Wild Flowers

Addenda 2010

 

from January 2010
Link to Trees 2009-2010
Adur Nature 2010
 

To see a World in a grain of sand, And Heaven in a wild flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour. William Blake

Sussex Wild Flora
Wild Flora on Chalk  on  flickr

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Images are missing from this page because of a lack of web space

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Wild Flowers 2011 Reports

10 December 2010
Ragwort and Scentless Mayweed had remnants of their flowers visible on the edges of the cyclepath than runs parallel with Widewater Lagoon.

8 December 2010
On the outskirts of Lancing, Yarrow was seen in flower after the recent snow, and in Shoreham a decrepit Ragwort flower.

2 & 3 December 2010
No wild flowers were spotted through 180 mm of snow on the outskirts of Shoreham, or on greater depths of 190 mm to 230 mm on Mill Hill.
Shoreham Weather 2010

19 November 2010
On the cleared scrub area of Mill Hill (north of the path) Musk Thistles were still flowering in the same area. Cleistogamic flowers of Sweet Violets and Dog Violets were scattered thinly over the lower slopes with a few petals of Hawkbits remaining. On the upper part of Mill Hill there were isolated and scattered flowers of Greater Knapweed and Yarrow.
Adur Violets

15 November 2010
As well as the expected flowers of Smooth Sow Thistle and Yarrow battered by the gales and rain of the last week, there were still a few Ox-eye Daisies on the outskirts of Shoreham, and a singe Herb Bennet on the steps of the Butterfly Copse next to the Waterworks Road. White Deadnettle was flowering on the verges of the Waterworks Road.

3 November 2010
A trip on an overcast day to Mill Hill recorded a Red Valerian still in flower on the pavement next to bridge at the northern end and the following flowers on the southern part of Mill Hill: Ragwort, Sow Thistle, Welted Thistle, Greater Knapweed and Yarrow. On the scrub of the lower slopes there were a few tiny flowers on the Great Mullein, plus a handful of Musk Thistle, and scattered over the lower slopes were Dog Violets, and at least one Sweet Violet (or Hairy Violet), a few Hardheads, Centaury with flowers closed, one damaged Field Scabious, as well as the Autumnal Hawkbits and some Rough Hawkbits and/or Lesser Hawkbits, and Hawkweeds.
 

Great Mullein	Musk Thistle		Herb Bennet

2 November 2010
Additional wild plants on the the outskirts of Shoreham in flower added to the list included common White Deadnettle and Dogwood, occasional Wild Basil, Tamarisk, Purple Toadflax and one Meadow Buttercup. Three common species of grass were seen with their flowering heads including Cocksfoot.

1 November 2010
Wild plants noted in flower in Shoreham and the outskirts were abundant Clematis, frequent Yarrow, Sow Thistle and Ragwort, occasional Ox-eye Daisies and Scentless Mayweed, Toadflax, Mugwort, Common Mallow, and a few Wild Carrot, Bristly Ox-tongue and Dandelions.

19 October 2010
The verges of the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, in Old Shoreham, hosted frequent Sow Thistles, occasional Yarrow and Ragwort, a few Ox-eye Daisies in flower plus a few Scentless Mayweed, Red Clover and Toadflax, and a few remaining Viper's Bugloss.

10 October 2010
 

		Centaury
Milkwort	Carline Thistle	Kidney Vetch	Common Toadflax

At least two Kidney Vetch were seen in flower on the southern bank of Buckingham Cutting.

7 October 2010
Scentless Mayweed was still commonly in flower along the edge of the cyclepath and wooden fence by Widewater Lagoon.
 

Evening Primrose	White Campion	Cornflower	Corn Cockle

On the patch of grassland north of Brooklands, east Worthing (west of the Lancing border) the wildflower meadow creation contained a few White Campion, a few Corn Cockle, occasional Cornflowers, frequent Yarrow, a few Common Poppies and other meadow plants that attracted a Red Admiral Butterfly and a medium-sized brown moth or butterfly that fluttered away too quickly to be identified. Evening Primrose was flowering in a separate part of the open space.

5 October 2010
After the rain had stopped for the first time this month frequent Devil's Bit Scabious, Hawkbits, and Wild Basil, occasional Round-headed Rampion, Dog Violets, Hardheads, Milkwortand Dropwort were noted on the slippery lower slopes of Mill Hill. Leaves of Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, covered large expanses below the path. In the area cleared of scrub one plant each of Spear Thistle and Musk Thistle were flowering with two Great Mullein. There was a Welted Thistle in flower on the edge of the southern steps.
 

