Last week, the reserves team at Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust were excited to find a rare plant at Rye Meads Nature Reserve, near Hoddesdon, after it was last recorded on the site in 2018.
Rare Plants Found on Herts Nature Reserve
Tubular Water Dropwort at Rye Meads (c) Ian Carle
A rare plant, Tubular Water Dropwort, which is listed as a Herts Species of Conservation Concern, has been discovered at the Trust's Rye Meads Nature Reserve, near Hoddesdon.
Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust's team search out Tubular Water Dropwort (c) Ian Carle
Tubular Water Dropwort, a member of the carrot family, is listed as species of principle importance in England in The Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006, classified as vulnerable on the GB Red List for plants, which means it is threatened with extinction, and is one of 1,524 species listed as a Herts Species of Conservation Concern, reporting that it is threatened in a county context.
Tubular Water Dropwort (c) Dan Townsend
Ian Carle, Nature Reserves Manager at the Trust said:
“Tubular Water Dropwort is a perennial, lowland plant which grows in areas of wetland and appears most frequently in ancient habitats, such as traditionally managed meadows like the one at Rye Meads. Although it had not been recorded at the nature reserve for the past seven years, we looked for it amongst the dense vegetation of the wetland meadow that we managed to get cut last year. We were rewarded with finding around 130 plants, which is an incredible find, given its rarity.
“When these plants are in flower, they are easier to identify and to count, which is why we look for them at this time of year. The flowers are quite distinctive with rounded, white and pink heads.
“Cutting the meadow last year, has opened up the vegetation benefiting species such as the Water Dropwort. This, together with the fluctuating water levels we’ve seen this year, with lots of rain in the early spring and then a pro-longed period of dry weather, may also have had an impact, providing ideal conditions for the plant.”
Tubular Water Dropwort in the meadow at Rye Meads Nature Reserve (c) Ian Carle
Rye Meads is one of 40 nature reserves managed by Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust for the benefit of wildlife. The reserve is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and a Special Protection Area (SPA). The large ancient flood meadow here attracts a multitude of wildlife, including many bird, invertebrate, amphibian and plant species.
For more information about the Trust’s nature reserves, including Rye Meads, visit https://www.hertswildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves