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News
Donald Trump golf development to go ahead on Foveran Links Planning application has now been granted by the Scottish Government to Trump International Golf Links Scotland to develop a golf resort at Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, which includes the Foveran Links SSSI. As part of a consortium the BSBI has opposed this development which will threatened the survival of a number of scarce plant populations, including the endangered Curved Sedge (Carex maritima) and Small Adder's-tongue (Ophioglossum azoricum). The BSBI was surprised and dismayed at this outcome, given the Scottish Government’s claimed support for the principle for sustainable development. The BSBI is as a result concerned for protected sites across Scotland that now could be vulnerable to developers. View the announcement made by the Scottish Government Teeth and leaf characters for the vegetative identification of Wintergreens in E. Ross - Brian and Barbara Ballinger All 5 British wintergreen (Pyrolaceae) species have been recorded in E. Ross (VC106) but two may be locally extinct (Pyrola rotundifolia and Moneses uniflora), although we are still searching. The remaining three (Pyrola minor, Pyrola media and Orthilia secunda) are still to be seen in various locations in the vice-county, but their frequent reluctance to flower has proved a major problem for us since we took over as recorders 5 years ago. Since 2000 Pyrola minor has been recorded in 30 tetrads, Pyrola media in 9 and Orthilia secunda in 21, with some earlier records in other sites. In our area P. media is usually to be found at sites over 200m in altitude whereas P. minor tends to be seen at lower altitudes. In the last 2 - 5 years only 4 of the 9 P. media populations have shown evidence of flowering and we are grateful to Jane Squirrell for genetic testing of some plants to confirm the species. We were therefore very interested in the draft vegetative key to the Pyrolas being developed by John Poland and have made a preliminary assessment of this in our area. We examined 75 leaves from 5 populations each of P. media and P. minor and 24 leaves from one population of P. rotundifolia near Braemar. For comparison we also took 20 leaves from two sites of Orthilia secunda and 15 leaves of one population of Moneses uniflora. Counts of leaf teeth from one side of the leaf revealed more than 15 (ie 16 or more) teeth in 91% of P. minor leaves, 13% of P. media leaves, 92% of P. rotundifolia leaves, 85% of Orthilia secunda leaves and 0% of Moneses uniflora leaves. There was a wide range in teeth numbers in each sample. Petiole length was compared with the length of the leaf blades. The petiole was as long or longer than the blade in 1% of P. minor leaves, 36% of P. media, 58% of P.rotundifolia and 0% of both O. secunda and M. uniflora. The petiole length was over 1.2 cm in 75% of P. minor leaves but only 10% of O. secunda leaves. Orthilia secunda leaves tended to be narrower than those of other species. Where present the longer styles clearly differentiated P. media from P. minor and dead heads often persisted for long after flowering. Our main conclusion is that counting leaf teeth and measuring petiole and leaf blade length can be valuable, but at least 10 leaves should be examined. The majority of P. minor and P. rotundifolia leaves have more than 15 (16 or more) teeth along one side of the leaf and most P. media leaves have 15 or fewer teeth. If petiole length exceeds blade length in a third or more of the sample it is likely to be P. media or P. rotundifolia and not P. minor. This is a very preliminary study and should be followed up elsewhere. Download article on Wintergreen vegetative identification as a pdf Wild Flowers of Coll and Tiree This new pocket book complements the Flora of Tiree, Gunna and Coll (Pearman & Preston, 2000). It is essentially a photographic guide to about 150 of common and more obvious flowering plants of Coll and Tiree. Available April 2008, (£7.99) from Cinquefoil Publishing. For more details and where this book can be obtained download the Wild Flowers of Coll and Tiree associated flyer. The Great British Buttercup survey How old is a meadow? This is the question being investigated by scientists at Aberystwth University. Initial research indicates that buttercups in older meadows have more petals than those from recently established meadows. By reproducing vegetatively buttercups can live to a great age, but things often go wrong with age. If you wish to take part or would like to get more information visit the Great British Buttercup Survey's web-page or the associated Times article. Field project on community woodlands in Scotland (2006-2010) The Botanical Society of Scotland (BSS), in collaboration with the Community Woodlands Association (CWA), is investigating the structure and content of community woodlands in Scotland. An outline of the project will be published in the 2008 issue of the BSBI Scottish Newsletter. A report on progress has been published in BSS News, No. 90, March 2008. Further information can be viewed on the BSS website. A map of community woodlands with management groups who are members of the CWA can be viewed on the CWA website . If, after finding out what is involved, you feel you would like to carry out survey work for this project, the BSS would be very glad of your help. Please contact the CWA to be put in touch with a community woodland management group in your preferred area and to find out if they would like their woodland to be included in the project. Recording sheets for the project are downloadable from the BSS website. Completed sheets should be sent to the contact address at the top of the sheet. Enjoy your time in the woods! Genetic identification of Pyrola species - request for material Identification of Pyrola species can be difficult when plants are in a vegetative state, which is often the case for these shy-flowering species. Consequently accurate distributions, and hence formulation of conservation action, is being hampered by the inability to correctly identify plants to species level. The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) has developed a simple test that can distinguish all three British Pyrola species (P. media, P. minor and P. rotundifolia and is offering a service to identify plants genetically to assist in Scottish Natural Heritage’s Species Action Framework project. This project has highlighted P. media as one of a suite of species for conservation action. If you find a Pyrola plant that you can not identify please send either a fresh leaf (by first class post), a recently dried leaf or a silica dried leaf (silica gel available upon request) to Jane Squirrell, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, 20A Inverleith Row, Edinburgh, EH3 5LR. For more information email Jane. Certificate in Practical Field Botany A new 8-day course leading to a Certificate in Practical Field Botany will commence at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh on specified Sundays from April to October. The eight modules cover the use of keys to identify plants, how to prepare for fieldwork, what information to record, how and when it is necessary to collect and press plants, an introduction to vegetation surveying and three field days visiting different habitats to practice the skills which have been acquired. Course fees for 2008 are £450. The course will run again in 2009 on Saturdays in Edinburgh, weekdays based at Dawyck near Peebles and condensed into a week-long course at Kindrogan. Further details from the Education department or phone 0131 248 2937. There have been several recent outbreaks of Phytophthora in the west of Scotland, the most recent at Brodick. Phytophthora is an introduced disease know to infect a wide range of trees and shrubs - particularly rhododendrons and heathland species. To date it has been mainly been recorded within gardens, but if it becomes established in natural or semi-natural environments it will become difficult to eradicate and potentially be devasting for native vegetation. The disease is spread by movement of infected plant material and soil, in water, in droplets in the air and potentially via walkers' boots. How you can help
For more information and how to identify infectioned plants download Defra leaflets on Pytophthora ramorum and Phytophthora kernoviae. The Flora of Rum: An Atlantic Island Reserve The new Flora of Rum is now available to order at a pre-publication price of £19.50 (inc. p+p). For more details, and an order form see associated flyer. Introductory chapters outline the geology and climate of Rum as well as the history of land usage. There are detailed accounts of the flora including bryophytes and stoneworts. Samples of the distribution maps can be examined. |
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