Conservation status: LR
First record: Babington, 1855 Last record: G Crompton & L Farrell, 1990
see CC Babington, in Phytol. N.S.1:190.
Most, if not all Herniaria sites in England are on former heathland which was subsequently quarried for sand and gravel, or planted by the FC with pines. It is probable that Herniaria had been on tracks across the heathland, although there are no modern records from heathland, except the site at Herringswell where a small fallow field was used for football for some years. When brought into cultivation it flourishes on gravel driveways laid on well drained soils. In general it occurs on very open sandy calcareous soils, sufficiently compacted to hold a little water in winter, as this seems to be necessary for seed germination. The distribution is in well-defined areas: a broad stretch of land north of Brandon to Swaffham, all in Norfolk, a few sites around Rauceby Warren and Ancaster in Lincolnshire and in Suffolk along the SW edge of Breckland from Red Lodge to Higham up to Cavenham and Tuddenham. In Cambridgeshire Herniaria does not extend west of the old Kennett heath area. The Kennett site is a few miles south of Red Lodge, and Six Mile Bottom lies 16 miles SW on the A.11 and is considered a Breckland extension into Cambridgeshire. However it is possible that Herniaria was introduced here with the pine trees as they may have come from Breckland, especially as this site was recorded only for 4 years. G Crompton, 1999.
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Half a mile to south of Six-mile Bottom Railway Station, CC Babington, 20.6.1855, det PD Sell, CGE. BM.
Cambridgeshire Naturalists' Club at Six Mile Bottom.. .Also went half-a mile along the Chesterford road, then turned to the left, and examined a new and an old plantation. At and about the former we found Herniaria glabra,... 20.6.1855. Bab.Mem.177.
I have done what is now become rather a wonder lately, viz:- added two species to my local 'Flora of Cambridgeshire': Herniaria glabra...last week. In litt. to Balfour. 11.7.1855. Bab.Mem.328.
Cambridgeshire Naturalists' Club Meeting. Went by train to Dullingham then... to Six Mile Bottom... Hiley and I saw the Herniaria in the station discovered June 20th, 1855. 8.6.1858. Bab.Mem.189.
Six Mile Bottom, Cambridge Hb JT Boswell-Syme, /58 [?1858], BM.
Near an enclosure, half a mile to the south of Six-mile-Bottom Railway Station, first found in 1855 by Mr Newbould. Bab.1860,85.
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'Near Newmarket.' Rev Mr Hemsted, Smith, 1800, FL.Brit.1:271.
Near Newmarket. Rev. J. Hemsted. Bot.Guide,1805,48.
The Rev. Mr. Hemsted gathered this wild specimen near Newmarket. Smith,Eng.Bot. (1794) 3:206.
Between Newmarket and Bury Revd. Mr. Hemsted, C Abbott, Fl.Selecta 1:4, LTN.
Mr Hemsted's station near Newmarket (Bot. Guide,i.48.) is believed to have been at six miles from that town towards Bury, and therefore in Suffolk. Bab.1860,85. [This may therefore have been the well-known site for Herniaria at Higham which is 6 miles from Newmarket]
'CHIPPENHAM GRAVEL PITS' in Kennett. The 1st Ed.OS 1" map 1836 shows both the east and west side of A.11 called Kennett Heath.
ALL RECORDS: Pit REFERS TO EXCAVATED AREA. Site = THE WHOLE AREA.
It was first discovered in this locality by PH Oswald in 1952 and seen later by RE Hardy, D Dupree, JE Raven & PD Sell. No specimens were procurred.
Gravel Pits near Chippenham, P Oswald, 6.1952, det PD Sell, CGE.
Edge of gravel pit NW of A.11 and N of rd. from Chippenham to Kennett. sketch map shows site 1 'about 1 ft. from the pit edge' (on north end of east side, adjacent to A.11.) and site 2 (NW edge of pit) 12.6.1952 and 30.5.1953; not seen 1954. PH Oswald Card index,
2 plants, gravel pits, near Chippenham, 685.686, W Durant & PD Sell, (small side shoot in CGE), 10.6.1954.
