Co Limerick (H8) and Miscellaneous Plant Records in 2000Author(s): Sylvia ReynoldsSource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 27, No. 5 (2003), pp. 208-209Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25536461 .

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Ir. Nat. J. Volume 27 No 5 2003

Plant Records

Co Limerick (H8) and miscellaneous plant records in 2000

In 2000, a number of interesting finds were made of native and alien plants, chiefly in Cos Limerick and Dublin. These are set in context and include one new county record. Records were made by SR unless otherwise stated. Nomenclature and status follow Scannell, M. J. P. & Synnott, D. M. (1987 Census catalogue of the flora of Ireland. Stationery Office, Dublin). The authority is given for taxa not listed in that work. DBN = cited

specimens or voucher specimens deposited in the National Herbarium, Glasnevin, Dublin. * =

species considered introduced into Ireland.

Records for Co Limerick (H8)

Sorbus hibernica, Ballyadam townland SW of Cappagh (R3744), 3 August. Large tree in

hedgerow. Det. P. J. M. Nethercott. DBN. Also in roadside hedge and by railway, both nr

railway bridge SSW of Cappagh (R3844), 3 August. S. cf hibernica was noted by railway in Patrickswell area (R54) by R. Goodwillie in 1990. A specimen labelled Pyrus aria [Sorbus aha] collected in 1897 on a hillside at Pallasgreen (R74) by Rev. W. Bentley (Fogerty, W. A. 1898 J. Limerick Field Club 1: 38-44; Praeger, R. LI. 1901 Irish topographical botany. Proc.

R. Ir. Acad. (3) 7: 1-410; DBN) was recently redetermined by P. J. M. Nethercott as S. hibernica. New county record.

Ophrys insectifera. Barrigone Roadstone Works 4km WNW of Askeaton (R2950), 11 June, Birdwatch Ireland field meeting and SR. One plant in limestone grassland. Rare in Co Limerick. Found at Deegerty Bog/Baliyvogue 4km ENE of Askeaton (R3851) c1961 (Ryan, P.J. 1961 Ir. Nat. J. 13: 278) and 1974 (Young, R. 1975 Watsonia 10: 462-463); last seen there in 1988 (SR); this site has since been drained. Also Ballingarry area (R43) (Allott, H. L. 1976 BSBI News No. 12: 23).

Silene vulgaris ssp vulgaris. Railway cutting SSW of Cappagh (R3844), 3 August. Previously found nr Foynes and at the Mullagh ESE of Shanagolden in early 20th C (Praeger, R. LI. 1909 A tourist's flora of the west of Ireland. Hodges, Figgis & Co., Dublin., DBN).

Brassica nigra. Banks of Morningstar R. NE of Athlacca (R5635), 10 August. Numerous

plants on disturbed ground following drainage works. Beside R. Maigue at both Bruree

(R5430) in 1990 (DBN) and Adare (R4646) in 1997 (SR), and on waste ground by the same

river S of Croom (R53) in 1998, J. Wann. Other modern records from just above the shore of the Shannon Estuary NE of Glin (R14) in 1985, Loghill (R1949) in 1996 (Reynolds, S. 1997 Irish Botanical News No. 7: 39-42) where it had been found 90 years earlier (Knowles, M. C.

& O'Brien, C. G. 1907 Ir. Nat. 16: 185-201, DBN), and pavement edge and by a ditch in Oola

(R8241) in 1997. A rare plant in Ireland, but now apparently established in Co Limerick rather than 'casual' as formerly described (Praeger, R. LI. 1934 The botanist in Ireland.

Hodges, Figgis & Co., Dublin; Scannell & Synnott, 1987 op. cit).

Solanum dulcamara. Foynes Port (R2551), 12 August. Large population of plants with white to very pale mauve flowers and densely pubescent leaves climbing up fence and on gravel

by coal yards, first noticed in 1997. DBN. Elsewhere in port area, S. dulcamara with the more usual purple flowers, with glabrous or densely pubescent leaves; also some white

flowered plants with sparsely pubescent leaves.

