On 15May15, 20 members of the Society gathered on a blustery evening for the first outdoor event of our 2015 summer season. A walk around Howe Park Wood led by Gordon Redford.
Gordon decided to give the walk a botanic theme. We were split into three groups. Each group had a notepad and a clicker to record the number of different plant species identified. There was a competition to see which group identified the most plants.
Martin Kincaid had arranged for the group to visit the Milton Keynes Parks Trust impressive new Education and Visitor Centre at the end of the walk for tea and biscuits.
Roy has kindly provided a list of plants seen during the walk:
| Acer campestre | Field Maple |
| Ajuga reptans | Bugle |
| Alopecurus pratensis | Meadow Foxtail |
| Anemone nemorosa | Wood Anemone |
| Angelica sylvestris | Wild Angelica |
| Anthriscus sylvestris | Cow Parsley |
| Arctium minus | Lesser Burdock |
| Arum maculatum | Lords-and-Ladies |
| Brachypodium sylvaticum | False Brome |
| Cardamine pratensis | Cockooflower |
| Carexpendula | Pendulous Sedge |
| Carey, remota | Remote Sedge |
| Car ex sylvatica | Wood Sedge |
| Carpinus betula | Hornbeam |
| Chamerion angustifolium | Rosebay Willowherb |
| Circaea lutetiana | Enchanter’s Nightshade |
| Cirsium arvense | Creeping Thistle |
| Cirsium palustre | Marsh Thistle |
| Clematis vitalba | Traveller’s-joy |
| Cornus sanguinea | Dogwood |
| Corylus avellana | Hazle |
| Crataegus monogyna | Hawthorn |
| Dactylis glomerata | Cock’s-foot |
| Dactylorhiza fuchsii | Common Spotted-orchid |
| Deschampsia cespitosa | Tufted Hair-grass |
| Dryopteris dilatata | Broad Buckler-fern |
| Dryopteris fllix-mas | Male Fern |
| Epilobium hirsutum | Great Willowherb |
| Ficaria verna | Lesser Celandine |
| Filipendula ulmaria | Meadowsweet |
| Fragaria vesca | Wild Strawberry |
| Fraxinus excelsior | Ash |
| Galium aparine | Cleavers |
| Geranium robertianum | Herb-Robert |
| Geum urbanum | Wood Avens |
| Hedera helix | Ivy |
| Heracleum sphondylium | Hogweed |
| Hyancinthoides non-scripta | Bluebell |
| Juncus effusus | Soft Rush |
| Lapsana communis | Nipplewort |
| Lonicera periclymenum | Honeysuckle |
| Lysimachia nummularia | Creeping-Jenny |
| Malus sylvestris | Crab Apple |
| Mercurialis perennis | Dog’s Mercury |
| Milium effusum | Wood Millet |
| Orchis mascula | Early Purple-orchid |
| Plantago major | Greater Plantain |
| Poa annua | Annual Meadow-grass |
| Poa nemoralis | Wood Meadow-grass |
| Populus tremula | Aspen |
| Potentilla anserina | Silverweed |
| Primula vulgaris | Primrose |
| Prunus spinosa | Blackthorn |
| Quercus robur | Pedunculate Oak |
| Ranunculus auricomus | Goldilocks Buttercup |
| Ranunculus repens | Creeping Buttercup |
| Ribes rubrum | Red Currant |
| Rosa arvensis | Field Rose |
| Rosa canina agg. | Dog Rose(s) |
| Rubus fruticosus agg. | Bramble(s) |
| Rubus idaeus | Raspberry |
| Rumex sanguineus | Wood Dock |
| Salix caprea | Goat Willow |
| Sambucus nigra | Elder |
| Senecio jacobaea | Common Ragwort |
| Silene flos-cuculi | Ragged-Robin |
| Stachys sylvatica | Hedge Woundwort |
| Stellaria holostea | Geater Stitchwort |
| Tamus communis | Black Bryony |
| Taraxacum agg. | Dandelion(s) |
| Urtica dioica | Stinging Nettle |
| Viburnum opulus | Guelder Rose |
| Vicia septum | Bush Vetch |
| Viola riviniana | Common Dog-violet |
| Fagus sylvatica* | Beech |
| Rhamnus cathartica* | Buckthorn |
| Symphoricarpos albus* | Snowberry |
*indicates an unconfirmed record
Click on any of the pictures for a larger image.
Pictures from top to bottom:
Start of the walk at the new Education and Visitors centre
Insect Hotel in the wall of the visitor centre
New pond dipping platform by the visitor centre
Map of Howe Park Wood
Bluebells and Greater Stitchwort
Dogs Mercury
Photos by Peter Hassett
