I confess that, despite my love of grasses, I have historically paid almost no attention to the rye-grasses, Lolium. Perhaps that is because Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne is such a ubiquitous species, appearing almost everywhere one cares to look. Whatever the reason, it is a genus I have largely overlooked.
Recently, however, I began noticing a few odd-looking plants in my local park here in Newcastle, prompting me to take a closer look. As is so often the case, what initially seemed unremarkable turned out to be rather more interesting than expected. So, with a hand lens in hand, I decided to dig a little deeper, starting with…
Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne
Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne is one of our most abundant grass species, occurring in almost every kind of grassland imaginable: hay meadows, chalk downland, rush pastures, wet grasslands, lawns, road verges and amenity grassland. It is particularly associated with improved grasslands and areas treated with inorganic fertilisers, making it a familiar sight in urban environments. According to the BSBI, L. perenne was probably once primarily a species of wet grasslands on heavy soils, from which several forms were selected and bred during the early nineteenth century. Whatever its origins, it has long since escaped the confines of its natural habitat and is now virtually ubiquitous.
Fortunately, it is a relatively straightforward species to identify. The flowers are arranged in a long, narrow, wiry spike, with the spikelets alternating from side to side along a slightly sinuous central stem. Unlike the superficially similar couch grasses Elymus spp., the flat face of each spikelet is held edge-on to the stem rather than facing it. It also typically lacks the awns of other rye-grasses that we’ll come to in a moment.
The plants illustrated below were growing on a small patch of grassland in the aforementioned park.
Italian Rye-grass Lolium multiflorum is a species I encounter far less frequently in my part of the world, though it remains reasonably common. An annual or short-lived perennial, it is most often associated with re-seeded grassland, but also turns up on field margins, in gateways, along farm tracks, beside roads and on other areas of disturbed ground. It frequently occurs as a relic of sowing and is also a regular bird-seed alien, its seeds arriving as contaminants in grain mixes. Interestingly, it is not a particularly strong competitor and rarely persists for long in established grassland, instead appearing to undergo a series of boom-and-bust cycles dependent on repeated introductions.
At first glance, L. multiflorum looks very similar to L. perenne. Traditionally, the easiest way to distinguish the two is by the presence of conspicuous awns on the lemmas, often reaching 10 mm or more in length. As we shall see, however, things are not always quite so straightforward.
For reference, the plants illustrated below are good examples of L. multiflorum: one growing conveniently beneath a set of bird feeders and the others occurring on an area of disturbed ground in the park.
Italian Rye-grass Lolium multiflorumLong awns of Italian Rye-grass Lolium multiflorumSpikelet of Italian Rye-grass Lolium multiflorum
Hybrid Rye-grass Lolium × boucheanum
This is where things start to become a little confusing.
Exploring the park, there was certainly no shortage of Perennial Rye-grass Lolium perenne, while several convincing examples of Italian Rye-grass L. multiflorum could be found on disturbed ground associated with recent earthworks. Looking more closely, however, some plants seemed to fall awkwardly between the two.
The most obvious difference lay in the awns. Rather than bearing the long, conspicuous awns expected of a typical L. multiflorum, some plants possessed awns of varying lengths, noticeably shorter than those of the “good” Italian Rye-grasses growing nearby. Furthermore, comparing spikelets on the same plant revealed a mixture of forms: some lemmas carried distinct awns, while others were completely awnless. This pattern was repeated throughout the inflorescence.
Consulting the helpful BSBI crib sheet, this combination of characters appeared to point towards Lolium × boucheanum, the hybrid between Perennial and Italian Rye-grass. The hybrid is described as having short awns of variable length, with some lemmas lacking awns altogether, and generally displaying an appearance intermediate between its parents. On paper, at least, my plants seemed to fit the bill rather well.
A comparison of Lolium × boucheanum and Lolium multiflorumShort awns of Lolium × boucheanumLolium × boucheanumLolium × boucheanum
While both rye-grass species and their hybrid are relatively common, Lolium × boucheanum is undoubtedly under-recorded, and this represents the first time I have knowingly encountered a convincing example. Perhaps the lesson here is simply that I have not been looking closely enough.
Whatever the case, it has certainly encouraged me to pay more attention to rye-grasses in future. As so often happens in botany, the commonest plants can prove surprisingly interesting once examined in a little more detail. Even a genus I had long dismissed as rather mundane turned out to have a few surprises in store.
The final image below illustrates a particularly nice series of plants showing a gradual transition from Lolium × boucheanum towards L. multiflorum, neatly demonstrating just how blurred the boundaries between these taxa can appear in the field.
Comparison of Lolium × boucheanum (left) and Lolium multiflorum (right)
Motivated by last year’s fern forays and spurred on by my new membership of the British Pteridological Society, I have decided to try something different this year: a personal challenge to see as many of Britain’s fern species as possible in a single year. The idea being that, by seeking out our ferns, I’ll learn more about them, their habitats, and the subtleties involved in identifying them. This blog will be part #8.
Barnard Castle – 10 May
Back at the start of May, a rare free weekend allowed Matt and me to visit a wonderful ancient woodland tucked away near Barnard Castle. For those unfamiliar with Deepdale, there are excellent resources available online, but suffice it to say that it is a rather special place.
As well as supporting a wide variety of wildflowers and ancient woodland indicator species, the site is also home to some interesting ferns – none more so than Royal Fern Osmunda regalis. A species of heathland, blanket bog and wet woodland, Royal Fern is rare in North East England, largely as a result of Victorian over-collecting and habitat loss. However, it was never as abundant here as it is further west. The Deepdale population is thought to have originated from a historical introduction, but the plants are now thoroughly naturalised and growing in exactly the sort of habitat one might expect. That means they count!
Although we were a little early in the season, we managed to find several fronds beginning to emerge from amongst the tangle of vegetation characteristic of boggy woodland.
While in the area, we also paid a visit to a site reputed to support Lobed Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis. We found it readily enough, though the plants looked remarkably different from the ornate, conspicuously lobed examples I am more familiar with in Northumberland. A little further reading suggested that these belonged to Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis var. subequale. Despite their somewhat different appearance, they fitted the description well, with overlapping, broadly triangular pinnules, distinctly lobed margins and pinnae attached more or less centrally to the rachis. As ever, there is always something new to learn.
Royal Fern Osmunda regalisPinnules of Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis var. subequaleWhole plant of Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis var. subequale
Limestone Country – 24 May
I wrote about this excursion in more detail elsewhere, but fast forward to the end of May, and I finally fulfilled a long-held ambition: visiting and properly botanising an area of limestone pavement. A long drive to Great Asby Scar NNR proved more than worthwhile, and aside from a rather painful sunburn, it was a fantastic day, with an impressive variety of ferns and other limestone-loving plants on display.
Among the highlights were two particularly special species: Rigid Buckler-fern Dryopteris submontana and Limestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianum, both growing happily amongst the grikes. In truth, there were so many plants scattered across the pavement that we lost count – a testament to the remarkable diversity supported by these precious habitats.
The fern flora did not end there. We also encountered Moonwort Botrychium lunaria, Green Spleenwort Asplenium viride and a host of other species, making for a thoroughly successful trip. Having waited so long to visit a classic limestone pavement site, it was gratifying to find it lived up to expectations.
Rigid Buckler-fern Dryopteris submontanaLimestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianumLimestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianum, looking rather frizzy and unkempt
To the Coast – 31 May
Rather less exhilarating than a trip to Cumbria’s limestone pavements was a Natural History Society of Northumbria outing to the Northumberland coast on the final day of May. While the excursion was not focused on ferns, it did provide a welcome opportunity to catch up – somewhat belatedly – with a familiar fixture of our coastline: Sea Spleenwort Asplenium marinum.
Truthfully, the plants were not looking their best. Weeks of unusually warm, dry weather had left many of the fronds looking rather frazzled, and some plants had retreated into a decidedly less photogenic state. Nevertheless, enough fresh growth remained to show off the species’ distinctive fleshy, once-pinnate fronds, making identification straightforward.
And with that, the tally stood at 36 ferns by the end of May – not a bad total, I think, with plenty of the more challenging species still to come.
Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis
With a trip to the Highlands pencilled in for August, a few dates set aside for jaunts to the Lake District and possibly even Lancashire, I’m hoping that there’ll be many more new and exciting species still to come.
Running Total
Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…
The ancient woodland lining the banks of the River Allen in Northumberland provides one of the region’s richest habitats for woodland plants and ferns. From the National Trust’s Allen Banks estate south to Briarwood Banks, Planky Mill and Cupola Bridge, this stretch supports an impressive diversity of species, from conspicuous spring flowers to easily overlooked botanical specialities. It is a landscape I return to repeatedly throughout the year, as each visit seems to reveal something new.
Ferns & Horsetails
Hard Shield-fern Polystichum aculeatum
Hard Shield-fern is a robust evergreen fern of woodland, rocky slopes and shaded hedge banks. Its dark green fronds are stiff and glossy, with sharply pointed pinnules that give the plant a distinctly rigid appearance. It can be found in most areas, from Allen Banks south to Cupola.
This species is somewhat similar to Soft Shield-fern, a rare plant in the area, but can be distinguished by its adnate pinnules and tapering frond base.
Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis
Beech Fern is a delicate species of damp woodland, ravines and upland slopes. The soft green fronds are broadly triangular, with the lowest pair of pinnae spreading noticeably outwards from the rest of the frond. A narrow wing of leafy tissue runs along the rachis between the pinnae.
Beech Fern is one of the rarer ferns found in the area and is best sought around Cupola Bridge.
Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
A delicate fern of damp woodland, shaded rocks and upland screes. Its pale green fronds are thin-textured and broadly triangular, dividing into three main branches from near the base. Spreading by slender creeping rhizomes, it often forms loose patches in cool, humid habitats.
The best populations of Oak Fern can be found at Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Briarwood Banks.
Polypody Polypodium vulgare
A familiar fern of walls, rocks, tree trunks and shaded banks. The leathery fronds are deeply pinnatifid with rounded lobes arranged along a creeping rhizome. On the underside, the round yellow-orange sori are uncovered by an indusium, helping to distinguish the species from many other common ferns.
Polypody grows abundantly throughout the area, so be sure to look up!
Wood Horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum
A graceful species of damp woodland, stream sides and shaded ground. The pale green stems carry repeated whorls of fine, drooping branches that give the plant a soft, feathery appearance. The branches themselves are branched, helping separate it from other horsetails.
Wood Horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum
Great Horsetail Equisetum telmateia
The largest British horsetail, favouring damp woodland, stream banks and flushes on base-rich soils. The sterile stems are tall and pale green with conspicuous black-tipped sheaths and whorls of long branches, giving the plant a striking, architectural appearance.
In spring, separate fertile shoots appear first, bearing a large terminal cone before the green sterile stems develop.
Wildflowers
Wood Stitchwort Stellaria nemorum
Wood Stitchwort is a sprawling perennial of damp woodland, stream sides and shaded hedge banks. Its white flowers have deeply divided petals that can give the impression of ten petals rather than five. The lower leaves are stalked and broadly oval, while the upper leaves clasp the stem, helping to distinguish it from other stitchworts. Compared to the much more abundant Greater Stitchwort, it is a much more delicate plant.
