Phleum phleoides (L.) Karsten (Phalaris phleoides Phleum boehmeri ) Conservation status: LR First record: Lyons, 1760 The specimen in the Banks' Herbarium, Natural History Museum, London, is labelled by Banks on the back of the sheet: 'Cambridgeshire on the banks of the Devils ditch between the turnpike & stitchworth Lyons.' First found in Britain by Israel Lyons, author of the Flora Fasciculus Plantarum circa Cantabrigiam nascentium, Quae post Rajum observatae suere. London.1763. First British Record, (Lyons d. 1775), A Bennett, TNNNS 8:237. [Not in Lyons' 1763 flora] 'but it appears from the Banksian Herbarium that the late Mr Lyons had previously (before Crowe & Woodward on Swaffham Heath in 1780) gathered it in Cambridgeshire though the two gentlemen above mentioned have the merit of determining it.....The Rev. Hemsted gathered this Specimen on Chippenham Park Wall, Cambridgeshire, flowering in July.' Sowerby, Eng. Bot. t.459, (March 1790) see also Smith in Fl Brit. (1800),1:63, A Bennett, TNNNS 8:238. The date of c.1780 in the Flora of Cambridgeshire, 1964 is obviously a printer's slip, since Lyons died in 1775. It is more likely to have been about 1760 [?], when Banks came to Cambridge to meet Lyons, and collected the Senecio integrifolia. The specimen figured in Sowerby's English Botany was collected by Rev. Hemsted 'flowering in July' – 'from Chippenham Park wall, Cambridgeshire' and is in Sowerby's Herbarium; there is also a specimen from 'Hildersham Cambridgeshire Rev. Dr Jermyn' in BM. This locality was discovered by Relhan, and is the only site where it occurs still in tolerable plenty. G Crompton. 'Mr Relhan gave me ye spec for Phalaris phleoides I think r e c t o i d e [?] English Botany 1077. BM. n.l., Jas McNab ex Hb SH Bickham, 30.4.1831, 'Probably a Cambridgeshire specimen (if a wild one) as at this date (1831) it was known only thence & Norfolk & McNab would not be likely to get a Norf. sp.' AS S[hrubbs], 28.2.1911. det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. 45 GOGS Near Cambridge, ex Hb Hanbury, 7.1839, BM. Gogmagog Hill,? Relhan, Cambridge, 1849. BM. Gogmagog Hills near Hinton. Hb FA Hort, 7 July –, in Hb FJ Hanbury, (Not Phleum phl – det. G Crompton), BM. W end of Babraham Park, [495.514, with Hypoc mac,] AW Graveson, 6.1914, conf. CE Moss, HTN. 54 BARTLOW HILLS NEAR LINTON – SEE ALSO BARRINGTON HILL Bartlow Hills, Essex, Hb Ed Foster, 9.7.1846, BM. [specimens of P. phleoides & P. nodosum are also on same sheet, G Crompton.]. Near Saffron Walden, n.c., ex Hb CE Salmon, 12.8.1846, BM. ) ? all Near Saffron Walden, J.Backhouse, 1846, BM. ) Bartlow Near Saffron Walden, n.c., 12.6.1848, LTR. ) Hills Bartlow Hills, GS Gibson, 6.1850, NWH. Bartlow Hills, Cambridgeshire, GS Gibson, n.d., BM. Bartlow Hills, GS Gibson, 6.1850, NWH. Bartlow Hills, J[osh]Clarke, 1850, det G Crompton, SWN. Bartlow Hills, n.c., 1850, det G Crompton, SWN. Bartlow Hills, n.c., n.d., det G Crompton, SWN. Bartlow Hills near Saffron Walden, GS Gibson, 6.1851, BM. Bartlow Hills abundantly, where probably it was first found by the late Prof. Henslow. This is the only locality in Essex. Gibson,1862. Bartlow Hill, Essex, n.c., 7.1864, the only locality in the County. det G Crompton, SWN. 