Eight of us set off on a longer journey than usual to revisit Tarn Moor, a Cumbrian Wildlife Trust Reserve in the Penrith area where over the years we have been several times. We were later in the year than sometimes so many of the different Orchid species were going over, but as the area is one of mixed habitats, plants which like damp habitats were of particular interest.
There were the three Cottongrasses, Common, Hare’s-tail, and Broadleaved Eriophorum angustifolium, E.vaginatum, E. latifolium, Marsh Lousewort Pedicuralis palustris with its pink hooded flowers and the delicate Marsh Arrowgrass Triglochin palustre. A plant we were not so familiar with was Marsh Ragwort Senecio aquaticus, very like the Common Ragwort S. jacobaea but more branched and looser clusters of larger flowers. Amongst the common plants were several examples from the Rush family, Sedges, Plantains, and Buttercups, and not so common we were pleased to find the Round-leaved Sundew Drosera rotundifolia and the small fern Moonwort Botrychium lunaria.
All in all an interesting mix of species, approximately 100 in total.
Christine Bell.