Again, this one is best looked for at Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s Briarwood Banks.
Bird’s-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis
A curious woodland orchid lacking green pigmentation and therefore unable to photosynthesise. The entire plant is pale brown to honey-coloured, with a thick stem bearing numerous small flowers and a mass of tangled roots said to resemble a bird’s nest. It grows in deep leaf litter in shaded woodland, obtaining nutrients through associations with soil fungi.
Bird’s-nest orchid is a scarce and somewhat unpredictable species, often appearing sporadically even in suitable habitat. If you fancy your chances, spend time carefully searching mature Beech woodland in spring and early summer.
Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula
One of the first orchids to flower in spring, equally at home in open woodland as it is in grassland and dunes. The dense spike carries rich purple flowers with spotted lips, while the broad basal leaves are often marked with dark blotches. A hood formed by the upper petals and sepals gives each flower a compact, helmeted appearance.
This is not the most abundant plant in the area, but with a little luck, you may stumble across it near Planky Mill.
Mountain Pansy Viola lutea
A colourful perennial of upland grassland, heaths, rocky slopes and areas polluted with heavy metals. The flowers are highly variable, ranging from bright yellow to purple or bicoloured forms, often marked with dark guidelines toward the centre. It is a rather distinctive and lovely little plant.
Look for this species in the small areas of calaminarian grassland around Briarwood Banks.
Upland Enchanter’s-nightshade Circaea x intermedia
A scarce hybrid found in damp, shaded woodland and along stream sides. In appearance, it sits somewhere between Circaea lutetiana and Circaea alpina, typically showing relatively broad leaves and small white two-petalled flowers. Compared with the common enchanter’s-nightshade, the leaves are usually more strongly toothed and the petioles bear hairs on one side only.
This one is hard to spot at the best of times, but small colonies can be found scattered across the whole area.
Wood Vetch Ervilia sylvatica
A slender scrambling perennial of woodland margins, hedge banks and rocky slopes. Its leaves are divided into several narrow leaflets and end in tendrils that help support the weak stems among surrounding vegetation. The pale particoloured flowers are followed by narrow pods.
A local rarity, it is best looked for at Stawart Gorge
Goldilocks Buttercup Ranunculus auricomus
A variable perennial of woodland edges, hedge banks and damp grassland. The basal leaves are rounded and shallowly lobed, while the upper stem leaves are finely divided into narrow segments, giving the plant a distinctive two-part appearance.
Fun fact: what we know as Goldilocks Buttercup is actually an aggregate of many closely related but distinct microspecies, many of which are extremely difficult to tell apart in the field.
Bitter Vetch Lathyrus linifolius
Bitter-vetch is a slender perennial of woodland edges, heaths and upland grassland. The leaves consist of a single pair of narrow leaflets ending in a branched tendril, while the reddish-purple flowers are borne in loose clusters on delicate stems.
Downy Currant Ribes spicatum
A deciduous shrub of woodland, rocky slopes and riverbanks. Its leaves are three to five lobed and softly hairy beneath when young, while the greenish flowers hang in drooping racemes during spring.
Separating this one from Red Currant is a challenge, but good resources can be found online. While it does not appear too downy, the specimen here has been identified by far more accomplished botanists than I.
Fly Honeysuckle Lonicera xylosteum
A deciduous shrub of woodland, limestone slopes and hedge banks. The leaves are oval and softly hairy, arranged in opposite pairs along the stems, while the small creamy-white flowers are produced in pairs from the leaf axils. These develop into glossy red berries, usually borne as twin fruits, which are a distinctive feature of the species.
Yellow Pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum
A delicate creeping perennial of damp woodland, stream banks and shaded ground. Slender stems trail across the soil and root at the nodes, bearing opposite, rounded leaves on relatively long stalks. The small yellow flowers are produced singly in the leaf axils. A little beauty!
Water Avens Geum rivale
Water Avens is a softly hairy perennial of damp meadows, flushes and stream sides. Its nodding flowers have reddish-brown sepals surrounding smaller cream to pinkish petals marked with darker veins. After flowering, the styles elongate into hooked structures that aid seed dispersal by attaching to passing animals.
Hybrid Avens Geum x intermedium
Geum × intermedium is the hybrid between Geum rivale and Geum urbanum, typically occurring where the parent species grow together in damp woodland and streamside habitats.
In appearance, it is intermediate between the two, with partially nodding flowers, reddish sepals and broader yellowish petals that open more widely than those of Water Avens. The plant is often recognised by this combination of mixed characters.
A low-growing perennial of shaded flushes, springs and stream margins. Its rounded leaves are arranged in opposite pairs along creeping stems, helping distinguish it from the similar alternate-leaved species. In spring, the small flowers are surrounded by bright yellow-green bracts that make patches of the plant conspicuous against damp woodland ground.
A softly hairy perennial of woodland edges, hedge banks and shaded grassland. Its bright blue flowers, each with a contrasting yellow eye, are borne in coiled sprays that gradually unfurl as flowering progresses. The broad hairy leaves and relatively large flowers help distinguish it from several smaller forget-me-not species.
Wood Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica
Wood-sorrel Oxalis acetosella
A delicate woodland perennial of damp, shaded ground. Its clover-like leaves are divided into three heart-shaped leaflets that often fold down in low light or rain. The white flowers are finely veined with pinkish-purple and carried singly above the foliage on slender stalks.
Sanicle Sanicula europaea
Sanicle is a perennial of shaded deciduous woodland and base-rich hedge banks. The glossy basal leaves are palmately lobed and long-stalked, while the small pinkish-white flowers are grouped into compact, rounded umbels on slender stems. Later in the season, the fruits develop hooked bristles that readily cling to animal fur, aiding dispersal through woodland habitats.
Wood Crane’s-bill Geranium sylvaticum
A robust perennial of damp meadows, woodland edges and upland grassland. Its deeply divided leaves form loose clumps below tall stems carrying relatively large violet-purple flowers, often marked with darker veins. After flowering, the fruits develop into the long, tapering “crane’s-bill” seed head characteristic of the genus.
Common Cow-wheat Melampyrum pratense
A slender annual of acidic woodland, heaths and moorland edges. The narrow opposite leaves line delicate green stems, while the pale yellow tubular flowers sit in the upper leaf axils, often subtended by reddish-tinged bracts. As a semi-parasitic species, it attaches to the roots of neighbouring plants to obtain additional nutrients.
Bugle Ajuga reptans
A creeping perennial of damp grassland, woodland edges and hedge banks. Glossy leaves form low rosettes connected by runners, from which arise square stems bearing dense spikes of deep blue flowers. The hooded upper petals and spreading lower lip are characteristic of the mint family.
A softly hairy perennial of grassland, road verges and woodland edges. Its rounded leaves are deeply pleated and divided into broad lobes with finely toothed margins, often holding conspicuous droplets of water in the centre. The frothy clusters of tiny yellow-green flowers are carried above the foliage on branching stems in summer.
Do not forget that Alchemilla are a tricky bunch to identify. Several others can be found in the area.
Lords-and-Ladies Arum maculatum
A distinctive woodland perennial of hedgebanks, shady lanes and damp woodland floors. The glossy, arrow-shaped leaves are sometimes marked with dark spots, while the unusual flower structure consists of a purple club-like spadix enclosed within a pale green hooded spathe. In autumn, the plant is especially conspicuous for its dense spike of bright red berries.
Grasses & Sedges
Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica
A robust woodland grass of shaded cliffs, ravines and steep deciduous woodland. Broad, flat leaves arise in loose tufts, while the flowering stems carry large, graceful, airy panicles. The combination of its habitat, purple-tinged stem bases and leaves that fold back towards their tips is usually enough to identify this species.
The best populations of this woodland grass are to be found near Cupola Bridge.
Wood Barley Hordelymus europaeus
Wood Barley is a graceful perennial grass of ancient woodland and shaded hedge banks. Its broad leaves and arching stems are topped by slender spikes with long, fine awns, giving the inflorescence a soft, elegant appearance. The obviously “barley-like” flower heads help distinguish it from superficially similar woodland grasses.
Once again, the best populations of this woodland grass are to be found near Cupola Bridge.
Wood Melick Melica uniflora
A delicate perennial grass of shaded deciduous woodland and hedge banks. Its slender stems carry a loose panicle of drooping spikelets, each usually containing a single fertile floret with a small cluster of sterile florets above.
Giant Fescue Schedonorus giganteus
A tall, robust grass of damp woodland, riverbanks and shaded marshy ground. Its broad, dark green leaves and towering stems support a large, open panicle with drooping branches of spikelets. The combination of its size, coarse foliage and preference for wet, shaded habitats makes it one of the more distinctive woodland grasses, but if in doubt, look for purplish clasping auricles.
Wood-sedge Carex sylvatica
A graceful woodland sedge of shady deciduous woods, hedge banks and stream sides. Loose tufts of broad green leaves give rise to arching stems bearing several long-stalked, drooping female spikes beneath a slender male spike. The elegantly hanging inflorescences are a useful feature for recognising the species in the field.
In the photograph, it can be seen growing alongside Remote Sedge.
Remote Sedge Carex remota
A slender woodland sedge of damp pathsides, stream margins and shaded ground. Its narrow leaves form loose tufts, while the thin flowering stems carry numerous small spikelets spaced widely apart along the upper stem. This unusually elongated inflorescence is the key feature behind both the common and scientific names.
I had wanted to visit a limestone pavement for what felt like many years, ever since first encountering the habitat in GCSE geography lessons – and even more so once I became interested in botany. This past Sunday, I finally had the chance when Matt agreed to drive two hours from Newcastle to Great Asby Scar.
Widely regarded as one of the finest examples of limestone pavement in England, Great Asby Scar lies on a hillside between the villages of Orton and Great Asby. Once heavily plundered by Victorian gardeners in search of decorative limestone, the site is now strongly protected as both a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and National Nature Reserve (NNR), largely because of the remarkable wildlife supported by this rare habitat. For our visit, we opted for a short route from a convenient nearby car park, though as the route map here shows, it would be very easy to extend the walk and take in even more of the spectacular scenery.
A view across Great Asby Scar
Limestone pavements are rare and highly specialised habitats, characterised by flat, block-like slabs known as clints and deep, nutrient-rich fissures called grikes. Together, these create a remarkable mosaic of microhabitats, where shade-loving woodland plants can thrive just inches away from drought-tolerant species exposed to the full sun. Among these are a host of interesting ferns — the main reason for our visit.
Setting out from the car park, it was not long before we encountered our first species among smaller outcrops of limestone beside the ascending path. Here, Hart’s-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium grew alongside the lime-loving Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens and Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria. All are relatively common species, but it was pleasing to see them in a natural setting. Accompanying them were abundant Blue Moor-grass Sesleria caerulea and several woodland plants tucked away within the grikes, including Ramsons Allium ursinum and Dog’s-mercury Mercurialis perennis.