Hogweed	Great Mullein	Welted Thistle	Ox-eye Daisy	Scentless Mayweed

The verges of the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, in Old Shoreham, hosted a few Ox-eye Daisies in flower plus frequent Hogweed, occasional Toadflax, and a few remaining Wild Basil.
Adur Thistles

30 September 2010
On the lower slopes of Mill Hill I spotted a diminutive Round-headed Rampion still in flower.

26 September 2010
New shoots of Dropwort were seen on about a dozen occasions on the lower slopes of Mill Hill (the first time I had noted this occurrence in autumn) with frequent budding Autumn Gentian, and the species on the lower slopes listed below with Agrimony and Wild Mignonette, increasing frequency of Dog Violets, many more than the Sweet Violets, and at least one Yellow Wort with its flowers closed.

Late September 2010
 

Dog Violet	Dropwort	Autumn Gentian	Bittersweet

19 September 2010
The wild plants noted in flower on the lower slopes of Mill Hill were frequent Carline Thistle (including new budding plants), Dog Violets, Fairy Flax, Squinancywort, Devil's Bit Scabious, Milkwort and Autumnal Hawkbits, occasional Wild Basil, Sweet Violets, Autumn Gentian and Centaury, with a few Self-heal and Common Daisies. On the upper slopes Red Bartsia, Dandelions, Yarrow, Ragwort and Wild Carrot, were frequent with occasional Hardheads and Vervain, the last few flowers on Agrimony and Wild Mignonette, and at least one new Musk Thistle.

17 September 2010
Thrift was still in flower with Dandelions on the grass verge of Widewater north of the bridge.

10 & 12 September 2010
Adonis Blue Butterflies on Mill Hill were observed visiting Autumn Gentian, Creeping Thistle, Hardheads, Ragwort, Traveller's Joy Clematis, Sweet Violets, Hawkbits, Eyebrights, Devil's Bit Scabious, Carline Thistle and the few remaining Greater Knapweeds.
 

10 September 2010 This yet to be identified grass/plant was seen on the mudflats between Cuckoo's Corner and the Cement Works on the eastern bank of the River Adur. I think this is the Sea Plantain, Plantago maritima.

9 September 2010
Autumn Gentian was seen in flower on the lower slopes of Mill Hill with at least two second flowering of Sweet Violets.  Some of the Carline Thistle had silver leaves near their roots but green leaves half way up. One Musk Thistle was seen in flower on the lower slopes where the scrub had been removed and the ground extensively disturbed. It was visited by some tiny bees. There were at least a dozen Devil's Bit Scabious in flower on Mill Hill and a few of them were visited by butterflies.
Full Butterfly Report
Adur Violets

7 September 2010
On a mown garden verge at the top of The Drive, north Shoreham, diminutive Sweet Violets were flowering for the second time this year.  On the Buckingham Cutting (south) the leaves of Carline Thistle on two plants had turned silver.
Adur Violets
 

Wild Arum	Sea Aster	Sea Aster	Devil's Bit Scabious	Devil's Bit Scabious

6 September 2010
A couple of plants of Sea Aster were noted with their lilac petals of the rayed versions on the Adur mudflats to the west end of the main houseboat moorings In Shoreham. Sea Asters, Aster tripolium, exist as rayed and rayless varieties but only the former have long blue or white florets. The rayless form is yellow with just disc florets.

4 September 2010
Devil's Bit Scabious was now searched out and spotted for the first time this year in an overgrown part of the lower slopes of Mill Hill.

Early September 2010
 

Autumn Gentian	Hawthorn	Devil's Bit Scabious	Red Bartsia	Musk Thistle

3 September 2010
My first flowering Autumn Gentian of 2009 was noted on the chalky bank of the Mill Hill Cutting amongst the berried Cotoneaster. Musk Thistle had already gone to seed on the ridge and the top of the steep slopes north-west of the Reservoir.
Adur Thistles

Late August 2010
 

Mugwort	Brambles	Carline Thistle	Toadflax

14 August 2010
 

Wild Carrot	Wild Carrot	Tansy	Tansy

Adur Levels, Old Shoreham

Wormwort	Marshmallow	Marshmallow	Lady's Mantle

Churchyard of St Mary de Haura, New Shoreham

12 August 2010
There was an autumn feel to the verges of the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath north of the Toll Bridge in Old Shoreham, with the first Blackberries in sufficient numbers to pick. Rosebay Willowherb and Thistles were going to seed and there were dominate expanses of Fleabane with prevalent Wild Carrot, Hemp Agrimony, Scentless Mayweed, Hogweed, Mugwort, Marjoram, and the first Water Mint seen this year. The blue Bellflower and Musk Mallow was noted. By Ropetackle, the first Sea Aster was seen flowering on the river mud, and the tiny flowers of the sprawling Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree (=Wolfberry), Lycium.
 

Hemp Agrimony & Mugwort	Water Mint	Sea Aster	Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree

On the shingle beach at the Old Fort end of Shoreham, Scentless Mayweed was noted with Toadflax and small amounts of Orache in flower. Yarrow was common on some of the road verges on Shoreham Beach.
 

