Now that I’m over halfway through recording (and writing) an ‘Urban Flora’ for Newcastle and North Tyneside, you would think the surprises would have dried up somewhat. However, that does not seem to be the case. Despite visits to all monads across the conurbation and over 950 species recorded, new and exciting plants are turning up still. Whether they are entirely new species — sometimes for the city, sometimes for the county—or simply rare or unusual plants in new places, there has been much to enjoy in recent weeks. Here are a few recent highlights…
Rustyback (Asplenium ceterach)
Rustyback (Asplenium ceterach) is a Rare Plant Register species in VC67, meaning it is rare enough to warrant mentioning to a County Recorder whenever it is seen. Within the urban flora area, there is just one site for this species—an alleyway in Chirton—so I hadn’t expected to encounter it anywhere else. Imagine my surprise, then, when I stumbled across the rather lovely specimen pictured below (again in an alley) in Brunswick a few months back. Rumour has it that this fern is increasing in our region, so it will be interesting to see if it appears at yet more sites.
Snow-white Wood-rush (Luzula nivea)
Just over a month ago, Matt and I said out to explore Fordley Planta, a weird little community nature reserve located near Annitsford on the edge of the survey area. This turned out to be an interesting trip with local residents having guerrilla-planted several oddities in the otherwise unassuming little woodland. Few of these had spread beyond their initial position but one which had was Snow-white Wood-Rush (Luzula nivea), a plant native to the Alps and Pyrenees, seemingly well at home in North East England. In an hour’s exploration, we found several clumps of this attractive little plant. Dare it say that I prefer it to our native Great Wood-rush?
Galium x pomeranicum
This one is a little overdue with so much Hedge Bedstraw and Lady’s-bedstraw kicking about in Newcastle. Still, on a recent Natural History Society trip to Newcastle City Centre, I was pleased to encounter a nice example of this floriferous hybrid growing atop waste ground with both of its parents. Since then, it has turned up along Scotswood Road too where both of its parents have been introduced via an amenity seed mix.
Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
For a short while now, a rampant honeysuckle overtaking a section of riverside scrub at Willington Gut, Wallsend, has been giving me sleepless nights. Knowing it was something ‘different’ but failing to catch it in flower (or fruit!) for two years straight, a few weeks back, I returned for another look. Thankfully, I caught the plant in bloom on this occasion and was able to confirm it as Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica). This is a fairly frequent escapee in other parts of the country but until now, had not been reported at all in VC67. With several rather large plants present, it looked firmly established.
Common Wintergreen (Pyrola minor)
Far from common, for a few years now the only known population of this lovely little plant within the city was to be found at Gosforth Nature Reserve – I hadn’t expected to encounter it anywhere else. You can imagine my surprise then when during a trip to enjoy the displays of Dune Helleborine (Epipactis dunensis) at Newburn Riverside, I almost knelt on a patch while admiring the orchids. Once the site of the former Newburn Steelworks, this particular stretch of riverbank has developed a rather rich scrub community, likely atop soils heavily polluted with trace metals. Much of the site is due to be developed in the near future but I hope that this (and the helleborines) may avoid the bulldozers due to their positioning on the edge of the area.
Reversed Clover (Trifolium resupinatum)
Now this is an odd one. While exploring the town of Dudley a few weeks back, I opted to for a walk along the margins of some nearby arable fields where, among other unusual species such as Rye Brome (Bromus secalinus) I stumbled across the curious clover shown below. With a bit of digging, this was revealed to be Reversed Clover (Trifolium resupinatum), a grain or bird seed alien of Asian origin. How it got here is a bit of mystery though speaking with other botanists, it is likely to be been a crop contaminant.
Egyptian Clover (Trifolium alexandrinum)
An even more unusual find at Dudley came in the form of Egyptian Clover (Trifolium alexandrinum). Now, I confess, I hadn’t even heard of this one but again it looks to occur as a seed contaminant. However it got there, this marked the first record for South Northumberland.
Autumn Gentian (Gentianella amarella)
Something native now and while pottering about the site of the former Brenkley Colliery site near Dinnington, I was surprised to encounter a single Autumn Gentian (Gentianella amarella) growing beside a long neglected haulage track. This wouldn’t have been too noteworthy out in rural Northumberland where this species is uncommon but rather widespread, but in the city, it is an entirely different story. To date, this is the only record within the Newcastle city limits.
Lesser Water-parsnip (Berula erecta)
This has to be one of the highlights of the survey so far and a genuine surprise while walking a stretch of the Seaton Burn in the north of the conurbation. Lesser Water-parsnip (Berula erecta) is a terribly rare plant in South Northumberland and at one stage, was presumed locally extinct when its last known population at Ponteland died out. The population at Seaton Burn, spread out over 50m or so, is therefore rather notable and marks the first confirmed sighting of this riparian plant in a few decades, at least. Jampacked with other interesting aquatics, this stretch of river may turn up further noteworthy finds stills and represents some of the best wetland habitat to be seen locally.
Lesser Swine-cress (Lepidium didymum)
Despite it’s status as an abundant weed of damp and disturbed places in southern parts of the UK, Lesser Swine-cress (Lepidium didymum) is perplexingly scarce in the North East. So much so that it is another species featuring on the Rare Plant Register for South Northumberland. Perhaps this is truly the case or perhaps it is simply overlooked as either way, I have recorded it from three new sites in just two months. Firstly, from a flowerbed Kingston Park and later, from an abandoned car park at Arthur’s Hill. The final sighting, pictured below, came from disturbed ground in Jesmond Old Cemetery. I suspect it will turn up at further sites still.
Lawn Lobelia (Pratia angulata)
Concluding with what may be the most unexpected find of all and a few weeks back, a walk through an unassuming housing estate in Killingworth came up trumps with a sighting of Lawn Lobelia (Pratia angulata) unsurprisingly, growing out of a garden lawn. A rather attractive little flower, this species is native to New Zealand and is highly localised across the UK. How it came to reach the lawn in question is anyone’ could’s guess but either way, this marked the first known occurrence of this species in the vice-county. I’ve said it before, there is always something new to find in the city…
