A TALE OF TWO SPECIES
If you were worried about the leek-coloured hawkweed, then fret no longer. Thought to be globally extinct, this sunburst-headed plant with its ragged-edged petals has been spotted alive and well and living in the Peak District.
Dr Tim Rich discovered two small populations of the missing-in-action hawkweed in Chee Dale whilst collecting seed samples for Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank.
“Leek-coloured hawkweed has not been seen in Derbyshire for over 60 years and is thought to have died out at its only other known site in Staffordshire a few years ago,” he explains. “So I was delighted to find these two small but healthy populations near the Monsal Trail.”
The plant gets its name from the colour of its leaves, which is similar to that of a leek. It only grows in rocky limestone habitats, of which Chee Dale is a perfect example.
The national park authority and Derbyshire Wildlife Trust are now keeping an eye on the population – and Dr Rich has taken a sample back to the seed bank, just in case.
Meanwhile in Sussex, Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas has stepped up to champion another fragile species, the round-headed rampion.
It’s the county flower of Sussex, as it only grows on chalk downland areas like the South Downs. But the loss of grassland habitats across southern England has severely dented the rampion population, and Ms Lucas (who is also the MP for Brighton) has agreed to promote its interests in Parliament. It’s part of a broader scheme by Plantlife UK which partners MPs with threatened species that are found in their constituencies.
“The sight of a round-headed rampion is one of the joys of a walk on the South Downs in summer,” says Ms Lucas. “I am proud to champion such a beautiful flower which never ceases to amaze.”
You can find out more about the rampion at www.plantlife.org.uk