Scentless Mayweed	Ragwort	Orache	Bellflower

9 August 2010
 

Ploughman's Spikenard	Ploughman's Spikenard	Hardhead (Lesser Knapweed)	Greater Knapweed

A new plant was seen on Mill Hill on the steeper section of the lower slopes and in the Marjoram area of the middle slopes. This was Ploughman's Spikenard and I had identified it before.
Knapweed Studies (Link)

8 August 2010
Enchanter's Nightshade, Circaea lutetiana, and Figwort, Scrophularia nodosa, were on the list of plants in the Lancing Ring meadows not previously recorded on these pages.

Report from Adrienne Stevenson on the Friends of Lancing Ring Blogspot

1 August 2010 Smooth Hawks-beard, Crepis capillaris,  was growing on the south-north section of the Pixie Path near the area of horse dung in Frampton's Field. It is a reasonably common wayside weed found growing in cracks in the pavement next to walls.

28 - 29 July 2010
 

Purple Loosestrife	Red Bartsia	Goldenrod	Carline Thistle	Mugwort

The marginal Purple Loosestrife was flowering through the cracked dry mud of Lancing Ring dewpond. Goldenrod was flowering on the verges of the the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge in Old Shoreham.

28 July 2010
It was on the crumble chalky bank of the Mill Hill Cutting that my first flowering Carline Thistle of the year was spotted.

21 - 25 July 2010
 

Nettle-leaved ? Bellflower	Spear Thistle	Fleabane	Marjoram

20 July 2010
Red Bartsia was noted in flower in Frampton's Field, Old Shoreham, for the first time this year. The first Blackberry fruit was seen. Clematis was in flower on Mill Hill.

18 July 2010
Lucerne was spotted in flower in a clearing on the southern side of the Slonk Hill Cutting.
 

Lucerne	Pyramidal Orchid  & Restharrow	Greater Knapweed	Yellow Rattle

Southern Bank of the Buckingham Cutting and the Slonk Hill Cutting

16 July 2010
Rock Samphire was a new plant spotted in flower, by the wooden fence that separates the Coastal Cyclepath from the shingle beach at the Lancing end of Widewater. Orache was also seen in flower for the first time this year.
 

Rock Samphire	Lesser  Burdock	Lesser  Burdock	Orache

14 July 2010
An overcast day greeted with spots of rain as I met Eunice and two students surveying two areas of cleared land on the lower slopes of Mill Hill for the ecological succession of plants. Six-spotted Burnet Moths were frequently seen visiting Stemless Thistles which were frequently seen in flower as well as visiting other purple flowers including Hardheads, Greater Knapweed and Musk Thistle.
 

Bramble with a Meadow Grasshopper	Hound's-tongue with Cleavers and Wild Basil	Stemless Thistle	Ploughman's Spikenard

The botanical survey enabled me to include a new plant on the list, Ploughman's Spikenard which was frequent on the cleared slopes above the path. Although tall and easily seen, its rather ordinariness possibly accounted for me not recording it before. Musk Thistle and Great Mullein as well as the invasive Dogwood, Bramble and Privet colonised the new cleared land. Smaller plants in the undergrowth included about three grasses, plus Agrimony, Vervain, Cleavers, Lady's Bedstraw, Great Mullein, Wild Mignonette, Hound's-tongue (dead plants and leaves) and Prickly Sow Thistle.

13 July 2010
The daisy Scentless Mayweed and Fleabane were seen in flower for the first time this year on the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, Sloe berries appeared on the Blackthorn. The Teasels were now flowering frequently and their leaves had collected some over night rain. Hemlock Water Dropwort has been flowering for some time (a few weeks?) and was not reported before because I needed to double check the leaves. The small red flowers of Wild Carrot were now frequently seen.
Adur Umbellifers
Adur Wild Carrot

11 July 2010
Round-headed Rampion was seen in flower for the first time this year with at least a dozen plants seen on Mill Hill, but there would be many more on the short sward top slopes and the first one was seen on the lower slopes.
Extra Wild Flower Images and Reports
 

Round-headed Rampion	Self-heal	Wild Basil	Great Mullein	Teasel

9 July 2010
The first flowering Toadflax and a budding Fleabane were noted next to each other on the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, Marjoram was beginning to flower nearby.

8 July 2010
Flowering Hemp Agrimony in the south-west corner of the main meadow on Lancing Ring Nature Reserve attracted the butterflies.
On the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, the purple flowers were seen for the first time this year on the Teasel heads.
 

Buddleia	Hemp Agrimony	Marjoram	Teasel

Marjoram (looking like an elongate Wild Thyme) was seen for the first time this year in the long grass meadows of Lancing Ring Nature Reserve.

