Field trip to Pottington, Barnstaple (Botany Section)

A chance for some early season urban botany. This early in the season the focus is on the identification of perennials and biennials in their overwintering forms, together with early flowering winter annuals and naturalised bulbs. We will plan to take in parts of Pilton and the Pottington Industrial estate on a fairly level route of around 4 km. Most will be on hard surfaces, but in places we may venture onto footpaths which could be softer or muddy, so good walking shoes are still advisable.

Alongside commoner species such as Rue-leaved Saxifrage (Saxifraga tridactylites), Sea Storksbill (Erodium maritimum) and Whitlowgrass (Erophila verna), we can hope to see rarer taxa for VC4, such as Four-leaved All-seed (Polycarpon tetraphyllum), Pink Shepherd’s-purse (Capsella rubella), and Eastern Rocket (Sisymbrium orientale).

We will meet at the WNW end of Riverside Road, on the Pottington Industrial Estate (SS 5408 3395 , W3W://////comb.frogs.shifters). See map on Streetmap. On-street parking is available on the estate.

Please contact the Organiser/leader if you’d like to attend.

Our meetings are free to DA members. Non-members are very welcome to join us, but we would suggest (if possible) a donation of £3 to £5 (in cash please) to help support our work.