Wild Flowers
Addenda 2016

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

 

 

from January 2015
Link to Trees 2009 - 2016
Adur Nature 2016

Sussex Wild Flora
Wild Flora on Chalk  on  flickr

---

2017 Wild Flower Reports (Link)
 
 

27 December 2016
Oxford Ragwort and Prickly Sow Thistle were still flowering near Brunswick Road Railway Level Crossing, Shoreham.

17 December 2016
Oxford Ragwort was still flowering by the Eastern Avenue Railway Level Crossing, Shoreham.

1 December 2016
Oxford Ragwort was flowering by the Norfolk Bridge, but not Gorse.

11 November 2016
On a cycle around on Shoreham Beach, there was Bristly Ox-tongue, Oxford Ragwort, Orange Mayweed, Red Valerian and Smooth Sow Thistle, all in flower. Yarrow and Nipplewort were still in flower in Shoreham town. Shoreham Harbour (northern canal bank at Southwick & Fishersgate) added Gorse, Purple Toadflax, White Melilot, yellow Melilot, Mayweed (one clump), Wild Radish and I dare say other flowers as I was not making notes.

 Wild Radish
Raphanus raphanistrum

or escaped Common Radish, Raphanus sativus?

Wild Radish is on the local list and the Sussex Plant Atlas describes it as frequent.

8 November 2016
On passage I only noted Bristly Ox-tongue, Oxford Ragwort and Yarrow in flower.

3 November 2016
Plants still noted in flower at Old Shoreham (cyclepath and towpath) included Bristly Ox-tongue, Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Red Clover, Common Mallow, Melilot and Common Toadflax.
 

Melilot, ?   Species identification is under enquiry  ?   Tall Melilot  Melilotus altissimus The alternative is Ribbed Melilot, Melilotus officinalis

2 November 2016

Shoreham Harbour (northern canal bank at Southwick & Fishersgate)
Bristly Ox-tongue, Purple Toadflax, Gorse
Oxford Ragwort, White Melilot

White Melilot, Purple Toadflax, Gorse

Clover Photo Guide

1 November 2016

Mill Hill

Rose Hips, Carline Thistle, Melilot
Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Greater Knapweed

25 October 2016

Oxford Ragwort, Senecio squalidus, is a alien hybrid ragwort first introduced to into the UK around 1690 via the Oxford Botanic Gardens. It escaped into the wild and spread rapidly along railway tracks from the late 19th century. In Shoreham it favours the gravel ballast of the railway track (near Eastern Avenue Railway Level Crossing) and areas of shingle on Shoreham Beach. Its flowers are a richer yellow than the native Common Ragwort and Hoary Ragwort. It is a more attractive plant with a longer flowering season.  It can be seen in flower from April until November. The small and weedy Groundsel was still flowering in Old Shoreham.
 
 
 

Common Groundsel	Mayweed	Mayweed

Old Shoreham

River Adur Estuary
Sea Purslane and Sea Blite

Adur Mud Flats

24 October 2016

Nipplewort

Flowers in Shoreham not recorded in the last week included one each of Nipplewort and Creeping Thistle.
Cichorioid Daisies

22 October 2016
Flowers in Old Shoreham included Cat's Ear, Bristly Ox-tongue, Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Rough Hawkbit, Dandelion, Hoary Ragwort, Mayweed, Common Mallow and Common Toadflax.

21 October 2016
Seen on passage the following plants were seen on passage on the grass verges in Shoreham: Lesser Hawkbit, Yarrow and Dove's Foot Cranesbill (one). Add Greater Knapweed (one), Red Clover and lots of Rough Hawkbit on Buckingham Cutting (south).

20 October 2016
On the shingle beach at Shoreham by Ferry Road, I noted the following weeds in flower: Oxford Ragwort, Dandelion, Smooth Sow Thistle, Hawkweed Ox-tongue and Orache.

19 October 2016
On the northern bank (upper cliff grassy part east of the Schooner PH) of Shoreham Harbour canal in Southwick, the following plants were noted in flower: Gorse, Bristly Ox-tongue, Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Rough Hawkbit, Teasels, and Everlasting Pea.

14 October 2016

Mill Hill
Carline Thistle, Wild Mignonette, Great Mullein, Small Scabious
Old Man's Beard, Bramble, Yellow Wort, Wild Mignonette

9 & 10 October 2016
Under cloudy skies there were lots of yellow flowers on wayside plants with a justified reputation for being difficult to identify. The following dandelion-like flowers were seen and identified: Rough Hawkbit, Lesser Hawkbit, Autumnal Hawkbit, Dandelions, Bristly Ox-tongue, Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Prickly Sow Thistle, Perennial Sow Thistle and Prickly Lettuce.