5 July 2010
 

Pyramidal Orchid & Lady's Mantle	Melilot	Small Scabious	Greater Knapweed

Flowers noted on Mill Hill for the first time this year were Wild Basil on the lower slopes, Small Scabious in the Old Erringham pasture, and Stemless Thistle with one on the lower slopes and a handful on the exposed slopes at the top, with Musk Thistle in flower on the ridge by the Reservoir. The lower slopes were very prickly when I attempted to find somewhere to sit down, so there would be hundreds of Stemless Thistle to flower and Squinancywort was very common on both the lower slopes and middle slopes. On the upper slopes the green shoots of Autumn Gentian had appeared.
More Wild Flower Images from Mill Hill
Wild Flowers Images from Buckingham Cutting (south)
Adur Thistles
Melilot Notes

4 July 2010
Meadow Vetchling was abundant on the north-eastern boundary of the level pasture north of the Waterworks and Miller's Stream, Old Shoreham (the field of the car boot sales in summer, west of the hay meadow west of Mill Hill).
Chicory was noted in flower for the first time this year on the meadow-like verges of the Steyning Road south of Shoreham Cement Works (opposite the first layby from Shoreham). There were the first signs of Mugwort beside the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath. The naturalised Dotted Loosestrife formed a large clump alongside the cyclepath fifty metres or so north of the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham.
 

Meadow Vetchling	Chicory	Welted Thistle	Dotted Loosestrife

Adur Levels Flora

The five lower leaves of one of the ground-hugging cinquefoil plants beside the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath by the Cement Works.  This the Creeping Cinquefoil, Potentilla reptans.  Cinquefoil means "five-leaved", from the French cinque feuilles ("five leaves") and ultimately the Latin quinquefolium.

3 July 2010
Common Gromwell, Lithospermum officinale, was seen in flower on the verges of the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham. (? ID)

Early July 2010
 

	Sea Spurrey
Sea Purslane & Glasswort	White Bryony	Hedge Woundwort	White Bryony

Adur Levels Flora

2 July 2010
On the towpath immediately north of the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham, there were swathes of the diminutive Hoary Cress, now identified for the first time. On the towpath to Beeding Cement Works large patches of Tufted Vetch were a bright bit of colour amongst the long grasses and attracted a few butterflies. The tiny Sea Spurrey was frequently seen in flower and this has not been noted before this year, as was the first record of the tall Bristly Ox-tongue. Lesser Burdock was now flowering.
 

Viper's Bugloss & Common Mallow	Tufted Vetch	Hoary Cress	Wild Carrot

Adur Levels Flora

On the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath new flowering plants noted for the first time this year were Restharrow, Welted Thistle, the shrub Buddleia and the first of the common and widespread umbellifer Wild Parsnip. Rosebay Willowherb was flowering in large clumps, but nothing like to their full extent, perhaps only 10% of their maximum show. Yarrow was commonly in flower on verges and wasteland.
Adur Levels

1 July 2010
 

Childing Pink Starry Clover

On Silver Sands, Shoreham Beach, about a dozen Childing Pink, Petrorhagia nanteuilii, were in flower blowing about in the breeze, with one clear double-flower showing alongside the Kidney Vetch. Encroaching vegetation appears to be been cleared since by last visit in 2008.  A small Field Grasshopper hopped amongst  the late flowering patch of Starry Clover, Trifolium stellatum, on a grassy bank near the Old Fort.

Childing Pink

The dominant plants on Shoreham Beach near the Old Fort were Sea Kale (occasionally in flower), Red Valerian, Viper's Bugloss, and Silver Ragwort. Present in small but noticeable quantities were Sea Thrift, the naturalised Michaelmas Daisies, Common Mallow, Tree Mallow, Yellow-horned Poppy, White Stonecrop and Sea Campion. The small Biting Stonecrop had obviously been flowering for some time, but this was the first time I had noted it in flower this year. The small tree Tamarisk was profusely in flower.
 

White Stonecrop & Viper's Bugloss	Sea Kale & Hawkweeds	Sea Kale	Tamarisk

Coastal Flora, Eastern Beach, Shoreham

On the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, the first minute red flowers amongst the white flowering heads of Wild Carrot were spotted. Everlasting Pea was still flowering profusely and the heads of Teasel were common.
Adur Teasels

30 June 2010
Silver Ragwort was flowering profusely on the shingle beach directly south of Ferry Road, Shoreham Beach, and noted for the first time this year.
 

Silver Ragwort	Silver Ragwort	Sea Campion	White Stonecrop

Coastal Flora, Ferry Road Beach, Shoreham

28 June 2010
Great Mullein and Perforate St. John's Wort were seen growing and in flower out of the cracks in the pavement in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham, along with the more familiar colonisers like White Clovers, Red Clovers, Ragwort, Bird's Foot Trefoil, Oil Seed Rape etc.

