Field Meetings 1921
Spital Park and Raby Mere Saturday, 28th April 1921 Leader Mr E. F. Payne B.Sc.
From Bebington station the party was led by Mr Payne through Spital Park and Dibbinsdale to Raby Mere. The meeting was well attended and the ramble through these picturesque haunts on a fine sunny afternoon in early spring was much enjoyed.
Burton Saturday, 7th May 1921 Leader—Dr. H. S. Marsh.
Owing to a curtailed train service, the party walked by lanes and paths from Hooton station and returned by a different route. Most of the usual plants of the district in flower at the time were observed, including Geranium pyrenaicum (Hedgerow Cranesbill) Aquilegia vulgaris L. (Columbine) (not native), Anchusa sempervirens L. (Pentaglottis sempervirens Green Alkanet) and a double-flowered variety of Gorse.
West Kirby Saturday 21st May 1921.
This meeting, which was a joint one with the Liverpool Naturalists’ Field Club, was held at West Kirby. Grange Hill and the Frankby district were visited. This excursion was poorly attended by members of the Society.
Formby Saturday 11th June 1921 Leader—Miss Reid.
The drier portion of the dunes was traversed, and most of the species usually met with in this habitat were seen.
Shotwick Saturday 25th June 1921Leader—Miss E. Warhurst
Owing to the intense heat, very few members attended, but those who did had a pleasant ramble through shaded lanes and field-paths from Capenhurst to Shotwick, where the old church was inspected.
No ferns, except the commonest, were observed, the dry season having affected them. The viatical flora, though typical of central Wirral did not produce any unusual species.
Speke and Oglet Saturday 2nd July 1921 Leader Miss O. Bangham B.Sc.
An examination of the clay bank vegetation was engaged in, and also of the tract of saltmarsh. The absence of any species of Sea Lavender (Limonium) was commented on, as it occurs on the more restricted but similar tract on the other side of the estuary. Populus canescens Sm. (Populus x canescens Grey Poplar) was seen on the wooded clay banks, this being an addition to the recorded tree flora of the site. A few micro-fungi were collected. Hysterium angustatum Alb. & Schwein. occurred on tree bark, on decaying nettle stems, Leptosphaeria acuta Moug. et Nestl.(Nettle Rash), Phoma urticae Schulz and Phoma herbarum Sace. ; on old stems of the cow-parsnip, the discomycetes, Mollisia atrocinerea Phill. and Helotium cyathoideum Karst (=Cyathicula cyathoidea). The pyrenomyecete, Leptosphaeria pellita Sacc., var, cirsiieola Grove (= Pyrenophora pellita) was collected on decaying thistle stems and determined by Mr W. B. Grove. Pistillaria micans (= Typhula micans) occurred on decaying stems of cow-parsnip.
Hoylake Saturday 13th August 1921. Joint field-meeting with the Liverpool Geological Society.
Leaving the station, the party proceeded, under the leadership of Mr T. A. Jones, to Redstones and Hilbre Point. The leader called attention to some of the more noteworthy features of the rocks, and of the probable conditions attending their deposition. Afterwards, attention was directed by the sections of the party to various aspects of the geology and botany of the locality. A strip of saltmarsh revealed an interesting halophytic association, having amongst other components Apium graveolens (Wild Celery), Samolus valerandi (Brookweed), Juncus gerardii (Saltmarsh Rush), Juncus maritimus (Sea Rush), Glaux maritima (= Lysimachia maritima Sea Milkwort), Oenanthe lachenalii (Parsley Water Dropwort), Scirpus maritmus (= Bolboschoenus maritimus Sea Club-rush), and Carex extensa (Long-bracted Sedge). This place represents a new station for the last-named sedge. Several types of plant galls were encountered between Hoylake and West Kirby, the handsome zoocecidium on the burnet rose, and due to the gall wasp, Rhodites spinosissmae (=Diplolepis spinosissimae), being especially conspicuous. After tea at West Kirby, an interesting and enjoyable excursion was terminated by a visit to Grange Hill.
