A bit of a damp walk today along the track and out the north end led to another new site for Hypericum humifusum (Trailing St John’s-wort) and a first vice-county record for Schizostylis coccinea (Kaffir Lily), now apparently renamed Hesperantha coccinea. It is amazing how far folks will drive to dump garden rubbish. This well-established clump is 800m along the track from the car park by the road.
Trailing St John’s-wort (Hypericum humifusum) gets its name from its growth form but pleasingly it is usually found on trails (tracks) in this part of the world. Whilst it is reasonably frequent on Eigg, elsewhere in the vice-county there are very few recent records, the only Skye ones being on the track to Dalavil – until Steve found it Leitir Fura track a few days ago.
Distinguished from trailing forms of the common Hypericum pulchrum (Slender St John’s-wort) by having three sepals longer and wider than the other two, plus petals <2x length of sepals, the whole plant also often has a whorled appearance.
Hypericum humifusum Photo: S. Terry
We were fortunate with the weather for the inaugural meeting in Kinloch Woods led by Steve Terry, which 11 people attended. Lichens and fungi took a lot of our interest but we spotted various other things as well.
We found Erica vagans (Cornish Heath) growing by the forest track – presumably escaped form Kinloch Lodge – or deliberately planted. There is only one previous record for Skye and that is vague both in date and location (1987-1999, NG44) and may be an error. I will look into that in more detail.
Erica vagans
There is more on the Skye Naturalists’ Network Facebook page and we are hoping to start a Skye Nature Group blog soon. My other contributions included this rather common bug that I knocked off hazel leaves (Anthocoris nemorum (Common Flower Bug)):
Anthocoris nemorum
though I notice that three of the four previous post-1999 records for VC104 on the NBN Atlas are mine(!) and a leaf spot fungus on Digitalis purpurea (Foxglove) that I have yet to get named. Later: Ramularia variabilis . Thanks, Bruce.
Skye Nature Group has its first meeting next Wednesday, 18th October. We shall be exploring the woods in the vicinity of the Kinloch Lodge Hotel.
The survey has so far resulted in an encouraging 33 positive responses and 6 “maybes” to the question: “Are you interested in being part of an informal Skye Nature Group?”
This lichen has been identified by Nick & Steve as Peltigera hymenina. It is growing by my front door. Not rare but attractive at this stage.
Peltigera hymenina
This bristletail turned up in the bath. As it is a top of the shore inhabitant I suspect small grandchildren as the dispersal agent. I have looked at it under the microscope and using the key at bristletail.net I am content that it is Sea Bristletail (Petrobius maritimus) rather than the very similar P. brevistylis.
Sea Bristletail
Less pleasingly, a few days ago I was shown a New Zealand Flatworm from a polytunnel not far from home here on Raasay.
David McCosh has determined my 2017 Hieracium specimens. I realise this is a niche activity but the three from Muck, H. argenteum (Silvery Hawkweed), H. deganwyense (Deganwy Hawkweed) and H. subrubicundum (Large-leaved Hawkweed) turned out to be new to Muck, with H. deganwyense new to VC104.
No pictures either, I am afraid.
A new group is being set up to complement Skye Botany Group, looking at other groups of organisms. If you live in or visit Skye, please would you complete the survey here https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FTQ958G so that we can attempt to maximise its potential? Thank you.
Update 19th October: This survey is now closed. Thank you to all 41 folks who responded.
Yesterday, I went looking for Sorbus rupicola (Rock Whitebeam) at some known sites in the Elgol and Kilmarie/Drinan areas. I didn’t find any. However, I do know one very good site for it around there – and there is plenty of possible ground to cover, at least in one area. It grows on cliffs and is usually only present in small numbers. One day I shall have another go.
However, it was a good day. I checked several areas of roadside for Juncus bufonius/ranarius and was relieved to find that they were all the former which is what I have been commonly recording. Whilst J. ranarius is to be found in that habitat, it appears to be in the minority.
I am always pleased to see Carex otrubae (False Fox-sedge), which is always coastal here:
Carex otrubae at Elgol
I was briefly uncertain as to the identity of a thicket on the hillside, but when I got close, it turned out to have arisen from a fallen Gean (Prunus avium):
Some of the larger stems are showing the distinctive bark:
Near Kilmarie and Drinan some Parnassia palustris (Grass-of-Parnassus) was still in flower:
Parnassia palustris
Less welcome was the large number of Cotoneaster integrifolius (Entire-leaved Cotoneaster) plants:
Cotoneaster integrifolius
I recorded a number of plant pathogenic fungi. This sycamore leaf has Rhytisma acerinum (Tar Spot), Cristulariella depraedens (Sycamore White Spot) and galls caused by mites:
Plants of Skye, Raasay & The Small Isles 