canal sides

There are two canals in the area, which meet within the area. I walked along sections of both yesterday.

Alongside the loop of one canal near where it joins the other I recorded ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), a burdock (Arctium sp.), a winter cress (Barbarea sp.), a bindweed (Calystegia sp.), large bitter cress (Cardamine amara), lady's smock (Cardamine pratense), rose-bay willow-herb (Chamaerion angustifolium), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), great willow-herb (Epilobium hirsutum), Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), meadow sweet (Filependulina ulmaria), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), cleavers (Galium aparine), herb robert (Geranium robertianum), a pepperwort (Lepididum sp.), cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), field buttercup (Ranunculus acris), creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), Rosa multiflora, Rubus cockburniana, bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.), raspberry (Rubus idaeus), broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius), elder (Sambucus nigra, a possible figwort (Scrophularia sp.), a comfrey (Symphytum sp.), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.), nettle (Urtica dioica), germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys), common vetch (Vicia sativa) and bush vetch (Vicia sepium).

Both the pepperwort and winter cress have been noted before, but not recorded due to not having been identified. I still don't have a complete identification, but suspect them to be hoary pepperwort (Lepidium draba) and (common) winter cress (Barbarea vulgaris). The presence of Rosa multiflora was previously known, but it hasn't been added to the list, as it may be cultivated. The same holds for the newly noted cherry laurel, which however looks as if it has spontaneously seeded from a nearby hedge.

Alongside the other canal I recorded field maple (Acer campestre), sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastaneum), alder (Alnus glutinosa), cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), a burdock (Arctium sp.), daisy (Bellis perennis), lady's smock (Cardamine pratense), rose-bay willow-herb (Chamaerion angustifolium), a cotoneaster (Cotoneaster sp.), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), great willow-herb (Epilobium hirsutum), meadow sweet (Filependulina ulmaria), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), cleavers (Galium aparine), herb robert (Geranium robertianum), ivy (Hedera helix), hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), holly (Ilex aquifolium), white dead nettle (Lamium album), ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare), forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata), field buttercup (Ranunculus acris), creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), water cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquatica agg.), a rose (Rosa sp.), bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.), broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius), elder (Sambucus nigra, common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), red campion (Silene dioica), a sow thistle (Sonchus sp.), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.), coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara), nettle (Urtica dioica) and germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys), and on the return leg yarrow (Achillea millefolium), spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata), water cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquatica agg.), elder (Sambucus nigra), figwort (Scrophularia) sp.), common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), bittersweet (Solandum dulcamara), smooth sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus) and germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys).

I appear to have overlooked recording alder last year. The figwort was also noticed last year, but also appears not to have been recorded. The cotoneaster is a new observation. Forget-me-not wasn't recorded last year because partly because I started the records too late, and partly because I was considering whether it was wild or cultivated.

The ivy is a large-leaved form distinct from the small-leaved form found elsewhere, especially in rural areas, and may be an escaped cultivar.