Gravel Pits near Chippenham, 685.686 [south end], PD Sell 54/66, 10.6.1954, CGE.
In 1952 the plants were in 2 areas 686.687 [east side] and 685.687 [NW of willows] In the former there were about 5 large plants over 6" across; in the latter I saw 2 (but there were probably more) small plants. By June, 1953 the former area had been destroyed by a gravel-digger but I saw 2 or 3 small plants in the latter, where I could see none on 15.6.1954. P.H.Oswald.
Several fine plants at the NE corner of the big gravel pit in the NW angle of the A.11 crossing & the Chippenham-Kennet road. Gravel pit enlarged & plants destroyed before summer 1953. But small plants N of pit on level ground in front of gap in line of trees (1953-1954). JE Raven Card index.
Sketch where H.g. grows. [same sites as PHO] to the north [of the pit s.s.] there was a cornfield. JE Raven Notes. n.d.
... in a large sand pit, a number of plants... were discovered in an area which had been flooded until recently.... its seeds had doubtless lain dormant in the soil beneath the water for several years without being harmed. Trust Field meeting 27.5.1961. Nat. in Cambs (1962)5:15.
Chippenham Gravel Pit... It was feared that this species had become extinct in the county, but it was found in some quantity where a recent lowering of the water had exposed bare sand. FH Perring, 27.5.1961. Nat. in Cambs (1962)5:37.
Disused sand pit near Chippenham, 685.686, AS Watt, 1961, CGE.
Associated species list, (cement stone in plot–70% bare) May, June, 1962. AS Watt Notebooks.
Sketch map showing AS Watt's sites show one at south end on 'chalk' (bulldozed) area–one large plant and the main area of 2 sites on the A.11 side of the pit edge, and a small patch on the north edge of the pit. As indicated by AS Watt on 2.1970 to SM Walters. In sketch plan drawn by AS Watt for G Crompton, the third small site is shown near the western boundary of pine trees.
Bottom of pit in damp hollows on more or less bare gravel in shallow west end of pit, 685.687, John Mason, 21.8.1966.
In some quantity, Chippenham Pits, 68-68-, AS Watt, CNT exc., 17.6.1967, [R].
Abundant on small flat area at bottom of pit next to water-filled area. G Crompton, E Bari and A Burn, 18.7.1968.
[Site A is muddy area on edge of water; Site B ('very chalky open area') is between causeway and ditch at foot of bank. Site C is at south end.] Sketch plan, 686.687. A Burn, 1968-1971.
Site A: partially flooded, A Burn, 30.10.1968.
Site A: flooded, 3 feet of water over site, 5.3.1969, 28.3.1969, 12.5.1969, 19.6.1969, A Burn.
Site A: not under water, but no Herniaria, A Burn, 27.8.1969 & 20.11.1969.
[S end of site] 2 plants on chalky gravel beside A.11; small black ants pollinating. DE Coombe, field notebook, 4.6.1969.
2.5 [sic] plants on transported soil near Osiers, at southern end. G Crompton. 9.1969.
Site B: No plants. Site C: I fairly large plant on sandy open ground. A Burn, 18.4.1970.
Site A: not under water; water level low in pits. Soil spongy & soft with much moss. Rabbit scratchings. Numerous vegetative & flowering Herniaria plants. Site B; No Herniaria. A Burn, 8.8. 1970. Site A: H.g. plants, A Burn, c.23.8.1970.
Site A: H.g. flowering; water level much as in August. Site B. small Herniaria plant. on very chalky open area. A Burn, 3.9.1970.
Site A: flooded. Site B: Seedlings, possibly Herniaria. A Burn, 1.3.1971.
Site A: flooded. Site B: No seedlings visible. A Burn, 13.3.1971.
Site A: flooded; but long spit [Causeway] between it & Site B not covered with water though damp. Site B: Large Herniaria plant in bud. A Burn, 2.6.1971.
2 plants in gravel pit. JE Raven [in litt.?] to DE Coombe, 14.5.1971.
