Flora of Cradle Valley Seaford in July

I went for an evening walk after being recommended a visit to Cradle Valley on the outskirts of Seaford. I was particularly looking for Burnt orchids but came across many beautiful flowers including three more orchids: Fragrant orchid, Common Spotted orchids and Pyramidal orchids. Other highlights were finding many of the flowers listed as chalk grassland indicator speciesAMP, and these are marked with an L below.

Barley Field at High and Over

My walk started at High and Over carpark and I headed down towards Cradle Valley via a barley field.

Barley – Hordeum vulgare

Field weeds

I still haven’t got my head around these field weeds, so do let me know if you can help!

Cradle Valley flowers

Common Restharrow – Ononis repens

Restharrow was the first plant I spotted on this walk from the species list I mentioned. L

Black medick – Medicago lupulina

Black medick can be differentiated from similar wildflowers by its mucronate leaf tip. This just means that there is a little needle point visible on the end of some of the leaves.

Greater Knapweed – Centaurea scabiosa

L

Eyebright – Euphrasia

The list also had Eyebright. L

Yellow Rattle – Rhinanthus Minor

The Rattle was easily identified by the sound of the seedpods.

Selfheal – Prunella vulgaris

Round-headed Rampion – Phyteuma orbiculare

This beautiful flower is also known as Pride of Sussex.

Kidney vetch – Anthyllis vulneraria

Also on the list: Kidney vetch. L

Field Scabious – Knautia arvensis

L

Pyramidal orchid – Anacamptis pyramidalis

Orchids in general are on the list. L

Burnt orchid – Orchis ustulata

My reason for this walk! [The following year I returned to help count these orchidsAMP].

Common fragrant orchid – Gymnadenia conopsea

Common spotted orchid – Dactylorhiza fuchsii

Bladder campion – Silene vulgaris

Campions in long grass.

Lady’s Bedstraw – Galium verum

L

Viper’s Bugloss – Echium vulgare

Fab blue flower, here mixed in with Greater Knapweed and Agrimony.

Agrimony – Agrimonia eupatoria

Yellow flower spikes of Agrimony in amongst the meadow flowers.

Dropwort – Filipendula ulmaria

This flower was in short grass. L

Squinancywort – Asperula cynanchica

Also in short grass. L

Yellow-wort flowers – Blackstonia perfoliata

I was pleased to find this flower because it was on the list but, along with the Kidney vetch, it was not seen at Crowlink. It was growing in short grass. L

Flowering in the Last Wood and fields behind

Phacelia Phacelia tanacetifolia (a green manure) and Oilseed Rape Brassica napus from previous crops were growing side by side in this wide field margin. I think the actual crop was Wheat Triticum (just seen at rear).

Black Horehound – Ballota nigra

I had seen Black Horehound and White Horehound in the same week! This one was on the edge of the Last WoodAMP.

Chalk Grassland Indicator Species

Chalk grassland is an important habitat

Altogether I counted ten plants from the list, marked L, on my walk.

Read more about Chalk Grasslands from the Wildlife Trusts.

Related posts: This year was great for OrchidsAMP

Chalk grassland surveys Part 2 AMP

Chalk grassland surveys Part 3AMP

Fourth and final day counting flowers at Gayles FarmAMP

Seaford Head Nature ReserveAMP in August and again later in the monthAMP