27 June 2010
 

Meadow Cranesbill	Field Scabious	Yellow Wort	Great Willowherb

On a warm humid (>22 °C) day, flowers noted for the first time this year were Cleavers (Goosefoot) and Vervain on north Shoreham town road verges, Eyebright and at least one Centaury on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, the invasive Dogwood on the middle slopes of Mill Hill, with Tall Melilot, Field Scabious and Meadow Cranesbill on the upper meadows of Mill Hill. In the top meadows of Mill Hill (the ones not overgrown by Brambles) the Greater Knapweed had commenced flowering in their hundreds, but their were thousands of buds yet to open.
 

Wild Privet	Dogwood	Greater Knapweed  Upper Meadow	Wild Mignonette

Mill Hill

26 June 2010
 

Hoary Cress *	Creeping Thistle	Musk Mallow	Hogweed

New flowers on a warm (>20.6 °C) day were seen for the first time this year (although all have probably been in flower for weeks) were White Stonecrop on the towpath area near the defunct Riverbank Industrial Estate (north of Ropetackle), ground-hugging Hoary Cress*, Lepidium draba (formerly Cardaria draba), and Black Medick on the towpath south of Cuckoo's Corner, the umbellifer Hogweed at Cuckoo's Corner, Hedge Woundwort on the western shaded edge of the Coombes Road north of Cuckoo's Corner, and Musk Mallow on the Coombes Road side of the traffic lights at the junction of the main A27 dual carriageway.

* ID suggestion by Rodney Burton on UK Botany

25 June 2010
On a hurried cycle ride in the heat of midday along the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath north of Old Shoreham Rosebay Willowherb and Lesser Burdock were seen on the verges just about in flower for the first time this year, and south of the Toll Bridge, a single Great Mullein was seen just flowering and a patch of flowering Lady's Bedstraw. Hemp Agrimony was budding.
 

Fool's Water Cress	Perforate  St. John's Wort	Viper's Bugloss	Creeping Thistle	Great Mullein

Flora alongside the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath

A unfamiliar yellow plant was discovered on the verges about 200 metres north of the Toll Bridge. This is a garden escape, the Dotted  Loosestrife, Lysimachia punctata. The native Yellow Loosestrife, Lysimachia vulgaris, has branched florets. ID confirmed by Jenny Steel Yellow Loosestrife is technically a native wild plant, although records are sparse and I cannot trace a continuance after the last Ice Age. It is a common cultivated plant.

21 June 2010
Cycling back from Worthing and walking through the Lancing Ring meadows, new flowering plants seen for the the first time this year included abundant Yellow Rattle and frequent Agrimony and the small white flowers of Lesser Stitchwort. On wasteland by the Withy Patch I added Great Willowherb.
 

Yellow Rattle	Pyramidal Orchid	Agrimony	Lesser Stitchwort

A few Pyramidal Orchids were in full flower in amongst the long grasses on McIntyre's Field.

20 June 2010
On the southern bank of the Slonk Hill Cutting, hundreds of Spotted Orchids were in flower. Some of them were already fading. At the top of the southern embankment of the the Slonk Hill Cutting, the first Six-spotted Burnet Moth settled on the first Tufted Vetch noted in flower this year.
 

Spotted Orchid  (white variety)	Tufted Vetch	Kidney Vetch	Lady's Mantle	Spotted Orchids

On the southern bank of the Buckingham Cutting, Lady's Mantle, Alchemilla, was spotted in flower for the first time this year.

19 June 2010
Yarrow was noted in flower on the road verges as I cycled past.

18 June 2010
The first new flowers of the year were Self-heal and Hop Trefoil on the verges of Erringham Road, north Shoreham, followed by the first Bee Orchids on the verge in Mill Hill Drive.
 

	Squinancywort
Bee Orchid	Fairy Flax   &   Wild Thyme	Wild Carrot

The lower slopes of Mill Hill produced the first flowering Wild Thyme, Yellow Wort, Squinancywort, and there were four flowers of Greater Knapweed on the southern part of Mill Hill (the only part visited). From Mill Hill, a large expanse of Bird's Foot Trefoil could be seen on some waste land underneath the Flyover.
Adur Orchids

15 June 2010
New flowering additions were Broad-leaved Willowherb in a local twitten, with Wild Carrot and Perforate St. John's Wort on the verges of the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge.
 

Sea Beet	Yellow-horned Poppy	White Bryony

Adur Willowherbs

14 June 2010
More wild plants were seen in flower for the first time this year and on a cycle ride along the coastal cyclepath from Shoreham to Worthing, I noted Yellow-horned Poppy and Spear Thistle. Lesser Burdock was budding and the naturalised Trailing Bellflower, Campanula porscharskayana, was flowering. Kidney Vetch was in flower on Shoreham Beach west. On the outskirts of north Lancing (near the Withy Patch) there was a clump of Hogweed and the poisonous White Bryony, Bryonia dioica. On the outskirts of Old Shoreham, I added Creeping Thistle.
 