'I could not find it on the Bartlow Hills in Essex, but these have been partly returfed by the owner and access to them denied to the public.' A Bennett, TNNNS 8:236. ––––––––––––––––––––––– BARRINGTON HILL NEAR LINTON SEE ALSO HILDERSHAM FURZE HILLS Phalaris phleoides Cat's–tail Canary–grass. On Newmarket Heath. Relhan,1785; for On Newmarket Heath, read Barrington Hill, near Hildersham. Appx, Relhan, 1793. Barrington Hill Cambridgeshire, Relhan, n.d., Hb Rev J Dalton, conf. G Crompton, YRK:1420; HJW Cat. –date 1790. Barrington Hill, near Hildersham, in great abundance. Relhan,1802. Cambridgeshire, W. Middleton, 1810, Hb S Hailstone, [Printed label] YRK.1420. HJW Cat. – Hb Middleton. Barrington Hill, near Hildersham, in great abundance. Relhan,1820,26. Barrington Hill H. ...Bab.ann.Relhan,26. Rediscovered by me at Hildersham.......visiting the locality with Dr Henslow, J Ball, [? = Barrington Hill] 5.1838, K. [Barrington Hill, near Linton, JS Henslow, 6.1838, not Phleum phleoides, det. G Crompton, BM.] Barrington Hill, JS Henslow, n. d. BATHG. Barrington Hill, near Linton, JS Henslow, Hb JS Salmon, 23:5. 1838, det. G Crompton, NWH. Barrington Hill, near Linton, CA Stevens, 1838, BM. Barrington Hill, near Hildersham, June 22 1838. not quite in flower. Henslow ann. l:26. Linton, JS Henslow, 23.6.1838 (or 1839), BM. Linton, JS Henslow, 23.6.1838, BM. Linton, G Luxford, Prof Henslow, n.d., det G Crompton, SWN. Cambridgeshire, Rev WW Newbould, 6.1838, BM. Barrington Hill, n.c., 6.1838, ex Hb Churchill Babington, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. Barrington Hill, Mr Watson, Bot.Soc.Lond. n.d. SH Cat. Linton, n.c., ex Hb Bot.Soc.Edinb. 7.1839,. BM. Linton, Dr Power, Hb Ed Foster, n.d. BM. Linton, Jos. Woods, n.d. BM. [Linton was Enclosed in 1840]. Barrington Hill, near Linton, H[enslow], but now lost there. Bab.1860,267. (Barrington Hill) This is now ploughed up and the plant extinct. A Bennett, TNNNS 8:235–8. HILDERSHAM FURZE HILLS – SEE ALSO BARRINGTON HILL ...near Hildersham Hildersham Furze Hills. Bab.ann.Relhan,26. Furze hills Hildersham. 1835,Coleman(a),71; Hildersham. Coleman(b). Hildersham Furze Hills. WH Coleman, [? c.1835], New Bot Guide,(1837)601, in A Bennett, TNNNS 8:237. Hildersham, Camb. Hb Miss L Waddington, 6.1838, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. Hildersham, Rev. Dr Jermyn, n.d. [c.1838?] Hb. Sowerby, BM. Hildersham, Mr Power, 2.7.1838, det G Crompton, SWN. Hildersham, JA Power, 10.7.1838, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. Phleum boehmeri Hildersham, Hb JA Power, 10.7.1838, [15 sheets; some at least are var blepharodes, det. G Crompton] RTE. Hildersham, JA Power, n.d., BM. Sandy ground near Hildersham. Very Rare. n.c., n.d., det G Crompton, SWN. Near Hildersham. n.c., n.d., det G Crompton, SWN. Hildersham near Saffron Walden, GS Gibson, 1846, Bot.Soc.Lond. SH Cat. Hildersham near Walden, Hb GS Gibson, 6.1846, BM. Hildersham Saffron Walden, GS Gibson, 6.1846, BM. Hildersham, open banks, 6.1846, GS Gibson, HTN. Phleum Boehmeri... near Hildersham, is a rich little spot, scarcely a hundred yards in extent, on which grow... Phleum boehmeri. Gibson,1848,309. Townsend being here, I went with Newbould and him in a fly to Little Abington. Walked to the Hildersham Furze Hills, finding on the first, Phleum Boehmeri,... 