Searching for Blue Fleabane at Bramshill

Nine members met at what had been the Coach and Horses pub on a brilliantly sunny morning after the first serious frost of the autumn. The route followed an apparently little-used path through The Leas, down to the Old Mill, over the Blackwater, then meandered in Bramshill Plantation, emerged at Well House Farm and returned to Farley Hill via Jouldings Farm.

Over 30 species of plants were found in bloom and a very wide variety of fungi. Spectacular shows of holly, guelder rose and spindle fruit indicated the advance of autumn. Few birds were seen, prominently buzzards at the start of the walk. Recently disturbed land in Bramshill Plantation provided a good display of Blue Fleabane and there were good specimens of an unidentified Hawkweed beside the path approaching Well House Farm. Nourishment was provided by blackberries, not yet claimed by the devil, and sloes, sweetness taking over from tartness as the season progresses.

Serious nourishment was obtained, in very pleasant surroundings in the Magpie and Parrot at Shinfield.

Capsella bursa-pastoris	Shepherd’s Purse
Centaurea nigra	Lesser Knapweed
Centaurium erythraea	Centaury
Daucus carota	Will Carrot
Erigeron acer	Blue Fleabane
Impatiens glandulifera	Himalayan Balsam
Lamium album	White Deadnettle
Lamium amplexicaule	Henbit Deadnettle
Leontodon autumnalis	Autumn Hawkbit
Leontodon hispidus	Rough Hawkbit
Persicaria	Persicaria
Ranunculus flammula	Lesser Spearwort
Ranunculus repens	Buttercup
Tragopogon	Goatsbeard
Trifolium pratense	Red Clover
Trifolium repens	White Clover
Tripleurospermum inodorum	Mayweed

Armillaria sp.
Clitocybe hydrogramma
Clitopilus prunulus	The Miller
Collybia dryophila
Coprinus comatus	Shaggy Inkcap
Coprinus micaceus
Fistulina hepatica	Beefsteak Fungus
Hypholoma fasciculare
Lepiota mastoidea	Parasol
Lycoperdon perlatum
Mycaena inclinata
Nycaeba risea
Russula sp.
Tricholoma fulvium
Tubaria furacia


Wasps on Ivy
Buzzards