The woodland flora of the Forest of Writtle and surrounding area
Common Twayblade Listera ovata: Three plants were found in The Grove in 1990 and have reappeared
in several subsequent years while it has also been recorded from South Wood in recent years, thirty
spikes occurring in 2002, most of which were eaten by deer, while 4-5 plants were present on a remaining
boundary bank of Coppice Spring in April 2003. Possibly overlooked elsewhere.
Common Spotted-orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii: Very scarce and always in small quantity. My only
records from woodland sites come from Mill Green Common - one in June 1990; Fryerning Wood - up
to 14 spikes most years in a small roadside meadow along the southern boundary (TL613010); King
Wood - a plant with pink, almost unmarked flowers and a very long lip, 1998; Birch Spring - a single
plant along one of the streams, 1999 and 2001. Also recorded from Lady Grove in 1980. Equally
scarce outside woodland areas but regularly reported from Hylands Park.
Early Purple-orchid Orchis mascula: Surprisingly, the only record for this species comes from South
Wood, where it is very common, up to 500 spikes being recorded in some recent years. A record from
Writtle in Gibson probably refers to this site. It also occurs in Blackmore Wood (TQ614995) which
abuts the survey area to the south, a dozen spikes being found here in 1999.
Bryophytes
The following notes on mosses and liverworts are confined - with the exception of Horsfrith - either to
the ancient woodlands in the main Forest complex or outlying copses in Ingatestone and Fryerning
parishes. None of the small woods on the chalky boulder clay have been surveyed. Tl is far from being
a complete list as although the commoner species, which usually grow en masse, arc easy enough to
recognize in the field the rarer plants lend to be present in very small quantity and you need an exceptional
eye to spot them among their more aggressive neighbours. Tim Pyner has such an eye: I have not as yet
- but I am working on it! Historically, the bryophytes of the Mill Green area have been better covered
than the flowering plants as some very notable botanists have worked in the area, namely, F.J. Chittenden
in the early years of the twentieth century, and F. Rose, A.J. Pettifer, Ken Adams and Eric Saunders
during the 1950s and 1960s. A. Pettifer wrote A Bryophyte Flora of Essex (1968) and Ken Adams
compiled the bryophyte section in The Flora of Essex (1974). Both works have been drawn on extensively
in compiling the following systematic list. 1 have failed to relocate several of the plants found by them,
which may partly reflect the fact that I go around with my eyes closed but may also be because the area
is undoubtedly much drier and less acidic than when they knew it. If we continue to pump nitrates into
the air, water and soil at the current rate botanists in the future may well find rank grass growing where
Sphagnum once flourished. The list below, although incomplete, does appear to be the first attempt to
catalogue the biyophytes of the Forest. Nomenclature for mosses follows Smith (1978), and that for
liverworts follows Smith (1990). However, the names of several species have been revised by Blockeel
and Long (1998). Both the new and old names are included here, the latter in brackets.
Mosses
Sphagnales
Sphagnum denticulatum (= S. auriculatum var. auriculatum): occurs in a small boggy area alongside
a stream in Birch Spring, where it bisects the bridleway (TL626025). First recorded in 1990; still
present in 2002 but declining due to improvements to a path involving increased drainage.
Sphagnum inundatum (= S. auriculatum var. inundatum): recorded from Mill Green Common in
1906 by F.J.Chitlenden but not re-found during the present survey.
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Essex Naturalist (New Series) 20 (2003)