9 October 2016

Prickly Lettuce  Lactuca serriola
Dolphin Industrial Estate, Shoreham

Dandelion
Shoreham Beach at Ferry Road Gap

8 October 2016

Urban and Outskirts
Bristly Ox-tongue, Yarrow
White Campion x 2, Red Valerian

7 October 2016
Yellow flowers were scattered around still in flower from the large yellow flowers of Perennial Sow Thistle (lower slopes and southern upper areas of Mill Hill), Bristly Ox-tongue (upper),  Hawkweed Ox-tongue (scrubby margins), to the smaller Rough Hawkbits and Lesser Hawkbits on the lower slopes, and the very small (difficult to ID, unsure) Smooth Hawk's-beards.

Lesser Hawkbit, Leontodon saxatilis

Autumnal Hawkbit
Gordon Road verges, Shoreham

Cichorioid Daisies

5 October 2016
 
 

Perennial Sow Thistle, Privet, Water Mint, Hardhead Hoary Ragwort, Rosebay Willowherb	Fleabane

Cyclepath at Old Shoreham

2 October 2016

Downs Link Cyclepath
Blackberries, Haws
Rose Hips

30 September 2016

Downs Link Cyclepath Verges
Teasel, Hogweed, Hawkweed Ox-tongue
Hoary Ragwort, Rosebay Willowherb

On the Downs Link Cyclepath between the Erringham Gap north to the Cement Works, there were very few plants in flower, noting a few examples of Hoary Ragwort, Common Ragwort, Fleabane, Melilot, Bristly Ox-tongue, Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Perennial Sow Thistle (one clump), Common Toadflax and Hogweed.

Hawkweed Ox-tongue

Cichorioid Daisies

29 September 2016

Southwick Beach
Babington's Orache, Silver Ragwort
Sea Mayweed
Black Medick, Rock Samphire, Sea Beet

28 September 2016

Widewater
Sea Heath, Frankenia laevis

27 September 2016

Widewater
Orache, Sea Blite, Sea Heath
Sea Blite, Glasswort

River Adur Estuary
Sea Spurrey, Sea Blite, Cord Grass, Glasswort
Glasswort, Cord Grass, Sea Purslane, Sea Purslane

Brackish Flora on 27 September 2016 (Link)

23 - 25 September 2016

Urban Weeds, Shoreham
Common Orache?, Wall Rocket, Great Lettuce ? Lactuca virosa
Common Orache? Atriplex patula, Least Yellow Sorrel

(? ID Query: Are these Goosefoots?)

24 September 2016

Yellow Sorrel, Oxalis stricta  (originally identified as Oxalis corniculata)
Nature Notes first record in Shoreham (The species name has been queried?) It seems most likely to be Least Yellow Sorrel, Oxalis exilis.
The Small Pink Oxalis, Oxalis corymbosa, is the usual one seen

23 September 2016

Mill Hill
Devil's Bit Scabious

22 September 2016

Down's Link Cyclepath, Old Shoreham
Perennial Sow Thistle, Sonchus arvensis

Down's Link Cyclepath, Old Shoreham
Perennial Sow Thistle, Rosebay Willowherb (almost all gone to seed), Hoary Ragwort
Common Toadflax, Water Mint, Duke of Argyll Tea Plant

 

21 September 2016

 

 

Shoreham Beach

Silver Ragwort, Sticky Groundsel x 2

 Silver Ragwort x 2, Common Ragwort

Adur Ragworts
 
 

Shoreham Beach East
Orache, Sea Beet
Orache, Ray's Knotgrass x 2

19 September 2016

Orache
Shingle Beach near Widewater (E)

18 September 2016

Widewater
Sea Beet, Sea Purslane *, Sea Aster, Orache
Sea Spurrey, Sea Blite, Glasswort
(* River Adur)

Sea Blite, Glasswort
Orache (left) (unidentified)

Adur Orache
 

Glasswort	Sea Blite

Adur Glassworts

15 September 2016

Silver Sands, Shoreham Beach
Childing Pink, Hare's Foot Clover, Childing Pink Petrorhagia nanteuilii
Kidney Vetch

Shoreham Fort land, Shoreham Beach
Rock Samphire & Sea Campion, Hawkweed Ox-tongue, Thrift
Cat's Ear, Orache (unidentified), Sea Beet

Shoreham Beach Illustrated Report (with more species)

12 September 2016

Mill Hill
Carline Thistle, Autumn Gentian
Autumn Lady's Tresses, Field Scabious, Hawthorn

