Bunium bulbocastanum L.
Conservation status: LR
First record: WH Coleman,1839
Most of the Bunium records until 1908 are from cornfields. It was first found in England by WH Coleman in Cherry Hinton in 1839. It is possible that it was brought in with seed from the continent. 23
Carum bulbocastanum one year in 'Sand Pits' field of the sand pits. [Odsey] Barnard,1859.
Odsey; A.M.Barnard. It occurs in several places just in Hertfordshire (Fl. Herts. 118) Bab.1860,94. 34
MELBOURN
Bunium bulbocastanum fields west of Melbourn. Fordham,1859.
Fields to the west of Melbourn; H Fordham. Bab.1860,94.
Greenlow Hill, Melbourn, WM Palmer, 1.6.1890. Palmer ann. (Diary) & ann. Bab.
Small colony scattered along railway cutting, between Melbourn & Royston, GMS Easy, 7.7.1975.
75 plants with 167 fruiting umbels, along top of west bank, north of bridge for farm road, on grassy bank between cutting and barley field. Most of the plants are in the shelter of Crataegus bushes, 364.429. Pop. map, WH Butcher, 19.7.1975.
37+ plants along top edge as before. Pop.map K Tucker, 20.6.1991.
Bank very heavily rabbit grazed, no Bunium but Iberis abundant. G Crompton, c.1998.
LITLINGTON
Litlington (In headland under line of Beech trees, on N. side, c.3 yds inside fence, c.326.405, RJ Pankhurst, n.d., CGE.
(Field in Litlington, c.1973. f. Robin Sibson, 4.1975).
Highfield Farm, Litlington, (Mr Parker), 3 fl. plants in SW corner newly planted shelter belt, adjacent to old belt of beech trees damaged by storms etc.between hedge and outside row of saplings in rotovated ground. With Bromus sterilis. Also nearby Valer loc, Papav hyb, Thlasp arv. 324.404, Pop. map, G Crompton, 23.6.1978. 45
CHERRY HINTON
Went to Cherry Hinton, and found the Bunium bulbocastanum in a corn field on the south side of the road to the hill, going by the great chalk pit. 8.7.1840. Bab.Mem.90.
Cherry Hinton, Hb CC Babington, 8.7.1840, CGE.BM. Hb Clift.
Cherry Hinton, n.c., n.d., SWN.
Mr Borrer, who arrived here yesterday, went with me to... Cherry HInton to get the Bunium bulbocastanum. 29.7.1840. Bab.Mem.91.
Haslam and I walked to Cherry Hinton and over the "Gogs," returning by the Hills Road. Found... Bunium bulbocastanum getting far on towards flowering. 22.5.1841. Bab.Mem.99.
Cherry Hinton, WW Newbould, 1841, BM.
Cherry Hinton, CC Babington, 7.1841, BM.
Chalk Hills, Cherry-Hinton, W.L.P.G., 2.7.1841, SWN.
'Bulbocastanum majus has long since been recorded as a native... but there is reason to suspect that the true plant had never been detected in this country until the Rev. W.H. Coleman was so fortunate to discover it, during the summer of 1839, growing upon arable land near Cherry Hinton, in Cambridgeshire, at which place the specimens now figured were gathered by the writer in the month of June 1841, the fruits being supplied from plants of a former year. The plant proves to be rather plentiful on the chalky arable land above that village. CCB.' Smith, Eng.Bot.Suppl. (1843) 3:2862.
Chalk Hills, Cherry-Hinton, W.L.P.G., 1.6.1842, SWN.
Cherry Hinton, n.c., 21.7.1847, BM.
Cherry Hinton, Gibson,1848,309.
Gogmagog Hills, Cambridge, n.c., 7.1853, BM.
Hinton, Fenton JA Hort, 13.7.1853, BM.
Cherry Hinton, AG More, 7.1853, BM.
Cherry Hinton, CCB & WHP[?], 6.1857, BM.
Bunium bul Cherry Hinton above the chalk pit. Bab.ann.Relhan,114.
Fields above the chalk-pits at Hinton. Bab.1860,94.
Between Cherry Hinton and Gogs, Cambridge, FA Hanbury, 6.1863, BM.
Cherry Hinton, WP Hiern, 23.6.1867, BM.
Dr Trimen and Mr WJ [sic] Thistleton Dyer came, and I went with them to Cherry Hinton... and also found... Bunium Bulbocastanum,... 10.7.1871. Bab.Mem.213.
