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Botany Group - 13th May 2025

by Merryn Dineley - 21:36 on 22 May 2025

Simon’s Report on our visit to “the primrose field” in Finstown.
Sixteen of us met on 13th May at the slipway carpark in Finstown for the first outing of the season. The weather was dry (as it has been for many a day now) and quite springlike but not as warm as theprevious weekend. We made our way up the Heddle Road towards the
Primrose Field which is located about halfway between the main road and the quarry entrance. A good pull up indeed but we were rewarded along the way with areas along the roadside showing good displays of pink purslane and meadow vetchling. Once the field was reached we found it very, very dry. There were however still good displays of primroses and large increasing swathes of ladies mantle plants. Some of us learnt the different methods of
pollination for the primrose plants - ‘pin eyed’ and ’thrum eyed’. Most things botanical were found in the burns and boggy patches which, although still dry, did contain a little more moisture than the surrounding areas of the field. In these damper areas, butterwort (yet to flower) and plenty of violets were found. The top of the field was of a slightly different habitat; fewer primroses and some creeping/eared willow were found here. Also, I understand, a poor
specimen of milkwort. A few small orchids, probablynorthern marsh orchids very early in flower were also found. However the high light of the day was the find of five
Twayblades, one of which had a flower bud coming. Also of interest was Ian’s explanation and demonstration of field woodrush being known as ‘Good Friday’ grass. All in all a great start to the new season blessed with fine weather and good company. We finished off back where we had parked after a rewarding couple of hours having also seen (amongst others I am
sure);- marsh marigold, heath spotted orchid, violets (both dog and early), cuckoo plants in flower, horsetail, tomantil, common bog cotton, marsh fern, broad buckler fern, marsh thistle, hawkweed (cats ear), lousewort, ragwort, meadowsweet, daisies, dandelion (400+
species to go at here I believe), (so unidentified!), various rushes, glaucous sedge and, of course, those Twayblades.”


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