The vascular plant flora of the anthills at Old Hall Marshes
Comment
As one might expect the majority of the species recorded are also to be found within the surrounding
turf, although I suspect that the proportions and mix of species will vary on the micro-habitat of the
anthill. However, there arc certain species which occur only rarely within the surrounding turf.
A habitat that is not available within the main turf of the grazing marsh is bare ground, occupying a
well-drained substrate present on the tops of the anthills created by the workings of the Yellow
Meadow Ant Lasius flavus. Here, there are many spring annuals including Common Whitlow-grass
(see Plate 12), Sticky Mouse-ear and Early Hair-grass, as well as other annual species such as Sheep's
Sorrel, Annual Meadow-grass, Heath Groundsel and Wall Speedwell. Further species that have
been found on anthills previously include Upright Chickweed Moenchia erecta. Blinks Montia fontana
ssp. chondrosperma. Mousetail Myosurus minimus and Lillie Mouse-ear Cerastium semidecandrum.
The biennial Common Ragwort is quite common on the anthills as the bare ground on the tops of the
anthills allow s the seeds to germinate readily, whilst in the more closed turf of the grazing marsh
Hoary Ragwort Senecio erucifolius is the more prevalent species.
Sea Couch is common around the sea walls of the reserve but becomes much more scattered within
the grazing marsh. Here it occurs occasionally on dry hummocks and on the tops of the anthills.
In summary it appears that the vascular plant flora of the anthills is quite diverse with the anthills
providing suitable habitat for many of the common perennials from the surrounding turf as well as a
micro-habitat suitable for annuals that would not be available to them elsewhere.
References
STACE, C. (1997) New Flora of the British Isles, 2nd edition. Cambridge University Press.
TARPEY, T. (2001) The bryophyte flora of the anthills at Old Hall Marshes. Essex Naturalist 18 (NS): 168-
176 (with correction in Essex Naturalist 19 (NS): 160-163).
152
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 20 (2003)