Eight members of the Botany Group met at Mill Bridge in Skipton on a cool but dry day. We took the raised walkway north towards Skipton Woods but there were lots of lovely things to see from the path before we even got to the woods themselves. Once in the woods, we found Fringecups Tellima grandiflora, a native of North America, by the entrance to the woods. We also found plants associated with old woodland including Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage Chrysoplenium oppositifolium, Wood anemones Anemonoides nemorosa, Bluebells Hyacinthoides non-scripta and lots and lots of Wild Garlic Allium ursinum.
Further into the woods, we found Goldilocks Buttercup Ranunculus auricomus, Lords-and-ladies Arum maculatum and small patches of Wood Sorrel Oxalis acetosella. By the water, we found Marsh Marigold Caltha palutris and a particularly nice find of Large Bittercress Cardamine amara. We were surprised to see quite a lot of Toothwort Lathraea squamaria as well as some small patches of Herb-Paris Paris quadrifolia.
Despite being so close to the centre of Skipton, the woods were very peaceful and we all enjoyed finding old favourites.
Report and photographs by Jane Welsh
Large bitter-cress Cardamine amara
Toothwort Lathrea squamaria
Lords-and-ladies Arum maculatum
