Meeting report
(Extracted from The Journal of Botany, February, 1934.)
The Society held its Annual Meeting and Excursion at Portinscale, Cumberland, from August 29th to September 5th, 1933, under the Presidency of Mr. H. H. Knight, M.A. Upwards of forty members and friends were present.
The glorious summer weather of 1933 was enjoyed to the full, though occasionally the mists rolled down from the mountain tops and caused some inconvenience to climbers. The first day was spent among the familiar surroundings of Lodore, in the rocky gorge and the steep woodland; after which the way led over Watendlath, and thence down to Rosthwaite.
The party visited Westmorland by motor coach on Thursday from Keswick by way of Thirlmere, Grasmere, and Rydal, up Great Langdale to Dungeon Gill. The Force and the rocky hillside yielded some interesting plants. Several of the party went farther to explore Crinkle Gill. On Friday Seatoller was visited, parts of the interesting woods were studied, and some rare plants were seen. On Saturday the party started to Braithwaite and thence up the long Cole Dale to the pass at the summit; but the sudden descent of mist from Grassmoor while the Hobcarton precipices were being worked caused trouble, and separated groups had to find their way down by devious tracks. Others who visited Scafell had similar trouble. On Monday some intensive work was done in the very rich and attractive rocky woods about Seatoller and Hause Gill, and also up Stonethwaite with its beck and steep wooded hillsides.
Though the bryology of the Lake District has been frequently studied, notably by the Rev. C. H. Binstead, our members were able to add a number of new records for v.c. 70 (Cumberland), and a few for v.c. 69 (Westmorland). These are starred in the list that follows, and rarer species previously known are included so far as space allows:-
Sphagna were numerous and many interesting forms were collected:- Sphagnum teres var. subteres*; S. pulchrum*; S. fallax var. robustum*; S. obesum var. luxurians* (Mickleden, 69); S. obesum var. hemi–isophyllum*; S. subsecundum var. tenellum*, S. inundatum vars. eurycladum*, robustum*, and densum*, S. auriculatum vars. ovatum*, laxifolium*, submersum*, and plumosum*; S. aquatile var. mastigocladum*; S. contortum*; S. subbicolor*.
True Mosses:- Andreaea petrophila var. gracilis. Tetraphis browniana. Oligotrichum hercynicum var. laxum*. Archidium alternifolium*. Ditrichum tenuifolium. Dicranella heteromalla var. interrupta*, D. curvata. Campylopus subulatus, C. schwarzii, C. flexuosus var. zonatus, C. setifolius* (69), C. atrovirens vars. falcatus* (69) and muticus* (69). Dicranum schisti, D. scoparium var. spadiceum. Fissidens crassipes*. Grimmia retracta, G. ovata, G. elongata. Coscinodon cribrosus. Pottia intermedia*. Barbula rubella vars. dentata and ruberrima, B. convoluta var. sardoa*. Trichostomum tenuirostre var. holtii, T. fragile. Oedipodium griffithianum. Discelium nudum*: this rare plant was found on the banks of Newlands Beck near Portiniscale, both male and female plants. Philonotis caespitosa*, P. capillaris. Webera annotina var. bulbifera*. Bryum cyclophyllum, B. atropurpureum var. gracilentum* (also in 69*), B. argenteum var. lanatum*. Mnium affine var. rugicum*, M. serratum, M. orthorrhynchum, M. stellare. Eurhynchium praelongum var. stokesii*, E. myosuroides var. tenuinerve* (Lodore). Sematophyllum micans. Amblystegium varium, A. irriguum*. Hypnum cupressiforme vars. mamillatum* and tectorum, H. callichroum, H. molluscum var. erectum*. H. cristacastrensis. Hylocomium umbratum, H. brevirostre.
Hepatics :- These are of considerable interest, being mainly those associated with rocky woodland, cascades, and mountains. Riccia sorocarpa*. Aneura multifida and sinuata. Fossombronia pusilla and wondraczeki*. Gymnomitrium concinnatum, G. obtusum, G. crenulatum, and G. adustum. Marsupella ustulata and aquatica. Alicularia compressa, A. scalaris var. procerior*. Eucalyx obovatus and paroicus. Aplozia crenulata var. gracillima*, A. pumila var. rivularis* (Dungeon Gill, 69). Jamesoniella autumnalis. Lophozia quinquedentata, L. floerkii and var. with gemmae, L. attenuata. Sphenolobus minutus, S. hellerianus*, and S. exsectiformis*. Anastrepta orcadensis. Plagiochila punctata and tridenticulata. Leptoscyphus taylori, c.fr. Harpanthus scutatus. Saccogyna viticulosa. Cephalozia media. Odontoschisma sphagni. Calypogeia trichomanis and fissa. Bazzania trilobata and tricrenata. Lepidozia pearsoni and setacea. Blepharostoma trichophyllum. Anthelia julacea. Herberta hutchinsiae. Ptilidium ciliare and P. pulcherrimum*. Trichocolea tomentella. Scapania compacta, S. subalpina, S. gracilis, S. nemorosa var. uliginosa*, S. dentata, S. curta, S. umbrosa. Radula lindbergiana and voIuta. Colura calyptrifolia. Cololejeunea calcarea (69). Lejeunea cavifolia and patens. Microlejeunea ulicina. Drepanolejeunea hamatifolia. Harpalejeunea ovata.
The Annual Meeting was held on September 1st, when the usual business was transacted, and it was decided to hold the next Meeting in August, 1934, at Ingleton, Yorks.
Eleonora Armitage