Russell Ness and Simon Pavlou (Pav), Gavin Maclean, Nigel Jones and Tristan Norton
19th May - Somerset, Taunton, Truro
Set off with Russ and Pav
A quick stop in a layby to check directions where the edge was covered in False Virginia Creeper Cissus verticillata
The first stop was Purn Hill Nature Reserve. We were greeted by a large patch of Long-stalked crane's-bill Geranium columbinum, a Broad bean Vicia faba.
At the top of the hill Common Stork's-bill Erodium cicutarium, Common rock-rose Helianthemum nummularium, White rock-rose Helianthemum appeninum, and Sulphur rock-rose Helianthemum x sulphureum.
Along the West facing ridges Somerset hair-grass Koeleria vallesiana ST3318 5730 with its thickly layered leaf sheaths, Honewort Trinia glauca, Western eyebright Euphrasia tetraquetra, Fairy flax Linium catharticum and Dwarf mouse-ear Cerastium pumilum.
Some Erithrosperma dandelions were still out: Taraxacum oxoniense with sub-erect bracts, broad borders and a skeletal leaved Taraxacum rubicundum with its glabrous scape.
Also along the ath Rough clover Trifolium scabrum, Slender Trefoil Trifolium micranthum, and took a snap of the ubiquitous Beaked hawk's-beard Crepis vesicaria
Into Weston-super-Mare where we had the Branched horsetail Equisetum ramosissimum, Wald clary Salvia verbenaca, and Star-of-Bethlehem Ornithogalum umbellatum.
As we got to Tavistock we stopped to look at Ample-toothed hawkweed Hieracium sylvularum and Grand-toothed hawkweed Hieracium grandidens
Unfortunately we couldn't find Diaphanous bladder-fern - we needed to walk another 100m up the track. We did see a couple of neophytes Summer jasmine Jasminum officinale and Tree cotoneaster Cotoneaster frigidus
And two more hawkweeds: Tavistock hawkweed Hieracium medium with its yellow styles, short glandular hairs and small toothed leaves, and Nipple-toothed hawkweed Hieracium monstrosum with medium glandular hairs on the phyllaries and larger teeth on the leaves
Next stop Truro where we met up with the other car Gavi, Nigel and Tristan looking at Plymouth pear Pyrus cordata. We searched a meadow further down that was full of Lousewort Pedicularis and Flea sedge Carex pulicaris
Final stop of the day was a churchyard in Truro where Ribbon fern Pteris cretica had naturalized in a well
20th May - The Lizard
Stayed in a great location at Arrowan Common Farm. Eyed hawkmoth Smerinthus ocellatus in the trap first thing
First stop a lane off the A3083 Heath spotted orchid Dactylorhiza maculata , Bristle club-rush Isolepis setacea, Toad rush Juncus Bufonius, Bulbous rush Juncus bulbosus
On to the Lizard car park: Pink Shepherd's-purse Capsella rubella, Fringed rupturewort Herniaria ciliolata, Bird's-foot clover Trifolium ornithopodioides
Along the track down to the point were Pale flax Linum bienne, Alter lily Zantedeschia aethiopica, Tall ramping-fumitory Fumaria bastardii, Western ramping-fumitory Fumaria occidentalis and striking Eastern gladiolus Gladiolus communis
Out on the open grass areas we found our first Long-headed clover Trifolium incarnatum growing with Subterranean clover Trifolium subterraneum,
Nearer the cliff tops plenty of Thrift Armeria maritima, Sheep's-bit Jasione montane, Danish scurvygrass Cochlearia danica, Spring squill Scilla verna, Sea mouse-ear Cerastium diffusum and Sea-milkwort Glaux maritima.
Moving South to the next ridge we found our main target species of Upright clover Trifolium strictum and Twin-headed clover Trifolium bocconei.
Walking North along the clifftop Burnet rose Rosa spinisissima peeped through the gorse and Thyme broomrape Orobanche alba along the coastal path.
Inland was more flowering Trifolium bocconei, Dwarf rush Juncus capitatus, Allseed Radiola linoides, Chive Allium schoenoprasum, Spring sandwort Minuartia verna and Land quillwort Isoetes histrix
Back at the carpark Sand spurrey Spergularia rubra had opened in the sun
At Windmill Farm NR we stopped off at the main pool to look at Vagrant emperor Anax ephippiger and Red-veined darter Sympetrum colombii then North: Heath pearlwort Scleranthus annuus, Ivy-leaved Crowfoot Ranunculus hederaceus, Three-lobed crowfoot Ranunculus tripartitus, Pygmy rush Juncus pygmaeus and Bristle bent Agrostis curtisii.
A short stop at Landewednack: Bithynian vetch Vicia bithynica, Hairy bird's-foot-trefoil Lotus subbiflorus, Wild asparagus Asparagus prostratus and some naturalized Crown daisy Glebionis coronaria
Last stop of the day Kynance: Hairy greenweed Genista pilosa and some early Spotted cat's-ear Hypochaeris maculata
21st May - Back home via Penryn
An early check of the moth trap produce anything special. Back we went to Windmill Fm NR and found flowering Taraxacum chlorofrugale and Taraxacum ronae.
All packed up we headed to Penryn for Killarney Fern Trichomanes speciosum. We also had Japanese aucuba Aucuba japonica and Himalayan cotoneaster naturalised in the woodland
Near Cheddar we stopped off to look at Starved wood-sedge Carex depauperata and parked next to a large area of Purple gromwell Lithospermum purpureocaeruleum.
Finishing the trip scrabbling around on the Cheddar Gorge rocks but only seeing some Hairy rock-cress Arabis hirsuta.
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