I took up botany in 2013 and didn't know a Dandelion from a Coltsfoot. In fact I had no idea what plants were around me. Fast forward around 8 years and I am now a seasoned amateur botanist who can identify pretty much all wildflowers and many grasses, trees, shrubs, rushes, sedges and ferns. I managed this by becoming involved with my local botany group and learning much from the county recorder too.
This was all in Kent and my botanical explorations there can be found in my previous blog site at
https://barbus59.blogspot.com/
In fact I have just published my last botanical trip in Kent there, so please have a look.
One of the amazing finds at Plantlife's Flagship reserve at Ranscombe Farm, Kent.
However, I am about to move to Cornwall and explore the amazing botany of the far western reaches of England. I will be living near Wadebridge by the River Camel on the borders of VC1 and 2. In order to buy a house there I have travelled there several times in the last year or so, so I thought a good introduction would be to share with you the plants I have found in Cornwall already without even really looking.
It started with a short holiday in Cornwall like many do, a few months before anyone had ever heard of Covid 19. We stayed at the friendly Poldark Inn near Delabole ("is that far? Derr, yeah!" Doc Martin reference).
Rather than fill this blog with scenery holiday shots, here are some of the plants! Locals in Cornwall will see most plants here as common, but of course what is common in cornwall maybe very rare elsewhere in the UK and therefore of interest to the public at large.
Betony was common along the rural road verges in varying shades of pink and purple...
And white!
Betonica officinalis
Sea Rocket, guess where!
Cakile maritima
Heather from Bodmin Moor.
Calluna vulgaris
Common Scurvygrass from Port Gaverne, a plant absent from the South East of the UK where it is supplanted by English Scurvygrass.
Cochlearia officinalis
A Common Blue on Devil's bit Scabious, near Davidstow.
Scabiosa columbaria
Sea Spurge at Rock beach car park.
Euphorbia paralias
Bog St John's Wort, near Davidstow.
Hypericum elodes
Corn Mint
Near Davidstow
Mentha arvensis
Common Valerian - Near Davidstow
Valeriana officinalis Ssp sambucifolius
Ivy leaved Water Crowfoot in a muddy puddle on Boscastle pier.
Ranunculus hederacea
My first ever sighting of Saw-wort which was present in their hundreds on the cliffs around Boscastle.
Serratula tinctoria
A Painted Lady on the rather common alien Red Valerian above Perranporth.
Normally a saltmarsh plant, here is Golden Samphire on the rock and concrete of Boscastle harbour.
Limbarda crithmoides
Something I have very much noticed is the plethora of alien plants that have colonised many parts of Cornwall. Here is one of them. Montbretia.
Crocosmia agg
I recently noticed there was hardly a native plant to be found on the cliff below the Headland Hotel at Newquay. All taken over by Hottentot Figs, Tamarisk Trees and Silver Ragwort.
Fast forward to April 2021 with frosts on the ground, yet rural road verges were totally covered in wildflowers.
A drift of Ramsons (Allium ursinum). Also nearby were Red Campion, Bluebells, Primroses and much more. Lovely sight and smell. Near Bodmin.
Thrift already in flower above Perranporth in April 2021. No chance of them being that early in Kent.
Armeria maritima
A new plant species for me as it doesn't exist in the SE of the UK, Spring Squill. Miniature Bluebells found in coastal turf. I found some at St Agnes and more at Widemouth Bay, but it didn't seem very common.
Scilla verna
This plant obviously acts as an aphrodisiac if you look at the couple photobombing my shot in the distance.
Perhaps the most exciting find to date was a Fumitory that is endemic to Cornwall, found nowhere else in the world. I wasn't looking for it, but a walk along the cliffs from Padstow Harbour and I found a huge display of Western Ramping Fumitory. Great to see. I would highly recommend buying the BSBI Fumitory guidebook as these species can be tricky to tell apart without it.
Fumaria occidentalis
A habitat shot.
Of course, I've found so much more, but this is supposed to be an introduction to Cornwall not a complete Flora!
Hopefully, health permitting I will visit many parts of Cornwall this coming year and see what flora is on offer and then share it with you. I can't wait to visit the Lizard for the Trifoliums!
Regards
Dave
Twitter @botany2021 (Sylvatica)