Wall-rue Asplenium ruta-muraria in its natural habitat on limestone rockThe lime-loving Maidenhair Spleenwort Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalensHart’s-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium emerging from a grike
The thin calcareous grassland lining the path on our approach also held plenty of interest, including some lovely colonies of Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula. This species occurs here in impressive abundance. Much less conspicuous were Knotted Pearlwort Sagina nodosa and Thyme-leaved Sandwort Arenaria serpyllifolia, though both were flowering happily among the shorter turf.
A healthy patch of Early-purple Orchid Orchis masculaEarly-purple Orchid Orchis mascula
More exciting still was a duo of scarce and rather diminutive ferns spotted as we neared the gate into the reserve. First came a solitary Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum, followed shortly afterwards, much to my delight, by a fine example of Moonwort Botrychium lunaria, one of my favourite pteridophytes and a species I encounter only very infrequently indeed.
Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatumA rather impressive example of Moonwort Botrychium lunaria
After this, we entered the main part of the reserve, passing a handy information panel before emerging onto an expansive area of limestone pavement. What struck us immediately was how each grike seemed to support its own distinctive assemblage of species. This diversity would have been very easy to spend an entire day peering into the crevices. Unfortunately, we did not have all day, so we quickly set about searching for some of the specialist ferns we had travelled such a long way to see.
Bluebell Hyacinthoides non-scripta could also be seen in the grikesA nice example of the varied communities found at Great Asby ScarHelpful information board with all the information you could need about Great Asby Scar
Finding these species proved fairly straightforward, in truth, as all grow conveniently close to the path. First came several large colonies of Limestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianum, a rather lovely species that, until now, I had only encountered in cultivation. Here, however, it seemed to be everywhere, spilling from grikes and shaded ledges in impressive abundance.
Limestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianum, looking rather frizzy and unkemptTypical view of Limestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianumLimestone Fern Gymnocarpium robertianum
The next species, Rigid Buckler-fern Dryopteris submontana, was somewhat less abundant, though still present in respectable numbers. Highly susceptible to grazing, this rather understated fern has its British strongholds in the limestone pavements of Cumbria and Yorkshire. It can be distinguished from similar-looking species by the distinctly glaucous tone of its fronds, caused by the copious glands spread across the frond surface.
Rigid Buckler-fern Dryopteris submontana
Growing alongside these were Green Spleenwort Asplenium viride, Brittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis and plenty of Western Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis. Had we spent more time scrutinising the male-ferns, we would almost certainly have found additional taxa among them. Plenty of Hard Shield-fern Polystichum aculeatum could also be seen, alongside the ever-present Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas.
Western Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinisGreen Spleenwort Asplenium virideHard Shield-fern Polystichum aculeatumBrittle Bladder-fern Cystopteris fragilis with Maidenhair Spleenwort
As things transpired, we located the vast majority of our target species rather quickly, leaving plenty of time for an enjoyable circular wander around the reserve to see what else we could find. Within the grikes, it was particularly nice to encounter Lily-of-the-Valley Convallaria majalis alongside the more familiar woodland flora. Other notable finds included Hairy Rock-cress Arabis hirsuta, Limestone Bedstraw Galium sterneri and an abundance of Mouse-ear-Hawkweed Pilosella officinarum with its cheerful lemon-yellow flowers.
We probably ought to have spent more time examining the sedges and grasses, but with temperatures creeping towards 21°C during our visit, we were beginning to feel fairly well cooked by that point.
Lily-of-the-Valley Convallaria majalis not yet in bloom
Deciding we were getting a little too warm, after a few hours, we eventually began the walk back from the scar. Had we spent longer there, no doubt many more interesting species would have revealed themselves, but even so, we enjoyed a wonderful few hours in what is a beautiful, diverse and incredibly atmospheric landscape.
I can certainly understand why so many people extol the virtues of northern England’s limestone pavements, and I will undoubtedly be returning to explore them again in the future.
For some time now, I’ve been paying closer attention to Newcastle’s diverse and beautiful urban trees. From species gathered from across the globe to our own native trees and an array of curious cultivars, the city supports a surprisingly rich and varied urban forest. There is certainly plenty to discover.
In this new series of blogs, I’ll be sharing some of my favourite tree walks across urban Newcastle, highlighting a selection of the species that can be seen along the way. With so many trees growing throughout the city, it would be impossible to include them all, so this is very much a personal selection of favourites, curiosities and notable specimens. Corrections are very much welcome – I am still learning when it comes to exotic species!
Armstrong Park
You’ll begin your walk at slang.shows.yarn, beside the entrance to Armstrong Park from Jesmond Vale Lane — conveniently close to the Heaton Park route, should you wish to combine the two walks. Here, you’ll find yourself immediately surrounded by trees. To your left stands a fine Turkey OakQuercus cerris, while to your right grows a twisted and rather mature HornbeamCarpinus betulus. Nearby are several attractive hollies, including both native Holly Ilex aquifolium and Highclere Holly Ilex × altaclerensis. From here, keep right and take the upper path through the park — the lower route will come later.
This initial stretch contains several mature RhododendronsRhododendron ponticum, flowering in shades of pink and white during May, alongside some venerable YewsTaxus baccata. Continue along the upper path as far as the monolithed Beech Fagus sylvatica beside the track, noting a very young Cedar-of-LebanonCedrus libani planted nearby. It may be many years before this tree becomes truly impressive, but one day it should make a magnificent addition to the park.
The remains of the large Beech Fagus sylvatica by the footpathRhododendron Rhododendron ponticum flowering in late May
At this point, the main path continues straight ahead, but a side trail branching right climbs in winding fashion towards Heaton Windmill. This detour is well worth taking for a few additional species, including Silver Birch Betula pendula, Hazel Corylus avellana and Bird CherryPrunus padus. Much more interesting, however, is a fine Small-leaved ElmUlmus minor agg. The real star of the show here, though, is Turner’s OakQuercus x turneri, a naturally occurring hybrid between Holm Oak and Pedunculate Oak, first recognised in cultivation in England but originating from crosses that also occur naturally in southern Europe. It remains a rare tree in Britain and is little known in the North East. Although the height of this specimen makes it difficult to appreciate fully, the lower branches provide a good look at its distinctive leaves.
Turner’s Oak Quercus × turneriTurner’s Oak Quercus × turneri
Near the top of the bank, around the windmill itself, stand mature AspensPopulus tremula and several large Hybrid Black-poplarsPopulus × canadensis. Beyond these, however, there is little else of note, so retrace your steps downhill to rejoin the main path through Armstrong Park.
The Heaton Windmill
Back on the upper trail, continue beneath the shade of several substantial Horse-chestnuts Aesculus hippocastanum. Following the route as far as the waymarker takes you past plenty of LimeTilia × europaea. Near the railings overlooking the old “cattle run”, look out for White WillowSalix alba. At the same time, around the information board stand Copper BeechFagus sylvatica f. purpurea and Norway MapleAcer platanoides. Continuing further, you’ll notice the ground becoming increasingly boggy beside the path due to a small spring. Around this point, look to your right for Cappadocian MapleAcer cappadocicum, identifiable by its broad-lobed leaves.
From here onwards, the upper path is dominated largely by Yew and Holly, though look carefully for a convincing holly impostor hiding in plain sight. These shrubs are actually False HollyOsmanthus heterophyllus, which have presumably been growing in the park for many decades. Beyond this, continue as far as the bench beside the path, where you’ll find Portugal Laurel Prunus lusitanica alongside an unidentified cypress.
Cappadocian Maple Acer cappadocicumFalse Holly Osmanthus heterophyllus
Beyond this point, the path becomes noticeably less shaded, with the canopy now dominated largely by Beech Fagus sylvatica. On the right-hand side of the trail stands a superb variegated Holly, probably a cultivated form of Ilex aquifolium, most likely ‘Argentea Marginata‘. A few steps further on, you’ll encounter LaburnumLaburnum anagyroides and, to the left, a particularly curious-looking Yew. Unlike the broad forms seen elsewhere in the park, this one grows in a narrow, upright column. It is Irish YewTaxus baccata f. fastigiata, a distinctive and long-popular cultivar of our native species.
Irish Yew Taxus baccata f. fastigiataLaburnum Laburnum anagyroides
From here, you can either leave the park en route to Jesmond Dene or, to make the walk circular, turn left downhill onto the lower trail. We’ll take the latter route here.
The first section of the lower path offers many of the same species as above, though do look out for Leyland CypressCupressus × leylandii as the trail zigzags downhill towards a long flight of steps. From here, follow the path back towards your starting point through a much wilder-feeling part of the park rich in Lime Tilia × europaea and Wych Elm Ulmus glabra.
The “bottom trail” in Armstrong Park
As you near the gate once more, Heaton’s famous Shoe Tree looms into view – a towering Sycamore festooned with all manner of discarded footwear. The exact origins of the shoes remain uncertain, though local legends suggest the tradition began either with students celebrating exam results or as a tribute to the historic Heaton Harriers running club. Whatever the truth, it certainly makes for one of the park’s more curious landmarks.
Just before reaching the Shoe Tree, look out for an unusual Holly bearing especially fierce spines on its leaves. This is Hedgehog HollyIlex aquifolium ‘Ferox’. Nearby stands an interesting whitebeam, possibly Broad-leaved WhitebeamSorbus latifolia, though the whitebeam group is notoriously difficult to identify with certainty.
Beyond the Shoe Tree, you’ll notice an arguably more attractive Sycamore with striking variegated foliage. This elegant specimen may be Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Simon-Louis Frères’. Growing nearby are Large-leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos and another Norway Maple Acer platanoides, this time a cultivar selected for its noticeably auburn-tinted leaves.
Acer pseudoplatanus ‘Simon-Louis Frères’The rather impressive variegated Sycamore
All that remains from this point is to make your way back towards the gate. Before finishing the walk, however, you may wish to take one final detour uphill to the left towards the tennis courts. Here you’ll find more examples of Small-leaved Elm Ulmus minor agg, along with your first White PoplarPopulus alba of the route.
Benton Bank Extension
For those wanting a little extra, an additional five minutes of walking opens up the chance to see several more interesting trees beyond the boundaries of Armstrong Park, around Benton Bank and the wooded areas on the opposite side of the Ouse Burn. To follow this optional extension, leave the park at spare.shins.usual shortly after taking the downhill turn towards the lower path.
From here, walk a short distance north past the pair of houses before turning left towards the area beneath the bridge. This section of Benton Bank contains several interesting conifers, most notably a fine Grand FirAbies grandis close to the first bridge. A little further upslope grows a small Caucasian Fir Abies nordmanniana alongside Holm OakQuercus ilex and several Leyland Cypress Cupressus × leylandii and Western Red-cedar Thuja plicata.
Looking back towards the Ouse Burn, you should spot a wood-chipped path leading south along the riverbank. Follow this as far as the grassy clearing at think.universally.store. Here, you’ll encounter a good selection of more familiar trees, including Swedish WhitebeamSorbus intermedia, Grey PoplarPopulus × canescens and PearPyrus communis. Particularly noteworthy, however, is Grey AlderAlnus incana, recognisable by its pointed leaves and pale glaucous undersides, along with another probable example of Broad-leaved Whitebeam Sorbus latifolia.
