Page-34-
saw a little being grazed by sheep as we drove down Ferry
Lane. This little preserved by the rifle ranges there-on.
East of here, to the south of Aveley and the Southend-
Fenchurch Street Railway the marsh is taken up by huge pans
flooded in turn as each is filled by wet dredgings from
the Thames fed by a pipeline leading from dredging ships at,
Coldharbour point. The remaining marsh area has long been
a dump for London's rubbish. The whole area is wall known
for its bird life and for alien plants originating on the
dumps.
The morning was spent looking for aliens on the dumps
(now partially overgrown). After lunch on the Thameside
sea wall we walked the footpath to Murex and so back to
tho cars.
John Fielding has submitted the following notes.
Plants of some interest seen were:
Diplotaxus tenuifolia - Wall rocket, abundant on road verges
and on rubbish pit,
Heracleum mantegazzium - Giant hogweed, plentiful on roadside
south of Rainham Station,
Aliens etc, on the rubbish tips;
Datura stramonium - Thorn apple, plentiful
Amaranthus retroflexus
Phalaris canariensis - Canary grass
Sisymbrium orientale. established introduction
S. altissimum " "
In grassland as relict species often original marsh habitat,
Spergularia marina - Sea Spurry
Scirpus maritima - Sea club rush.
Puccinellia distens - Reflexed salt marsh grass.
Juncus compressus - Round fruited rush.
In addition the uncommon native dock Rumex palustris - yellow
marsh dock, was found on the rubbish tip.
Ron Allen
John Fielding,