[Limonium bellidifolium (Gouan)Dumort. (Statice caspia sensu Bab. Statice reticulata Smith)
Conservation status: LR
First record: Skrimshire 1795 Last record: Hemsted, 1796
It does not appear to be certain that Limonium bellidifolium ever occurred in V.c.29. I think Relhan, Babington and later writers may have been misled by the vagueness of the first records–which ended up as 'below Wisbech' or which became Tydd Marsh. [in Lincs] I think Skrimshire was right – 'Growing with the S. Limonium on the marsh between St. Peter's Point and the Washway . Aug.14.1821. [WS.] WBCH. This is in Lincolnshire.
[There is a Peterspoint Farm south of Sutton Bridge about 200 yds west of the Nene, in Lincs. In 1797 the washway still started at Sutton Bridge, a little north of Peterspoint Farm.]
Both Nicholson and Gibbons claimed the record for their counties. (see below)
The Skrimshire/Hemsted record appears to be the only record and all the others are copies of the same record. The Peckover record seems very doubtful; it was not seen by Babington and there are reasons to doubt the Peckover family's det. or geography. GC 8.2.1999.
41
The Salicornia herbacea and Statice reticulata are both very common on the salt marshes below Wisbech. Skrimshire in litt. to Sowerby 14.9.1795. J.Bot.(1918)56:261.
Statice traticulata n.l., n.d., in Hemsted's hand, annot. in pencil 'No doubt from Wisbech–Eng.Bot.328.' Joseph Andrews Hb.6:15,BM.
Statice caspia Sp. in Herb. Brit. Mus., Sept. 1796, J. Sowerby, Bennett,1899,245.
Below Wisbeach, Rev. J Hemsted in Hb Sowerby, 9.1796, BM. legousia [also on same label] Wisbeach [?] Dr Stoker ! 1792, BM.
Statice reticulata Our specimen was gathered below Wisbeach, by the Rev. Mr. Hemsted. Smith, Eng.Bot. June 1 1795.(1796) 5:t328.
I have received an Invitation from my Friend Skrimshire to come and spend a few Days with him which I propose to accept & to go down to Wisbeach next Monday, stay with him to the latter End of the Week & then go across Country to Bedford... after which I shall be out no more & shall be happy to see you & Mr Skrimshire desires me to say that if you can give us the Meeting at Wisbeach he shall be exceedingly glad of your Company... Newmarket, Sept. 13th 1796, Hemsted in litt. Sowerby 26:171.
I was disappointed of my Excursion to Wisbeach. our Friend Skrimshire having got a Hurt in his Leg by a Kick of a Horse.... Newmarket, 22.9.1796, Hemsted in litt. Sowerby 26:172.
P.S. I had forgot to mention Conferva Capillaris found last Week in Salt-Water Ditches near Wisbeach. Newmarket, Aug. 26th 1797, Hemsted in litt. Sowerby 26:174.
Statice reticulata Tid Marsh, below Wisbech. Relhan,litt.1799.
Statice reticulata Tydd Marsh. Mr. Skrimshire. Bot.Guide,1805,50.
Matted Sea Lavender. Tydd Marsh. Mr. Skrimshire. Relhan,1802;1820.
Statice reticulata Sutton Washway. On the marsh between St Peter's Point & the Washway. 1821. Skrimshire MS.
Statice reticulata Growing with the S. Limonium on the marsh between St. Peter's Point and the Washway.[Lincs] Aug.14.1821. [WS.] Hort.Sicc.3:11,WBCH;
'Statice reticulata River banks Wisbech. ' Peckover,1859.
Below Wisbech; Rev J Hemsted, who sent the specimen from thence, which is figured in Eng. Botany. Bab.1860,192 & Bab.MS.Fl.606. Eng. Bot. f.328.
[It seems Hemsted collected the specimen for Skrimshire in Sept. 1796–the week Skrimshire was unable to go out with him, and sent it to Sowerby.GC. ]
By the river side, recently; A P[eckover]. Bab.1860,192 & Bab.MS.Fl.606.
Limonium reticulatum Mill. 'below Wisbech, about 1860.' Mr Peckover, not seen since, Evans,1911,213.
Statice bellidifolia. 'Below Wisbeach' (Rev. Mr Hemsted, E.B.). WA Nicholson, A Flora of Norfolk, 1914,110.
L. bellidifolium. This beautiful species...used to grow here and there at Tydd Marsh and on the Nene till nearly 1860 (Peckover). It was originally recorded thence by Skrimshire, while a specimen from the above locality, dated 1786 [sic], is at the British Museum, and Hemsted sent another to be figured in 'English Botany'. AH Evans, A Flora of Cambridgeshire, 1939, 112.
L. bellidifolium. 1805, Tydd, Scrimshire.[sic] E.J Gibbons, The Flora of Lincolnshire, 1975,189.
L. bellidifolium. [First record] J. Hempsted [sic] in J.E.Smith,1796. Formerly found by the tidal River Nene near Wisbech where it was last seen in 1860. Perring, Sell & Walters, A Flora of Cambridgeshire, 1964,158.