4.7.1855 Bab.Mem.178. [? = western hill] Hildersham, n.c. [?CCB], 4.7.1855, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. ...I gathered Phleum boehmeri... last week. 11.7.1855. In litt. to Balfour: Bab.Mem.328. Furze–hills and by the road–side near to them, Hildersham. Bab.1860,267. Furze Hills Hildersham, W West Jnr, 15.6.1895, BM. Still on the Hildersham Furze Hills, but no longer by the roadside near them. West,1898,258. Hildersham, FR Tennant, 7.1901, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. Furz Hill, Hildersham, A.W. ann.Wallis.. Hildersham, A Hosking, 30.6.1904, BM. Hildersham, n.c. [?A Hosking], 30.6.1904, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. Hildersham hill, in plenty, 1904, A Hosking ann.Bab. FHildersham, chalky heaths, A Hosking, 7.1904 & 9.1904, BM. K. Hb JEL, RNG; det. forma blepharodes and forma phleoides PJO Trist 1985, CGE. Hildersham Furze Hills, A Bennett, 12.6.1905, BM. NWH; J & A Bennett, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. ['Phleum paniculatum Lin. This differs from the Phalaris phleoides above mentioned. by having a Spike quite smooth, and the Glumes of the Calyx short as in Ph. nodosum, but the Spike divided into Lobes if bent. .....The Phalaris phleoides above has a slender Stalk, of a reddish Color, this not so.' Lightfoot, ann. Ray Syn,398, OXF.] 'It is still in quantity at Hildersham Cambs. where I gathered it in June 12th 1905. Some of the specimens had the spike lobed, and if the spike is drawn through the fingers the reverse way, this is at once shown and will separate it from P. pratense at a glance.' A.Bennett, TNNNS 8:235–8. 'In tolerable plenty on one of them (near Linton) and very sparingly on the roadside near them.' J & A Bennett, 12.6.1905. But the roadside is being 'pared' and I fear it is doomed.' A Bennett, TNNNS 8:237. Still occurs pretty plentifully at the Furze Hills, Hildersham. Evans,1911,245. Hildersham. ND Simpson, 1913. Furze Hills, Hildersham, AJ Crosfield, 12.7.1917, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. Furze Hills Hildersham, CE Salmon, 18.9.1923, BM. Furze Hills, Hildersham, AJ Crosfield, 5.6.1924, BM. Furze Hills, Hildersham, AJ Crosfield, 5.6.1924, 'passed as casual by W.O.Howarth', Hb JELousley, RNG. Furze Hills, Hildersham, AJ Crosfield, 5.6.1924, det. PJO Trist 1985, CGE. Furze Hill, Hildersham. n.d. Mills ann. [?c.1926]. Furze–hills, Hildersham, TG Tutin, 1930, Hb Tutin LTR. The Furze Hills, Hildersham, JE Lousley, 2.8.1932, BM. K. The Furze Hills, Hildersham, JE Lousley, 2.8.1932, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. Furze–hills, Hildersham, TG Tutin, 1938. Furze Hills, coming into flower, AS Watt, 19.6.1941, Breckland Notebook VII, CUL. Furze Hills, Hildersham, 1947. Hb DEC.– DE Coombe, Card Index. Furze Hills, FH Perring & SM Walters, 1953, Proc.BSBI (1959)3:231. Furze Hills, FH Perring & SM Walters, 14.4.1957, Proc.BSBI (1959)3:231. Furze Hills Hildersham, RW David, 14.6.1960, LTR. Furze Hills, CNT exc., 7.7.1962, [R]. 