Field Course: Woods and Cliffs

Spent the afternoon with Drs Forman, Hipkin and Proffitt (sound like a group of solicitors) and the students at the Gower locations of Parc Le Breos and Southgate cliffs. The students (illustrated) seemed to enjoy the walks and the associated ecology. In addition to grasses at the former location, saw Wood spurge (Euphorbia amygdaloides), Yellow pimpernel (Lysimachia nemorum), Herb Bennet (Geum urbanum) and Wild strawberry (Fragaria vesca). We also saw Common blue damselflies (Enallagma cyathigerum). At the latter limestone location saw Portland spurge (Euphorbia portlandica), Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis), Purple saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia), Common centaury (Centaurium erythraea), Common rock rose (Helianthemum nummularium), Yellow whitlow grass (Draba aizoides), Tormentil (Potentilla erecta), Greater knapweed (Centaurea scabiosa), Small scabious (Scabiosa columbaria), Heath bedstraw (Gallium saxatilis), Heath speedwell (Veronica officinalis) and the hemi-parasitic Yellow rattle (Rhinathus minor). There was also a Bloody nosed beetle (Timarcha tenebricosa).