Site A: flooded but spit again above water; very damp withtifiable seedlings. Site B: 1 large & 2 small Herniaria plants in flower. A Burn, 18.6.1971.
Site A: flooded but spit above water. (Leptobryum pyriforme & Riccia crystallina present). Site B: I large plant flowering and fruiting. A Burn, 8.8.1971.
Still there, Gravel Pits near Chippenham, 685.686, RJ Pankhurst, 1971.
Water level in pits low. Site A: No Herniaria. Almost 100% moss cover with a few Angiosperm seedlings. Site B: No Herniaria; still much open ground here. Rabbit droppings. A Burn, 14.11.1971.
Site B: 60% bare soil where Herniaria was, 90% on side where no plants. A Burn, 15.12.1971.
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3 sites mapped with JE Raven. (His old sites are no longer visible). The area of gravel pits has abundant rabbit burrows & scrapes are present in or by the sites. NW corner used for storing horse manure & NE end for dirt-track racing (since 1973). According to Raven, the gravel pit was enlarged and some plants destroyed before 1953, but small plants seen N of pit on level ground in front of gap in line of trees, 1953-1956 [Site 5 near west boundary]. In 1969 there were several plants on a small area of transported soil [Site 6–south end].
Raven has seen H.g. at Site 1 [Causeway along A.11 side] consistently over last 20 years (except 1968/9 when causeway was flooded.) [see CPs showing aerial roots on Salix at height of 1968 flooding, taken by Miss Butcher with G Crompton in 10.1974.] A total of 150 plants were recorded at 3 sites, in flower or fruit and seedlings were also seen.
Site I. [Site D 1979+] grassy causeway between deep ditch [parallel to A.11] and Osier filled pit, overshadowed by Salix on each side. A row of Salix on the osiers' side indicates the height of flooding, with adventitious roots at c.1 metre from ground level of causeway. Total 86 plants.
Site 2. [Site B 1979+] sandy ground between made-up track and osiers, and mounds of Ulex and Oenothera on S and large Salix alba on north. 30 plants.
Site 3. [Site C 1979+] west of entrance to causeway: open sandy ground shaded by willows on S. 40 plants and many seedlings. [to the N is the dirt-track racing area and on the west of the 'Toilets' hut. G Crompton with JE Raven, 12.9.1974.
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[Site D 1979+] Water on both sides of causeway. H.g. very green, soil wet. CS
SW, of Causeway site with V Gordon and friends looking at H.g. Epilobium cf obscurum abund. Site N of pits/ponds [Site B 1979+] v. eroded & no H.g. seen. Peltigera cf canina, abund. CPs. G Crompton & V Gordon, 6.6.1977.--------------------------------
[Site D 1979+] Causeway site, quite good but water-level quite high and nettles now rather frequent. Most of the plants seen were at N end of causeway near the rabbit burrow.
[Site B 1979+] 'west' site i.e. west of osiers, now part of dirt-track, with temp. posts & string. Oenothera seed heads still there S of new fence round Salix alba. CP
± North at 1974 Site 2, now part of dirt-track. Oenothera in foreground, still abundant. CP NNW panorama from A.11 corner. G Crompton with PH Oswald, R Mabey and C Sinker, 28.4.1978.[Site B 1979+] Very rare on causeway site: new site on west side Oenothera area., PH Oswald and P Schofield, 22.10.1978.
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Pop. map:
Site A: [west side near pines–old AS Watt site] rutted sandy tracks, rare in adjoining more closed vegetation. 43 H.g. (30-50% open), incl. 15 on 'triangle' between tracks and 30 on track towards birch tree. CP Panorama
ENE, E, WSW, W..Site B: in damp sandy mud between willow pits and large clump of willows. (SE of former site nearer Oenothera bank). 8 plants east of trees. CP
ENE.Site C: [edge of race track north of willow pits]. occasional in heavily trodden, open areas of Plant lan, Holcu lan, & Medic lup. Abundant large plants on bare chalky sand of edges of race-track. CP
ESE, & SE.Site D: (causeway) under water. CP
SW. Site E: (south end) c.10 good plants with Thymus pul (Acinos arv nearby).
