Date: 10 Aug 1998 12:57:21 +0100 From: Loyd Wix <Loyd.Wix@unilever.com> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg2650$foo@default> Subject: Eire
Hmm more mail problems, here is the message I tried to send
on Friday.
Dear list,
I am now back on E-mail after returning from my trip to
Eire. Although this was a family holiday I still had the
opportunity to see many CPs in County Kerry in the South
West. In the first walk I had from the house (1.5 miles from
the village of Blennerville (closest town Tralee) I found
all 3 Pinguicula species (P.vulgaris, grandiflora and
lusitanica) in the Slieve Mish Mountains some as close to
200 meters from the house at about 300m altitude. We saw
Pinguicula everywhere else we visited at reasonable
altitude, and you could see hundreds of them from the car in
some places like the Connor Pass. Drosera rotundifolia was
very common the other two species (intermedia and anglica)
less so. I only came across D.anglica at two locations. At
the first a few large plants grew on bare peat along a
roughly dug drainage channel, at this site close to Molls
gap D.rotundifolia and D.intermedia could also be found. At
the other site many plants were growing again on bare peat
where some small scale peat cutting had been conducted. Here
the ground was red with plants.
A small note on peat extraction, I saw several areas where
small scale cutting had taken place. The peat is used as
domestic fuel so I am not talking about the large scale
industrial removal of peat for horticultural purposes. The
areas cut soon appear to become recolonised by plants the
sundews being amongst the first. This type of extraction
seems to have a limited impact on the environment.
As common with upland areas in the UK, the areas visited
were crawling with sheep, occasionally cattle and goats, and
at one place in the Slieve Mish a horse (at relatively low
altitudes). In these areas the Pinguicula showed only
occasional damage but it was very difficult to find seed
capsules. Presumably the animals (probably) sheep had eaten
them or the flowers. I have seen sheep eat the flowers of
P.vulgaris in the English Peak District, and found seed pods
very rare in P.vulgaris populations of Snowdonia (Wales)
presumably for the same reason.
Finding P.lusitanica for me was the highlight. My eldest
daughter (Emily, 8 years old) was helping me look for plants
with seed capsules that the sheep hadn't eaten. Emily
commented she had found 'a nice round one' I glanced at it
and had to do a double take when I saw the plant. I am used
to seeing plants of this species with 1 to 2.5cms diameter
rosettes in cultivation (my plants originate from seed
collected from White Moor in Hampshires New Forest). By
comparison the Irish plant Emily had found was 4.5cm in
diameter, deeply cupped dark-olive coloured leaves with
darker purplish veining. The flower colour was also darker
than my cultivated plants being a light lilac colour in most
individuals. In the rest of my wandering through the Slieve
Mish, this species was quite common most flowering plants
being 4 to 5cms in diameter (rosette). If my photos turn out
Ok it may be worth putting something together for CPN.
I didn't find any Utrics, nothing but sphagnum grew in the
lakes and ponds I investigated. Saw some other bits and
pieces including some parasitic and semi-parasitic species.
Got the car stuck twice! Once in wet road side, a mob of
locals turned out to help push us out. Second time we found
a hole in the Connor pass which left the front left hand
wheel dangling in thin air. A car with UK licence plates
stopped, 'Gor blimey wot av yer gon an dun ere then' came
the greeting from the gentlemen obviously from Londons East
End. He, his companions and another car load attempted to
shift the car (Renault Espace 7 seater - not the smallest of
vehicles). 'Get yer Lady ter stick it in reverse and we'll
soon av yer out of ere' Moments later we were all 4 wheels
firmly back on the road. Thanks to all!
We had a terrific time, the country side was beautiful, the
people marvellous. I didn't get to the Burren in County
Clare (maybe next year), and I didn't Make Galway either
(sorry Seos). So plenty of reasons for a return trip.
Regards
Loyd
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