More Ground Pine

Another check of the Fames Rough ploughed strip revealed eight Ground Pine plants plus at least 20 of Cut-leaved Germander. I'm happy about that.


This Lesser Stag Beetle was found on the trunk of a long dead tree and provided the best photographic opportunity of the day. I don't see many of these.

I've added a link to Sarah Patton's blog, Patton's Tiger. The blog is named after a rather special moth that she recorded as new to the British Isles. No little brown jobbie for her, it's a spectacular one that I'd love to see.

Comments

David Campbell said…
Paul Goodman and I found 30-40 Ground Pines there yesterday, an interesting plant. Are there many other sites in Surrey/south east or is this a bit of a speciality?

David
11 June 2012 at 22:45
Steve Gale said…
Hi David. An individual Ground Pine plant can throw off a number of 'branches' that can appear to be several seperate plants. Are you sure that all your 30-40 Ground Pine plants were individuals? This is a plant that is very rare and can only appear where there is disturbance. I've only ever seen it at Fame's Rough, near Colley Hill and close to Ranmore Common. It can appear profusely at a site and then disappear after a couple of years. However, its seed can lay buried and dormant for years and then spring into life when disturbed. You are correct in assuming that it is a bit of a local speciality. I will return to the site soon with more than a passing interest in its welfare.
12 June 2012 at 08:56
David Campbell said…
Hi Steve - I realised after looking at them and trying to count them for a few minutes that one plant could look deceptively like many, hence the buffer of ten on the count, I'd be surprised if there were less than 30 individual plants, if there were it can't have been many fewer - certainty strong double figures - many of them quite young and spread out
12 June 2012 at 10:52
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24 December 2012 at 12:36
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