Adur Orchids

Mill Hill
Devil's Bit Scabious

6 September 2016

Mill Hill & Approaches (on Chalk)
Sloe, Ploughman's Spikenard, Bristly Ox-tongue
Hawthorn, Great Mullein

Ploughman's Spikenard

4 September 2016
 

Sea Rocket

An organised walk by Sussex Botanical Recording Society on Shoreham Beach Nature Reserve led to the discovery of plants that were not on the Friends of Shoreham Beach list or noted before on these Nature Notes pages. This most notable of these were the diminutive four-petalled flower and easily overlooked Sea Rocket, Cakile maritima, and even easier to miss Ray's Knotgrass, Polygonum oxyspermum. Both straggling prostrate plants were discovered right down on the shingle beach only a metres above the strandline, in an area where the prostrate form of Spear-leaved Orache, Atriplex hastata, was previously thought by me to be the only wild plant present in this zone.
NB: Even the Orache may have been identified incorrectly by me and it could be Babington's Orache, Atriplex glabriuscula.  This one is on the Flora of Shoreham-by-Sea (List).
Sticky Groundsel, Senecio viscosus, was present on the shingle.

Local Oraches.
Atriplex littoralis  GRASS LEAVED ORACHE
Atriplex glabriuscula  BABINGTON'S ORACHE
Atriplex hastata  SPEAR-LEAFED ORACHE
Atriplex patula  COMMON ORACHE
Orache on Shoreham Beach

Sea Mayweed

Botanists can identify plants by their leaves and non flowering characteristics. Sea Mayweed, Tripleurospermum maritimum, was confirmed. For the most part these web pages reports the flowering plants of which the familiar Bristly Ox-tongue, Hawkweed Ox-tongue and Cat's Ear were yellow flowers seen frequently.
Mayweeds BSBI ID Crib

Ray's Knotgrass

Notes:
Ray's Knotgrass, Polygonum oxyspermum,  is listed as Very Rare in the Sussex Plant Atlas (page 40) and not recorded on Shoreham Beach, nor is it included in Flora of Shoreham-by-Sea (List)
Sea Rocket, Cakile maritima, is listed as Occasional  in the Sussex Plant Atlas (page 62) and has one record on Shoreham Beach, and is not included in Flora of Shoreham-by-Sea (List).
 
 

Bittersweet

2 September 2016

Welted Thistle
Carduus crispus
Upper Beeding, Cyclepath edge near the river

Adur Thistles

1 September 2016

Mill Hill
Traveller's Joy, Devil's Bit Scabious,Carline Thistle
Autumn Gentian
Old Man's Beard

Mill Hill
Greater Knapweed, Autumn Gentian, Autumn Gentian
 Yellow Rattle, Traveller's Joy/Old Man's Beard

29 August 2016

Adur Outskirts
Bramble, Yarrow, Yarrow
Common Poppy, Bristly Ox-tongue, Common Mallow, Red Deadnettle

Bristly Ox-tongue

26 August 2016

Mill Hill
Yellow Wort, Field Bindweed, Carline Thistle, Fleabane
Carline Thistle, Hemp Agrimony, Devil's Bit Scabious

25 August 2016

Adur Levels, Cyclepath, Old Shoreham
Rosebay Willowherb, Common Centaury, Tufted Vetch *, Water Mint
Sea Spurrey #, Lesser Spearwort *, Sea Aster #
(* Buckingham Cutting S) (* Ladywells Stream) (# River Adur mud)

21 August 2016

Adur Levels
Shoreham to Erringham Gap
Sow Thistle, Hogweed, Viper's Bugloss
Verbena, Bird's Foot Trefoil, Red Bartsia, Common Toadflax

17 August 2016

Mostly Lancing Beach
Spear-leaved Orache, Water Mint #, Yellow-horned Poppy
Evening Primrose, Tansy*, Creeping Thistle with Rock Samphire
(* Shoreham Riverbank) (# Lancing garden)

15 August 2016

Mill Hill
Horseshoe Vetch leaves, Autumn Gentian,Carline Thistle
Dwarf Thistle, Common Centaury

11 August 2016

Wood's Mill
Yellow Loosestrife,  Meadowsweet, Purple Loosestrife
Maple

10 August 2016

Lancing Ring
Red Bartsia, Yarrow, Tansy*, Purple Loosestrife
Hemp Agrimony, Lucerne, Hardhead, Mugwort
Field Bindweed

(* Lancing A27 verge near the Airport)
 

Dewpond Montage
Purple Loosestrife,  Yellow Flag Iris seed pods
Rush of some sort? Juncus ?
Dewpond Vegetation (August 2016)