Ainsdale Saturday 10th September 1921.
The party proceeded inland, and investigated the flora of the streams and ditches which occur on this low-lying land. A feature in the ditches was the Nodding Bur-Marigold (Bidens cernua L.), which was very plentiful, and the rarer, handsome radiate form was also seen. This area was formerly a peat-moss, and Bog Myrtle Myrica gale L. still exists by many of the ditches. Golden Dock Rumex maritimus L., Yellow Loosestrife Lysimachia vulgaris L., and many other marsh species were noted. Afterwards a visit was made to the sand-dunes. Amongst various cecidia noted at Ainsdale were the following: — Cynipid Wasp Aulacidea hieracii (Bouché), Aphis atriplicis L. (= Gall Aphid Hayhurstia atriplicis), Eriophyes galli Karp, (= Cecidophyes galii or C. rouhollahi Bedstraw Gall Mite), Eriophyes thomasi Nalepa (= Aceria thomasi Thyme Gall Mite), Perrisia persicariae L. (= Wachtliella persicariae Amphibious Bistort Gall Midge), P. plicatrix (= Dasineura plicatrix Gall Midge), P. ulmariae (= Dasineura ulmaria Meadowsweet Gall Midge), P. urticae (= Dasineura urticae Nettle Gall Midge), P. crataegi Winn. (= Dasineura crataegi Hawthorn Gall Midge), P. viciae Kieff. (= Dasineura viciae Vetch Gall Midge), Pontania proxima Lepel. (=Euura proxima Sallow Bean Gall Sawfly) and Perrisia terminalis H. Loew (= Rhabdophaga terminalis Gall Midge) on Salix fragilis L., Cryptocampus sp. (= Euura sp. Sawfly) (galling the petioles of Salix viminalis), and Pontania salicis Christ (= Euura sp. Sawfly) on S. purpurea L.
Spital Park and Raby Mere Saturday, 28th April 1921 Leader Mr E. F. Payne B.Sc.
From Bebington station the party was led by Mr Payne through Spital Park and Dibbinsdale to Raby Mere. The meeting was well attended and the ramble through these picturesque haunts on a fine sunny afternoon in early spring was much enjoyed.
Burton Saturday, 7th May 1921 Leader—Dr. H. S. Marsh.
Owing to a curtailed train service, the party walked by lanes and paths from Hooton station and returned by a different route. Most of the usual plants of the district in flower at the time were observed, including Geranium pyrenaicum (Hedgerow Cranesbill) Aquilegia vulgaris L. (Columbine) (not native), Anchusa sempervirens L. (Pentaglottis sempervirens Green Alkanet) and a double-flowered variety of Gorse.
West Kirby Saturday 21st May 1921.
This meeting, which was a joint one with the Liverpool Naturalists’ Field Club, was held at West Kirby. Grange Hill and the Frankby district were visited. This excursion was poorly attended by members of the Society.
Formby Saturday 11th June 1921 Leader—Miss Reid.
The drier portion of the dunes was traversed, and most of the species usually met with in this habitat were seen.
Shotwick Saturday 25th June 1921Leader—Miss E. Warhurst
Owing to the intense heat, very few members attended, but those who did had a pleasant ramble through shaded lanes and field-paths from Capenhurst to Shotwick, where the old church was inspected.
No ferns, except the commonest, were observed, the dry season having affected them. The viatical flora, though typical of central Wirral did not produce any unusual species.
Speke and Oglet Saturday 2nd July 1921 Leader Miss O. Bangham B.Sc.
