Llanelli Naturalists Newsletter - September 2007 - No 73
Ian Morgan & Mike Smith

There is an old (pre-1858) record of the Hay-scented Buckler-fern published in William Davies` Llandeilo Vawr and its Neighbourhood (1858) as `Lastrea foenisecii`, the old scientific name for Dryopteris aemula.  It was reported to be ”found growing in a wood not far from Golden Grove”. Being aware of this record, one of us (IKM) searched the lower part of the `cwm` to the south-west of the village in about 1993 but having reached the middle section of the dingle (and not found anything of note), gave up and presumed that this was not the site for aemula.  This year, IKM walked along the public footpath that skirts the deep valley on its eastern side, and noticed that it became quite incised and precipitous (that is, `interesting`!) at its upper, southern end. Soon after (on 16th August 2006) he, together with Mike Smith, decided to explore and botanise the upper section to see what grew there.

As the very upper section was reached, it became more gorge-like, albeit on a small scale, and we were delighted to find a strong colony of the Hay-scented Buckler-fern, thriving on the rocky sides, and distinctive with its upwardly-crispy frond pinnules (`leaflets`). There were approximately 60 plants, many medium to large sized, making this the largest colony in Carmarthenshire.  It was very satisfying to rediscover a plant at a locality where it had remained unnoticed by botanists for almost 150 years.  Long may it thrive there!

Details of record: Dryopteris aemula.  61 plants in deep ravine, south-west of Golden Grove village, 22/585193, I.K. Morgan and M.N. Smith, 16th August 2006.