New Flora of Sussex

Autumn 2008

Copy of presentation given at SBRS autumn get-together on 1st November 2008. Note - photos removed to keep file size down to

reasonable level.

Once again an excellent year with

contributions from many people,

both "old hands" and also new

members.

Many thanks to everyone who has

contributed records, led meetings

etc.

Post 2000 records - totals as of 29-10-2008(New limits)

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1500

4700

4800

4900

5000

5100

5200

5300

5400

5500

5600

5700

5800

5900

6000

6100

>400 records 300 - 400 records 200 - 300 records

150-200 records 100 - 150 records

Record status - end October 2008

Some numbers

Draft accounts

Draft accounts for just over 500 species written, including some complete families such as Apiaceae and Caryophyllaceae

Recording

We now are now 2/3rd of the way through the main recording period for the flora.

There are over 248,500 records on the computer, up by over 34,900 from 213,600 in early March 2008.

By Tetrad:

26 have >400 records (12 )

204 have 300 to 400 ( 151 )

564 have 200 to 300 ( 412 )

59 have < 150 records

If you have any more 2008 records please send them in.

Note: Figures in blue are for March 2008

Some interesting records in 2008 - 1

Anthemis arvensis - Ovingdean (Possibly not from seed mixture)

Bupleurum rotundifolium - Eastern Rd., Brighton (1st recent record)

Clinopodium acinos - 7 new tetrad records, all on the Downs in VC14Epilobium palustre - Ditchling Common (Now very rare)

Leersia oryzoides - NW of Billingshurst (Significantly further N in Arun valley than any other recent record)

Campanula patula - Fyning, large numbers

Some interesting records in 2008 - 2Linaria repens - Beside former Dyke railway

Lotus glaber - Near Mile Oak

Malva pusilla - Hastings, 1st record since SPA

Luronium natans? - In a cattle trough S of Etchingham

Myosurus minima - S of Wisborough Green (1st new record for c. 5 years)

Orobanche hederae - Burgess Hill (1st VC14 record)

Some interesting records in 2008 - 3

Poa infirma - Broadbridge Heath (much further north than previous records)

Radiola linoides - Refound in St. Leonards Forest (TQ23A)

Sorbus x thuringiaca (S.aria x aucuparia) - Still present & thriving at only known Sussex site

Viola tricolor - 2 records which are definitely this (Midhurst & Buxted) from more or less wild situations

Petrorhagia saxifraga - Climping, small but well established clump

Orchis purpurea - Beachy Head (1st VC14 record & 1st Sussex record since 1980's)

Toward publication of the Flora

2011:1. Contact publishers to get rough costings and organisations who might provide

grants toward publication costs (can't do earlier as experience shows they say come back nearer the time)

2. Fill gaps in recording - very focussed recording on (hopefully) a small number of under-recorded areas and scarce species not refound

3. Complete drafts of species accounts, continue proof reading & checking4. Get draft versions of introductory chapters (Geology, Habitats etc.)5. Get final photgraphs

2009/10:1. More targeted recording (see later)2. Write more species accounts, aiming to complete the bulk of the draft accounts

by end of winter 2010/11. Start proof-reading/checking in winter 20103. Get photographs of species/habitats for illustrating the flora

2012:1. If possible, some final recording in early part of year 2. Complete writing, compile complete drafts, final proofing3. Aim to publish by end of 2012

Recording will be more targeted:

Recording in 2009

1) Tetrads

Aim: Get as close as possible to our target of 300+ species per tetradFirst priority is to get all tetrads over 200 records

Areas in most need of better coverage are TQ13, TQ20, TQ21, TQ31, TQ41, TQ51, TQ61, TQ62, TQ71 and especially TQ82 and TQ92

We need people who can focus on these areas in the next 2 years

2) Species

Aim: Try to refind scarce species records not recorded since 2000.Still at least 700 records from the Scarce plant register not yet refound since 2000.

Please volunteer to search for species or to search specific areas

Tetrad species lists on the web site now contain a list of scarce species records for that tetrad not refound since 2000 (including details such as grid refs.).

Example needing checking - Frog Orchid

Present in 52 tetrads in SPA, found in only 13 since 2000

How much is real decrease & how much is under-recording?

Coeloglossum viride

77 9 1 2 3 4 6

5

8 95

3

2

1

9

4

8

TRTQ

SZ

SU

TV

Post 2000 record1987-1999 recordSPA (1960 - 1978) record

Winter recordingMany species can be identified during much of the period between November and mid March (some, e.g. Ferns, Daphne laureola & Ruscus aculeatus may be easier to spot at this time).If you fancy some recording this winter the map shows tetrads where you are most likely to get new records.

This map and a list of the tetrads are available on the web site.

Requests to recorders

1. Check that record cards are legible and clear

2. Please do not use abbreviationsSome records come with abbreviated names - please write out names in full as it is very easy to make errors when reading abbreviated names.

3. Small numbers of individual records in letters or emailsPlease separate the records from the rest of the text and lay them out in a clear way.

Information mixed up in the text of a letter or email takes much longer to extract and often has some vital bits missing.

4. Unusual or interesting occurrences of common speciesThe front of the record card (or the comments in electronic records) is not just for rare species.

Extra information on interesting records of common species (e.g. occurrence in an unusual habitat) is very useful for writing the species accounts in the flora.

Thanks again for all you have done

Any questions?