DISCOVERY OF ELEOGITON FLUITANS
(L.) LINK (FLOATING CLUB-RUSH) ON CASTLEMORTON COMMON
Keith Barnett
Eleogiton fluitans, the Floating Club-rush, is a native
aquatic perennial with bright green grass-like leaves, usually
found floating in dense mats in still water, mostly on acidic
soil. Although it is nationally 'fairly frequent throughout
British Isles, commoner in W' (Stace 1991), in Worcestershire it
is many years since it could be described, as it was by Amphlett
in 1909, as 'not uncommon' in the county. Indeed, it could not be
found (W A Thompson/K Barnett) in July this year in its last
known county site on Hartlebury Common, and was feared lost.
In the picture A=flower, B=glume, C=nut,
D=spikelet. Eleogiton fluitans
It is pleasing, therefore, to have a report that during a Worcs
BRC Field Meeting on Castlemorton Common (SO73) 10th August 2002,
W Watson had noticed a sizeable patch of Eleogiton fluitans in a
small pond at the eastern end of the Common. This important find
was subsequently confirmed by John Day. The location doubtless
broadly corresponds with that formerly known as 'Welland Common'
from where it was known by Lees in the 19th century.
The Eleogiton site is typical of the many small,
botanically rich ponds on Castlemorton Common, some of which
contain scarce or rare plants. With the Eleogiton were
growing Apium inundatum (Lesser Marshwort), Lythrum
portula (Water Purslane) and Veronica scutellata (Marsh
Speedwell). In or beside other ponds on the Common can be found Ranunculus
peltatus (Pond Water-crowfoot), Ranunculus trichophyllus
(Thread-leaved Water-crowfoot) and Oenanthe fistulosa (Tubular
Water-dropwort). In one depression which often dries out in
summer are Persicaria minor (Small Water Pepper), Centaurium
pulchellum (Lesser Centaury) and - discovered on a BSBI
Field Meeting led by R Maskew in 1991 - Anagallis minima
(Chaffweed). This had been believed to be long extinct in the
county, having last been recorded by Lees in the 19th century
from a Common now beneath the Birmingham urban sprawl.
References
STACE C 1991. New Flora of Britain CUP
AMPHLETT, J & REA, C 1909. The Botany of Worcestershire.
LEES, E 1867 The Botany of Worcestershire
