Ten of us met at the small quarry car park and proceeded down the lane and onto the board walk. We progressed along the board walk finding many plants to discuss and identify, not always by the flower head, usually the significant feature. A puzzle of a distant plant turned out to be the seed heads of Marsh Lousewort; we identified Marsh Hawksbeard Crepis paludosa by the leaves
and admired the fruits of Marsh Cinquefoil Potentilla palustris.
We were pleased to identify both Marsh Horsetail E.palustre and Water Horsetail E. luviatile. There were still plenty of colours to be seen in the blue Devil’s-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis, pink Sawwort Serratula tinctoria, and the beautiful white of Grass of Parnassus Parnassia palustris, growing in abundance. The weather changed between a cool wind and warm sun. Then at lunch time the weather turned and heavy rain meant we had to abandon the meeting, pleased to see Cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccus on the way back, but arriving at the cars very wet. Frustratingly we soon left the rain behind when driving home, but nevertheless we had had a very enjoyable and interesting morning.
Christine Bell.