Cherry Hinton, WT Thistleton-Dyer, 10.7.1871, BM, K.
Cornfield, Cherry Hinton, Henry Trimen, 10.7.1871, BM.
Old chalk pit close, CC Babington, 29.6.1874, Hb Cowles, IPS.
2nd Chalk Pit, Cherry Hinton, CC Babington, 29.6.1876, Hb Cowles, IPS.
Cherry Hinton, JW Carr in Hb TA Dymes, 19.7.1879, HTN.LIV.
Cherry Hinton, J.W.C[rosby], 7.1879, LIV.
Fields above chalk pits at Hinton, HD.ann.
Cambridgeshire, EM Holmes, 6.1883, BM.
Gogmagog Hills, H Goss, Hb JD Gray, 7.1884, CGE.LIV.
Cherry Hinton, H Goss, 7.1884, CGE.BM.
Hinton, E.S.Marshall, 10.6.1885, CGE.BM.
Chalky fields above Great Hinton, ES Marshall, 10.6.1886, CGE.
Cherry Hinton fields, CC Babington, 10.7.1888, Hb Cowles, IPS.
[east side] Fields round the reservoir towards Wool St. 1888-1908, Shrubbs ann.
Cherry Hinton, FA Hanbury, 5.7.1889, BM.
Cherry Hinton, G Goode, 15.7.1892, BM.
Cherry Hinton, J Leitch, 23.6.1892, BM.
Old chalk-pit near Cherry Hinton, Fruiting umbels, W West Jnr, 10.7.1895, CGE.
Field above Chalk Pits, Cherry Hinton, A Wallis, 6.7.1900, CGE.
Cherry Hinton, AB Jackson, 19.7.1901, K.
Cornfield, Cherry Hinton, A Hosking, 18.7.1901, K
Chalk Pit, Cherry Hinton, A Hosking, 30.6.1902, CGE. BM.
Field above chalk pit, Cherry Hinton, A Hosking, 6.1902, K.
Chalk pasture by the roadside, above the chalk pits, Cherry Hinton, AJ Wilmott, 7.1905, BM.
Side of lane between Cherry Hinton & Gogs, AJ Crosfield, 5.7.1910, det. CE Salmon, CGE.
Cherry Hinton, AW Graveson, 4.6.1912, BM.
Bank of road above Hinton Ch. pit S. of line where waterworks chimney osculates S. end of Fosters Mill. 22.6.1913, Mills ann.
Cherry Hinton, EM Reynolds, 6.1916, BM.
Chalky fields, Cherry Hinton, Thos J. Foggitt, 11.7.1919, BM.
Cherry Hinton, 1927, J Blades, ann.Bab.
Cherry Hinton, above the chalkpit, HG Carter, 18.5.1934, BM.
Cherry Hinton, Gertrude Foggitt in Hb JN Frankland, 28.6.1938, LIV.
On the chalk, above Cherry Hinton, JL Crosby, 1939.
On the chalk, above Cherry Hinton, PD Sell.1950.
CD Pigott & I saw this still in three spots above the Chalk pits at Cherry Hinton, but its existence is rather precarious, except on the roadside banks where it does grow tho' we did not see it there. Our spots: 485.558, 484.446 & (other side of road) 482.555. At the last place a lot of turf had been removed preparatory to quarrying, & we got a tuber from here. 20.4.1949. DE Coombe, Card Index.
CARAVAN PIT
[west side–south end of caravan pit] In the triangular grassy & bushy patch above the big chalk pit W. of the Cherryhinton–Shelford Road: n.d., JE Raven, Card index. (The sketch plan shows that the area lies from the southern edge of the Caravan pit for a small distance to the road, opp. & past the reservoir.)
[west side–south end of caravan pit] Under hedge by bramble bushes, c.6 plants. Pop. map. RJ Pankhurst, 13.7.1971.
[west side] 2 fl. plants, with Falcaria vulgaris, Hedgebank on S side of path running W from Cherry Hinton-Shelford Rd near top of hill opposite reservoir, 482.555. Pop.map, ME Smith, 24.7.1971.
[west side–south end of caravan pit] 3 fl. plants, by Crataegus and Fraxinus, Pop.map. G Crompton, 29.6.1982; 1 was found lying on path by 10.7.1982.