1ST FURZE HILL i.e. WESTERN HILL 553.487 On the first Hildersham Furze Hill, (from Lt Abington) 4.7.1855, Bab.Mem.178. S facing bank of 1st Furze Hill, Hildersham, 553.487, SM Walters, 2.7.1953, det. PJO Trist 1985, CGE. 1st Furze Hill, Hildersham, 553.487, SM Walters, & FH Perring, 2.7.1953 & 5.8.1953, Cambient site cards, seen 11.1976. 1ST AND 2ND FURZE HILLS ... present on 1st and 2nd Hills also. SM Walters, 10.7.1956, CGE. 2ND FURZE HILL i.e. CENTRAL HILL 555.485 45+ flowers on central hill, PJO Trist, 9.7.1979 ! The main site is on a steep slope, facing SE to S. There are bare patches from filled–in rabbit burrows. Much of the vegetation is burnt up. Occasional evidence of grazing; abundant rabbit droppings in adjacent belt of cut barley.c.200 + fl. spikes in approx. 125 sq.m. G Crompton, Pop. map. 10.8.1979; and with J Heap, as before, 22.6.1981. Site Map 'Furze Hills – Management Needs May 1985' shows area of Phleum between an area of 'rich grassland' and scrub. Anon. [J Heap]. S slope of chalk/sand hill, 555.486, PJO Trist, 4.6.1985, [R]. SE facing grass baulk with active rabbit community, PJO Trist, 6.7.1987, PVT. [R]. Central hill, 300+ fl. stems, PJO Trist 24.6.1988, PJOT in litt. 26.7.1988. Middle Hill, A Arbon & D Buttle, 1992, [R]. S end of middle Hill, 555.485, C Turner, 15.5.1993, [R]. 2ND AND 3RD FURZE HILLS abundant, AO Chater & SM Walters, 10.7.1956, Cambient site cards, seen 11.1976. 3RD FURZE HILL i.e. EASTERN HILL 555.485 Abundant on Hildersham Furze Hill nearest to Linton ! JE Lousley, ref. BEC Rep.1932, 1 & 2.8.1932, RNG. Furze Hills, 'in fair quantity with Dianthus deltoides' Cyril West & H Gilbert Carter, 1939 or 1940, C West in litt. 6.2.1978. Abundant on third Furze Hill, 55–48–, (absence of rabbits reveals it!) – present on 1st and 2nd Hills also. SM Walters, 10.7.1956, CGE.. Third Furze Hill, 557.484, [?555.485] Sell 61/297, 27.6.1961, det. forma blepharodes PJO Trist 1985, CGE. According to JC Faulkner, Phleum phleoides used to occur just east of the top of the 2nd hummock; this area is now scrubbed up. G Crompton, & JC Faulkner, CPs. 18.5.1976. Eastern hill, near Pulsatilla, CP showing heavy erosion from rabbit grazing. No plants found. Vegetation burnt up by drought; a little Helia cha lvs seen. G Crompton, 2.8.1976. c. 30 fl. spikes on SW facing slope, with one patch below the 1st hummock in a very open area with Helia cha abundant. The second patch extends from the first hummock to the top of the 2nd hummock; there is less Helia cha, and at the top it is assoc. with Pulsatilla. G Crompton, 10.8.1979; and 'flowering, possibly more abundantly and with Genista tinctoria (nearby) more frequent. G.Crompton and J Heap, Pop map, and CPs, 22.6.1981. (East) Furze Hill, 554.487, small open area of chalk grassland assoc. with Helia cha, Thymu pul, Diant del, Phleum ber, PJO Trist, 2.7.1982, forma phleoides & f. blepharodes, CGE. Loose sand and stones, eroded by rabbits, S tip of East Hill, 555.484, PJO Trist, 2.7.1981, [R]. 