Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - Summer 1992
Richard Pryce

Leader: Richard Pryce.

About twenty members met at 9am at the Pen-y-bedd Picnic Site in beautiful clear sunshine following overnight rain. The meeting was intended to be of interest for both spring plants and migratory birds but because of the strong, cool, westerly wind, few birds were seen or heard.

Several plants of interest were seen in the verges of Factory Road (SN421014) as the party walked back towards the main road. These included White Dead-nettle (Lamium album), Bird's-foot (Ornithopus perpusillus) and Bulbous Buttercup (Ranunculus bulbosus) whilst several clumps of Cowslips (Primula veris) were flowering on the railway bridge embankment.

The party made a rather undignified descent, through the roadside fence down on to the former track of the Burry Port and Gwendraeth Valley Railway. Here the adjacent canal (SN423014 to SN420018) had been cleared out within the last eighteen months by Llanelli Borough Council, enabling a rich aquatic flora to flourish. The leader was able to demonstrate the differences between two species of Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus trichophyllus and R. baudotii, both in flower, whilst Curled Pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) was abundant with its reddish, crinkly leaves and occasional flower spikes, as yet only in bud. Two species of Water Starwort were also seen, Callitriche stagnalis forming large floating mats and another, awaiting determination, longer-leaved and mostly submerged. The young children present (as well as some adults) were surprised to feel the "crispy" 'leaves' of the stonewort seen in several places. This was later determined as Chara vulgaris var. longibracteata, only the second record for this variety in the vice-county. Marginal species seen included Celery-leaved Buttercup (Ranunculus Sceleratus) whilst in the swampy woodland margin on the northern bank- large tussocks of Greater Tussock-sedge (Carex paniculata) and also several plants of Greater Pond-sedge (Carex riparia) were growing with more usual woodland species. However, no sign was seen of the Royal Fern (Osmunda regalis) known here about fifteen years ago but when the leader, accompanied by Ian Morgan, revisited the site on 5th June, two fine stands of the fern were discovered towering above the surrounding vegetation. Other species seen on this occasion included about ten plants of Prostrate Toadflax (Linaria supina), a Red Data Book species, growing on the railway clinker and a small stand of Common Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris), both near the Court Wood footbridge (SN421018). Invertebrates were also much in evidence and included the very local Hairy Dragonfly (Brachytron pratense).

After pausing in the old Pennant Sandstone quarry (SN422018), where more Bird's-foot was seen, the party climbed the steep path to the summit which was rather overgrown with Bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) and encroaching scrub of Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) and Bramble (Rubus fruiticosus). but was quite passable. At the cliff-top (SN423022) the view over Cydweli Flats and the Pembrey coast including Ffrwd Fen Nature Reserve was discussed. A Sparrowhawk was observed hunting below the cliffline in the direction of Ffrwd Farm. The leader again pointed out at least thirty plants of Bird's-foot, here growing in the short, acid turf near the cliff-edge. Abundant in the open areas of the cliff-face was Great Woodrush (Luzula sylvatica) whilst the rather stunted, stressed oak woodland of Coed-y-Marchog was seen to be the climax cliff vegetation, wherever the trees could get a foothold. Comment was also made on the nearby location of the promontary fort, now completely grown over by scrub and forestry plantings.

Continuing along the cliff-edge path and into an agriculturally improved pasture, the paucity of plant species was noted, the only exception being the occasional flushed, rushy patch with Lady's Smock (Cardamine  pratensis). However, Pennywort (Umbilicus rupestris) was seen on a small quarry face under a grove of oaks used for shelter by the cattle (SN426021). The party hurredly crossed the rest of the field in order to gain some shelter from the bighting wind which was afforded by the laneside hedge banks by Court Farm (SN427016) where several wayside plants not previously seen today were pointed out.

A brief stop was made to study the architecture and wall-flora of the Court Farm ruins before returning by 1.15pm to the main road and the cars via "Mucky Lane" (SN426015) in time for a late lunch.

I thank all who attended for remaining with the main group despite the unpleasant wind at the summit of Mynydd Penbre, especially the young children. I am also very grateful to both Alan Orange for determining the Chara specimen and to George Hutchinson for determining or confirming the water crowfoot and starwort species