The banks of the Ouse Burn close to Benton Bank
From here, continue along the muddy riverside path as far as the bridge at sober.spoil.hotel. Along the way, keep an eye out for several hawthorns with unusually broad, square-lobed leaves. These are Midland HawthornCrataegus laevigata, an uncommon species in the local area. There is also a particularly nice Field Maple Acer campestre, perched precariously on the riverbank.
Cross the bridge, noting the fallen but rapidly regenerating Hybrid Black-poplar, and re-enter Armstrong Park via the entrance opposite, where you can continue your walk through the park.
For some time now, I’ve been paying closer attention to Newcastle’s diverse and beautiful urban trees. From species gathered from across the globe to our own native trees and an array of curious cultivars, the city supports a surprisingly rich and varied urban forest. There is certainly plenty to discover.
In this new series of blogs, I’ll be sharing some of my favourite tree walks across urban Newcastle, highlighting a selection of the species that can be seen along the way. With so many trees growing throughout the city, it would be impossible to include them all, so this is very much a personal selection of favourites, curiosities and notable specimens. Corrections are very much welcome – I am still learning when it comes to exotic species!
Jesmond Vale Lane
Your walk begins at exists.salt.wiping, at the junction of Jesmond Vale Lane and Jesmond Vale Road. Before heading any further, cast an eye into Armstrong Park beyond the iron fence, where you’ll spot a relatively new addition to the park, and a rather glamorous one at that. The tree with the striking white-margined, pointed leaves is Acer platanoides ‘Drummondii’, an attractive cultivar of Norway Maple that is sure to become increasingly spectacular as it matures.
Begin your walk by following the footpath as it curves down Jesmond Vale Lane, paying attention to the trees growing around the corner here. The main draw is a fine example of Leyland CypressCupressus x leylandii, though you’ll also find Elder, Yew and Sycamore nearby. On the south side of the lane, a small cluster of trees includes Japanese Cherry Prunus serrulata, near to which, a little further downhill, stands a rather lovely young Tulip-treeLiriodendron tulipifera with its highly distinctive leaves. Nearby, the deep purple foliage of Copper Beech Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea is easy to pick out.
Tulip-tree Liriodendron tulipiferaHornbeam Carpinus betulusNorway Maple Acer platanoides ‘Drummondii’
Continuing down the lane and sticking to the path along the northern boundary of Armstrong Park, the most impressive tree here is a large HornbeamCarpinus betulus, particularly handsome when hung with flowers in May. Around 20 metres further along stands a mature Common WhitebeamSorbus aria and, conveniently positioned opposite the gate you’ll use to enter Heaton Park, Swedish WhitebeamSorbus intermedia. Both sport lovely umbels of flowers in May. Cross over here and pause for a moment to admire the ruins of King John’s Palace.
Heaton Park
Following the path as it bends towards the car park, it is hard to miss the line of tall, stately trees bordering the car park. These are Hybrid Black-poplarPopulus x canadensis, probably reaching 25–30 metres in height. In the lower car park, a few paces downhill, the margins hold fine examples of Wild Cherry Prunus avium and Plum Prunus domestica. It is also worth peering into the beds at bronze.taking.starts. Here, you’ll notice a small elm which appears to be English ElmUlmus procera – the species famously lost from much of the UK due to Dutch Elm Disease. There are a few elm species in the area, but this one has a rough upper surface on the leaves and a hairy leaf stalk.
Enjoy these before moving on to jukebox.mining.stone, where your true parkland walk begins. Here, the verge supports another Hornbeam alongside a rather exotic-looking tree believed to be Honey LocustGleditsia triacanthos – one of the more unusual species you’ll encounter in Heaton Park.
Hybrid Black-poplar Populus x canadensis
Continue downhill to the unmistakable Scots PinePinus sylvestris standing at the corner where the path meets the main thoroughfare. Looking across the walkway, the large, neat, conical conifers are Lawson’s CypressCupressus lawsoniana. From here, follow the main path as it heads south-west. You’ll soon pass into a pleasant patch of shade cast by an oak and a particularly beautiful Japanese Maple Acer palmatum, growing on opposite sides of the track. Around the maple, look out for some conifers growing on the raised ground surrounding Sambuca’s Pavilion, including Western Red-cedarThuja plicata and Nootka CypressCupressus nootkatensis. There is also a small Douglas-firPseudotsuga menziesii subsp. glauca here. Off to the left, a young, particularly neat Acer is Scarlet Maple Acer rubra. From here, continue along the path, keeping the grassy bowling green to your right, as you make your way towards one of the park’s most famous trees.
The famous Pear Pyrus communis in Heaton Park
The ancient PearPyrus communis in Heaton Park is one of Newcastle’s oldest living landmarks, predating the park’s 1879 donation by the industrialist William Armstrong. It is a beautiful tree and, for a pear, an especially impressive specimen, particularly when covered in blossom during spring. Take a moment to appreciate it, but don’t forget to look around the immediate area too, as several other notable trees grow nearby. Directly opposite the pear, across the path, is a dense area of planting containing another Japanese Maple, Tulip-tree, Apple and a new species for the trail, Himalayan BirchBetula utilis.
A few paces further on, you’ll come to an interpretation board containing more information about the Heaton Pear. Beside it, a short side path branches right past a beautiful Cedar-of-LebanonCedrus libani. Take a brief detour here as far as the two large cypresses underplanted with Holly. Turning back at this point reveals a small grassy area behind which grows a sprawling WalnutJuglans regia. It may not be the grandest specimen on the route, but Walnut remains an uncommon sight in Newcastle’s parks. Afterwards, retrace your steps to the main path.
A view through the trees at this stage of your walkInformation on the old pear tree
Continue uphill as the path gently meanders through the park. Almost immediately, a glance to your left reveals a handsome variegated Holly, while a little further on stands the curious sight of another Tulip-tree supported by braces. Around it grow several lime trees, including Large-leaved LimeTilia platyphyllos, identifiable by the densely hairy undersides of its leaves.
Tulip-tree Liriodendron tulipifera receiving a helping hand
A short semicircular path then veers left around a grassy verge planted with a young Hornbeam. Following this detour, the borders contain Field Maple Acer campestre, Sweet ChestnutCastanea sativa and Juneberry Amelanchier × lamarckii. A tall birch nearby is our native Downy Birch Betula pubescens, here reaching around 20 metres in height and evidently of considerable age. While it isn’t a rare sight, it is a jolly big one. Even taller still is a towering example of Cider GumEucalyptus gunnii.
Rejoin the main path beside the remains of a tall Sycamore monolith and continue uphill. At the base of the slope grow several fine examples of Common LimeTilia x europaea, Alder Alnus glutinosa and a few more cherries. As you make your way uphill, a glance to the left reveals a dense tangle of deciduous trees. Where the ground becomes noticeably boggy, look carefully into the thicket to spot a graceful Weeping Willow Salix x sepulcralis and, even better, a handsome Red Horse-chestnutAesculus carnea. Beside the path stands a solitary, rather spindly Aspen Populus tremula. From here, the route curves beneath more lime trees and an enormous Beech Fagus sylvatica; however, if you take the damp path to your left, a look up toward the canopy should provide a glimpse of a tall Lombardy PoplarPopulus nigra ‘Italica’.
Following the path as far as the tiered wildflower garden, you cannot fail to notice a gnarled but rather handsome London PlanePlatanus x hispanica. While a familiar sight in southern England, this species remains comparatively uncommon in the North East. Just beyond, at boot.feeds.submit, you’ll reach the junction of several paths. You’ll eventually take the right-hand path, passing a couple of bins and a rather more impressive Walnut, but first, it is worth making a short detour up the left-hand path towards the entrance on Heaton Park Road.
Leaves of London Plane Platanus × hispanicaGnarled trunk of London Plane Platanus × hispanica
A few additional species can be found here, including White Poplar Populus alba and several recently planted Judas Trees Cercis siliquastrum. The main attraction, however, stands beside the gate itself – a small but fascinating Maidenhair TreeGinkgo biloba, one of the world’s most ancient tree species.
Maidenhair Tree Ginkgo bilobaMaidenhair Tree Ginkgo biloba
Returning to the junction, spend a moment admiring the Walnut before taking the path across the large grassy field. Continuing onwards, you’ll soon notice another tangle of trees to your right. Among them are Rowan Sorbus aucuparia, various fruit trees and a fine Turkish HazelCorylus colurna. In the next cluster, around 15 metres further on, the trees are more familiar, though opposite stand several recently planted cherries, including Sargent’s Cherry Prunus sargentii — conveniently labelled to aid identification.
A view across the field in Heaton Park (with lots more interesting trees)
More unusual species await in the final cluster before the path enters woodland. Here you’ll find the striking Père David’s MapleAcer davidii and a glorious Red OakQuercus rubra, especially spectacular in autumn when its foliage turns deep crimson.
Red Oak Quercus rubraPère David’s Maple Acer davidii
Approaching the end of your circular loop, continue past the play area. Around homes.sugars.will, a path branches left into the deeper woodland. To your right stands another Turkish Hazel, though arguably more interesting is a mature Italian AlderAlnus cordata. This is a particularly impressive specimen, with a spread of around 14 metres. Opposite, on the grass, a less conspicuous sapling is a recently planted Montpellier Maple Acer monspessulanum.
Take the right-hand path, which gradually narrows into a muddier woodland trail, and make your way towards the large conifer standing between the grassy field and the path. This substantial tree is Grand FirAbies grandis.
Almost at the end now, retrace your steps uphill towards the planted border outside the pavilion. As you reach the corner of the bed, look behind you to spot a fine Turkey OakQuercus cerris. This area also contains a young Small-leaved Lime Tilia cordata, distinguishable from the park’s other lime trees by the rusty-orange hairs beneath its leaves.
From here, continue past the flowerbeds and back to the main footpath beside the Japanese Maple where the loop began. Taking the path towards the nearest exit from Heaton Park to Jesmond Vale Lane, passing the house on your way, you’ll encounter another handsome London Plane as well as several examples of Portugal LaurelPrunus lusitanica – a favourite planting in Victorian landscaped parks. Emerging once more onto the hill where the walk began, your tree trail comes to an end.
I have been meaning to start a series on the UK’s grass species for some time. After a few grass-focused outings this spring, I have decided now is the time. This post, and those to follow, aim to make grass identification a little less daunting for beginners by offering identification tips, quick field clues and habitat notes to help you identify grasses with confidence.
Over time, I will add more pages covering different habitats and grass groups as I continue learning myself, but for now, let’s take a look at some specialist woodland grasses. As ever, all images included are my own unless otherwise stated.
Wood Melick Melica uniflora
Wood Melick Melica uniflora is a dainty and rather beautiful grass of well-managed, typically ancient woodland. Flowering from spring into early summer, it often forms dense tufted patches through rhizomatous spread.
