Botanical Finds in Cornwall - Early June 2023

 The following is a collection of plants of note that I found on short trips around Cornwall in early June. First up was a trip to a boggy heath near Bodmin. It is one of the few sites for Early Marsh Orchids and a few were out when I visited.

Dactylorhiza incarnata subspecies pulchella

Both species of Sundew had appeared, where a month ago, none could be found.

Oblong-leaved Sundew - Drosera intermedia

Round-leaved Sundew - Drosera rotundifolia

Below is the Royal Fern, highlighted by the evening sun, looking fantastic as ever. In the second photo below you can just see the "flower spike" that will carry the spores up high for dispersal. This large fern only grows in permanently damp, acidic places.

Osmunda regalis

Whilst talking about ferns, here is another beauty, the fresh fronds of a Golden Scaly Male Fern. The back of the fronds are covered in golden scales from the base to the tip of the rachis. Later on, black blotches will appear on the underside of the lowest pinnule of each pinnae. These features differentiate it from Male Fern, which is plain and dull in comparison, and usually nowhere near as big.

Dryopteris affinis subspecies affinis

Pyramidal Orchids were now flowering on the relatively calcium rich sands of the North coastal areas, the one below at Booby's Bay. They do start off pyramidal in shape, but as all the flowers open, the shape changes to more of a cylindrical one.

Anacamptis pyramidalis

Dyer's Greenweed was in flower now all along the North coast clifftops and coastal heaths. This is the low growing form which is always procumbent and the most commonly found Greenweed species in Cornwall. Outside of the county, this is the rare one and the upright Dyer's Greenweed is found.

Genista tinctoria subspecies littoralis

Sea Milkwort had carpets of flowers across some clifftops, it's a pretty but small flower.

Lysimachia maritimum

In wet flushes caused by faults in the bedrock, grew Brookweed.

Samolus valerandi

On an evening trip to a mid Cornwall heath, I came across a few Cornish Bladderseed in flower. These are only found in Cornwall I think, and are endemic to the UK.  They are another plant that do not like competition and these below grew in a place where there had been a fire in recent times. This provided disturbance for germination and killed off the competition allowing the seedlings to mature. It's only about half the height of Cow Parsley and much more delicate. As shown in the composite photo below, its leaves are mostly basal.

Physospermum cornubiense

There was a hatch of Large Skipper Butterflies there too. There are three common Skipper butterflies. The Large Skipper has the spots on the wing as below and when the wings are open, a black streak down the forewing (scent glands). The Small Skipper lacks these and has brown or orange-tipped antennae and Essex Skippers are the same as Small, but have black tipped antennae.

Ochlodes sylvanus

Some roadside Fox and Cubs, a very cheery plant. The "cubs" are the ever present flower buds below the foxy flower.

Pilosella aurantiaca

So ended a hot and dry first half of June, with no substantial rain in the forecast for some time. When rain is forecast, it fails to happen and we stay dry.  The blog for the last week of June will follow soon.

Take Care

Dave