Section Secretaries |
LINKS |
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| A summer field trip - members at Banque Imbert, Bordeaux. |
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| Winter outing member at Le Grand Pré,
one of our reserves. |
Botany
The Botany Section of La Société Guernesiaise is an active group of some 60 members some of whom live overseas. The latter also receive our monthly newsletter and join our meetings when they are on the island. Regular outdoor meetings are held once a month except for indoor sessions in January and February. During 2008, we plan to repeat, where possible, the outings organised by Patience Ryan 25 years ago. She revived the section in 1974, being inspired by David McClintock who was writing a new Flora of Guernsey at that time. It will be interesting to note the changes in the plant lists as well as in the habitats. Everyone is welcome to attend and we appreciate input on other areas of interest that members can contribute.
The monthly newsletter contains a report of the previous meeting, including the names of plants we saw and other points of interest, as well as notable records of botanical finds, details of forthcoming meetings, important dates etc.
The Section as a whole collects all Bailiwick records for plants, and participates in all important national surveys, providing information to the Botanical Society of the British Isles, the Wild Flower Society, Plantlife, and to many individuals, be they professionals, amateurs or visitors. We also maintain a large herbarium of dried plant specimens, some of which are over 200 years old, the most recent added a few weeks ago. This collection can be available to anyone for study purposes.
The aim of the outings is to explore the rich variety of habitats that the island offers so we can enjoy botany and its associated wildlife. We study trees and lower plants as well as our familiar native wild flowers. We may see rarities as well as the many alien plants that have settled here. One thing is for certain, there is always plenty to see!
Programme of Events
| Botany Section outing - Marais Nord, L'Ancresse |
| Saturday 6th September 14:15 |
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A look around the nature reserve at Marais Nord, L'Ancresse, with the Botany Section. Meet at 2.15 pm at the carpark opposite L'Ancresse Lodge Hotel, Perry's p6 3D/E. |
| Botany Section outing - Jerbourg and La Bouvee |
| Saturday 4th October 14:15 |
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Visit Jerbourg and La Bouvee with the Botany Section. Meet at 2.15 pm at the car park opposite the Doyle column, Perry's p31G4. |
| Botany Section outing - Le Douit and La Pomare |
| Saturday 1st November 14:15 |
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Visit Le Douit and La Pomare in St Pierre du Bois with the Botany Section. Meet at 2.15 pm at the postbox on the little green triangle, Perry's p20C3. |
| Botany Section outing - trees in Saumarez Park |
| Saturday 6th December 14:15 |
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Take a look at the trees in Saumarez Park with the Botany Section. Meet at 2.15 at the little car park at the back of Saumarez Park, Perry's 15G1. |
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Korean Fir Abies koreana – with
cones.
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Borage Borago officinalis – a herb often found on waste land.
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Purple Ragwort Senecio grandiflorus – naturalised and in flower on Fermain
cliffs.
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Sea Bindweed Calystegia soldanella – a
plant adapted to our coastal dunes.
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Marsh Mallow Althaea officinalis – a recent find in flower at Rocquaine.
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Golden-scaled Male Fern Dryopteris affinis – unfurling
in woods near Petit Bot.
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Hybrid Black Poplar populus x canadensis – in
catkin on the Heritage Trail. |
Yellow Bartsia Parentucellia viscosa – a
native plant of wet places. |
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A liverwort, Fossombronia anglosa, and its sporophyte. This
is abundant in Guernsey. |
A brown seaweed,
Laminaria ochroleuca, in a rock pool at Saints Harbour. |
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| A bracket
fungus, Inonotus dryadeus, on Turkey Oak at the Priaulx Library |
Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus
ostreatus, on a palm tree in Charles David's garden |
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| Teloschistes
flavicans, a bright yellow lichen, which is very rare in mainland
Britain, only found on one site on the cliffs in Guernsey |
The lichen Ramalina
fastigiata, on Blackthorn in Herm |
Candie Gardens, St Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 1UG, Channel Islands.
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