Lady’s Slipper Orchid,
Gait Barrows. Photo Christine Bell.
Ten members enjoyed a perfect summer’s day, warm, sunny with a hint of refreshing breeze, to this extensive Natural England reserve near Silverdale. The reserve is basically woodland above limestone pavement and the plants we saw reflected this. The grasses and sedges were particularly interesting, including Wood and Mountain Melick Melica uniflora and M.nutans, Quaking Grass Briza media, and Wood, Yellow and Glaucous Sedge Carex sylvatica, C.demissa, and C. flacca, amongst others. There is a wide variety of trees, Oak Q. petraea, Q.robur, Birch Betula pendula, B.pubescens, Holly Ilex aquifolium, Beech Fagus sylvatica, and Ash Fraxinus excelsior. Sadly we saw evidence of Ash dieback disease, but it was instructive to see examples in the field. (For more on Ash dieback, see Jane Hargreaves’ report on p.53).
Some trees less familiar to us were Spindle Euonymus europaeus, and Wild Privet Ligustrum vulgare. The undoubted star of the show was the Lady’s Slipper Orchid which was in full flower in several patches. It was good to see them without the cages which protect them at Kilnsey. We puzzled over other examples of the Orchid family just emerging from the grykes. Some were undoubtedly Dark Red Helleborine Epipactis atrorubens, but others were less certain, possibly Broad-leaved Helleborine E. Helleborine. The other plant on the pavement was Angular
Solomon’s Seal Polygonatum odoratum. There were also many ferns, predominantly Hard Shield Fern Polystichum aculeatum, and Hart’s Tongue Fern. In the woodland we saw abundant Lily-of-the-Valley Convallaria majalis, and a large patch of Herb Paris. Another most enjoyable botany day.
Win Clements.