An examination of the clay bank vegetation was engaged in, and also of the tract of saltmarsh. The absence of any species of Sea Lavender (Limonium) was commented on, as it occurs on the more restricted but similar tract on the other side of the estuary. Populus canescens Sm. (Populus x canescens Grey Poplar) was seen on the wooded clay banks, this being an addition to the recorded tree flora of the site. A few micro-fungi were collected. Hysterium angustatum Alb. & Schwein. occurred on tree bark, on decaying nettle stems, Leptosphaeria acuta Moug. et Nestl.(Nettle Rash), Phoma urticae Schulz and Phoma herbarum Sace. ; on old stems of the cow-parsnip, the discomycetes, Mollisia atrocinerea Phill. and Helotium cyathoideum Karst (=Cyathicula cyathoidea). The pyrenomyecete, Leptosphaeria pellita Sacc., var, cirsiieola Grove (= Pyrenophora pellita) was collected on decaying thistle stems and determined by Mr W. B. Grove. Pistillaria micans (= Typhula micans) occurred on decaying stems of cow-parsnip.
Hoylake Saturday 13th August 1921. Joint field-meeting with the Liverpool Geological Society.
Leaving the station, the party proceeded, under the leadership of Mr T. A. Jones, to Redstones and Hilbre Point. The leader called attention to some of the more noteworthy features of the rocks, and of the probable conditions attending their deposition. Afterwards, attention was directed by the sections of the party to various aspects of the geology and botany of the locality. A strip of saltmarsh revealed an interesting halophytic association, having amongst other components Apium graveolens (Wild Celery), Samolus valerandi (Brookweed), Juncus gerardii (Saltmarsh Rush), Juncus maritimus (Sea Rush), Glaux maritima (= Lysimachia maritima Sea Milkwort), Oenanthe lachenalii (Parsley Water Dropwort), Scirpus maritmus (= Bolboschoenus maritimus Sea Club-rush), and Carex extensa (Long-bracted Sedge). This place represents a new station for the last-named sedge. Several types of plant galls were encountered between Hoylake and West Kirby, the handsome zoocecidium on the burnet rose, and due to the gall wasp, Rhodites spinosissmae (=Diplolepis spinosissimae), being especially conspicuous. After tea at West Kirby, an interesting and enjoyable excursion was terminated by a visit to Grange Hill.
Ainsdale Saturday 10th September 1921.
The party proceeded inland, and investigated the flora of the streams and ditches which occur on this low-lying land. A feature in the ditches was the Nodding Bur-Marigold (Bidens cernua L.), which was very plentiful, and the rarer, handsome radiate form was also seen. This area was formerly a peat-moss, and Bog Myrtle Myrica gale L. still exists by many of the ditches. Golden Dock Rumex maritimus L., Yellow Loosestrife Lysimachia vulgaris L., and many other marsh species were noted. Afterwards a visit was made to the sand-dunes. Amongst various cecidia noted at Ainsdale were the following: — Cynipid Wasp Aulacidea hieracii (Bouché), Aphis atriplicis L. (= Gall Aphid Hayhurstia atriplicis), Eriophyes galli Karp, (= Cecidophyes galii or C. rouhollahi Bedstraw Gall Mite), Eriophyes thomasi Nalepa (= Aceria thomasi Thyme Gall Mite), Perrisia persicariae L. (= Wachtliella persicariae Amphibious Bistort Gall Midge), P. plicatrix (= Dasineura plicatrix Gall Midge), P. ulmariae (= Dasineura ulmaria Meadowsweet Gall Midge), P. urticae (= Dasineura urticae Nettle Gall Midge), P. crataegi Winn. (= Dasineura crataegi Hawthorn Gall Midge), P. viciae Kieff. (= Dasineura viciae Vetch Gall Midge), Pontania proxima Lepel. (=Euura proxima Sallow Bean Gall Sawfly) and Perrisia terminalis H. Loew (= Rhabdophaga terminalis Gall Midge) on Salix fragilis L., Cryptocampus sp. (= Euura sp. Sawfly) (galling the petioles of Salix viminalis), and Pontania salicis Christ (= Euura sp. Sawfly) on S. purpurea L.