The Scarce Plants of Essex. Part 2.
169
Dianthus armeria L. Deptford pink Plate 13
Status in Essex; Native, declining.
This delightful pink has suffered such a drastic decline in U.K. distribution that it has been included in
the 3rd edition of the Red Data Book; has been added to Shedule 8 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act;
is in its third year of adoption as a Plantlife 'back from the brink' species; and is on the priority list of
species in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan (U.K. Biodiversity Group 1998). In 1999 it was only
known from 30 sites in Britain, although it has previously been recorded from c.250 hectads since
1930. George S Gibson recorded it from 26 sites in Essex in the 1860s, but by the 1960s/70s these had
been reduced to 7, and we are now left with 3. Its a largely self-pollinated annual to biennial plant of
dry grassy places on light sandy, slightly basic soils, in short grass, field borders and open scrub. Its
decline is thought to be due to the loss of pasture land through conversion to arable. On the Benfleet
Downs where it has persisted since at least 1941, in more or less the same spot, rabbits keep the habitat
open, but paradoxically also graze the plants, and wire fencing is being tried to prevent the latter. It has
only ever occurred at the one site on the Downs and attempts to create new lasting colonics over the
years have been unsuccessful. It occurs on the south side of a gap in a hedge where rabbits have a
through-run, which keeps the site open. On the Belton Hills (local N.R.) it has persisted since at least
the mid-1800s, and seems there to fluctuate with the degree of scrub encroachment more than from
than any other factor, and responds well to the scattering of seed on bare patches. The new site at
Sudbury along a disused railway suggests that it is still able to colonise new sites on its own, and the
two newly discovered sites on the Langdon Hills, almost certainly arising from dormant seed, imply
that it is capable of returning to some of its old haunts after a gap of several years. The success of the
new colony started by Rodney Cole at Bells Hills suggests, however, that it is also worth trying to
increase its range artificially in Essex, if we can pinpoint its habitat requirements. Seed production and
viability are not a problem, as the plants produce copious viable seeds, it would appear to be its
inability to compete with other plants that is holding it back. Its present and former distribution in
Britain is virtually confined to an area coincident with a July mean temperature in excess of 16°C and
it only seems to do well in thermophilic south facing locations. Locations are given in detail in the hope
that anyone finding additional colonies or new finds from old sites will report them to us. The exact
number of plants at any one site is difficult to ascertain in any one year, as careful searching is need to
detect all the rosettes, and as the flowering season progresses rabbits eat some of the plants. The
location of the "school grounds' at Basildon where it was reported by Miss Burgess remains unknown.
Post 1930 records:
TQ(51)67 609,796 18
Grays, south-east of the old brick works at Chalk Farm, 1977.
James Ward. [Just north of the Grays Chalk pit N.R. and presumably on
the Thanet sands since stripped off for the Chafford Hundred
development].
Laindon, Mrs D V Watson and Mrs E M Hale. (Jermyn 1974)
Dry Street, hilly slopes beyond One-Tree Hill. Stanley T Jermyn.
Dry Street, road verges, c.1970. John Lewellyn Jones.
Old Hill, several plants along a ride recently cut through secondary
woodland, July 2000 Peter Furze.
Langdon Hills, Northlands Wood, 2 plants in flower with Centuary along
recently cut horse ride through thick scrub merging with Northlands
Wood. The ride was heavily pulverized and compacted by horses in the
winter of 1969-70 and the Dianthus has not been seen since 1970.
Rodney L Cole.
TQ(51)68 18
18
18
683,857 18
694,859 18
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 17 (2000)