7.
have arisen from a hybrid between an American
species (Spartina alterniflora) introduced
near Southampton in 1829 and our own native
species Spartina maritima. The hybrid was
sterile but it gave rise to the common form
by doubling its chromosomes. This has since
spread very widely, since its first
appearance in 1892. We found one very dis-
tinctive grass in the marsh which has an
inflorescence which looks like a single stem.
Its real nature is disclosed by the
occasional anther. It is called the Sea
Hard Grass (Parapholis strigosa). Its
inflorescence is straight unlike the curved
inflorescence of the rarer Curved Sea Hard
Grass (Parapholis incurva) which we did not
find.
Perhaps it is fitting to finish with a
plant which prefers the upper levels of a
salt marsh. As we left the first piece of
marsh we visited, we saw the Sea Wormwood
(Artemisia maritima). This
plant has a rather feathery,
greyish appearance and if
pinched can be recognised by
the smell of absinthe.
However it is the Common
Wormwood (Artemisia
absinthium)which is used
to make the alcoholic
drink, Absinthe, in
France. Having
diverted your atten-
tion away from plants
I will leave you to
sample a drink of your
own choice!
Tony Boniface.
Illustrations by
David Sampson.