Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - December 2003 - No 70
Richard Pryce

Leaders Beth Henman And David Foot

A few Llanelli Naturalists joined members of the Wildlife Trust for South and West Wales for this early spring meeting which examined the rich hedgerows of the lane leading east from Penybanc.  The weather was sunny and surprisingly warm which was ideal for seeing spring wild-flowers at their best.  The hedgebanks were generally base rich as witnessed by the plant species present. These included Moschatel (Adoxa moschatellina), Dog’s Mercury (Mercurialis perennis), Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon) and Hart’s-tongue fern (Phyllitis scolopendrium).  One or two plants of Early Dog-violet (Viola reichenbachiana) were recorded which differed from the more frequent Common Dog-violet (V. riviniana) by their purple spur (in contrast to the yellowish-white spur of the latter).

At one location on the south side of the lane (SN621240), a profusion of Primroses (Primula vulgaris) and Lesser Celandines (Ranunculus ficaria ssp. ficaria) clothed the bank.  Among the Primroses was one flower which was markedly larger than the others and was also semi-double (see photo). During the pause for photographs to be taken, about ten spotted-leaved rosettes were noticed less than 1m from the Primrose flower. These were Early Purple-orchid (Orchis mascula) plants which would be coming into bloom a few weeks later when they would be much more conspicuous and then impossible to overlook!

Further on, wet seepages in the banks and associated ditches supported yellow-flowering carpets of Opposite-leaved Golden-saxifrage (Chrysosplenium oppositifolium).  Nearby were green mats of Bog Stitchwort (Stellaria uliginosa) and Brooklime (Veronica beccabunga) and young plants of Meadow-sweet (Fillipendula ulmaria) and Hemlock Water-dropwort (Oenanthe crocata), all of which would be flowering later in the season.  Some of the banks hereabouts were more acid and several plants of Betony (Stachys officinalis) and Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) were seen.

The party had, by now, reached Lanfawr where Winter-cress (Barbarea vulgaris) was in flower and naturalised plants associated with the curtilage included Red Valerian (Centranthus ruber), Ivy-leaved Toadflax (Cymbalaria muralis), Shining Crane’s-bill (Geranium lucidum) and cultivated daffodils (Narcissus agg.).  East of the old farmstead, a quite extensive stand of Butterbur was growing on the verge on the southern side of the road and just beyond on the north side, the ruins of a cottage had naturalised or persisting Montbretia (Crocosmia x crocosmiflora), Variegated Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon ssp. argentatum), White Dead-nettle (Lamium album), Marjoram (Origanum vulgare), Grape-hyacinth (Muscari armenaicum), Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium), Snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), Domestic Plum (Prunus domestica), Box (Buxus sempervirens), Wilson’s Honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida) and Garden Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium).

The return walk was made to the village as the evening was encroaching and there was now a nip in the air. The leaders were thanked by Mr Denys Smith for providing a very interesting walk which had demonstrated the biological diversity present in just a few hundred metres of a fairly ordinary Carmarthenshire lane.