Spear Thistle	Viper's Bugloss and Kidney Vetch	Yellow-horned Poppy	Red Valerian

Adur Thistles
Thistles Gallery

9 June 2010
Summer is nearly here! In the sunshine numerous wild plants were seen in flower for the first time this year.

Mill Hill:  Dog Rose, Meadow Vetchling, Privet*, Wild Mignonette, Elderflower*  (* flowering earlier, but not noted down)
Adur Levels:  Pyramidal Orchid, Field Bindweed, Foxglove
Adur Level, freshwater:  Fool's Water Cress, Water Crowfoot
 

Kidney Vetch	White Campion	Spotted Orchid	Nipplewort

White Campion was in flower on the Adur Levels and on Mill Hill. A few Spotted Orchids were in flower on the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Cement Works. Dropwort was in flower on Mill Hill and some plants were budding.

8 June 2010
In the late afternoon, 5:45 pm, on Buckingham Cutting south, about a dozen Kidney Vetch were seen in flower for the first time this year with Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil hosting a small Burnet Moth caterpillar. Later, in the twitten between Adelaide Square and Corbyn Crescent in residential Shoreham, I noted for the first time that the Nipplewort flowers close down in the evening. I also noted Opium Poppy for the first time this year at the top of The Drive, Shoreham.

7 June 2010
Shoreham Beach was profusely in flower with over a hundred swathes of Sea Kale and Red Valerian east of Ferry Road (that runs south from the Waterside Inn, south-east of the Footbridge). Silver Ragwort was budding but not flowering, but its silver leaves make it look more attractive before the flowers appear. There were lesser amounts of Common Poppy, Slender Thistle,Tree Mallow and Viper's Bugloss near the Old Fort where I stumbled over a small patch of Starry Clover in flower.
 

Sea Kale, Red Valerian and Thrift	Red Valerian and Sea Kale	Starry Clover

Other flowering plants included Lesser Hawkbit, Bird's Foot Trefoil, Common Ragwort, Meadow Buttercups and Thrift. I think there were also Rough Hawkbits but I am not sure of my identifications.

On the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, the first Hardheads (Lesser Knapweed) of the year were seen flowering. The Teasels had appeared but they were not yet flowering.
 

Ox-eye Daisy	Ox-eye Daisies	Lesser Hawkbit	Hardhead

3 June 2010
Meadow Buttercups were seen on the Coastal-Downs Link Cyclepath north and south of the Toll Bridge and they have been in flower for at least a week. These are the tallest of the British buttercups. Ox-eye Daisies were flowering prolifically but some were still in bud.
Adur Buttercups
 

Meadow Buttercups	Spotted Orchid	Hounds-tongue	Tree Mallow

2 June 2010
The first few Spotted Orchids were in flower on Slonk Hill Cutting south.
Adur Orchids

30 May 2010
On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, the tiny Fairy Flax was seen flowering for the first time this year with the first appearance of Dropwort. On the ridge by the Reservoir, Hounds-tongue (seen for the first time this year) was being blown about in Force 5 gusts. White Campion was sparsely seen and Ground Elder was prevalent on the southern part of Mill Hill.

25 May 2010
Tree Mallow and Purple Toadflax were noted in flower for the first time this year on the verges of the cyclepath to the west of Lancing Sailing Club and Common Mallow was also noted although I had seen it before this year. Not yet in flower, but the strands of the alien Japanese Knotweed surrounded the Information Booth at the eastern end of Widewater. Ground Elder was abundant on the margins of the cyclepath past Widewater.

24 May 2010
I noted about a dozen Green-winged Orchids with some two pinky-white ones and I suspect that there were many more on the southern north-facing slopes of Anchor Bottom. Sainfoin was in flower amongst the Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, on the south-facing slope in the middle of Anchor Bottom. Comfrey was noted in flower next to the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath in Upper Beeding and a rather tatty White Campion clump down the cyclepath towards Shoreham. Yellow Flag Iris was seen in flower by Annington Sewer. The diminutive Common Mouse-ear was flowering on the grass bank between the Riverbank Industrial Estate (north of Ropetackle) and the River Adur. Ox-eye Daisies were flowering in hundreds on the verges of the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, but only about 5% were in flower and the rest were budding.
 

Sea Thrift	Green-winged Orchid	Sainfoin	Green-winged Orchid

23 May 2010
Scarlet Pimpernel, Annual Wall Rocket and Bittersweet were spotted flowering on Mill Hill. Hawthorn was flowering prevalently on the downs, but the flowers were only open on less than half the bushes.

22 May 2010
Sea Thrift was flowering plentifully on Shoreham Beach by the Old Fort. Sea Kale was in flower on some clumps by the Old Fort but was yet to flower on some parts of the beach, where Red Valerian was flowering but not yet profusely. Hawthorn was flowering  in the Middle Road allotments, Shoreham. These Hawthorn bushes were planted deliberately and form a hedge on the eastern factory side (adjacent to the twitten) of the allotment. These bushes seem slightly earlier than the wild Hawthorn on the downs.

