Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - February 1999 - No 4
Ian Morgan

In an earlier Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter (1996, 60: 5-7), an account of the distribution of the black poplar Populus nigra var. betulifolia in Carmarthenshire was given. Since the discovery of this species in the county, efforts have been made to ensure that sufficient stock of young trees are planted in order that this distinctive tree continues to be part of the Carmarthenshire landscape

The following account lists and summarizes recent plantings of native black poplars in the county.

1. Sandy Water Park SN 493004 to SN 497003. Planted 1995-96, Dyfatty Marsh (Burry

Port) stock propagated by Local Authority staff. Planted amongst other poplar taxa and other trees on south side of lake.

1. Dryslwyn SN 557197, planted 23.1.97 - in fenced off corner (Dyfatty Marsh stock).
2. Pontnewydd SN 447073 - July 1997 - on bank at WNW corner of bridge over railway line, (Penywern, Stradey stock).
3. Ynys fawr pond SN 466077 - late July 1997: to approx NW of pond excavated by British Coal. Penywern stock, also P x canadensis 'Serotina' (of St Paul's Churchyard 21/508997 Llanelli stock).
4. East of Morlais Colbiery, Llangennech SN 575025, 18.9.1997 planted in neglected pasture (Penywern stock)
5. South-east of Bryn Caernarfon SS 549985, summer 1998, by fence on N side of A484 (stock: Halfway, Llanelli.)
6. Ffrwd Fen Nature Reserve SN 418029 (N corner of site, towards Ty Mawr); SN 418028 (near pond) and S corner, towards Butcher's Arms PH SN 418022, trees of Pysgodlyn Farm, Gwent stock, in fully tubes, planted winter 1993-94.
7. Pont Ceidrych SN 495153, tree of Dyfatty Marsh stock, planted in corner of wooden fence to NE of northern stream at Pont Ceidrych, 14 Oct. 1995.
8. Tir Morfa fawr SS 533983 - in garden. Gloucestershire stock, planted by Barry Stewart 1993. In tally tube.
9. To immediate Northwest of children's playground, North of Tennis Club, Stradey, Llanelli SN 498012. Penywern stock, planted 16 Oct. 1996.
10. Tree donated to Mr Huw Denman for planting at 'Y Winllan', Brechfa c SN 522303, summer 1997.
11. Beside R. Gwendraeth Fach North-northwest of Torcoed Fach SN 484147. Two trees (of Penywern stock) planted by the owner, Mr D T Davies, spring 1998.
12. At East end of 'Banc y Lord' SN 412050, adjacent to Salix triandra thicket, July 1998. (Halfway, Llanelli stock).
13. At East margin of Glynea Pond, Bynea SS 555990, Aug. 1998 (Halfway stock).
14. Alongside Kymer's Canab, Cydweli SN 400061, on NE side of footbridge, Sept. 1998 (Penywern stock).
15. On East side of Penrhyngwyn Pond SS 513974, Sept. 1998 (Halfway stock).
16. To North of Penrhyngwyn SS 517978, Sept. 1998 (Halfway stock), between cycle track and seawall.

[Unless otherwise indicated, all the above plantings were by lKM. At the time of writing (Feb. 1998) all the above are known to be successful. Other, failed plantings are not listed.]

Some trees of Penclacwydd Farm (= Penceiliogydd Farm) and Penywern, Stradey stock were passed to the WWT Penclacwydd in January 1996. It is unsure where exactly (within the grounds) they may have been planted. Staff at WWT Penclacwydd have also grown on considerable numbers of local (ie Llwynhendy ) black poplars for planting in the Llanelli Millennium Coastal Park. Black poplars have been included (with various willows, alder etc) in the wet woodland planting scheme around the 60 ha wetland creation scheme to the east of the current WWT Centre, (SS 53-98- etc). Cuttings have also been recently (Spring 1998) provided of a female tree (of Shropshire stock). If successfully grown on these will be planted at a few documented sites in the Llanelli area, probably again at WWT Penclacwydd.