G Crompton & EM Hyde, 6.7.1979.
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Pop. map: EM Hyde, 2.9.1980.
Site A: sandy track starting 44m from N. boundary (i.e. line of pines), 62 H.g. in first 29 m. none in remaining 4m up to birch tree, vegetation cover too dense.
Site B: The 1979 site completely denuded of vegetation. Scramble track right round willow clump. 63 H.g. in damp sandy ground NW of 1979 site, in area 20m. in circumference.
Site C: Scrambling assembly area. Parts of site have been lightly rotovated (?). H.g. largely restricted to compacted areas, mostly in S part of site, both within roped-off assembly areas, and on the compact track surrounding them. c.175 H.g. here. Many plants damaged and muddy and oily. Some seedlings found in one bare muddy area. Also about 20 H.g. in S corner of site near Causeway, probably old Site 3.
Site D: No H.g. causeway overgrown with nettles.
Site E: No H.g. Site very dry. Thymus pul and Acinos seen.
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Pop. map: EM Hyde, 25.9.1981.
Site A: Only 6 H.g. found. Part of sandy track. Other vegetation too dense this year.
Site B: Little changed from 1980, though fewer plants. 20+ H.g. plus several very small seedlings at N. end in damp bare ground. The denuded track, used in 1980 for racing, now abandoned & becoming colonised by vegetation.(CP
NE. G Crompton, 23.9.1981. Site C: About half the site is roped off into enclosures, presumably assembly points for competitors. 232+ H.g. plants lie within these enclosures, more particularly in the outer ones, where the soil is compacted, & less subjected to disturbance. The central enclosure the 'start' is too churned up to support any plant life. 20+ H.g. outside the enclosures on the S side, as indicated on map. Ground heavily trodden on. 9+ H.g. on old 'toilet' site near causeway in front of old caravan. 1 odd H.g. 64m to the NW of the first enclosure and 30m. from the [A.11] boundary bank, with its dead trees. Euph exi close by.
Sites D & E not visited, but D appeared to be very overgrown.
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Sites mapped and photographed, G Crompton, 15.10.1982.
Site A: (nr western boundary) 1 only H.g. in centre of a new track, where it was slightly more consolidated.
Site B: (west of willow pits) No H.g. The area around the group of willows is no longer being used as a practice run and is overgrown with Oenothera, Glech hed, etc. On the west side there is an area of fresh bare sand.
Site C: (north of the willow pits.) No H.g. the old circular track is apparently no longer in use. New tracks along western boundary have been bulldozed and are mainly of soft sand. The track continues to the area of recently worked pit in NE corner, which is being filled with builders' rubble & rubbish including old road metal. CP
NE. Site C:north of willow pits cont: This is now mainly bare earth & heaps of sand & gravel by large deep holes, one of which has a Dickerson lorry delivering soil into it. CP
NW. Site C cont. about 100 yards to the north, where the old circular track used to be, there is a light vegetation cover & in shallow depression 15-20 fl. fr. & seedling H.g. were found in c.1m sq. CP
S. The willow pits are now dry with Mentha aquatica dominant and ground layer of Veronica beccabunga. Site D: This is marked by a vigorous short oak sapling at its northern end & the causeway is dominated by Urtica dioica with an increasing depth of leaf litter. The ditch on its east side & the pits ringed by willows on the west, were both dry. (see above). Just north of the causeway there is 100% cover plus old tyres which are increasing in number.
Site E: (chalky site a S end) Now v. overgrown with Holcu lan etc. No H.g.
The site is rapidly becoming degraded by the scale of bulldozing going on. A roadway built up with builders rubble has been made up to carry heavy lorries dumping soil into pits north of old pits colonised by willows, and carrying rubbish to a large pit at extreme NE end of site.
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Site visited by J Heap and contact made with Mr Edge [HEH Enterprises–Horse manure]. 14.4.1983.