56 Phleum boehmeri Bottisham, S Hailstone, 1839,YRK:1420; conf. G Crompton. HJW Cat. date 1830. Hedgebank beyond Bottisham on the road to Newmarket. S.H. 1839. SH Cat. Hedgebank beyond Bottisham on the Newmarket Rd. Hb Hailstone, 1839, York! A Bennett, TNNNS 8:235–8. Hedgebank beyond Bottisham, on the road to Newmarket, 1839, Herb. Hailstone! Bennett,1899,246. 66 DEVIL'S DITCH NEAR NEWMARKET 'Cambridgeshire on the banks of the Devils ditch between the turnpike & stitchworth Lyons.' [c.1760] Hb Banks, BM. '...which Lyons discovered on the Banks of the Devil's Ditch between the Turnpike & Stichworth Mr Banks' specimen' Lightfoot, ann.Ray Syn.398, OXF. ... it appears from the Banksian Herbarium that the late Mr. Lyons had previously gathered it in Cambridgeshire,... Smith,Eng.Bot. (1798) 7: 459. Phleum phalaroides. 'on Newmarket Heath' Relhan, Fl. Cambs,1785,23 (Phalaris phleoides). 'First discovered in Great Britain by Mr Woodward and Mr Crowe near Swaffham, Norfolk, in 1780.' With. Bot. Arr. ed.2,66 (1787). WA Clarke, (1900) First Records, ed.2. Newmarket Heath. Mr Robson, n.d., Hb Bot.Soc.Edinb. A Bennett, TNNNS 8:235–8. Phalaris [added] phleoides D(evils) D(itch). Fisher ann. Berkenhout,14. Devil's Ditch, Rev. J Fisher, Christ's College, Cambridge, [c.1770–1785], A Bennett, TNNNS 8:235–8; Bab.1860,267. [Phalaris phleoides Cat's–tail Canary–grass. On Newmarket Heath. Relhan,1785.] for On Newmarket Heath, read Barrington Hill, near Hildersham. Appx, Relhan, 1793. ['On the northern part of the Warren Hill,' 40–col.] [On Newmarket Heath, Relhan. Ed.1.1785,23. In his 3rd Ed.(1820) he does not mention this locality.' A Bennett, TNNNS 8:236. see Barrington Hill above. ] Newmarket H. 1835,Coleman(a),71. Newmarket Heath/Devils Ditch, WLPG, 7.1840, det PJO Trist 1995, SWN. Newmarket Heath, Relhan. Bab.1860,267. CHIPPENHAM Phalaris phleoides Phalaris phleoides...I have now sent you some specimens of it ... from Chippenham Park Wall, Newmarket, 5.7.1797, Hemsted in litt. Sowerby 26:160. 'flowering in July' – 'from Chippenham Park wall, Cambridgeshire' Rev. Hemsted, Hb Sowerby, 6.7.1797, BM. 'from Chippenham Park wall, Cambridgeshire' Rev J. Hemsted, 6.7.1797, Hb Sowerby who sent the specimen figured in English Botany t.459 (March 1 1798), BM and A. Bennett, TNNNS 8:236. The Rev. Mr. Hemsted gathered this specimen on Chippenham Park wall, Cambridgeshire, flowering in July. Smith,Eng.Bot. (1798) 7:459. Chippenham Park Wall. Hb Sowerby, n.d., (vide original drawing, Eng. Bot. t.459), BM. Phalaris phleoides On Chippenham Park Wall. Rev. J. Hemsted. Bot.Guide,1805,44. Phleum arenarium [error for P. boehmeri] Chippenham Park Wall. B.G. NBG.154. ...Chippenham Park wall; Rev. J. Hemsted, who supplied the specimen figured in Eng. Bot. tab.459. Bab.1860,267. Chippenham Fm/Fen, ann.Wallis. –––––––– 'Isleham Plantation' Chippenham. [unconfirmed]. In grassland on N. side of Isleham Plantation, FH Perring and H Bowen ,c.1950s. Specimen from Isleham Plantation, PD Sell, 1961, CGE This is not Phleum phleoides, det. G Crompton. Searched all around Isleham Plantation edges with JC Faulkner and did not find it. 8.10.1975. G Crompton. [Toft Hb J Boswell–Syme 4.8.1856, (not Phleum phl det G Crompton). BM.]