Mr Paul Davies of Dolau-hirion, Capel Isaac, Llandeilo has propagated stock of Carms black poplars. Originally, these trees were grown for planting within the Llanelli Millennium Coastal Park, but they were surplus to requirements. It is believed that some of these have been distributed for planting with the CCW Tir Cymen Countryside Stewardship scheme in the Tywi Valley and elsewhere in Carms. One tree (of unknown Carms. stock) was planted at Glandulais Farm, Llanwrda SN 708308 (in enclosure no 5970) in March 1996 (per Kevin Taylor, CCW Tir Cymen scheme). Four trees are known to grow in roadside enclosures at Parklane Farm overlooking the Tywi Valley at SN 610197, (believed to be of Dyfatty Marsh stock). In the writer's opinion, it would have been preferable if no black poplars had been planted in some of these areas, where there is no evidence of the species historical occurrence. It would be best if plantings are confined to within the coastal levels of the county, where mature trees already occur (even if these themselves were probably originally planted).

The Environment Agency have had c 85 trees propagated (by Mr Davies) from cuttings from the Halfway (Llanelli) black poplars, and some of these will be planted alongside the Afon Dafen, SN 526005. Approximately 25 of these trees have been received by lKM, eleven of which were distributed to landowners in the Lower Gwendraeth Valley in early March 1998.

They were taken by landowners at.

1. Moat Farm, Llandyry, 3 trees at SN 433052,  SN 434052 8 SN 433051.
2. Ty-wrth-y-Morfa, Pinged SN 422037, 1 tree (planted in old orchard).
3. New bungalow immediately NW of Pant-teg SN 418048, 1 tree.
4. Brooklands, Pinged SN 425038, 1 tree planted in corner of large garden by road.
5. Parc-y-llong SN 437065, 1 tree
6. Morfa Bach SN 437069, 3 trees.
7. 'Four winds', Ffos-las SN 450059, I tree.

In late September 1998, 5 trees (of Halfway stock) were given to landowners on the east side of the Tâf Estuary, at:

1. Llandilo-abercowin SN 310131, 3 trees.
2. Cwm-celyn SN 320122, 1 tree
3. Mwche SN 325116, 1 tree.

NB lmportant Note

Only those underlined grid references refer to exact planting site of trees. Otherwise the grid refs are for the farmhouse/house relating to the property. To date, grid refs are not available for the exact planting sites for some of the trees. The landowners have been asked to communicate these to lKM in due course.

Leaves of trees in the Kidwelly-Bynea coastal belt were collected in summer 1997 for DNA analysis, as part of PhD research by Fiona Cooper. Results are not yet to hand at the time of writing, but work already carried out in Shropshire demonstrated that almost all the trees were of the same clone ie genetically identical. This even applied to samples from Ireland and Guernsey.

Given the above plantings, the future of the black poplar in Carmarthenshire seems assured. Indeed, perhaps attention should now be given to some of the older poplar cultivars such as P. x canadensis 'Serotina' or ' Marilandica'. The writer has planted a couple of the former (of Ddôl fach SS 537993 stock) at Berwick Roundabout SS 541987 and near the A484 road bridge over Erw-las, Llwynhendy SS 536992. Carmarthenshire stock of bay willow Salix pentandra and purple willow Salix purpurea are other contenders for propagation. Already the writer has planted out stock of white willow Salix alba var. vitellina from the old tree at Berwick Roundabout, Bynea (SS 543986), which was once thought to be threatened by the A484 new road section (built in the early 1990's). Propagated stock of this individual tree have been planted at a few localities such as north of the Berwick Roundabout SS 543987 (together with likewise - propagated stock of crack willow Salix fragilis var. russelliana - of Erw-las, Llwynhendy provenance) and just outside Ffrwd Fen NR SN 417028. Likewise, a cutting of a now-destroyed Salix purpurea (at Pont Ceidrych on the Gwendraeth Fach, SN 495153) has been successfully established on the outer margins of Ffrwd Fen SN 422026, and violet willow Salix dapHnoides (from Pembrey Forest) has been planted near the layby at Ffrwd Fen SN 418029.

Lastly, it might be worth mentioning that the spiral gall of the hemipteran Pemphigus spyrothecae has only been noted on Populus nigra sensu stricta - on the black poplar near the WWT Penclacwydd entrance 21/533985; at Erw-las, Llwynhendy 21538994 and on the planted row of poplars at Llanmiloe, Pendine 22/252086 (all June 1994). Redfearn & Askew (1992) state that this gall occurs 'mainly on P. riigra and allied forms'. This text, incidentally, gives illustrated keys to other poplar galls.

Thanks are due to Mr Paul Davies of Capel Isaac and Mrs Mair Rees of the Environment Agency for their contribution to black poplar conservation in Carmarthenshire.

Reference

Redfearn, M & Askew, R R 91992) - Plant Galls - Richmond Publishing Co. Ltd. 51-54.