It is a distinctive species, recognised by its graceful sprays of bead-like flowers, ranging from brown to purplish, borne at the tips of fine, branching stems. Confusion is most likely with Mountain Melick Melica nutans, though that species is very rare in much of the UK. To be certain, look for the distinctive bristle pressed against the stem opposite the leaf ligule. The flowers of Wood Melick are also borne on several branches, unlike the next species.
Bristle on the opposing side to the ligule
Delicate, bead-like spikelets
Dainty, branched flowerheads
Mountain Melick Melica nutans
This is a rather rare and presumably declining grass of woodland overlying limestone. You are rather unlikely to come across it in your average woodland, but if you do, good for you!
Altogether rarer than Wood Melick and rather more striking in appearance, Mountain Melick Melica nutans is typically found in woodland over limestone. It bears a one-sided spike of relatively large flowers which, unlike those of M. uniflora, hang delicately from the main stem rather than from side branches. This species also lacks the distinctive bristle or barb at the base of the culm leaves.
Note the absence of the bristle seen in M. uniflora
Larger spikelets than M. uniflora
One-sided spike
Wood Millet Milium effusum
Another grass with delicate, airy, bead-like spikelets, though quite different to the previous two. Wood Millet Milium effusum is a tall woodland grass of damper soils, recognised by its broad, dull green, hairless leaves and rather prominent ligule.
Its tiny, one-flowered spikelets are borne towards the tips of long, drooping branches, creating an elegant, open panicle. The glumes are as long as the entire spikelet and are green with a pale margin, as shown in the image below. Altogether, it is one of the more distinctive woodland grasses.
Prominent ragged ligule
One-flowered spikelets on long, wiry branches
Glumes green with a pale margin
Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica
A rather rare and quite lovely grass, this one has its heartlands in Scotland, Wales and the north of England. Its niche habitat means it is unlikely to be encountered in most woodlands.
A grass of moist, shaded cliffs, ravines and overhangs within ancient woodland, often close to rivers, Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica is a humidity-loving species, typically growing in inaccessible places where competition from other plants is limited.
It forms dense tussocks of flat, shiny evergreen leaves which arch upwards at around 45 degrees, drooping only slightly at the tips. Looking into the tussock, the leaf sheaths are a rich dark brown to purplish colour, lending the base of the plant a distinctive appearance.
Unlike other large woodland fescues, it lacks clasping auricles, while the flowers are unawned. The leaves are also entirely hairless, further helping to separate it from similar woodland grasses.
Delicate, unawned spikelets
Lacks clasping auricles
Leaves arch upwards at around 45 degrees
Wood Barley Hordelymus europaeus
A tall, short-lived grass of woodland over calcareous soils, Wood Barley Hordelymus europaeus is one of our scarcest woodland grasses and has undergone a steady decline across much of its range.
Fortunately, it is the only true barley-like grass likely to be encountered in woodland, and its flower spikes are rather distinctive. Looking more closely, the whole plant is coarsely hairy and bears prominent clasping auricles which project more or less horizontally. In the absence of flowers, this helps separate it from similarly hairy species of Bromopsis. The basal sheaths are also brown rather than reddish, another useful distinction from Bromopsis.
Barley-like flowerheads
Coarsely hairy stems
Prominent clasping auricles, pointed horizontally
Giant Fescue Schedonorus giganteus
A rather tall perennial grass of shady spots within ancient and well-managed woodland, Giant Fescue Schedonorus giganteus is a robust tufted species, often reaching 150 cm in height. It has bright green leaves and distinctive clasping auricles with a purplish tinge, a feature unique among our larger woodland grasses.
The leaves are virtually hairless, tapering gradually to a fine point, while the ligule is short and fairly unobtrusive. Its flower spikes have a distinctive untidy appearance, owing to their long, wavy awns.
One of the commoner woodland grasses, Hairy-brome Bromopsis ramosa is a species of shaded corners and heavier soils. It is a distinctive tall grass with arching flowerheads, densely hairy sheaths, variably hairy leaves and a prominent ragged ligule.
The lemmas bear long awns and, importantly, the drooping flowerheads usually have just two branches at the lowest node. A rarer related species, Lesser Hairy-brome Bromopsis benekenii (not yet encountered by the author) typically has 3–5 branches at the lowest node instead.
Downward-pointing auricles
Densely hairy sheaths
Graceful, drooping flowers
False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum
A common grass of shaded woodland, wooded banks and other habitats on heavier soils, False Brome Brachypodium sylvaticum is a clump-forming species which develops distinctive pale green, drooping tussocks.
The leaf sheaths are hairy, at least towards their lower portions, while the ligule is relatively long and pointed. Its flower spikes are also distinctive, initially held upright before arching gracefully over, and are composed of long, slender, overlapping spikelets arranged alternately along the stem.
Motivated by last year’s fern forays and spurred on by my new membership of the British Pteridological Society, I have decided to try something different this year: a personal challenge to see as many of Britain’s fern species as possible in a single year. The idea being that, by seeking out our ferns, I’ll learn more about them, their habitats, and the subtleties involved in identifying them. This blog will be part #7.
A Few Scarce Ferns – 26 April
When it comes to our rarer ferns, it’s often best not to share precise locations. I’ll usually take cues from what trusted organisations and recorders have made public. Still, even then, the vulnerability of some populations makes it sensible to err on the side of caution. So, no grid references or site names this time, but suffice it to say that with spring getting underway, it felt like the right moment to head out in search of some of our more elusive pteridophytes. Cue a long drive away from Newcastle…
Our first stop was in pursuit of a particular favourite: Moonwort Botrychium lunaria. This curious little plant of calcareous grasslands, spoil heaps and old mine workings has become something of a personal nemesis – frequently eluding targeted searches, only to appear when least expected. On this occasion, however, I had a good idea where to look and despite it being a touch early in the season, was pleased to find the first fronds just beginning to emerge from the tightly grazed turf of an upland fell.
It’s a delightful species, though I’ll admit it, it doesn’t look like much early in the year.
Moonwort Botrychium lunaria
The second target fern was rather more dependable. Holly-fern Polystichum lonchitis is a striking species, its tough, tapering fronds lending it a distinctive, almost architectural quality. It tends to favour the most inaccessible of habitats, occupying cool, well-drained niches at the base of cliffs, on shaded ledges, and among boulder scree. As such, it’s one of those ferns that usually demands a bit of effort to see.
Our plant, it must be said, was looking a little the worse for wear, with just a handful of fresh fronds emerging from a clump of last year’s browned foliage. Still, it very much counted. With any luck, I’ll come across more robust specimens when I make it to Scotland later in the year.
Holly-fern Polystichum lonchitis
Not to be overlooked, the day also brought encounters with two particularly appealing lycophytes: Fir Clubmoss Huperzia selago and Lesser Clubmoss Selaginella selaginoides. Alongside these were a suite of more familiar upland ferns, rounding off a thoroughly satisfying trip.
Fir Clubmoss Huperzia selagoLesser Clubmoss Selaginella selaginoides
An Unusual Escape – 27 April
Fast forward to Sunday and, rather unexpectedly, a guided walk with a local Friends group turned up another addition to the fern list. And an unlikely one at that. The rather impressive specimen pictured below proved to be Western Sword-fern Polystichum munitum, a North American species recorded from only a handful of sites nationally, according to the BSBI.
To encounter it in Holywell Dene, North Tyneside, was something of a surprise, and I’ll admit it took a bit of working through before the penny dropped. It is most likely a garden escape, but either way, it appears to represent the first known occurrence for South Northumberland.
Western Sword-fern Polystichum munitum
Woodland Specialists – 5 May
Whilst I’ve covered that particular trip in more detail elsewhere, a Bank Holiday wander at Cupola Banks above the River Allen yielded the next two ferns for the year. Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris and Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis are, in truth, among my favourites. While not especially rare in a national context, they are decidedly scarce in my part of the world.
Both species favour rugged, humid upland woodland that has remained largely undisturbed, often growing in spots that seem either inaccessible or of little interest to grazing animals. Delicate and rather pretty, they are among our most elegant ferns, and I never tire of seeing them.
The wooded banks of the River Allen are one of the few places I find myself returning to year after year in search of wild plants (we all have those places, don’t we?). Typically, we follow a familiar route from the National Trust car park at Allen Banks as far as Briarwood Banks, before turning back satisfied with whatever the day has offered.
This spring, though, I was keen to try something a little different. Starting instead from the far end of the gorge at Cupola Bridge, we set out to explore some of the quieter wooded corners we’d somehow overlooked on previous visits. Our usual trips here come a little later in the season, often in search of Bird’s-nest Orchid Neottia nidus-avis, but there was no reason to think an earlier visit would be at all dull.
Cupola Banks
Decanting at Cupola Bridge, the first stretch of our walk saw Matt and me enjoying a leisurely hour exploring Cupola Banks. It is surely one of the finest fragments of ancient woodland in the area, with a reputation for harbouring several local specialities, including Mountain Melick Melica nutans and Wood Barley Hordelymus europaeus. Spoiler: we missed both, though in fairness, we were probably a little early for the barley.
Among the highlights here was Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica, a particularly elegant grass of humid cliffs, shaded overhangs and steep banks where competition from the ever-present Great Wood-rush Luzula sylvatica is reduced. We encountered several fine clumps along this opening stretch, pausing to inspect tussocks for the tell-tale purple-tinged stem bases. Scarce and seemingly in decline, this species is something of a specialist of steep-sided woodlands such as this, often confined to the most inaccessible ledges, making any meaningful monitoring a challenge.
Elsewhere, the supporting cast of woodland grasses was equally pleasing, with plenty of Wood Melick Melica uniflora, alongside Giant Fescue Schedonorus giganteus and Hairy-brome – all good indicators of long-established woodland habitats.
Wood Fescue Drymochloa sylvaticaWood Fescue Drymochloa sylvaticaWood Fescue Drymochloa sylvatica in its typical habitat
On the floral front, the path edges and wooded slopes were rich with interest. Yellow Pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum, Water Avens Geum rivale and Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage Chrysosplenium oppositifolium were all present in good quantity, joined by welcome splashes of colour from Wood Forget-me-not Myosotis sylvatica, Bitter-vetch Lathyrus linifolius and a supporting cast of familiar woodland species.
Less eye-catching, perhaps, but no less noteworthy, were the lingering remains of last season’s Bird’s-nest Orchid. A reminder that we’d arrived a little early, and that a return visit later in the month will be well worth pencilling in.
Of course, I can scarcely go anywhere these days without giving due attention to the ferns (a blessing or a curse, depending on your perspective), and the steep, wooded banks at Cupola proved well worth investigating. The usual suspects were quickly accounted for including Male-fern Dryopteris filix-mas and Lady-fern Athyrium filix-femina, while a few fine clumps of Borrer’s Male-fern Dryopteris borreri were a welcome bonus. Hard Shield-fern Polystichum aculeatum and Polypody Polypodium vulgare were also present, though both were to be expected.
The real highlight came a little higher up the slope, where we were delighted to find neighbouring populations of Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis and Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris. Both are scarce locally, and it is always a pleasure to encounter them, particularly growing side by side as they so often do in the damp, humid, rocky woodlands they favour.
