On a fine, sunny, but windy day, a party of 18 met at Moreton Station and transferred by car to the Leasowe lighthouse car park. We walked west along the path towards Meols and notable plants at the pond included Greater Spearwort (Ranunculus lingua), Flowering-rush (Butomus umbellatus), Blunt-flowered Rush (Juncus subnodulosus) and New Zealand Pigmyweed (Crassula helmsii). Buttonweed (Cotula coronopifolia) was searched for but not found by me on several visits this year, it has become increasingly harder to find over recent years.

The poppies, both Common Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) and Long-headed Poppy (Papaver dubium) were in fine flower, with abundant Lucerne (Medicago sativa ssp. sativa). A new record for me in this area was Spanish Broom (Spartium junceum). Two naturalised garden plants, Rose Campion (Lychnis coronaria) and Seaside Daisy (Erigeron glaucus) were found, the latter not uncommon on the N Wirral coast.

In the remnant of an old dune slack, home of several Cheshire rare plants, we found Bog Pimpernel (Anagallis tenella), Southern Marsh-orchid (Dactylorhiza praetermissa) and Few-flowered Spike-rush (Eleocharis quinqueflora).

We had lunch in a sheltered area of the dunes, and then Vipers Bugloss (Echium vulgare) and Sea Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum ssp. maritimus) were found in the dug areas, provided for conservation of the Belted Beauty moth. Continuing towards Meols, we found two spikes of Pyramidal Orchid (Anacamptis pyrimidalis). A clump of about six spikes was known here for several years, but in 2005 it was dug up by someone. It is nice to know it still survives in this area.

Near the Coastguard Station we found the rare rose hybrid, Rosa x hibernica (R. pimpinellifolia x canina). At Dove Point, near the toilets the uncommon Small-flowered Crane’s-bill (Geranium pusillun) was growing with the common Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (Geranium molle). Then we made our way back towards Leasowe near the sea defence wall, finding seaside plants such as Sea Spurge (Euphorbia paralias), Sea Rocket (Cakile maritima), and Sea Holly (Eryngium maritimum). Butterflies recorded were Small Tortoiseshell and Small Heath. Finally, for me the best plant of the day was near the end of the walk when we found Pepper-saxifrage (Silaum silaus) in the grassland near the sea wall.

Spanish Broom	Rose Campion	Sea Plantain	Flowering Rush	LBS members

Meeting pictures taken by Maria Knowles