RECORDER'S REPORT FOR BOTANY 2012 



Renee Grayer 



The first three months of the year were dry, especially the second half of March when it was sunny and 

 warm. However, just when the hosepipe ban came into force in April, the heavens opened and this 

 month was cold and wet. May was dry again and the last week was very warm, but this weather did not 

 continue into the summer, as the wettest June since 1971 followed. July was also wetter than average, 

 although the last week was fine. October and the last half of December were very wet again, but there 

 was a cold snap in the first half of the month. Four months with more than 100 mm of rain were recorded 

 at the University of Reading in 2012, the first time that this happened for nearly a century. This wet 

 weather affected many of the field trips of the Society this year. 



For the names of the plant families and species below, the 3rd edition of C.A. Stace's New Flora of the 

 British Isles (2010) is followed. 



PTEROPSIDA (Ferns and Allies) 



4. Ophloglossaceae 



Ophioglossum vulgatum Adder s-tongue 

 6 May 12. Near the pond in Clifton Meadow, 

 Oxon. SU555956 (JW) 



5. Equisetaceae 



Equisetum sylvaticum Wood Horsetail 



18 Jul 12. Pamber Forest. SU613614 (JH) 



18. Dryopteridaceae 



Polystichum aculeatum Hard Shield-fern 

 25 Jan 12. Cornwell Copse, Tilehurst, ca. five 

 big crowns. SU659742 (JH) 



Dryopteris affinis agg. Scaly Male-fern 

 20 Jan 12. Paices Wood. SU587640 (JH) 



MAGNOLIIDAE (Flowering Plants) 



30. Papaveraceae 



Papaver hybridum Rough Poppy 



3 Aug 12. North of Goring, edge of the cereal 



crop. SU615827 (JW) 



32. Ranunculaceae 



Helleborm viridis Green Hellebore 



19 Feb 12. Mutton Copse, Stichens Green. 

 About 40 plants. SU587794 (JH) 



1 Mar 12. Mount Hill, Bagnor. More than 40 

 plants. SU447703 (JH) 



Helleborus foetidus Stinking Hellebore 



6 Jan 12. Lough Down, Streatley. SU589812 



(JH) 



15 Jan 12. Stichens Green. Four or more 



plants. SU592795 (JH) 



19 Feb 12. Lower Basildon. SU604789 (JH) 



Myosurus minimus Mousetail 



20 May 12. Field at Dunsden Green, more 

 than 200! (JW) 



Pulsatilla vulgaris Pasqueflower 



30 Apr 12. Aston Upthorpe Downs. More than 



10 flowers. SU544834 (JH) 



Ranunculus lingua Greater Spearwort 



12 Jul 12. Several plants in a pond on the 

 outskirts of Woodcote, near Greenmoor Hill. 

 SU647813 (CB) 



38. Saxifragaceae 



Saxifraga granulata Meadow Saxifrage 



6 May 12. Clifton Meadow, Oxon. SU555956 



(JW) 



13 May 12. Winter hill nr Cookham, large 

 number of plants. SU884867 (RG&GT) 



23 May 12. Lough Down, Streatley, 12 clumps. 

 SU588812 (JH) 



Chrysosplenium oppositifolium Opposite- 

 leaved Golden-saxifrage 

 29 Mar 12. Old Pond Copse, Maiden Erieigh 

 Reserve. SU752711 (RG) 



12 Apr 12. Aldermoors, Woodley. SU775749 

 (RG) 



13 Apr 12. Omer's Gully, Burghfield Common. 

 SU647674 (JH) 



Tellima grandiflora Fringecups 



5 Apr 12. Oak Wood, Maiden Erieigh Reserve. 



SU748709 (RG) 



12 Apr 12. Redhatch Copse, Barley. SU7470 

 (RG) 



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