Hypericum Montanum, and even more Beech Fern etc.

Pale St. John's Wort (Hypericum Montanum)  a rarity
Here is the "new" plant I found last year, its on its way but just one plant again for 2015!
(Click over photo to enlarge)

Today I set of with good intentions to check out the recent found Beech Ferns, just to see if I could find any "Oak" ferns growing on the extremities of the Beech fern populations, then on the agenda was a visit to check out the last years rare find of the Hypericum Montanum and finally I thought I would cross over to the Rakes area and check out a "inscription" which has been carved into one of the limestone boulders (not the Braithewaite - Blacksmith, but another one).

All good intentions, but time always takes over and although I did manage to accomplish the first two main items I never found time to go across to the Rakes, but its no big deal - hopefully there will be another day for this!  I suppose I am thinking lets get all these bits and bats out of the way so that I have a clear window with plenty of time left to spend in a couple of weeks when the rare Dark Red Helliborine orchids are out when I will be very busy trying to find the rare hybrid Schmalhauseneii and recording notes and measurements etc whilst in the field.

Again today, I found lots of new Common Rock Rose colonies and this took time recording the gps etc.  Also I just could not believe my eyes I followed a footpath I have not travelled for a couple of years now and believe it or not found a area of Beech Fern of 56 square metre laid out in linear to the side of the footpath.  A collossal amount! in three separate colonies with only 20 yards or so apart.

My sketch maps on Beech Fern is looking good at the moment with plenty on Hutton Roof Complex (95 square metres in total over seven sites).

Also today recorded the rare Mountain Melick grass, Lily Of The Valley, Angular Solomons Seal, Dark Red Helliborine (immature), Broad leaved Helliborine (immature), Common Twayblades, Bitter Vetch, Sanicle, Yellow Pimpernel.

The first Speckled Wood butterflies where on the wing today and found in most of the glades I traversed.  Also still good hatches of the Small Heath Butterflies, but no Fritillaries today or NB Argus at the moment.

I noticed the "Wild Strawberries" are out now (look at photo below), and I am sure I will be doing some quick tasters has I stroll past them in the very near future.

Wild Strawberries on Hutton Roof (Click over photo to enlarge)

Some of the beautiful 56 square metre of Beech Fern found today

This is a proper oddball I found amongst some nearby Broad Buckler Ferns. It was different in texture with being more leathery looking, colour and bulky size of the pinnae compared to the others nearby and also had the distorted frond lengths etc. (Click over to enlarge)