Some rarer plants of BexleyChris Rose

....and some recent developments(Relative) rarities(Re-)discoveriesRe-introduction Re-creation

Context - some sources of botanical information‘The Flora of Bexley’, M.C. Foster (1972)Older documents e.g. Lesnes Abbey Woods paper, 1910s/early 1920s Rodney Burton’s ‘Flora of the London Area’ (1983) GiGL records SINCs – updated site descriptions on Bexley Council website (general habitat and vegetation characteristics, ‘headline’ species)Kent Botanical Recording Group rare plants register (VC15 and 16)Lots of ‘open spaces’, lots of different habitats BUT not especially well botanised in recent years

Miscellaneous sites (pt 1)Common Calamint, Brook Street, Northumberland Heath. One of 3 sites in the Borough for this species. Flixweed, Russell Park, Bexleyheath. A species that just turns up in random locations then dies out again. One of 4 places I’ve found it in Bexley.Pyramidal Orchid, Bexleyheath Broadway. Only one other site in Bexley for this species, but dug up and moved to Hall Place after the Council declined to modify their plan of putting a tree and concrete in this location as part of the Woolwich building refurbishment. No soul!

Miscellaneous sites (pt 2)Crown Vetch, Erith MarshesMilk Thistle, ErithQuarryCatmint (Nepeta cataria), petrol station, Long Lane, Bexleyheath. Only site in Bexley. Appears to have been destroyed. I now have seedlings from these plants in my garden.

Lesnes Abbey WoodClimbing Corydalis (Ceratocapnos claviculata). Now one of only 2 sites in Bexley for this species.Bird's Foot Clover or Fenugreek (Trifolium ornithopodiodes). Lesser Calamint (Clinopodium calamintha) . Only colony in LondonSmall Teasel (Dipsacus pilosus). Only site in the Borough for this plant.SINC M015

Bexley WoodArrowheadby the River ShuttleSanicle by draininto Shuttle. The only Bexley occurrence. Common Cow-wheat. Once found in other local woods, this is its only remaining Bexley site. It is threatened by lack of coppicing.SINC Bx.BI(8)

The Old Orchard/Gun Club (Braeburn Park)CowslipBlack Bryony. The only known Bexley plant.Wild BasilYellow Vetchling. Braeburn and adjoining Crayford Rough are key areas for this London rarity.Upright HedgeParsleySINCBx.BI(13)

The Old Orchard/Gun Club (Braeburn Park)Hemp AgrimonyMarjoramLong-stalked Cranes-bill (Geranium columbinum). Discovered here by me in 2012, this is the only known site in Bexley.Hairy St. John’s-wortBird’s-foot

THAMES ROAD WETLAND - your free access London wetland centre -at Bexley’s north-eastern gateway to the garden of England Aerial view looking east into Dartford, Kent Aerial view looking west into Bexley, London Chris Rose – Volunteer Site ManagerWhere is it?Physical featuresBiologyIssues and management

In the beginning ...........10th February 2008 (courtesy Steve Thoroughgood)7th September 2008 (courtesy Steve Thoroughgood)

.... and not long after9th September 200920th October 2010

Ditches and Rivers Long ditch between bunds River Wansunt meets an ignominious end at Thames Rd

Hop Sedge (Carex pseudocyperus) Star-of-BethlehemCommon FleabanePlant species (1)MimulusSquare-stemmed St. John’s-wort

Plant species (2)DittanderBrookweed (Samolus valerandi). Very rare in London, maybe only 2 other sites.Also Mistletoe, Giant Horsetail, Slender Thistle, Common Comfrey, Vervain, Thyme-leaved sandwort

(Re-)introducing Marsh Sow-thistleNationally scarce.Regionally declining. London status: BAP PriorityCrayford Marshes was the last site in the capital for it. Introduced to TRW using plants raised from seed of that colony. Seeds of TRW plants harvested for ex-situ sowing and distribution of seedlings to other London sites. TRW(Former) Marsh Sow-thistle (Sonchus palustris) site

First London Marsh Sow-thistle re-introduction site

Heathland (re-)creationBexley BAP: Encourage the expansion of heathland at Lesnes Abbey Wood through appropriate management of surrounding areas, to create an additional 0.5 hectares, and .... Explore the feasibility of healthland creation at sites identified in the London Habitat Suitability maps, particularly East Wickham Open Space, Bursted Woods Open Space, the top of Hall Place around Gravel Hill, Hollyhill, and the southern edge of Danson Park, with the aim of creating at least 1 hectare of new heathland by 2015.Heather-dominated heathland inLesnes Abbey Woods

Heathland (re-)creation potentialRemnant heathland vegetation (Gorse and Broom) can be seen at a number of sites in Bexley, including along the Bexleyheath railway line, at Barnehurst and Bexleyheath golf courses, Braeburn Park and the bottom of Birch Walk by Fraser Road.

Not quite Bexley .......The extremely rare Field Eryngo / Watling Street Thistle(Eryngium campestre) at Darenth Country Park