THE WILTSHIRE WILDLIFE TRUST’S VERA JEANS NATURE RESERVE 261 
marigold Caltha palustris and Cuckooflower, or 
Lady’s Smock Cardamine pratensis stand out as 
does, a little later, Ragged Robin Lychnis flos-cuculi, 
although this last is not present in such numbers as 
the others. Other frequent plants include Marsh 
Horsetail FE. palustre, Water Forget-me-not Myosotis 
scorpioides, Meadow Vetchling Lathyrus pratensis, 
Water Mint Mentha aquatica, Fen Bedstraw Galium 
uliginosum and Common _ Valerian Valeriana 
officinalis. 
il d ! Ba ie Na 
Yellow Iris with Hybrid Common Spotted-orchids 
Moving westwards, out of the quadrat but still 
within the north-east section [3], there is a small 
but detectable increase in wetness and along with it 
(although there is no evidence that it is the cause) 
there is increasing diversity of vegetation. The most 
_obvious addition is the Yellow Iris Iris pseudacorus 
which is locally dominant, and which certainly 
adds greatly to the attractiveness of the reserve. 
There are other less conspicuous but botanically 
interesting delights. Marsh Valerian Valeriana 
dioica is widespread and there are isolated patches 
of Bogbean Menyanthes trifoliata, Common Cotton- 
grass Eriophorum angustifolium, and Bottle Sedge 
Carex rostrata. The last three are all indicative of 
acid soils, particularly the Cotton-grass. All four are 
Wiltshire rarities: during the 1980s the Flora 
Mapping Project found them in only 87 (2%), 20 
(<1%), 11 and 4 kilometre squares respectively 
(this and all subsequent references to plant status in 
Wiltshire are taken from Gillam, 1993). Also of note 
are a few specimens of Bulrush or Greater Reedmace 
Typha latifolia and of Common Spotted-orchid 
Dactylorhiza fuchsu. Some of this latter species grow 
very tall, and are probably hybrids with Southern 
Marsh-orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa. 
Along the north edge of Jones’s Mill Mead are 
several pollarded Crack Willows Salix fragilis. 
Beside the hard track across the fen, the probable 
continuation of Kepnal Drove mentioned above, 
are a few shrubs (Alder Alnus glutinosa, Hawthorn 
Crataegus monogyna and Holly Ilex aquifolium) and 
some brambles Rubus fruticosus. These seemingly 
fairly insignificant features serve as important 
shelter for several species of fauna, as we shall see 
below. 
The Central Carr [4] 
On crossing the next fence, out of the grazed area 
into the central section of the SSSI, there is an even 
pe ei wa 
Southern Marsh-orchid 
