Plants in Vice-County 104: A Review of January – June 2008

Skye

A first vice-county record was made for Senecio x ostenfeldii, the hybrid of Senecio aquaticus (Marsh Ragwort) and S. jacobaea (Common Ragwort) at Kylerhea.

Also in the Kylerhea area a new site was located for Dactylorhiza traunsteinerioides (Pugsley’s Marsh-orchid) (previously D. lapponica - Lapland Marsh-orchid) and with it were hybrids with Dactylorhiza incarnata subsp. pulchella (Early Marsh-orchid) and Dactylorhiza maculata (Heath Spotted-orchid).

Neottia nidus-avis (Bird's-nest Orchid) and Cephalanthera longifolia (Narrow-leaved Helleborine) were both spotted in flower at Geary again this year by Alan Sillence.

The Sorbus rupicola (Rock Whitebeam) at Càrn Mór near Elgol, last formerly recorded in 1966 was located, counted and given an eight–figure grid reference. The same day a huge stand of the locally rare Carex diandra (Lesser Tussock-sedge) was spotted in a marsh near Elgol along with Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani (Grey Club-rush) which is also rare on Skye and Sparganium erectum (Branched Bur-reed) which is infrequent.

Raasay

The only addition so far this year has been Alnus rubra (Red Alder) several of which were planted at Oskaig some years ago.

Rona

An early visit added Bromopsis ramosa (Hairy Brome), Cytisus scoparius (Broom) and Nitella flexilis/opaca (Smooth Stonewort) to the recent Rona list. There are still some unexpected gaps in the list such as Juncus squarrosus (Heath Rush), Geranium robertianum (Herb-Robert) and Orchis mascula (Early-purple Orchid).

Isay

A visit, twenty-one years after records were last made, led to a number of additions to the Isay list e.g. Blysmus rufus (Saltmarsh Flat-sedge), Carex otrubae (False Fox-sedge) and Lycopus europaeus (Gypsywort), but nothing of great rarity.

Eigg

A party of six recently spent a week on Eigg with the records still being sorted out at the time of writing. Noteworthy finds included two plants new to Eigg: Carex paniculata (Greater Tussock-sedge) and Gymnadenia borealis x Dactylorhiza maculata.

Whilst on Eigg, Site Condition Monitoring was undertaken in the Cleadale SSSI checking on Ajuga pyramidalis (Pyramidal Bugle), Arenaria norvegica subsp. norvegica (Arctic Sandwort), Dryas octopetala (Mountain Avens) and Orobanche alba (Thyme Broomrape).

Many previous Eigg records of note were re-found e.g. Salsola kali (Prickly Saltwort), Atriplex laciniata (Frosted Orache), Trifloilum campestre (Hop Trefoil) and Listera ovata (Common Twayblade).

Stephen Bungard, 29 June 2008