21 May 2010
Sea Campion was noted in flower for the first time between the Widewater Cyclepath and the wooden groyne-type fence. Black Medick was also seen.

15 May 2010
A solitary Ox-eye Daisy flower was easily spotted on the verges of the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath south of the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham.

14 May 2010
On the middle slopes on Mill Hill in the Triangle area I noted a dozen or so flowers of Field Mouse-ear, Cerastium arvense. On the lower slopes I think I also spotted an isolated Hairy Violet, the first of the year, but the identification is always tricky with these as they look like Sweet Violets.
Adur Violets

12 May 2010
Blackthorn was still in flower on Mill Hill, but it was past its best, but the Hawthorn was only budding and not yet in flower. Silverweed flowers were seen for the first time this year on the ridge-edge north-west of the Reservoir. Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, and Milkwort were now commonly seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, but, of course, nothing like their superabundance of the former expected later in the month.
 

Field Speedwell	Germander Speedwell	Horseshoe Vetch	Horseshoe Vetch

Horseshoe Vetch starts flowering in middle to late April, peaks in mid-May, continues in profusion for about a week and is usually all over by the first week in June. The first flower appeared nine days later than last year.
Flowering Dates of Horseshoe Vetch

11 May 2010
The wild part of the old railway track by the Riverside Business Centre that had its vegetation bulldozed at the end of 2007 was now being recolonised by opportunist plants and some of the original flora was seen, including frequent vigorous Garlic Mustard plants in flower, the first Bird's Foot Trefoil seen this year, the first Red Clover recorded, Ribwort Plantain, Bulbous Buttercups, Dandelions, Forget-me-nots, Wood Avens and budding Red Campion.
 

Red Clover	Wood Avens	Bird's Foot Trefoil	Garlic Mustard

Nearby, the first Hawthorn was seen in flower by the Adur estuary. Cow Parsley was now flowering in abundance on the Adur Levels and outskirts and wasteland around Shoreham. The first Marsh Marigolds were flowering in the margins of my tiny pond in my north-facing garden. Red Valerian was flowering on the road verges in Shoreham.

10 May 2010
The tiny flowers of Ivy-leaved Toadflax were spotted on the west-facing flint walls on the western side of St. Mary de Haura churchyard in the middle of Shoreham.

9 May 2010
On an overcast day, Sea Kale was beginning to flower near the Old Fort on Shoreham Beach, and the tiny Fumitory with the much larger Oil-seed Rape in Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham.

6 May 2010
It was a pleasant sunny day (> 14.9  °C) for the elections and making a small detour to the western outskirts of Old Shoreham (Downs Link - Waterworks Road - Pixie Path) I noted Common Vetch, Bulbous Buttercups and Wayfaring Tree in flower for the first time this year.
 

Common Vetch	Bulbous Buttercup		Milkwort	Milkwort

Adur Buttercups

28 April 2010
 

Garlic Mustard	Red Campion	Green Alkanet

Flowers seen for the first time this year included scores of Garlic Mustard on the edge of the Coombes Road north and south of Cuckoo's Corner, with Red Campion both near Ladywells and south-east of the Toll Bridge, Old Shoreham. Wild Carrot was beginning to flower next to the towpath between the Toll Bridge and Cuckoo's Corner.

27 April 2010
Patches of unidentified Violets, Viola sp., were noted for the first time this year growing in cleared patches of scrub. I was surprised that I had not seen these clumps before on Mill Hill.  (These could be the Early Dog Violet, Viola reichenbachiana.) The latest thinking (which I agree with) is that these are hybrids, intermediate between Sweet Violets and Dog Violets. The sepals are spade-shaped ending in a point.
Adur Violets
 

Cowslips		Hybrid Violets

Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, and Milkwort were now frequently seen on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, but, of course, nothing like their superabundance of the former expected in a month's time. Dandelions were common, but I also noted and examined a Lesser Hawkbit and distinguished the bright blue of Germander Speedwell. Clumps of Cowslips were now frequently seen on the lower slopes, many much smaller in stature than seen in richer soils.
Horseshoe Vetch starts flowering in middle to late April, peaks in mid-May, continues in profusion for about a week and is usually all over by the first week in June.
Flowering Dates of Horseshoe Vetch
 

26 April 2010 The first three Rhingia campestris hoverflies of the year were seen visiting the first Bluebells on the verges of the Waterworks Road on the footpath section.

23 April 2010 The first solitary flower of the Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, appeared on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, at least nine days later than last year. The first solitary Milkwort was also spotted. Flowering Dates of Horseshoe Vetch

20 April 2010
On Shoreham Beach by the Old Fort, a single Thrift flower was seen, the first of the year, although many others were budding and expected to flower any day now. Common Ragwort, the naturalised Spring Starflower, Ipheion uniflorum, and Grape Hyancinth were flowering on the shingle seaward of the houses.
 

