Botantical Nature Walk May 27th 2023
Today we took part in a botanical survey of the sea front from the needles eye café , led by ecologist Lisa Malter.
We did not walk far, because we were stopping regularly to identify flowering and some non-flowering plants. Hand lenses enabled us to see the tiny details which differentiated species.
We formally identified the 32 species listed below, with photographs of some.
So interesting was it, that we overran our usual time, but its always good to finish wanting more!
Lisa has kindly agreed to lead more botanical surveys in the coming months. These will be in addition to our already scheduled informal nature walks, and open to all.
The first date will be Friday 7th July in the Keyhaven area, beginning at 9am for 2hours or possibly more, depending on weather and inclination. We will update the event with the meeting point nearer the time..
Many thanks Lisa for such an interesting and enjoyable morning and we look forward to next time.
Common names of the species identified on our walk. You can see the more details and the botanical names here.
| Rock Samphire | Rock Sea-spurrey | Dove’s foot cranesbill |
| Fleabane | White Campion | Tree Mallow |
| Groundsel | Common Mouse-ear | Pink-sorrel |
| Hawk’s beard | Goosefoot/Orache | Buck’s Horn Plantain |
| Hoary ragwort | Glasswort/Samphire | Greater Plantain |
| Slender Thistle | Sea beet | Ribwort Plantain |
| Perennial Sow-thistle | Common Bird’s foot trefoil | Thrift, sea pink |
| Spear Thistle | Gorse (furze, western, dwarf?) | Broadleaved Dock |
| Scurvy grass | Tree Lupin | Curled Dock |
| Campion-pale pink, likely hybrid | Trefoil lesser | Scarlet pimpernel |
| Red Campion | Small flowered cranesbill |
