Culm grassland
Culm grassland. Ever heard of it? No, neither had I until I visited this part of north Cornwall. It is a much reduced grassland/heath habitat owing to it being turned over for agricultural use. It has a specialised flora, including some species that are rare nationally or at least have restricted ranges. Yesterday afternoon, under a blue sky, I visited Greena Moor, a Plantlife reserve south of the vilage of Week St Mary. You will need precise directions to find it, although there is a sign on a roadside gateway to give you a clue as to the culm grassland's whereabouts. There are a couple of areas on the reserve that I found particularly rewarding - a sloping field with a stream running through it, the stream side being full of Marsh Ragwort, Water Mint, Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil, Wild Angelica and, star of the show, Wavy St.John's-wort. This latter species could also be found in good numbers closer to the reserve entrance, in a boggy field corner, along with another ...