To round things off, a small, shaded hollow beside the path held a modest colony of Wood Horsetail Equisetum sylvaticum, its delicately branched foliage easily separating it from other species liable to occur.
The next leg of our walk carried us through Stawardpeel Wood, tracing the banks of the Allen and skirting the edges of a sizeable clearfell area. Botanically, much was familiar, with many of the same woodland species continuing along the route. One plant, however, did give us pause: a particularly handsome Dryopteris which, on closer inspection, revealed itself as Western Scaly Male-fern Dryopteris affinis subsp. affinis. A satisfying find, and well worth a closer look.
Muggins peering at the offending fern…
The more familiar species were in particularly good form along this stretch. Dog-violet Viola riviniana was abundant, joined by swathes of Ramsons Allium ursinum and patches of Wild Strawberry Fragaria vesca – all classic woodland plants.
A final point of interest before reaching Plankey Mill came in the form of a robust member of the pea family scrambling through scrub at the edge of the clearfell. This proved to be Wood Vetch Vicia sylvatica, a Rare Plant Register species in South Northumberland, though on this occasion it was still some way from flowering.
Matt, attempting to usher me along after spending way too long admiring the Wood Vetch
Plankey Mill & Briarwood Banks
The final leg of our small expedition proved to be the most rewarding. Plankey Mill itself offered little of note, aside from a patch of what was likely Upland Enchanter’s-nightshade Circaea x intermedia (one to revisit later in the season), but nearby Briarwood Banks and the pockets of calaminarian grassland in the vicinity were far more engaging.
Venturing back into the woodland, we made a point of checking on a small colony of Early-purple Orchid Orchis mascula that had delighted us on previous visits. Encouragingly, two plants had escaped the attentions of passing feet and were still standing. Nearby, Bugle Ajuga reptans formed carpets in the shade, while a thriving population of Wood Stitchwort Stellaria nemorum was just coming into flower – another northern speciality.
Close to Briarwood Banks, several pockets of calaminarian grassland have developed on soils contaminated by heavy metals and other less savoury residues. These unusual habitats are a joy to visit early in the season thanks to the abundance of Mountain Pansy Viola lutea, which flowers here in April and May.
A short detour brought us to one such clearing, where the pansies were at their peak, forming a kaleidoscope of colour across the turf. Try as we might, we couldn’t pick out any of the pure yellow forms (a personal favourite), but with almost every other variation on display, it was hard to feel disappointed.
And that was that, a thoroughly rewarding spring wander in what must surely be one of the most scenic and botanically rich woodlands in Northumberland. There’s clearly plenty more to come here as the season unfolds, and I’ll have to make a point of returning to Cupola later in the year to seek out some of the species that were still waiting in the wings.
Motivated by last year’s fern forays and spurred on by my new membership of the British Pteridological Society, I have decided to try something different this year: a personal challenge to see as many of Britain’s fern species as possible in a single year. The idea being that, by seeking out our ferns, I’ll learn more about them, their habitats, and the subtleties involved in identifying them. This blog will be part #5.
Adder’s-tongue – 17 April
Whilst there hasn’t been much time for fern hunting of late, things have been ticking along nicely. Although I have a few more exciting trips planned, much of my recent botanising has taken place closer to home, resulting in just two new finds. The first was Lady-fern Athyrium filix-femina, which is now beginning to appear almost everywhere. The second find was far more exciting.
Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum is a curious little fern, and one that never fails to raise a smile. I still remember the first time I encountered it, back in 2018, shortly after beginning work with the Natural History Society of Northumbria. During a visit to the Society’s Gosforth Nature Reserve, I was led a few paces outside the reserve gate by Paul, the warden, who directed me towards the low vegetation growing along the unassuming verge between the reserve and a busy main road.
Typically, Ophioglossum appears here in late April or early May, presumably responding to the warmer conditions of spring. This year, however, has been unusual. Many things, from Bluebells to emerging butterflies, seem to be running several weeks ahead of schedule. With that in mind, I decided to check that same verge outside Gosforth Nature Reserve and, hey presto…
Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum
An indicator of older, unimproved grassland where both it and its associated fungi flourish, this species has suffered greatly from agricultural intensification, nutrient enrichment, and the loss of traditional grazing regimes. Today, it tends to persist only in places where land management has remained relatively unchanged: damp pastures, species-rich meadows, coastal dunes, etc.
The fact that it survives on this unassuming verge is a testament to the work of NHSN volunteers, who do their best to ensure the grassland is not mown inappropriately, and to the fortuitously placed signpost which protects the small group of ferns growing in the sward at its base. It is always satisfying when a species falls neatly into place ecologically, and nicer still to see a plant growing happily in the same spot where I first encountered it almost a decade ago.
Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum vulgatum on the same verge several years back
Running Total
Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…
Holy Island is a botanist’s paradise, famed for its orchids but also home to many other fascinating plants. Its dune slack flora, in particular, is a thing of beauty, though from the village to the shoreline and quarry, there are interesting things to see at every turn. For more information, I strongly recommend this book.
Please note that this page and other site features are a work in progress. More plants will be added as they are photographed.
Orchids
Lindisfarne Helleborine Epipactis sancta
The Lindisfarne Helleborine is one of Britain’s rarest orchids, known only from a small area of dune slacks on Holy Island. It is a delicate, often self-pollinating species, producing greenish flowers that are easy to overlook amid surrounding vegetation. Endemic to this single locality, it is a good example of how specialised and localised Britain’s flora can be.
Most sources now regard this orchid as a subspecies of the Dune Helleborine Epipactis dunensis, though either way, it is rather special.
Marsh Helleborine Epipactis palustris
Marsh Helleborine is arguably one of Britain’s most striking orchids, typically found in calcareous wetlands such as dune slacks and fens. Its elegant spikes carry numerous flowers, each with a distinctive white lip marked with pink and purple. It is rather conspicuous species when in bloom.
Although locally abundant in suitable habitat, it is sensitive to changes in hydrology and habitat quality, and so remains an important indicator of healthy wetland systems.
Frog Orchid Dactylorhiza viridis
Frog Orchid is a small and rather inconspicuous species of short turf, dunes and unimproved grassland. Its dense spike of greenish flowers, often flushed with brown or purple, can be easily overlooked. Formerly placed in the genus Coeloglossum, it is a distinctive orchid whose subtle colouring sets it apart from its more showy relatives.
The individual flowers are said to resemble tiny frogs, though that could equally apply to the muddy brown colour of many individuals.
Early Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza incarnata
Early Marsh-orchid is a characteristic species of calcareous wetlands, including dune slacks, fens and marshy grassland. Its dense spikes of flowers range from pale flesh-pink to deeper purplish tones, often accompanied by unspotted, narrow leaves. Flowering earlier than many related species, it can be rather abundant throughout dune slacks on the island.
Several subspecies of Early Marsh-orchid are known, often defined by the colour of their flowers. These are not covered here, but a good resource can be found here.
Northern Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza purpurella
Northern Marsh-orchid is a robust and variable species of damp grassland, dune slacks and coastal habitats, particularly in the north and west of Britain. Its dense flower spikes are typically rich purple, though paler forms occur, and the lower lip is roughly diamond-shaped.
Locally abundant in suitable conditions, this is probably the most abundant orchid on Holy Island. You would struggle to miss it in early summer.
Pyramidal Orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis
Pyramidal Orchid is a distinctive and often abundant species of calcareous grassland and dunes, occupying drier habitats than many of the species above. Its vivid pink flowers are borne in a tightly packed, pyramidal spike that gradually elongates with age, making it one of our most recognisable orchids. Flowering in early to mid-summer, it can form impressive displays in suitable conditions.
Whilst the typical form of Pyramidal Orchid is pink, white-flowered variants also occur on the island, albeit rarely.
Coralroot Orchid Corallorhiza trifida
Coralroot Orchid is a small and unusual species of damp woodland and dune slacks, often associated with mossy, shaded conditions. Lacking chlorophyll, it appears pale and leafless, deriving its nutrients from fungi in the soil rather than through photosynthesis. Even on Holy Island, it is a rare and quite special little plant.
Common Twayblade is a widespread and adaptable orchid of grassland, woodland edges and dune systems. It is easily recognised by its pair of broad, opposite leaves and its tall spike of numerous small green flowers.
Common Spotted-orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii
Common Spotted-orchid is one of Britain’s most widespread and familiar orchids, occurring in grassland, dune slacks, woodland edges and roadside verges. Its flower spikes carry numerous pale pink to lilac blooms, each intricately marked with darker loops and spots, while the leaves are typically boldly spotted.
Holy Island is one of the few places, locally at least, where pure white Common Spotted-orchids are quite common.
Wildflowers
Pirri-pirri-bur Acaena novae-zelandiae
Pirri-pirri-bur, is a low-growing, mat-forming plant of coastal grassland and dunes, introduced to Britain from New Zealand. Its small, inconspicuous flowers give way to distinctive spiny burrs that readily cling to clothing and animal fur, aiding its spread. It is a prodigious weed on Holy Island, though one which can be encountered rather widely.
This species was introduced as a wool contaminant and was first recorded in the wild in the UK in 1901. The populations on Holy Island show a preference for fixed dunes.
Purple Milk-vetch Astragalus danicus
Purple milk-vetch is a low-growing legume of dry, calcareous grassland, including coastal dunes. Its compact clusters of rich purple, pea-like flowers sit above finely divided, grey-green foliage, creating a striking display in late spring. Now scarce and local in Britain, it is a species of considerable conservation interest.
It is classified as ‘Endangered’ in The Vascular Plant Red Data List for Great Britain due to a substantial decline since 1930.
Carline Thistle Carlina vulgaris
A distinctive plant of dry, calcareous grassland, including dunes and limestone slopes. Its stiff, spiny leaves form a low rosette, from which arises a striking, star-like flower head surrounded by straw-coloured bracts. Unusual among thistles, the flower heads open in dry, sunny conditions and close in damp weather, a trait once used as a natural weather indicator.
Seaside Centaury Centaurium littorale
Seaside Centaury is a delicate annual of coastal habitats, particularly dune slacks and salt marsh edges. Its slender stems bear clusters of small, star-like pink flowers that open in bright sunlight, adding subtle colour to short, open turf. It is quite widespread on the island but is perhaps best observed on the Snook.
Autumn Gentian Gentianella amarella subsp. septentrionalis
Gentianella amarella subsp. septentrionalis is a diminutive but striking plant of short, calcareous turf, including coastal dunes and grassland. This uncommon subspecies has pale white flowers, contrasting with the pink flowers of the common variety, and is confined primarily to coastal areas of Scotland and Northern England. It flowers later than most of the species on this list.
Henbane Hyoscyamus niger
Henbane is a striking and rather sinister plant of disturbed ground, coastal dunes and waste places. Its large, sticky, foul-smelling leaves and pale yellow flowers, intricately veined with purple and marked by a dark centre, give it a distinctive and somewhat eerie appearance. Long associated with folklore and medicine, it is highly toxic and now a scarce and local species in Britain.
Look for this one on disturbed ground around the village and harbour.
