The Scarce Plants of Essex. Part 2.
157
TL(52)83 847,371
19
Twinstead, two large clumps in pond in field opposite
Butler's Wood. 17 May 1987. Bill Chisholm and Chris Gibson.
Pre-1930 records:
TQ(51)48 42.82+ 18
TL(52)40 45,09 19
TL(52)41/51 19
TL(52)53/63 19
TQ(51)69 63 ,91 18
Plaistow Marsh, Edward Forster. (Gibson 1862J.
Netteswell, Harlow. Daniel Sweeting French. (Gibson
1862).
Sheering, Daniel Sweeting French. (Gibson 1862).
Wimbish, July 1862. Joshua Clarke. Herb. Saffron
Walden Museum (SWN) [confirmed Clive Jermy 1980].
Wimbish, pond at, Joshua Clarke. (Gibson 1862).
Bog nr. the Great Fish Pond on Heron. 1805. Edward
Forster. (Gibson 1862).[ as this is in Gibson's district 5, it
probably refers to Heron Hall at Herongate, just east of
Thorndon Park].
Carex elongata L.
Essex status: Native, probably extinct.
Elongated sedge
A densely tufted sedge with short rhizomes that can only be confused with the C. paniculata/
appropinquata/diandra group. It is however distinctive, in having a very narrow pointed ligule, and
ovoid utricles. Now a very rare sedge, confined to only 36 scattered hectads nationally, having been
lost from 34. It is most characteristic of neglected alder and willow carr that dries out in summer. It has
been searched for along the boggy streams in Chalkney Wood and Lt Monks Wood, Marks Hall
(K.J. Adams 1980s), but to no avail.
All records:
TL(52)82 83 ,26
19
Marks Hall Wood, between Halstead & Coggeshall, 'first
found by Varenne in 1844'. (Gibson, 1862).[ this wood
straddles the parish boundary, so the site may have been
close to this boundary].
Lt. Monk Wood, Marks Hall, June 1847. Edward Forster.
Herbarium Kew. Marks Hall, 1849. Dr Ezekiel Varenne.
Herbarium CGE. [most of the wood bearing this name on
the 1st edition O.S. map has now been converted to arable].
Chalkney Wood, Dr Ezekiel Varenne, date ? (Gibson
1862). [N.B. the 1844 date (Gibson 1862) clearly refers
to the Marks Hall site. Since it was Varenne who found it
at Marks Hall, it is likely that his Chalkney Wood record
is equally correct and should be accepted despite the
absence of a specimen].
82 ,25
19
87,27/8
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)