4 plants in flower, West pit, 482, 556, N Stewart & R Fitzgerald, 2.8.1987, [R].
West Pit, [west side 482.555, south end of caravan pit] c.50 plants with 25 in flower. 482.555. P Stebbings, & Ashley Arbon. 19.6.1991
10–20 flowering at S end of caravan pit, 483.558, G Crompton & G Beckett, 1994, [R].
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[west side Rsv] c.6 plants on roadside under hedge. Pop.map. RJ Pankhurst, 13.7.1971.
Road verge c.200 yds north of reservoir on Cherry-Hinton-Shelford road, 483.556. 1 plant in rough grassland with bare patches, with Seseli libanotis. Pop.map, ME Smith, 24.7.1971.
[west side Rsv] c.6 plants in fruit, near Seseli, G Crompton & RP Libbey, 9.7.1sv with Seseli, G Crompton, 17.9.1975.
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[east side] Grassy bank above chalk pit by Lime Kiln, Cherry Hinton, 484.557, PD Sell 61/159, 6.6.1961, CGE.
CAIUS PIT
[east side–east side of pit] From Cherry Hinton take road for Gogmagog Hills. On left of road (steep hill) is a large chalk quarry. Scattered plants grow along its cliff-edge furthest from the road,... 3.6.1952, PH Oswald Card index.
[east pit–east side of pit] 145 plants all in fruit, on narrow ledges between top of quarry and fence. 484.557 & 485.557. In little grazed chalk grassland and thorny scrub, usually in grassy areas, sometimes in part shade, but never in dense shade. Most of the plants are in the more grassy areas which are near the cliff edge. Pop. map. NF Stewart & R Fitzgerald, 2.8.1987.
[east side-east side of pit] quite frequent in fruit, on narrow ledge between patches of scrub. G Crompton, 24.8.1987.
[east side-east side of pit] quite frequent on narrow ledge between patches of scrub, K Tucker, c.23.7.1990.
[path to east side of pit, via cornfield, has been blocked, f. K.Tucker, 1991.]
[east side-east side of pit] quite frequent, on narrow ledge between patches of scrub. Paul Stebbings, late June to late July, 1991.
[east side-east side of pit] good patch 400 paces back from south end, 485.556, JCA Rathmell, 7.6.1997.
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[east side-west side of pit] ... and on left road bank soon before top of hill. 3.6.1952, PH Oswald Card index.
[east side-west side of pit] Narrow lip of quarry, in grass, 483.556. c.6 plants, Pop.map.RJ Pankhurst, 13.7.1971.
[east side-west side of pit] c.20 + fl. & fruiting plants on narrow ledge of quarry, G Crompton & RP Libbey, 9.7.1975.
[east side–west side of pit] Top of chalk 'cliff' of west side of working pit. 3 patches on either side of a telegraph pole: from 25 yds north of south end of quarry, 3 plants incl. 1 fl. stem, 4 yds further north, 9 plants and 23 yards further north, 20+ plants incl. 2 fl. stems. Roger Mellors, c.1.10.1975.
[east side-west side of pit] CS of 2 sites on west ledge of working pit, G Crompton. [date ?1976]
[east side-west side of pit] few & v. small on spur near 'track' up from road, also along narrow ledge to south for c.15 yards, Cardaria draba dom. on 2 spurs. G Crompton & V Gordon, 6.6.1976.
[east side-west side of pit] ] Top of chalk 'cliff' of west side of working pit. 483.556, 8+ plants scattered between 2 telegraph posts along narrow ledge of pit. (the 'entrance' from Lime Kiln Road is through a hole in the fence up the steep roadside bank ± opposite the 2nd fence-railing post from the north end, on caravan pit side.) G Crompton with J Green, CP. 11.7.1986.
145 plants seen near to the end of an old track which ascends above the edge of the quarry and near a hole in the fence. Pop.map. NF Stewart & R Fitzgerald, 2.8.1987. 55
Cambridgeshire Naturalists' Club at Six Mile Bottom.... Found in a field between the Spring Head at the Temple and Streetway Hill, one plant of Bunium bulbocastanum,... 20.6.1855. Bab.Mem.177.
Behind the Temple at Wilbraham. This extends its known range 5 miles towards the north-west. [north-east] CC Babington, Phytol.N.S.(1855),1:190.
Between the Temple at Great Wilbraham and Streetway Hill. Bab.1860,94.
