REGIONAL MEETINGS - Natural History Museum

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other calcifuges such as Blechnum spicant, Athyrium filix-femina, Dryopteris dilatata, D. filixmas and Oreopteris limbosperma, there were also, due to the mixed geology of Arran, ferns that prefer more basic conditions – Asplenium adiantum-nigrum, A. scolopendrium, A. trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens, Phegopteris connectilis, Polypodium vulgare, and Polystichum setiferum, which seemed so out of place among the rocks of the raised beach that I am ashamed to admit I did not recognise it. More interestingly we found Dryopteris aemula with its distinctly crisped fronds and both filmies (Hymenophyllum tunbrigense and H. wilsonii) and of course Mary and others soon found Trichomanes speciosum gametophytes. The sporophyte is also present on Arran at four isolated sites but understandably their whereabouts are kept secret, even from such distinguished pteridologists as ourselves. So far I have not mentioned Dryopteris affinis. Arran has all three subspecies and numerous hybrids and variants, and with Ken Trewren as one of our party we were not going to get away with recording the species alone. So as well as D. affinis subspp. affinis and borreri, we had subsp. cambrensis var. paleaceocrispa (the normal cambrensis according to Ken), and (later confirmed by Ken) subsp. cambrensis var. pseudocomplexa (otherwise known as morphotype arranensis of Pigott). Further evidence of the complexity of the Dryopteris affinis agg. on Arran was found in Cordon Wood (26/035296) in the afternoon. Here, led by the indefatigable Tony Smith up and down the steep slopes of this seemingly impenetrable woodland, we added D. affinis subsp. affinis var. paleaceolobata and D. x complexa nothosubsp. complexa (along with its parents) as well as the D. affinis subspecies and variants we had seen in the morning. By this time not a few of us were becoming confused, and please, if you wish further elucidation, consult Ken, not me. Cordon Wood also revealed some more easily recognisable ferns such as Dryopteris aemula again, and of course D. dilatata, Athyrium filix-femina, Blechnum spicant, Oreopteris limbosperma and Pteridium aquilinum. We also noted Asplenium trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens, Hymenophyllum tunbrigense, Phegopteris connectilis and Polypodium interjectum, while Martin and Mary found some fine examples of Polystichum aculeatum that the rest of us inexplicably missed. Ken, who had sensibly brought a torch, searched for and found the Trichomanes gametophyte again. Cordon Wood was the only place, surprisingly, where we recorded horsetails, though they surely must be abundant on Arran. Here we saw Equisetum arvense and E. sylvaticum. 316 photo: F. McGavigan Glen Sannox, Arran Tony Smith, Martin Rickard, Mary Gibby, Christine Nicholson, Ken Trewren, Frank Katzer, Alastair Wardlaw, Roland Ennos, Liz Doig, Angus Hannah
On Sunday morning Tony Smith took us along the coast at Sannox (26/017454) between the Sannox Burn and the North Sannox Burn, at one point leading us through what seemed acres of bracken – Arran must have more bracken per square mile than anywhere else in Britain. However, down below the old sea cliff there was much greater variety. Here Asplenium ruta-muraria was growing in the rock along with A. trichomanes subsp. quadrivalens, Polypodium vulgare and P. interjectum (at first we thought we had the hybrid P. x mantoniae but further examination showed the spores to be viable). Nearby there was Cystopteris fragilis (surprisingly not very common on Arran apparently) and on wet rocks both filmies were growing, while a little bit of hunting revealed the Trichomanes gametophyte again. Along the way, as you would expect, were Athyrium filix-femina, Blechnum spicant, Dryopteris aemula, D. affinis subspp. affinis, borreri and cambrensis var. paleaceocrispa (by now these names were beginning to trip off the tongue), D. dilatata, Oreopteris limbosperma, Phegopteris connectilis, and Polystichum aculeatum. Oh, and did I mention Pteridium aquilinum? We did not spot the Dryopteris expansa that Ken and Martin found here when they returned the following day. However, we had been promised D. expansa at Merkland Wood (26/022386), which we duly found though not particularly spectacular examples. Also here was probable D. x ambroseae, though that would need confirmation; certainly D. dilatata was present, so with both parents around it seems likely. We noted the remnants of what had once been a huge colony of Hymenophyllum tunbrigense, much of which had been inadvertently destroyed by the clearance of the protective understorey of rhododendron, and a cry of excitement went up when Osmunda regalis was discovered, but apparently it had been planted by the foresters. Genuinely wild Osmunda had been found by Yvonne, Roland and Frank Katzer at King’s Cave (16/884309) on the west side of the island along with Asplenium marinum and other more common things. Further north at Catacol (16/910497) Frank Katzer had discovered Asplenium ceterach growing in an old wall, a new record for Arran. Sunday afternoon was to be taken up touring the fine collection of cultivated ferns at Brodick Castle Garden (26/015380) but before reaching them Tony Smith pointed out colonies of Asplenium scolopendrium and Polystichum aculeatum just over the entrance wall. Some of the latter turned out on closer inspection to be P. x bicknellii, although the other parent, P. setiferum, was not in the immediate vicinity. The fern collection at Brodick has been a little neglected of late but it still remains relatively intact and Christine, who now works there, is keen to restore it to its former glory. Martin was able to name some plants whose labels had been lost and correct the names of others, though not what was marked as ‘Fern No 2 (NW Yunnan)’. The benign climate favours tree-ferns, and Cyathea dealbata and Dicksonia squarrosa were flourishing while D. antarctica was multiplying everywhere. There were some fine specimens of Lophosoria quadripinnata, but Cyathea brownii remained protected in a greenhouse, where there were also several Thyrsopteris elegans awaiting outside trials. Osmunda was represented by O. claytoniana and O. japonica, and Woodwardia by W. fimbriata and W. radicans. Pteris cretica, Dryopteris clintoniana, D. cycadina, D. carthusiana (the North American variant), Microsorum pustulatum (syn. M. diversifolium), Polypodium glycyrrhiza, P. x mantoniae ‘Cornubiense’, Polystichum polyblepharum, P. proliferum, Blechnum penna-marina – the list goes on, some common, some rare, all interesting. Perhaps most interesting of all, were the several plants of Athyrium filix-femina ‘Victoriae’ because Brodick Castle used to be owned by the proprietors of Buchanan Castle, where the original clone was found, and there can be no doubt that Brodick’s are the real thing. So from the confusion of the Dryopteris affinis agg. to the freak that is A. filix-femina ‘Victoriae’ this proved to be an excellent weekend, much enjoyed by all. 317
Page 1 and 2: LEEDS & DISTRICT REGIONAL MEETINGS
Page 3 and 4: a number of new routes to survey, i
Page 5 and 6: had checked Janet’s Foss Wood ove
Page 7 and 8: the plants. We entered the Pavilion
Page 9 and 10: impressive stand of Thelypteris pal
Page 11 and 12: After a picnic lunch, we repaired t
Page 13 and 14: NORTH-WEST Bellingham, Northumberla
Page 15 and 16: In the Temperate Fernery, a winding
Page 17 and 18: However, we quickly found two of th
Page 19 and 20: dilatata, Oreopteris limbosperma, a
Page 21 and 22: Coombe Valley (21/2111) and Duckpoo
Page 23 and 24: SCOTLAND Royal Botanic Garden Edinb
Page 25 and 26: We finished the day emptying our wa
Page 27: prefers acid fens. And for a fern t
Page 31: HORTICULTURAL SHOWS SOUTHPORT FLOWE

REGIONAL MEETINGS - Natural History Museum

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