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New site for Sibthorpia europaea (Cornish Moneywort) discovered in Kerry
Sibthorpia europaea (Cornish Moneywort) was recorded on the 1 July 2010 during a survey of N86 Tralee to An Daingean Road Improvement Scheme (KY-09-4743) Corridor by Patrick Crushell and myself.
The plant occurred in a damp mixed deciduous woodland area, located in a steep sided gorge containing a fast flowing natural watercourse. The plant was recorded growing on an old stonewall beneath a large, planted Tilia tree. The woodland ravine area is located south of a sharp hairpin bend in the N86 road. An abandoned railway line divides the woodland into two sections. Sibthorpia was located in the woodland section to the south of the old railway bridge.
Access to the northern section of woodland was not possible during the June 2010 survey due to access difficulties created by the shear nature of the ground and the old railway bridge, and time constraints.
Site Location 17: Mixed Broadleaved Woodland (WD1)
Area of Sycamore, Ash and Alder woodland in steep sided ravine, with stream running through the centre. Abandoned railway bridge cuts through this area, with hedgerow species occurring on the surface of the old hardcore railway surface.
There is a very rich bryophyte flora present in the ravine, on rocks and tree trunks. To the south of the railway track, the deciduous woodland has a herb layer dominated principally by grass species.
An old wall (comprising old red sandstone) occurs at the southern edge of the woodland, on which Cornish Moneywort (Sibthorpia europaea) was recorded. The wall at this location is shaded by a large Lime tree (Tilia spp.). The plant was recorded along a 10 m section of the wall, where a shallow soil layer had accumulated, on both the northern and southern side of the wall. Pellia spp. and other pleurocarpus mosses occurred on the wall, along with Oxalis acetosella, Chrysosplenium oppositifolium, Digitalis purpurea, Umbilicus rupestris, Ranunculus repens and Dryopteris spp.
This species is listed on the Red Plant list for Ireland, and is listed as being “Vulnerable”.
Hectad map of Sibthorpia europaea (Cornish Moneywort) distribution in Great Britain and Ireland (source: BSBI)