Common Sea-lavender Limonium vulgare
Common Sea-lavender is a characteristic plant of salt marshes and estuarine mudflats in southern England, but is altogether rarer in the North East. Here, it grows on the rocky shore of Cuthbert’s Isle, its airy sprays of small, violet flowers, each held within a papery calyx, can create a soft purple haze in summer.
The colony on Holy Island was (and may still be) the most northernly on the east coast of England.
Grass-of-Parnassus Parnassia palustris
This is a beautiful plant of calcareous flushes, fens and dune slacks. Its solitary white flowers, delicately veined with green and held above a basal rosette of leaves, are among the most elegant in the British flora. Flowering late in the season, it is a characteristic species of unspoilt, high-quality habitat.
Rough Clover Trifolium scabrum
Trifolium scabrum is a small annual of dry, open ground, particularly in coastal grassland and sandy soils. Its compact flower heads consist of tiny pink to whitish florets that can be easily overlooked among short turf. It grows in bare, open areas with little competition and can often be hard to find.
Look for Rough Clover on the Whin outcrops at Lindisfarne Castle.
Scots Lovage Ligusticum scoticum
Scots Lovage is a robust coastal plant of rocky shores, dunes, cliffs and maritime grassland. Its fleshy, aromatic leaves and rounded umbels of greenish-white flowers are well adapted to salt-laden winds and exposed conditions. Largely confined to northern and western coasts, the colony of Holy Island represents its most southerly outpost on the east coast of Britain.
It is thought that drought sensitivity and the requirement for cold, wet conditions for germination may be responsible for limiting its spread to more southerly areas.
Rround-leaved Wintergreen is an elegant and rather local plant of dune slacks and fens. Its glossy, rounded evergreen leaves form a low rosette, from which rise slender stems bearing nodding, white, sweetly scented flowers. Often associated with base-rich, undisturbed habitats, it is a species of conservation concern.
This is a delicate creeping plant of damp, calcareous dune-slacks. Its slender stems bear small, rounded leaves and charming pink, striped star-like flowers that appear in summer.
Dwarf Mallow Malva neglecta
Dwarf Mallow is a low-growing, often prostrate plant of disturbed ground, pavements and waste places. Its rounded, shallowly lobed leaves and small, pale pink flowers with darker veins give it a modest but attractive appearance.
This one is rather plentiful around the village, where it occurs at wall bases and on areas of waste ground.
Common Butterwort Pinguicula vulgaris
Butterwort is a small carnivorous plant of wet heaths, flushes and calcareous wetlands. Its pale green, greasy leaves form a low rosette that traps small insects, supplementing its nutrient intake in poor soils. Above these, delicate purple flowers are borne on slender stems in early summer.
A naturalised introduction, Tree Mallow is a tall, conspicuous plant of coastal cliffs, islands and maritime grassland. Its large, softly hairy leaves and pale pink to lilac flowers are quite distinctive.
Tree Lupin Lupinus arboreus
Tree Lupin is a robust, shrubby plant of coastal dunes and sandy soils, introduced to Britain from western North America. Its tall spikes of yellow, pea-like flowers are often conspicuous, forming dense stands in suitable conditions.
While attractive, it can be invasive, altering dune habitats by fixing nitrogen and outcompeting native vegetation.
Parsley Water-dropwort Oenanthe lachenalii
Oenanthe lachenalii is a slender plant of coastal salt marshes and damp grassland. Its finely divided leaves and loose umbels of small white flowers give it a delicate, airy appearance in summer.
Rather rare on the island, it occurs scantily in a few permanently damp dune slacks but is nowhere common.
Milk Thistle Silybum marianum
Best found at the base of the Vicar’s Garden, Milk Thistle is a bold and distinctive plant of disturbed ground, roadsides, and coastal habitats. Large, glossy leaves display striking white marbling and sharp spines along their edges, while tall stems carry prominent purple flower heads that create an impressive sight.
Long associated with herbal medicine, it is likely a long-established introduction on Holy Island.
Brookweed Samolus valerandi
Brookweed is a small and rather unobtrusive plant of damp ground, particularly in coastal habitats such as salt marshes and wet flushes. Its low rosette of fleshy leaves gives rise to slender stems bearing tiny white flowers, each delicately marked at the throat. Easily overlooked, it is a characteristic species of open, periodically inundated ground.
Hare’s-foot Clover Trifolium arvense
A distinctive annual of dry, sandy soils, including dunes, heaths and disturbed ground. Its soft, cylindrical flower heads bristle with silky hairs, giving them a pale, silvery sheen reminiscent of a hare’s foot. It often thrives abundantly in open habitats, well-adapted to nutrient-poor conditions and sparse vegetation, and commonly appears throughout the village and harbour.
Blue Fleabane Erigeron acris
Blue fleabane is a slender and often overlooked plant of dry, open ground, including dunes, grassland and disturbed soils. Its small, daisy-like flower heads are composed of numerous narrow rays, often tinged with lilac or purplish hues.
Rather localised, this one is best looked for in the quarry area.
Hound’s-tongue Cynoglossum officinale
Hound’s-tongue, is a softly hairy plant of dry, often calcareous soils, including dunes, grassland and disturbed ground. Its dull reddish-purple flowers are borne in coiled clusters, while the elongated, velvety leaves are said to resemble a dog’s tongue, giving rise to its common name. The plant produces barbed burrs that readily cling to clothing and animal fur, aiding its dispersal.
Bugloss Lycopsis arvensis
Bugloss is a rough, bristly annual of arable land, sandy soils and disturbed ground. Its small blue flowers, borne in coiled clusters, resemble those of forget-me-nots, though the plant itself is far coarser in texture.
Now much declined due to agricultural intensification, it is a scarce and local species of open, low-nutrient habitats.
Marsh Pennywort Hydrocotyle vulgaris
Marsh Pennywort is a creeping plant of damp grassland, marshes and dune slacks. Its rounded, coin-like leaves are borne on slender stalks, forming spreading mats across wet ground.
This one is rather common across the island and can be found in most areas of suitable habitat.
Common Broomrape Orobanche minor
Common Broomrape is a curious parasitic plant of grassland and dunes, most often associated with clovers. Lacking chlorophyll, it appears as a leafless spike of pale brown to purplish flowers, drawing all its nutrients from the roots of its host.
Shoreweed Littorella uniflora
Littorella uniflora is a small and specialised plant of clean, nutrient-poor waters, typically found along the margins of lakes, pools and dune slacks. Its tight rosettes of narrow, fleshy leaves often grow submerged or on wet sand, making it easy to overlook. The tiny, inconspicuous flowers are borne singly on short stems
Ferns, Horsetails & Clubmosses
Small Adder’s-tongue Ophioglossum azoricum
Small Adder’s-tongue is a minute and easily overlooked fern of short, often coastal grassland and dune slacks. It typically produces a single, simple frond alongside a slender, fertile spike, both close to the ground.
This is a very rare plant in Northumberland; thus no information on location is provided.
Variegated Horsetail Equisetum variegatum
Variegated Horsetail is a distinctive species of damp, often calcareous habitats, including dune slacks and lake margins. Its stiff, jointed stems are marked with characteristic black-and-white banding at the nodes, giving it a striking appearance. Often forming low, spreading patches, it is well adapted to open, seasonally wet conditions.
Lesser Clubmoss Selaginella selaginoides
Lesser Clubmoss is a small and rather moss-like plant of damp grassland, heaths and flushes. Its delicate, creeping stems are clothed in tiny leaves, giving it a soft, low-growing appearance. Though easily overlooked, it is rather abundant across suitable habitats on the island.
Grasses, Rushes & Sedges
Sand Cat’s-tail Phleum arenarium
A small annual grass of dry, sandy soils, particularly in coastal dunes and disturbed ground. Its short, dense, cylindrical flower spikes resemble a miniature cat’s tail, giving rise to its common name. Localised and easily overlooked, it is well adapted to open, shifting substrates with little competition.
Black Bog-rush Schoenus nigricans
Black Bog-rush is a distinctive plant of base-rich fens, flushes and dune slacks. It forms dense tussocks of wiry stems topped with clusters of dark brown to black spikelets, giving it a characteristic appearance. Often dominant in suitable conditions, it is incredibly abundant on the Snook, where it forms dense drifts across damp depressions close to the car park.
Flat-sedge is a low-growing plant of damp, calcareous grassland, fens and dune slacks. It forms small tufts of flattened stems bearing neat rows of brown spikelets, giving it a distinctive, orderly appearance.
A rare plant regionally, it is by no means scarce on Holy Island.
Long-bracted Sedge Carex extensa
A characteristic plant of coastal salt marshes and maritime grassland, the flowering stems bear distinctive, leaf-like bracts that extend well beyond the spikelets, giving it a recognisable appearance. Tolerant of saline conditions, it is a typical species of the upper marsh and transitional coastal habitats.
Saltmarsh Rush Juncus gerardii
Saltmarsh Rush is a characteristic species of coastal salt marshes and upper shore habitats. It forms dense tufts of stiff, grass-like stems, often dominating areas subject to regular salt spray and occasional inundation. Its compact clusters of small brown flowers are subtle but rather frequent once you get your eye in.
A robust plant of brackish wetlands, including salt marshes, estuaries and coastal lagoons. The tall, triangular stems of Sea Club-rush bear clusters of brown spikelets, often forming conspicuous stands in shallow water or wet mud. Spreading by rhizomes and tubers, it can be locally dominant in suitable areas.
Hareshaw Linn, with its beautiful waterfall and steep-sided wooded banks, is an interesting place to visit whatever the season. Its flora, comprising many ferns and ancient-woodland indicator species, is distinctive and broadly representative of Northumberland’s upland gorges.
Please note that this page and other site features are a work in progress. More plants will be added as they are photographed.
Asplenium trichomanes subsp. pachyrachis, a rare subspecies of Maidenhair Spleenwort, is a small fern of rocky, calcareous habitats, confined to just a few places in the UK. It is identified by its dark, wiry stipe and rachis, bearing rows of small, rounded pinnules with noticably scalloped margins.
This is the rarest of the three Maidenhair Spleenwort subspecies found in the UK and is restricted entirely to a few areas of limestone rock, Hareshaw Linn being one of them. It is easy to spot close to the site’s waterfall.
Beech Fern Phegopteris connectilis
A delicate fern of damp, shaded woodland and upland habitats. It is recognised by its soft, triangular fronds, with the lowest pair of pinnae spreading outwards and slightly downwards. Often forming loose colonies, it favours moist, acidic soils and is a characteristic species of undisturbed woodland, often in the uplands.
This is a scarce fern at Hareshaw Linn, but a few colonies can be found just before the waterfall.
Oak Fern Gymnocarpium dryopteris
Oak Fern is a light and delicate fern of damp, shaded woodland and upland habitats. It is identified by its pale green, triangular fronds, divided into three main parts, giving it a soft and airy appearance. Often forming loose patches on moist, acidic soils, it is a characteristic species of cool, shaded, upland environments.
Like Beech Fern, this one is picky about where it grows. Look for it in the area of the third bridge.