17 April 2010 Dove's Foot Cranesbill was seen on the verges of the Waterworks Road.

15 April 2010
Crow Garlic or Wild Onion, Allium vineale, was noted in large amounts on the road verges of the southern part of Mill Hill. This was the first time I noted this plant on Mill Hill.
 

	11 April 2010 On the lower slopes of Mill Hill, Dog Violets were now about equal in prevalency to the Sweet Violets.  Adur Violets
Dog Violet

9 April 2010
Cowslips were in flower on the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath. Green Alkanet was spotted hidden by Alexanders on the verges of the Waterworks Road,
 
 

	8 April 2010 The first Dog Violets of the year were spotted on the Pixie Path and later some were visited by Peacock Butterflies on the lower slopes of Mill Hill, where the Sweet Violets were still dominant and abundant. On the verges of the Waterworks Road, Garlic Mustard was budding, but Green Alkanet was missing (the plants may have been grubbed out to clear the footpath). Adur Violets
Sweet Violets

7 April 2010
Green Alkanet was seen in flower in several places in Worthing, but it has not yet been spotted in Shoreham.
 

Lesser Celandine	Lesser Celandine		Primroses

6 April 2010
Yellow was the colour of the day as the belated spring showed signs of eventually blooming in the weak sunshine. On the still sodden verges, Lesser Celandines were finally opening up, with Primroses on the side of the road by Botolphs, more Daffodils on verges everywhere and Coltsfoot appeared in flower on the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath. Ground Ivy was prevalent and there were still rain-battered Sweet Violets around. A patch of first Common Mouse-ear was spotted on a Coombes roadside verge and Field Speedwell noted.

29 March 2010
As it continues to rain and the footpaths are muddy everywhere, I noted flowering Sweet Violets, the first flowers of Alexanders, and the serpentine green stalks of the Crow Garlic or Wild Onion, Allium vineale, on the Pixie Path, Old Shoreham.

27 March 2010
Hairy Bitter Cress, Cardamine hirsula, was seen in ample flower all over the verges in Shoreham with some patches of Ground Ivy.

20 March 2010
Although a few battered Lesser Celandines were seen near the entrance to the the Holy Family Catholic Church Hall in North Road, Lancing, none were yet flowering in their usual prevalence near Lancing Manor where clumps of Sweet Violets were seen on the south side of the road.

18 March 2010
 

Coltsfoot

The first Coltsfoot appeared in flower in three large patches on the Downs-Coastal Link Cyclepath. It must have been flowering for a few days. A solitary Field Speedwell (pic) flower was seen and a few Daffodils.

15 March 2010
A small expanse of the yellow Lesser Celandine was spotted in flower in the Adur Civic Centre grounds adjacent to (east of) the Duke of Wellington Public House in Shoreham.

14 March 2010
On the lower slopes of Mill Hill the conservation workers had removed a considerable amount of the invasive Privet and a large amount of encroaching Hawthorn as well. Large areas of moss were now noticeable.
The first signs of spring sunshine and hundreds of Sweet Violets were sparsely scattered over the lower slopes of Mill Hill. The dead heads of Carline Thistle, with silvery leaves, were frequently seen on the lower slopes. At the bottom of the steps in the north-west corner of Mill Hill, several clumps of Field Speedwell were noted growing out from the cracks.
 

Moss on  the lower slopes of Mill Hill	Sweet Violets	Field Speedwell	The lower slopes of Mill Hill showing the cleared areas

8 March 2010
Daffodils were late this year and in most places they had still not flowered but a single clump had opened on Lancing Beach Green in the row next to the main coast road west of the mini-roundabout near the Three Horseshoes.

24 February 2010
A single Dandelion on the Pixie Path was the only flower noted on a day when the sun shined briefly for the first appreciable time this year.

13 February 2010
Hairy Bitter Cress, Cardamine hirsula, was seen in ample flower, for this undistinguished plant, in the churchyard of St. Mary de Haura in central Shoreham.

5 February 2010
A few weak rays of sunshine were noticeable after a dreary start to the year, and the first clumps of Snowdrops flowered in the established self-sustaining colony under the tree cover in the wide twitten between Buckingham Park and Ravensbourne Avenue in north Shoreham.

Late January 2010
A fresh Dandelion flower was spotted in passing by the Old Courts Furniture store in Ham Road, Shoreham.

2 January 2010
At midday there was still frost on the leaves and ground in the shade. My first plant in flower for 2010 was a very sorry looking overwintering Sow Thistle on the Downs-Coastal Cyclepath between Ropetackle and Old Shoreham.

Wild Flower Reports 2009
 
 

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