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Ir Nat. J. Volume 27 No 5 2003

* Mycelis muralis. Foynes Port (R2551), 12 August. Several plants among limestone

boulders at edge of the Shannon. Since 1987 (Reynolds, S. 1988 Ir. Nat. J. 22: 533-534), single plants of M. muralis were found on a wall at Clarina (R5053) in 1988, in forestry above Foynes (R2451) in 1995 and at Foynes Port in 1996; also naturalized on crag in hazel scrub at Mullagh ESE of Shanagolden in 1997. The discussion as to its status in Ireland continues (e.g. Clabby, G. & Osborne, B. A. 1994 Biology and Environment, Proc. R. Ir. Acad. 94B: 57

73). *

Gaudinia fragilis. Dollas Lower townland c4km WSW of Croom (R4739), 19 July. Numerous plants on compacted gravelly soil by large shed and unoccupied house, and on

adjacent roadside, with common native grass species including Trisetum flavescens. A new

site in Co Limerick for this grass, rare in Ireland (see Reynolds, S. 1998 Ir. Nat. J. 26: 129 132). DBN.

At Foynes Port, where many alien species were considered to have been introduced with animal feed since 1988 (e.g. Reynolds, S. 1997 Watsonia 21: 283-285), Amaranthus retroflexus L., Erucastrum gallicum (Willd.) 0. E. Schulz, Erysimum cheiranthoides,

Hirschfeldia incana, Thlaspi arvense, Malva pusilla Sm. and Chamomilla recutita were again encountered in 2000 despite the widespread use of weedkiller.

Miscellaneous records

* Sanguisorba minor ssp muricata (Gremli) Briq. H21. Irishtown Nature Park, Dublin (O2033),

22 May. 'Fodder Burnet', probably introduced here. DBN. Hackney (P. 1995 Bull. Ir.

Biogeog. Soc. 18: 148-175) reported S. minor from two parks in Belfast where it was possibly introduced in grass seed mixtures.

* Phacelia tanacetifolia Benth. H19. By main road on E side of Kildare Town (N7312,

N7412), 13 July. Many plants in flower along the road and pavement edges; mostly cleared

away by 23 July. DBN. Previously found in field at Downpatrick in H38, 1962 (DBN), waste

ground nr L. Atalia in H17, 1985 (McGough, H. N. 1988 Ir. Nat J. 22: 411-413, DBN), field at Stamullen nr Naul in H22, 1986 (DBN) and waste ground on Cape Clear in H3, 1994

(Akeroyd, J. 1996 The wild plants of Sherkin, Cape Clear and adjacent islands of West Cork. Sherkin Island Marine Station, Cork). Seeds are sold in 'wild' flower mixtures and as a green manure.

Erigeron acer. H21. Bond Rd, Dublin Port (01835), 20 August. Some 12 plants on roadside in shallow soil. Det. E.J. Clement. DBN. The port is an unusual location for this native plant, rare in Co Dublin (Doogue, D. et al. 1998 Flora of County Dublin. The Dublin Naturalists' Field Club, Dublin).

Dublin Port yielded its usual variety of alien plants in August 2000, including Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium glaucum L., Lepidium ruderale L. (DBN), Thlaspi arvense, Pisum sativum L., lea mays L., Setaria viridis (L.) P. Beauv., Lactuca serriola L.

(many plants seeding prolifically) and Conyza spp. Except for L. ruderale, all of these had been noted in previous years, but would not necessarily be self-seeding at the port.

Acknowledgements

I would like to thank E. J. Clement and P. J. M. Nethercott for determining specimens, Roger Goodwillie and John Wann for records, Gyr Penn for spotting the Ophrys insectifera and Julian Reynolds for accompanying and assisting me in the field.

Sylvia Reynolds

115 Weirview Drive, Stillorgan, Co Dublin

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