
Wastes" by the late Miss Gulielma Lister, F.L.S., some 21 years ago, Mr.
C. B. Pratt and I determined to re-investigate the area to see what changes
had taken place. After such a long period of time considerable changes in the
flora of the area might have been expected but in reality the differences proved
to be less than were anticipated. Work on the sites is still incomplete but in
due course Mr. Pratt and I hope to publish a comprehensive paper in our
journal bringing the flora of the area up to date. Amongst the more interesting
plants found there may be mentioned the Lesser Milk Vetch, Astragalus
odoratus Lamarck, which appears to be the first recorded occurrence for the
County: the London Ragwort, Senecio X londinensis Lousley which is a
hybrid between the Stinking Groundsel, S. viscosus L., and the Oxford
Ragwort, S. squalidus L.; the Sweet Flag, Acorus calamus L.. the Danewort,
Sambucus ebulus L.; the Chinese Mugwort, Artemisia verlotorum Lamotte,
and the Bermuda Grass, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. My thanks are due to
Mr. J. E. Lousley for his interest and help in this investigation.