8 August 2016

Adur Levels
except the Carline Thistle (on Hill Hill)
Click on the image for more pictures

Fleabane, Rosebay Willowherb, Carline Thistle, Red Bartsia
Hemlock Water Dropwort, Bristly Ox-tongue, Melilot, Goldenrod

Adur Levels
Duke of Argyll Tea Plant, Rosebay Willowherb, Fleabane
Melilot, Rosebay Willowherb

5 August 2016

Mill Hill
Teasel, Carline Thistle, Common Centaury
Hemp Agrimony, Mugwort

3 August 2016

Mill Hill and nearby
Carline Thistle & Yellow Wort, Wayfaring Tree, Wild Carrot
Carline Thistle (dead plant), Kidney Vetch (Buckingham Cutting S)

Mill Hill Habitat Gallery (Ground Vegetation)

1 August 2016

Mill Hill
Wild Basil, Carline Thistle, Dwarf Thistle
Agrimony & Wild Basil,Yellow Wort, Lesser Hawkbit

31 July 2016

Hemp Agrimony, Hardhead
Vervain

Vervain

30 July 2016

By the River Adur
Burdock, Teasel
Mugwort and Red Valerian, Hemlock Water Dropwort

29 July 2016

Mill Hill
Carline Thistle, Carline Thistle, Round-headed Rampion
Buddleia, Dwarf Thistle, Wild Basil

Black Medick
Shoreham Town

26 July 2016

Mill Hill
Kidney Vetch, Common Centaury, Common Toadflax, Sow Thistle
Red Bartsia, Wild Basil, Yellow Wort, Marjoram
Click on the image for more photographs

21 July 2016

Mill Hill
Dropwort, Melilot, Spear Thistle, Dwarf Thistle
Vervain, Wild Mignonette, Agrimony, Hoary Plantain

19 July 2016

Adur Levels
Old Shoreham to Annington Sewer, Circular Route
Marjoram, Wild Carrot, Fleabane, Hogweed
Musk Mallow, Tufted Vetch, Ox-tongue,Teasel

18 July 2016

Wild Basil, Perforate St. John's Wort, Autumnal Hawkbit, Bloody Cranesbill
Brooklime, Yarrow, Dwarf Thistle, Greater Knapweed

17 July 2016

Adur Levels
Downs Link Cyclepath: Old Shoreham  to Erringham Gap
Red Bartsia, Hardhead (=Lesser Knapweed), Viper's Bugloss, Pyramidal Orchid
Hogweed, Ox-eye Daisy, Chicory,Dark Mullein

Dark Mullein

14 July 2016
On Mill Hill, Dwarf Thistle was spotted in flower occasionally for the first time this year as well as my first plant of Musk Thistle on the steep slopes. Small Scabious was also seen in flower for the first time this year.

Mill Hill
Small Scabious, Greater Knapweed (centre), Musk Thistle
Yellow Wort, Dwarf Thistle, Wild Mignonette

13 July 2016
A rainy day made photography tricky.

Mill Hill
Traveller's Joy, Squinancywort, Dropwort, Pyramidal Orchid
Greater Knapweed, Wild Basil, Wild Carrot

12 July 2016
On a breezy cloudy day, it was inimical for even photographing wild flowers as they were constantly blown about in the late morning. In the afternoon the rain in the air arrived in earnest.
 

Tufted Vetch	Dark Mullein	Everlasting Pea

Steyning Line Cyclepath
Everlasting Pea, Greater Knapweed, Mullein (species unsure), Field Bindweed, Creeping Thistle
Hardhead (=Lesser Knapweed), Yarrow, Hogweed
Common Centaury, Creeping Thistle, Tufted Vetch, Sea Holly, Melilot
Restharrow

More plants appeared in flower on the verges of the Steyning Line Cyclepath (Old Shoreham to the Erringham Gap), notably Dark Mullein, Red Bartsia and the first budding Wild Basil. Yarrow had been seen earlier this year but not noted down. Common Hogweed was now flowering. Fleabane was budding and like Spear Thistle almost all were still green.