Green Spleenwort Asplenium viride
A small fern of rocky, often calcareous habitats, including cliffs, screes and limestone outcrops. It is readily identified by its bright green rachis, which distinguishes it from similar species with darker stems. The short fronds bear rounded pinnules, and the plant typically grows in crevices in exposed but sheltered rock faces.
Green Spleenwort does not seem to be faring particularly well at Hareshaw Linn. On my most recent visit, I was able to find just a single plant growing on rocks near the waterfall.
Brittle bladder-fern is a delicate fern of rocky habitats, walls and shaded crevices. It is identified by its finely divided, lacy fronds and its fragile stems, which break easily when handled. The small, rounded sori on the underside of the fronds are covered by bladder-like indusia, giving the species its common name.
Best looked for around the waterfall but present in other exposed, rocky areas.
Polypody Polypodium vulgare
A familiar fern of rocks, walls, tree trunks and woodland banks, recognised by its leathery, pinnate fronds with rounded lobes and the neat rows of circular sori on the underside. Often growing in mossy crevices or on old stonework, it is a widespread and rather prominent plant at this site.
Given its tendency to grow as an epiphyte, it sometimes pays to look up when searching for this fern.
Hard Shield-fern Polystichum aculeatum
Hard shield-fern is a robust evergreen fern of woodland, hedgebanks and rocky slopes. It is identified by its dark green, glossy fronds with stiff, sharply pointed pinnules that give the plant a rigid appearance.
Separating this one from Soft Shield-fern can be tricky, but look for the Hard Shield-fern’s stiff, leathery texture and sessile pinnules (lacking a distinct stalk). Soft Shield-fern has a soft, limp feel, a truncate frond base, and distinctly stalked pinnules.
Lemon-scented Fern Oreopteris limbosperma
A graceful fern of damp heaths, moorland and open woodland. It is recognised by its soft, pale green fronds and the fresh lemon scent released when the foliage is crushed. The fronds are broadly triangular, and the sori are arranged close to the margins on the underside.
Narrow Buckler-fern Dryopteris carthusiana
Narrow Buckler-fern is a delicate fern of damp woodland, flushes and wet heaths. It is identified by its narrowly triangular fronds with finely divided pinnules, giving the plant a light and feathery appearance, and can be separated from Broad Buckler-fern by its straw-coloured scales that lack a dark central stripe.
Borrer’s Male-fern Dryopteris borreri
Dryopteris borreri is the commonest member of the Dryopteris affinis complex and is distinguished by its soft-textured, semi-deciduous fronds that typically end in an abruptly squared-off base.
Other key features include its flat-topped pinnules with prominent “cat’s ear” teeth on the outer corners, fully stalked basal pinnules, and diffuse veins that frequently show pale blotching in the surrounding leaf tissue.
Broad Buckler-fern Dryopteris dilatata
In damp woodland and along shaded banks, Dryopteris dilatata is one of the more conspicuous ferns. The large, broadly triangular fronds arise in dense clumps and are finely divided into many small segments. The scales covering the stipe (stem) are brown with a dark central stripe, separating them from Narrow Buckler-fern.
Hart’s-tongue Asplenium scolopendrium
Hart’s-tongue stands apart from most British ferns in having long, undivided fronds rather than divided leaflets. The glossy, strap-shaped leaves form dense clumps on shaded banks, damp woodland floors and old walls. Beneath the fronds, the sori appear as paired, diagonal lines, a distinctive feature of the Asplenium.
Hard Fern Blechnum spicant
Hard Fern [left] is a distinctive evergreen fern of damp woods, heaths and upland habitats. It forms low rosettes of spreading sterile fronds, from which arise taller, narrower fertile fronds that stand upright in the centre. The pinnae are stiff and evenly spaced, giving the fronds a neat, comb-like appearance.
Lady-fern Athyrium filix-femina
A graceful and delicate species of damp woodland, stream sides and shaded banks. Its fronds are soft, pale green and finely divided, often arching outward to form loose, airy clumps. The sori are small and curved (J-shaped), helping separate it from most other ferns.
Wood Horsetail is a delicate species of damp woodland, shaded banks and stream sides. Its slender stems bear numerous fine, drooping branches which, unique among horsetails, are branched again, giving a soft, feathery appearance.
This rare little shrub is associated with the spate zone of shaded river and streamsides in north-eastern England, Cumbria, and north-eastern Scotland. It looks a lot like the common Red Currant, but can be separated based on its mat and rather dull, dark green leaves that are held at right angles to the stem. Helpfully, the petiole or leaf-stalk is he petiole is green in Downy Currant but orange-ish in Red Currant.
Herb-paris Paris quadrifolia
Herb-paris is a distinctive woodland perennial recognised by its single whorl of four broad leaves set at the top of an upright stem. From the centre arises a solitary greenish flower with narrow sepals and a cluster of prominent yellow stamens. Later in the season, this develops into a single dark blue-black berry, a key feature that makes the species unmistakable
This is one of the truly special plants of Hareshaw Linn and can be seen easily from the path in the early stages of the wood.
Marsh Hawk’s-beard Crepis paludosa
Marsh hawk’s-beard is a tall perennial of damp woodland, flushes and stream sides. The bright yellow flower heads are borne in a loose cluster, and the upper leaves clasp the stem with rounded, backwards-pointing auricles. Beneath the flower heads, the involucral bracts carry black glandular hairs, while the fruits are distinctive pale achenes that are ten-ribbed, hairless and lack a beak.
Marsh Hawk’s-beard is most typically found in constantly cool, damp, moist sites, such as near waterfalls, by upland streams, on wet, north-facing cliffs, and in narrow, shady ravines.
An odd one to include here perhaps, but Good-King-Henrey is a prominent feature of the walk towards Hareshaw Linn, occurring in fields close to the car park.
This one forms clumps of large, triangular to arrow-shaped leaves, often with a slightly mealy surface beneath. The green flowers are small and inconspicuous, produced in dense spikes above the foliage, later developing into clusters of tiny fruits.
Betony Betonica officinalis
Betony is an attractive perennial of grassland, woodland edges and heathy slopes. It forms a basal rosette of softly hairy, oval leaves with rounded teeth, from which rise square stems typical of the mint family. The bright purple flowers are crowded into a dense terminal spike, making the plant rather conspicuous when in bloom.
Yellow Pimpernel Lysimachia nemorum
Yellow Pimpernel is a delicate creeping perennial of damp woodland, stream banks and shaded ground. Its slender, often rooting stems spread across the soil, bearing opposite, rounded leaves on long stalks.
The small, bright yellow flowers are borne singly in the leaf axils and look rather lovely in early summer.
Moschatel Adoxa moschatellina
A small woodland perennial that appears early in spring on damp, shaded woodland floors. It forms patches of soft, deeply divided leaves from creeping rhizomes, often carpeting the ground before the tree canopy closes.
The tiny greenish flowers are arranged in a distinctive cube-like cluster, with four facing sideways and one on top, giving rise to the nickname “town-hall clock”. The flowers are faintly musky-scented, reflected in the species name moschatellina.
Wood Crane’s-bill is a tall perennial of damp meadows, woodland edges and upland grassland. The stems carry deeply divided, palmate leaves and relatively large violet-purple flowers with darker veins and a pale centre. The fruits develop into the characteristic long “crane’s-bill” seed head typical of the genus.
Sanicle Sanicula europaea
A woodland perennial typically found in shaded, base-rich woods and along hedge banks. It forms clumps of glossy, palmately lobed basal leaves from which arise slender stems bearing small, rounded heads of pinkish-white flowers.
Unlike most members of the carrot family, the flowers are arranged in tight umbels rather than open sprays. The fruits are covered in hooked bristles that aid dispersal by attaching to passing animals.
Common Cow-wheat Melampyrum pratense
Common Cow-wheat is a slender annual of acidic woodland, heaths and moorland edges. Its narrow opposite leaves line the delicate stems, while the pale yellow tubular flowers are borne in the upper leaf axils, often accompanied by reddish-tinged bracts. The species is semi-parasitic, drawing nutrients from the roots of neighbouring plants, particularly grasses and shrubs.
Grasses & Sedges
Wood Melick Melica uniflora
Melica uniflora is a graceful perennial grass of shaded deciduous woodland and hedge banks. Its slender stems carry a delicate, open panicle of drooping spikelets, each typically containing a single fertile floret. The broad, soft leaves and nodding inflorescence give it a distinctive appearance among woodland grasses.
While this little grass is difficult to miss when flowering in late spring, it can be surprisingly difficult to spot at other times of year.
Remote Sedge Carex remota
Remote sedge is a slender sedge of damp woodland, shaded stream sides and wet ground. It forms loose tufts of narrow leaves, with thin flowering stems bearing widely spaced spikelets along the upper portion. This well-separated arrangement of spikelets gives the species its name and helps distinguish it from similar woodland sedges.
Motivated by last year’s fern forays and spurred on by my new membership of the British Pteridological Society, I have decided to try something different this year: a personal challenge to see as many of Britain’s fern species as possible in a single year. The idea being that, by seeking out our ferns, I’ll learn more about them, their habitats, and the subtleties involved in identifying them. This blog will be part #4.
My First Filmy-fern – 19 March
I’ve been rather forgetful of late and haven’t got round to writing one of these posts for a while, but I am, of course, still fern hunting.
On Friday, a rare shared day off gave Matt and me the perfect excuse for a short trip north in search of a plant I’ve wanted to see for many years: Tunbridge Filmy-fern Hymenophyllum tunbrigense.
This is a fern with very particular tastes. It depends on constant humidity and is highly vulnerable to drying out, growing only where cool, damp, shaded microclimates persist – deep rock fissures, caves, or permanently wet stone. Such conditions are in short supply in the North East, which goes some way to explaining its rarity here. By contrast, it is much more frequent in the humid Atlantic woodlands of western Scotland and parts of Cumbria. Even so, it does occur in a handful of quiet corners of our region.
As ever with rare species, I won’t be sharing precise details. Suffice it to say that, after a little searching, we were rewarded with a thriving colony. The plants here were confirmed as Tunbridge Filmy-fern by the irregularly toothed margins of the indusia, visible in the first image below.
Tunbridge Filmy-fern Hymenophyllum tunbrigenseTunbridge Filmy-fern Hymenophyllum tunbrigenseTunbridge Filmy-fern Hymenophyllum tunbrigense – you can see the indusia if you squint
When we think of ferns, we tend to picture the large, arching fronds of Dryopteris, rising in characteristic shuttlecocks from the woodland floor. Tunbridge Filmy-fern could scarcely look more different. At a glance, it could easily be mistaken for a moss or liverwort and overlooked entirely.
Look closer, however, and it is unmistakably a fern, and a rather beautiful one at that. The fronds are thin and delicate, twice-divided and almost translucent, with a subtle glaucous, bluish cast. That translucence comes from their structure: each frond is just a single cell thick, giving rise to the distinctive “filmy” appearance.
It is a quietly remarkable plant and a real treat to see at long last. Another species ticked off the botanical bucket list…
Tunbridge Filmy-fern Hymenophyllum tunbrigense
Running Total
Seeing as I rarely carry a notebook, we’ll log our running total for the year here…
