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Wild Flowers of Gosport & Hampshire (UK)

 <>  Spiranthes spiralis Autumn Lady's-tresses  <>  Trifolium glomeratum Clustered Clover  <>  Filago vulgaris Common Cudweed  <>  Inula crithmoides Golden Samphire   < >   T. arvense Hare's-foot Clover  <>  T. stellatum Starry Clover  <>  Echium vulgare Viper's-bugloss <> 

Some of the plants which I have seen in Gosport and Hampshire are shown on this page.
Some, marked ** have further images in the Picture galleries

image: Trifolium glomeratum (Clustered Clover), Gosport, Hampshire, UK, 8th June 2008
Trifolium glomeratum (Clustered Clover), Browndown, Gosport, Hampshire, 8th June 2008.

A large number of plants (possibly 1000's) were (re-)found by DR Allan and JA Norton on 20th June 2000 in Gosport. The only previous record for this species being recorded in the area was in 1856, when it was recorded by Bromfield at 'Stokes Bay'.

It has been suggested that the appearance had something to do with the wet spring, and this may well be true; according to records, at the time, April 2000 was the wettest April since... 1856!

Probably superceded by the rainfall in the spring of 2001 though!

 

image: Echium vulgare (Viper's-bugloss), Browndown, Gosport, 30th June 2009
Echium vulgare (Viper's-bugloss)**

Browndown, Gosport, Hampshire, 30th June 2009.

Right is a close up of the flowers - Click here to see image full size (700 x 525 px).

Picture in the Wild Flower Gallery showing a whole plant.

 
image: Starry Clover, Gosport, Hampshire, UK, 18th July 1998

Trifolium stellatum (Starry Clover)**, Gosport, Hampshire, 18th July 1998.

This photograph illustrates how apt both the English and Scientific names for this flower are, it was taken on site, in Gosport on a glorious day. It is one of our more unusual (possibly native) flowers, reaching its full visual impact when it has finished flowering and the 'stars' have fully developed.

 
image: Spiranthes spiralis (Autumn Ladies-tresses), Wilverley Plain, Hampshire, UK

Spiranthes spiralis (Autumn Lady's-tresses):
Wilverley Plain 06-Aug-2007 (left)

The population on Wilverley Plain is in a grazed area. The image on the left shows the 'spiral' of the flower stem quite well if you look at the enlargement.

The plants at Netley (right) are on a mown area. Autumn Lady's-tresses have a preference for short grass near the sea, they are often small plants of (10) 20 - 25cms, but absolutely stunning when looked at closely. Through a magnifying lens the petals have a crystalline, 'frosted' appearance, that gives them a rather ethereal quality, as shown in the image on the right.

Take the camera if you go and see this one, but do be careful of the surrounding vegetation as they can be very small, and easily trampled.

Netley, Hampshire, 31-Aug-2008
image: Spiranthes spiralis (Autumn Ladies-tresses), Netley, Hampshire, UK, 31-Aug-2008

 
 
image: Trifolium arvense (Hare's-foot Clover), Gosport, Hampshire, UK, 2nd July 1998

Trifolium arvense (Hare's-foot Clover)**, Gosport, 2nd July, 1998.

Occurring only in a few places in Gosport, where I have only seen small populations; the biggest populations seem to occure on MoD land, where this shot was taken (with permission).

 
 

Filago vulgaris (Common Cudweed) (centre), Gosport, 2nd July 1998.

Pictured with Hare's-foot Clover.

Despite its name, this isn't a very common plant in Hampshire, most often found in the New Forest. It is a plant I don't see very often and I came across it on the edge of a sport's field, whilst photographing the Hare's-foot Clover I had noticed the day before.

image: Filago vulgaris (Common Cudweed), Gosport, Hampshire, UK, 2nd July 1998

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