Plants of Skye, Raasay & The Small Isles

On Tuesday, Bill, Deirdre & I took another look at the Storr, this time concentrating on the lower shelf where the Old Man and Needle Rock are to be found.

The Eye(s) of The Needle

We had another good look at the Alchemilla wichurae (Rock Lady’s-mantle) and at a second go I felt more that we were counting the right Alchemillas and only the right Alchemillas.  There remain some that look a bit intermediate with A. glabra (Glabrous Lady’s-mantle).  We spotted a further colony this time and ended up counting about 40.

We visited a known site for Saxifraga nivalis (Alpine Saxifrage) and were pleased to find roughly the same number as recorded three years previously, but were even more pleased to find a new site containing 20 plants a little distance away.

Saxifraga nivalis

We looked at quite a few Sagina (Pearlwort) plants, but were not convinced that we found Sagina saginoides (Alpine Pearlwort).  However, we did see Draba incana (Hoary Whitlowgrass),  Saxifraga oppositifolia (Purple Saxifrage), Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. alpina (Alpine Hair-grass)  and Poa alpina (Alpine Meadow-grass).

Poa alpina

The boulder field and larger rocks and slopes had many Botrychium lunaria (Moonwort), Gentianella campestris (Field Gentian) and fruiting Fragaria vesca (Wild Strawberry).

Gentianella & Botrychium

Moonwort        Photo W. Peppe

Steve Terry and I had planned a further assault on the top level on Wednesday but the weather put us off.

Conscious that I am spending all my botanical recording time on Skye, when the rain (Rain!) stopped I went for a walk from Glam to Beinn a’ Chappuil on Raasay.  I added 19 (maybe 20) 1km square records including records for Rubus saxatilis (Stone Bramble), Carex x fulva (Empty Sedge) and Chara virgata (Delicate Stonewort).  The Salix herbacea (Dwarf Willow) on  Beinn a’ Chappuil was doing well and there was a large population of Eriophorum latifolium (Broad-leaved Cottongrass):

Eriophorum latifolium

The “19 maybe 20” above refers to an Alchemilla. I shall take a bit to the Alchemilla workshop in Ullapool next weekend for expert opinion.

Some of the more interesting weeds in our vegetable plot:

Gnaphalium uliginosum Marsh Cudweed

Rare on Raasay but commoner on Skye on road verges.

Juncus bufonius Toad Rush

Common here but sometimes a surprise as a garden weed to visitors from the south.

Ranunculus sceleratus                         Celery-leaved Buttercup

Very rare in the vice-county. Usually  in wet areas at top of shore. Probably brought in with local seaweed used as fertiliser.

Veronica peregrina American Speedwell

The only site in the vice-county.  Accidentally introduced with compost from Lancashire.  Impossible to eradicate!

Veronica persica Common Field-speedwell

Not common in VC 104

Viola arvensis Field Pansy

The only known extant site in the vice-county. Previously occasional and probably still present elsewhere.

I have put distribution maps for most of these species here

The only known sites in the British Isles for native Arabis alpina (Alpine Rock-cress) are high in the Cuillins. Under licence from SNH on Thursday I went to collect two leaves from this small population for molecular work at RBGE, accompanied by Bill & Deirdre. We visited three sites. Only one more is confirmed though there are rumours of one or two others.  There certainly could be more in these inaccessible peaks. The population was looking healthy, but there just aren’t that many plants – there never have been in the 130+ years it has been known.  As well as strong rosettes of leaves there were some tiny seedlings (presumably of this) plus a good number of fruits. A few flowers remained, now turning into fruits.

Arabis alpina

We sat on the Ridge for lunch in sunshine with views in all directions

Sgurr Thuilm

Other plants of note included Juncus trifidus (Three-flowered Rush) and what appears to be Salix x ludificans (Salix aurita (Eared Willow) x S. phylicifolia (Tea-leaved Willow). Both parents were nearby.  A specimen has been sent for expert determination. I have previously only seen this hybrid near habitation.

Yesterday’s trip up the Storr had three main objectives, as well as giving a chance to see a number of our rarer plants;

1 To visit an Alchemilla wichurae (Rock Lady’s-Mantle) site for the Threatened Plants Project.

2 To obtain  a specimen of Koenigia islandica (Iceland Purslane) for RBGE.

3 To look for Cerastium nigrescens (previously C. arcticum, Arctic Mouse-ear) as recent attempts to re-find it in the Trotternish Ridge SSSI have failed.

Objective 1 was achieved readily enough

Alchemilla wichurae

but with it was a lot of A. filicaulis and A. glabra.  Some plants were not easy to determine with certainty.

Object 2 was also easily achieved with many Koenigia plants present on the Storr plateau

Koenigia islandica

We failed to find the Cerastium, however.  It was cloudy up the top and difficult to locate suitable habitat so another visit is required.  On getting home I received information about grid references that I didn’t have before and which are consistent with the description of the site given by my predecessor.  We hadn’t got to that area.

Other goodies included Arabidopsis petraea (Northern Rock-cress), Cochlearia pyrenaica subsp alpina (Pyrenean Scurvygrass), Deschampsia cespitosa subsp. alpina (Alpine Hair-grass), Gnaphalium supinum (Dwarf Cudweed), Juncus biglumis (Two-flowered Rush), Juncus triglumis (Three-flowered Rush), Luzula spicata (Spiked Wood-rush), Minuartia sedoides (Cyphel), Persicaria vivipara (Alpine Bistort), Poa glauca (Glaucous Meadow-grass), Salix herbacea (Dwarf Willow) and Saxifraga stellaris (Starry Saxifrage).

Cochlearia pyrenaica & Salix herbacea

Gnaphalium supinum

Minuartia sedoides

As well as another search for the Cerastium, it would be nice on a return visit to see Poa alpina (Alpine Meadow-grass), Sagina saginoides (Alpine Pearlwort) and Saxifraga nivalis (Alpine Saxifrage), all of which should be easy enough to find.

Bill & Deirdre report Rorippa sylvestris (Creeping Yellow-cress) from a track off the Struan to Portree road. This is only the second Skye site though it is also known around Kinloch on Rum.

Rorippa sylvestris

R. sylvestris flowers        Photo W. Peppe

Steve has been back to Ben Suardal and found Cotoneaster integrifolius (Entire-leaved Cotoneaster) a pernicious invader in this and other parts of Skye.

Cotoneaster integrifolius Flower    Photo: S. Terry

Cotoneaster integrifolius Fruit          Photo: S. Terry

Today I was up the top of the Storr with Bill & Deirdre.  Lots of excellent finds. Here is a taster of the scenery:

Storr Scenery

I promise this is not enhanced or retouched in any way. Click on it for a larger view.