Site visit G Crompton with J Heap, 4.10.1983:
Site A: No H.g. ± all new track SW of birch, but Poten arg freq. in rough grass to SW. (In flower over c.10 x 30m especially in dense mossy grass.),. Also large patch Centa ery. CP
E to birch.Site B: west of site, builders rubble (& main track to start of scramble course). Sand and rubble to be used for a bank around west and north side of willow pits to prevent flooding spreading to scramble track. According to Stuart Nunn, who manages the site for scramblers' Isle of Ely Scramble Club and Cambs Scramble Club. About 8 meetings a year & site also used for practice. Today 2 adults and 7yr and 10yr olds practicing. CP
N. & NE. Site C: c.100-200 H.g. in old ruts & small depressions, c.35 x 10m to right of track. c.50% bare. This area is nearer to the A.11 than the patch found last year. CP
ENE. 1 H.g. by white board N of willows in area of last year's trial pits. CP NE. Site D: No H.g. This has probably been under water until the middle of August. The abundant nettles of last year are absent, but site is heavily shaded and litter depth is increasing. CP
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Habitat Map estimated from aerial photographs, SJ Everett 1982. Table summarising Sites A–E from 1974 to 1986. SJJ Lambert, 9.1986.
Pop. map:
Site A: 8 plants of H.g. in a damp sandy gully between two scramble tracks.
Sire C: 28+ and 7+ on and between 2 mounds of spoil separated by a short ditch. 5 H.g. scattered in central area and 1 near A.11 boundary. Assoc. species list includes Poten arg rare.
Sites B & D: No H.g. sites overgrown.
S Lambert with P Kirby and J Green, 21.8.1986. [Site also visited by G Crompton and Sarah Lambert, 7.10.1986.
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Site C: former site under water with pair Shelduck and 8 young Ringed Plover or Lt Plovers. CP
ESE. Site D: entrance to causeway site now a slimey pond. CP
SW. northern end of Site D has a large patch of Echium vulgare in flower, dominant. CP
NE. G Crompton, with Sarah Lambert, 24.6.1988.
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Site B: 100% bare sand. CP
WNW. Site C: c.60 H.g. plants along edge of chalky spoil heaps and 2 on N side of heaps. CP
N to A.11, G Crompton with L Farrell. 21.6.1990. [none found in 1993 & 1994, GC.]--------------------------------
KENNETT GRAVEL PITS [ Continuation of old Kennett Heath, East of A.11.]
More or less flat area of old gravel workings. small plants: 2 H.g. fl. and 1 veg. Sandy yellowish soil. Flints, rabbit activity. 50% bare soil, 5% moss, 45% vegetation cover. Sketch plan. 695.687. A Burn, 5.9.1970.
No H.g. Some rabbit activity. vegetation cover 60% including much moss and some Angiosperms in flower. A Burn, 14.11.1971.
Probably ± same site as above. Many plants, 698.686 (near Verba nig and Anthy vul), & 694.689 (near large area of Verbascum nigrum). mapped to 6" scale, 1971-1973. Reclaimed arable and colony destroyed, 1974, GMS Easy.
Filled in and now arable fields, 694.689 & 698.686, GMS Easy and G Crompton, 1.10.1975.
21 H.g. in sandy waste ground, 692.689, GMS Easy, 26.7.1980.
Pop. map and CPs:
c.200 yds from A.11, 691.689. The entrance track to EFG Tree Nursery is opposite the NE end of 'Chippenham Gravel Pits'. (The trees are on the left side of the track.) 21 fl. plants of H.g., mostly medium to large except 1 v. small. on sandy waste ground at base of earthen ramp, 2.7m from track and opposite a small shed. CP
SE. CP SE, NE, NW, SW & 2 close-ups, G Crompton, 31.7.1980.15+ H.g. in c.2.0 x 0.5m. CP
ESE. G Crompton, 18.6.1981.No H.g. 1982. G Crompton.
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This came up as a weed in Mr Skrimshire's garden. Hort.Sicc.2:WBCH:99..['not v. hairy'–CD Preston]