Dark Mullein
Verbascum nigrum
Species unsure

Common Centaury

There are two British species of Centaury, the Common Centaury and Lesser Centaury. Up to now some species on these web pages have been identified as Lesser Centaury. (Some of these might be in error.)
Centaurium pulchellum is a species of flowering plant in the gentian family known by the common name Lesser Centaury. It differs from the Common Centaury, Centaurium erythraea by lacking basal rosette of leaves and by having a developed peduncle below the flowers. It is often much smaller, less than ten centimetres high.
Common Centaury usually has a tall erect stem, up to 50 cm, branching into many flowerheads in a terminal cyme, forming a rather flat umbel. Oval leaves form a basal rosette and are then in opposite pairs on the stem.
Flowers are 10-12 mm across with five pointed pink petals joined in a tube at the base with five narrow pointed green sepals.
Lesser Centaury is a much smaller plant than Common Centaury, seldom being more than 10 cm high. Its branching stems are also less crowded, holding only a few loose flowerheads.
The smaller 5-petalled tubular pink flowers are about 8 mm across and are distinctly stalked, unlike the larger unstalked flowers of Common Centaury. The flower tube extends beyond the five pointed green sepals.
There is no basal rosette of leaves
Two Species of the Centaury Wild Flower

8 July 2016
There were more signs of the changing flora (mid-Summer to early Autumn) even within the town boundaries of Shoreham, notably the first Buddleia flowering in Old Shoreham:

Old Shoreham
Buddleia, Field Bindweed, Musk Mallow
Hemp Agrimony, Pencilled Cranesbill, Spear Thistle, Meadow Vetchling

6 July 2016

Mill Hill
Greater Knapweed, Field Scabious, Lesser Centaury, Silverweed
Pyramidal Orchid, Self-heal (white version), Field Scabious
Herb Bennet

The remnants of Cowslips were still visible on the middle slopes of Mill Hill.

5 July 2016

Adur Levels
Old Shoreham  to Cement Works
Pyramidal Orchid, Tufted Vetch, Dotted Loosestrife, Privet
Bellflower, Greater Willowherb, Lady's Bedstraw, Lesser Burdock

4 July 2016

Mill Hill
Greater Knapweed, Meadow Cranesbill, Wild Mignonette, Squinancywort, Wild Thyme
Eyebright, Melilot, Wayfaring Tree (ID unsure)
Yellow Rattle, Dropwort, Marjoram, Agrimony, White Campion, Self-heal
Lady's Bedstraw, Meadow Vetchling

A Moderate Breeze (Force 4) blew the flowers about on the exposed top plateau (and incline) of Mill Hill were the Dropwort and the clumps of long grasses swayed in the wind. Greater Knapweed was beginning to flower and Meadow Cranesbill did not sway so much because their stems were stouter and they grew in the slightly less exposed fertile areas supported by more vegetation. In these conditions, I did not expect to encounter more than occasional butterfly and was only in the meadow (turned to a Bramble and Stinging Nettles neglected pasture) to the north of the upper car park, I disturbed a Meadow Brown, in an area where I noted Melilot was prevalent. On the middle slopes a few Marjoramwere budding under a sky of low grey clouds. Eventually the clouds bumped in to the hill and it became damp and I curtailed my brief (under an hour) visit. The greenery was denser than usual on the upper hill and I put this down to the wet weather. Nipplewort was recorded mostly on the path edges. Bird's Foot Trefoil was abundant on the area of low vegetation both on top of the hill and in the middle section, thinning out in the extremely exposed areas. There did not seem to be so many of the yellow flowers as in a average year.

South side of the Bridge to Mill Hill
Feverfew, Purple Toadflax, Agrimony
Honeysuckle

1 July 2016

Giant Hogweed

Still cloudy and overcast and too breezy for the open downs, I made a detour to Buckingham Cutting (south) where the Giant Hogweed had grown much higher than a person towering at least three metres above the path. It did not seem to be a week since I last visited but that was because of the intervening thunderstorms and rain. The orchids and other plants in flower did not seem to have changed all that much in a week. Restharrow was now flowering. Self-heal grew tall in the tall vegetation. A few small Perforate St. John's Wort were budding. The seed pods of Common Vetch had turned black in a few examples and still attached to the plant.
Adur Hogweeds

Buckingham Cutting (south)
Meadow-like Road Verge
Restharrow, Self-heal
Perforate St. John's Wort, Spotted Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Yellow Rattle

Road Verges/Footpaths near Slonk Hill Farm
Creeping Cinquefoil, Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch
Mayweed, Creeping Thistle, Black Medick

30 June 2016
After mid-Summer the new plants in flower changes the whole flora. The Moderate Breeze (Force 4) prevented photography of all the colourful selection, especially on the upper shore where the Yellow-horned Poppies were blown about.

