Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - Summer 1997 - No 62

Eight members met the leader near the Visitor Centre before walking down to the beach. The tide was out and the recent quiet weather was not conducive to the beach-combers in the party.

On entering the 'yellow dunes' some 300m further up the beach, some of the early spring annual species typical of this habitat were identified (see map). Cowslips (Primula veris) and Common Dog Violets (Viola riviniana) were frequent along the forest ride leading to the Conservation Pond. A short stop was made to examine rosettes of Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) in a small clearing where several species of fern were also seen. There included Lady Fern (Athyrium filix-femina), Broad Buckler-fern (Dryopteris dilatata), Hart's-tongue Fern (Phyllitis scolopendrium) and the polypody Polypodium interjectum.

The conservation pond was excavated to its present form about five years ago. Nick Stewart, a national expert on stoneworts, visited the site last year and discovered two Nationally Scarce species: Chara curta (restricted to four sites in Wales) and C. contraria var. hispidula (first county record). He also identified Fen Pondweed (Potamogeton coloratus) which was also new to the county and only the second record for South Wales. The members present saw the stoneworts but the pondweed had not yet appeared. Three-leaved Water-crowfoot (Ranunculus trichophyllus), another scarce aquatic species, was, however, just coming into flower.

The return route passed some recent broad-leaved tree plantings. The party was fortunate to include amongst its number, Lorraine Corscadden, who was able to identify many of these horticulturally derived specimens to varietal level. They included White Willow (Salix alba var. vitellina), Violet Willow (S. daphnoides), Whitebeam (Sorbus aria var. lutescens) and Lime (Tilia x vulgaris). A little further on , Steve Lucas discovered a single plant of Early Dog-violet (Viola reichenbachiana), a new record for the Country Park.

A final stop before the party dispersed was to see the Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyperassias) near the Visitor Centre. It was in full flower and the two colonies had apparently increased in area since last seen by the leader a few years ago.