Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - September 1984
Richard Pryce
About twenty naturalists, including members from our society and the West Wales Trust for Nature Conservation, met at the roadside layby near Telpyn on a rather dull morning. Our leader, Mrs. Joe Hannah, accompanied by her family, know the area well, having lived for some years nearby at Llanteg. We were also joined by Mr. John Rees, a local botanist from Laugharne.
The morning was spent by walking through the forestry plantation north of the road, into the Amroth valley. The rides provided an interesting flora including several species of sedges: Carex remota, Carex ovalis, Carex echinata, Carex demissa, Carex sylvatica, Carex laevigata to and Carex pendula. On the floor of the valley typical wetland plants wore found including Iris pseudacorus and Meadow Sweet (Fillipendula ulmaria). Woodland birds were abundant and halts were made to listen to the various songs including that of the Wood Warbler. Undoubtedly the most important find of the morning came quite by chance when a member of the group noticed several unfamiliar looking ferns growing on a small rock face. Mr. Ian Morgan, an experienced pterologist, who was with the party, determined them as the Hay-scented Buckler Fen (Dryopteris aemula). When driving to the meeting, he had told me that he had come across an old record for this species from Amroth, noted by T.W. Barker in the Transactions of the Carmarthen Antiquarian and Field Club c. 1909, and here it was, refound after eighty years! The only other Carmarthenshire record for this fern is from the Gold Mines at Dolaucothi and this was recorded in similar circumstances having been thought to have become extinct since Knight found it in 1907 and not seen again until Ian's rediscovery in 1982, It is a fern similar to the Broad Buckler Fern (Dryopteris dilatata) but the pinnules are always concave giving it a more delicate appearance.
The weather brightened during the morning and by afternoon it was sunny and quite hot. After lunch, Mrs. Hannah led us down the steep narrow path to Telpyn Point where the views from the cliffs were magnificent. The recent drought had scorched the cliff-turf but the flora of the exposed rocks included the Sea Spleenwort (Asplenium marinum), Rock Sea--spurrey (Spergularia rupicola) and Sand Sedge (Carex arenaria). Many butterflies were seen including the Dark-green Fritillary and our elevated path provided a good vantage point from which to watch the Fulmar and Cormorants flying beneath us. Further along the cliff path towards Marros, four Peregrines were observed hunting near the rocky crags and hanging oakwoods.
The party descended to beach-level at the small bay and studied the flora of the marsh behind the shingle bar whilst some members climbed up to the crags above in the hope of finding the Lanceolate Spleenwort (Asplenium billottii), but without success. However, they did find a small stand of Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) growing in a wet flush.
Now rather weary in the humid heat, the party turned inland and walked up the zig-zag path through Teagues Wood and to the road where Mr. Hannah, having positioned his car earlier, very kindly conveyed drivers back to their vehicles. The leader was then warmly thanked by all those present for making possible such an enjoyable day.