Lancing
Lesser Burdock, Bristly Ox-tongue, Melilot
Yarrow, Bittersweet, Cat's Ear, White Campion

24 June 2016
It has been a month since I last visited the lower slopes of Mill Hill and of particular notice were the new flowering plants for this year, notably, the miniature Eyebright, the first Dropwort, Yellow Wort, ground hugging Self-heal and  Wild Thyme, the invasive Privet shrub, the common Rough Hawkbit, Perforate St. John's Wort,  and a few of Vervain, Squinancywort, Centaury, Mouse-ear,Fairy Flax and others.  I spotted a Dog Violet. Bird's Foot Trefoil was abundant. There was another Hawkweed-type (with dandelion-type leaves and smooth stem) which I have not positively identified: I think this was Autumnal Hawkbit flowering early? Scarlet Pimpernel was present in three small clumps seen. Bittersweet was flowering by the southern steps. A white flowering Plantain on the lower slopes has not yet been identified to species.

 Lower Slopes of Mill Hill
Self-heal, Perforate St. John's Wort, Eyebright, Dog Violet
Privet, Thyme, Vervain Squinancywort, Dropwort

Yellow Wort, Hoary Plantain, Meadow Cranesbill
Red Clover

On the upper part of Mill Hill (south of the Reservoir) were Meadow Cranesbill, Agrimony, Creeping Thistle, Yellow Rattle, White Clover, two Common Poppies, one Pyramidal Orchid, a few flowering Greater Knapweed, and by the roadside a few Meadow Vetchling and Cornflower.

22 June 2016
Still cloudy and wet from the over night rain, but still worth a detour to the Slonk Hill Cutting (south bank) where the hundreds Spotted Orchids were not so abundant as usual years and were already joined by a few budding Pyramidal Orchids. Spiders had spun at least thirty large webs over the ground vegetation including the Cotoneaster. There were two species of yellow Dandelion/Hawbit-type (Cichorioid Daisies) flower amongst the orchids, grasses, Lady's Mantle and Salad Burnet.

Buckingham Cutting (south)
Yellow Rattle, Spotted Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid
Red Clover, Salad Burnet, Self-heal, Common Poppies

Bloody Cranesbill

The linear copse path to Buckingham Cutting (south) was overgrown and just about passable. There were more orchids on this small patch of roadside verge with Red Clovers, Yellow Rattle, Ox-eye Daisies, Greater Bird's Foot Trefoil, Kidney Vetch, Hedge Bedstraw etc.

Pyramidal Orchid, Spotted Orchid
Kidney Vetch,  Bloody Cranesbill

18 - 20 June 2016

Outskirts of Shoreham
Hardhead (=Lesser Knapweed), Bladder Campion, Hedge Woundwort
Lady's Mantle, Rosebay Willowherb, Viper's Bugloss, Musk Mallow

18 June 2016

Lady's Mantle

17 June 2016

Urban Shoreham
Brooklime, Nipplewort
Bloody Cranesbill, Meadow Buttercup, Herb Robert

5 June 2016

Old Shoreham (Cyclepath)
except the White Campion (top right) from the Widewater Cyclepath margins

Hemlock Water Dropwort, White Campion
Common Spotted Orchid, Ox-eye Daises, Scentless Mayweed
Black Medick

4 June 2016

Top: Shoreham Beach (Tree Mallow, Red Valerian, Sea Kale)
 

 

Common Mallow, White Clover, Red Clover, Wild Strawberry
Brooklime, Common Spotted Orchid, Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Viper's Bugloss
Thrift

Viper's Bugloss was spotted in flower for the first time this year on the shingle. As an afterthought I looked out the meadow-like road verge at Buckingham Cutting (south) where the first Common Spotted Orchids were budding and showing their first flowers. In Shoreham town the tiny blue flowers of Brooklime appeared as well as those of Wild Strawberry.

3 June 2016

Southwick Beach
Common Poppy, Thrift, Sea Kale, Silver Ragwort
Yellow-horned Poppy, Rock Samphire
Bird's Foot Trefoil, Sea Campion, Tree Mallow

29 May 2016

Shoreham Beach
Starry Clover, Sea Campion, Sea Kale, Rough Clover
Seaside Daisy, Sea Kale
Red Valerian, Curly Dock, Thrift, Tree Mallow
 

Adur Levels
Steyning Line Cyclepath
Crosswort, Yellow Flag Iris
Bird's Foot Trefoil, Lesser Stitchwort, Bird's Foot Trefoil

25 May 2016

Shoreham Beach
Kidney Vetch,Starry Clover, Childing Pink
Sea Kale
Red Valerian, Tree Mallow, Thrift
Silver Ragwort, Starry Clover
Scarlet Pimpernel, Slender Thistle, Red Valerian (white)
Hawkweed, Silver Ragwort, Tamarisk

Steyning
Garlic Mustard, Welsh Poppy, Columbine, Cornflower
Welsh Poppy, Green Alkanet

