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(Centranthus ruber) and Hedgerow Cranesbill
(Geranium pyrenaicum). The plat-form walls
sheltered two plants of Wall Rue (Asplenium
ruta-muraria), one at either end of the
plat-form wall. After the refurbishment of
Braintree Station, these will probably be the
only plants of this small fern in the 10
kilometre square. Black Spleenwort
(Asplenium adiantum-nigrum) which formerly
also occurred at both stations has now gone,
but is still present in some quantity at
Bannister Green Bridge, although we did not
walk far enough along the line to see it on
this occasion.
Along the track conspicuous plants included
Wild Basil (Clinopodium vulgare), Hawkweed
Oxtongue (Picris hieracioides), Musk Mallow
(Malva moschata), Wild Carrot (Daucus
carota) and Burnet-saxifrage (Pimpinella
saxifraga). Small—flowered Cranesbill
(Geranium pusillum) was identified by the
uniformly short hairs on its flower stalks
which distinguish it from Geranium molle with
a mixture of long and short hairs. There was
a single clump of Spiked Sedge (Carex
spicata) near Graunt Courts and one plant of
Great Lettuce (Lactuca virosa) was seen on
the way back to Rayne.
The disturbed ground and as yet unseeded verges
of the new Braintree bypass produced a wide
variety of interesting weeds, including
Yellow-Juiced Poppy (Papaver lecoqii),
Treacle Mustard (Erysimum cheiranthoides) and
Small Toadflax (Chaenorhinum minus). Two
small ponds beside the track contained