24 May 2016

North Shoreham (mostly Slonk Hill Cutting South)
Wood Avens, Black Medick, Ribwort Plantain, Salad Burnet
Marsh Marigold, Forget-me-Not
Sedge, Spotted Orchid, Cow Parsley, Herb Bennet

22 May 2016

Mill Hill
Mouse-ear, Horseshoe Vetch, Fairy Flax
Hounds-tongue
Horseshoe Vetch, Dog Violets, Cowslips
Mouse-ear, Milkwort

19 May 2016

Mill Hill Cutting (SW)
Milkwort, Wayfaring, Milkwort
Cotoneaster
Marsh Marigold, Milkwort

NB: The Marsh Marigold was from my garden. I looked for the usual Southern Marsh Orchids on the road cutting on the south side of the Mil Hill Gap without success only finding evidence of human vegetation clearance and discarded rubbish.

18 May 2016

Around Cuckoo's Corner
Red Clover, Cuckoo Flower, Yellow Flag Iris, Garlic Mustard
White Clover
Red Campion, Hawthorn, Wood Avens
Cow Parsley
 

Cow Parsley (foreground)

14 - 16 May 2016

Lower Adur Levels
Cow Parsley, Herb Robert
Common Vetch, Columbine, Marsh Marigold

11 May 2016

Hundreds of Early Purple Orchids were in flower under the canopy of Lancing Clump where the sun would have shined through if it wasn't a misty day.
Adur Orchids

10 May 2016

Mill Hill (Upper & Middle)
Bulbous Buttercup, Bird's Foot Trefoil, Ground Ivy, Cowslips, Garlic Mustard
Common Vetch
Horseshoe Vetch, Hawthorn, Milkwort

9 May 2016

Mill Hill
Dandelion, Blackthorn, Germander Speedwell, Salad Burnet
Ground Ivy
Hounds-tongue, Horseshoe Vetch, Hawthorn

Most of the Blackthorn blossom had blown away on the top of Mill Hill, where Hawthorn was now flowering. Down on the lower slopes, the yellow of the Horseshoe Vetch, Hippocrepis comosa, was abundantly in flower, but nowhere near is best showing, and the Dog Violets were still commonly scattered over hillside. Most of the yellow rosettes were Dandelions, but there were a few Hawkbits/Hawkweeds and blue Milkworts were now frequently seen amongst the Horseshoe Vetch leaves. Hounds-tonguewas seen with its first flowers near the steps down to the lower slopes of Mill Hill from the south.

8 May 2016

Adur Levels & Anchor Bottom
Garlic Mustard, Green-winged Orchid
Hawthorn, Common Vetch

Adur Orchids

6 May 2016

  Adur Levels
  Cowslips, Hawthorn, Herb Robert, Common Vetch

5 May 2016

Thrift

4 May 2016

Mill Hill and Approaches
Carline Thistle, Germander Speedwell, Horseshoe Vetch x2
Blackthorn, Milkwort, Spring Starflower

3 May 2016

Cuckoo Flower, Blackthorn, Garlic Mustard,
Red Campion, Cuckoo Flower, Common Vetch
Red Campion, Cuckoo Flower

Hawthorn was now on green leaf and Blackthorn ceased flowering at Cuckoo's Corner, but there were still Primroses, Cowslips, Three Cornered Garlic, Green Alkanet and Bluebells around the outskirts of Shoreham togther with newly flowering Red Campion, Garlic Mustard, one clump of Cuckoo Flower (near Ladywells on the Coombes Road), and the first two Yellow Flag Iris (stream next to Ladywells) the most eye catching on a breezy day.
Adur Campions

1 May 2016

Waterworks Road
Daffodil, White Deadnettle, Three Cornered Garlic
Common Vetch

Common Vetch was spotted in flower for the first time this year at the southern end of the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham. The illustrated Daffodil was a solitary clump of two flowers in the Maple spinney.

28 April 2016
Gale Force (Force 7) winds impeded flower photography.

Cuckoo's Corner
Garlic Mustard, Green Alkanet, Field Speedwell, Cuckoo's Corner
Green Alkanet
Bluebells, White Deadnettle, Bulbous Buttercup

Blackthorn
Hawthorn

What's the difference between Blackthorn and Hawthorn?
Adur Trees 2016

More Garlic Mustard had appeared on the verges of the Coombes Road. It appeared that the stands found were flourishing, was there was less of it than I seem to recall from previous years and very little (just one plant seen) between Cuckoo's Corner north to Ladywells Penstock, where it is normally common. Cuckoo Flower (=Lady's Smock) was flowering streamside in the drainage ditch that borders the field and runs due north of Cuckoo's Corner.  Blackthorn was still in flower along the Steyning Line Cyclepath at Old Shoreham, with the green leaves and buds of Hawthorn. Nipplewort was in flower in Shoreham.

25 April 2016

Shoreham Beach

Stonecrop, Oxford Ragwort, Sea Campion
Red Valerian, Dove's Foot Cranesbill, Corn Salad
Wavy Bittercress, Mouse-ear

Wavy Bittercress

20 April 2016
Dog Violets were scattered and abundant all over the lower slopes of Mill Hill. On the Coombes Road (south of Cuckoo's Corner only), Garlic Mustard had started to flower. North of Ladywells on the same country road (on the first incline to the Applesham Farm junction), the Elm hedges were beginning in green leaf on the eastern border to the road.
 

19 April 2016 The first Bulbous Buttercups were seen in flower on the verges of the towpath by the Riverside Industrial Estate (derelict) north of Ropetackle. They were tall flowers over 30 cm high. The last Blackthorn was still flowering at the south-east end of the Tollbridge, Old Shoreham.

14 April 2016

An afternoon when the Cowslips and Primroses were still in flower along the Steyning Line Cyclepath but no Coltsfoot. Suckered English Elm was coming into leaf on the outskirts on verges and patches of wasteland. Leaves were not so forthcoming on mature trees. Pussy Willow catkins were still on the trees although they also littered the ground underneath the branches.
 

Red Deadnettle	Ground Ivy	Ramsons Allium ursinum

Ramsons (also called Wild Garlic), Allium ursinum, were spotted on the muddy verge of the Coombes Road, south of Cuckoo's Corner. The Sussex Plant Atlas includes the names Ramsons and is not shown as present in the Lower Adur Valley. It is not recorded in Flora of Shoreham-by-Sea (List).  Three Cornered Garlic, Allium triquetrum, has been recorded on Shoreham Beach.

8 April 2016

Blackthorn was in full flower at Cuckoo's Corner where Hawthorn was in substantial leaf and the leaves of Blackthornhad appeared. Blackthorn flowers appear before the leaves and the Hawthorn leaves appear before the flowers.

Green Alkanet, Lesser Celandine, Daffodils, Bluebells
Primrose, Blackthorn

5 April 2016

Cowslips, Ground Ivy, Sweet Violet
Lesser Celandine
Coltsfoot, Dog Violet, Primroses, Bluebells

28 March 2016
 

Blackthorn was seen in flower for the first time this year at the south end of the Waterworks Road, Old Shoreham. It looked like it had been flowering for a few days but nowhere near its peak as the blossom could only be seen close-up. The first two Green Alkanet flowers were also seen.

26 March 2016
 

Common Daisies in St. Mary de Haura churchyard were noticed to be particularly large with plenty of their rounded leaves in the flower beds and less leaf on the grass between the gravestones.  Ivy-leaved Toadflax was flowering on the flint boundary walls of the churchyard.

23 March 2016

Primroses

13 March 2016

Cherry Plum

11 March 2016

Alexanders Smyrnium olustratum

February 2016

24 February 2016
Lesser Celandines were in flower but a bit battered on a verge at the top of Oxen Avenue, Shoreham.Daffodils were flowering in widespread places, planted by people to brighten up the gloom.

25 January 2016
Field Speedwell was still in flower near Silver Sands, Shoreham Beach.

20 January 2016
Gorse was noted in flower by the Norfolk Bridge, and it probably has been since the beginning of the year.

18 January 2016
 

Primroses	Snowdrops

 In Botolphs churchyard, Greater Periwinkles (from last year), Primroses, one Lesser Celandine and Snowdrops were flowering.

15 January 2016
In Lancing, Mayweed and White Deadnettle were still in flower on the road verge south of the Sussex Pad.

4 January 2016
Daffodils were in flower in several clumps on the verge at the bottom (south) verges of Parkside (near Buckingham Park), north Shoreham. As these were likely to be semi-wild, a better claim to the first wild flowers of 2016 could be  the closed remnants of Nipplewort from the cracks in the tarmac in the twitten between Adelaide Square and Corbyn Crescent, Shoreham, although these would have late flowers from 2015.
 
 

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Wild Flower Reports 2015

Adur Nature Reports 2016

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Parts of a Flower

Pollination Power

A Layman's Guide to British Wild Flowers

Botanical Latin

Wild Flower Society

List of the vascular plants of Britain and Ireland

Alphabetical LIst of British Wild Plants

Plant Glossary

Flower Terminology

Wild Flower Key

Sussex Wild Flora

Flora & Fauna on Chalk

Comparative Plant Ecology (book)
Interactive Flora of the British Isles: DVD ROM