Myosurus minimus L.
First record: Ray, 1660
Martyn,1727,58.
Cambridgesh. Relhan, 1796, Hb. Rev. J Dalton, YRK:11; HJW Cat.
'also probably extirpated.' Myosurus minimus 1835 7. Bab.ann.315.
Seems to have been more frequently found formerly. Bab.ann.3.
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Gamlingay, JS Henslow, 18.5.1837, CGE; Gamlingay 1837 ! H. Bab.1860,3; Bab.MS.Fl.1.8; In a fallow field nr Gamlingay, ES Marshall, 3.5.1911, CGE; Gamlingay, CE Moss, 3.8.1911, CGE; Gamlingay, seed, n.c., 8.2.1915, CUBG 15/15; Gamlingay, 17.5.1931, Mills ann.
Arable field by Gamlingay Wood, CD Pigott, 7.5.1949, CGE, and SM Walters, 10.5.1949, CGE.
Abundant in a field of Broad Beans beside the Waresley Rd north of Gamlingay Wood, n.c., 5.1949, CGE; Many plants in a Vicia Faba field, & a few in wheat between Gamlingay Wood and the Gamlingay-Waresley Road. 8.5.1949. Donald Pigott saw it first. The two fields are separated by a track to the wood which apparently follows the county boundary. If so, the plants in the bean field are in Cambs, those in the wheat field in Hunts. DE Coombe, Card Index; Myosurus Gamlingay with Duncan[Poore] & Donald [Pigott], 8.5.1949, DE Coombe, Notebook, No 9; Gamlingay, MCF Proctor, 1951; In field a few yds from B 1040, on right of track to Gamlingay Wood, PH Oswald, 14.5.1952; [Fields] By track to Gamlingay Wood, 248.538, PD Sell, 50/62, 18.5.1952, Vc. 29 & 31, CGE.
White Wood, 21-51-, DE Coombe, CD Pigott & D Poore, 8.5.1949, [R].
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[Myosurus] Great Eversden, in the road, nearest to Cambridge April 29 1761. Th.M.ann.Meth.58; Eversden. In the road as you come out of the town towards Cambridge. Martyn,1763,Herbat.XI; Eversden Fisher ann.Berkenhout,89; Myosurus minimus Mouse-tail. Borders of Corn Fields. Eversden. Relhan,1785;1802;1820; Eversden, just out of the village towards Cambridge; J Martyn. Bab.1860,3; Eversden, as you come out of the town towards Cambridge. JM. Bab.MS.Fl.1.8.
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One plant, new garden, Bar Hill, SA Quarrie, 1977; door to door search revealed presence in 6 gardens out of c. 120 checked, (former arable); Dr M Howe, 33 Acorn Avenue, carefully weeds around her Myosurus and had 31 plants this year. the plants continue through the intervening hedge into her neighbour's adjacent border, 32 Acorn Ave; 1 plant in Mrs Barratt's garden, 30 Acorn Ave; Dr Quarrie again had 1 plant in his flower tub, 65 Foxhollow and found one in a similar tub at 53 Foxhollow; Mrs Croxon, 20 Foxhollow, recognized it after she had pulled it up, soon after I had called. Except for the last, all records from group of houses at end of Acorn Avenue and Foxhollow where ground naturally lies very wet in winter, indeed just short of flooding in Dr Howe's garden. DR Donald, 5.1978; Bar Hill, MJ Howe, 15.6.2000, [R].
Ten-Row Field, parish of Swavesey, Hill Farm, Lolworth, [37-65-], WEH Fiddian, 6.1956, CGE.
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To Charles Cardale Babington Esq. Sir, Thank you with yet a note to say that the Myosurus has formerly been common here for years, as I find it covers acres of cornfields. Probably a tract of land called in former times "Muslick Fen": And I have always understood to be so named from its growing little else besides a plant called "Mouseleek", took it from this Myosurus.I am, Sir, your obliged & faithful servant, Alfred Fryer. In litt. 2.5.1876, pasted into back of Bab.ann; Muslick Fen, abundant 1876, Alf. Fryer ! Bab.ann.3; Chatteris: Muslick Fen nr Chatteris, abund., A Fryer, 1.6.1876, CGE; Chatteris, A Fryer. Bennett,1899,243; From Chatteris, through Mr Lynch, Cowell Hb., 13.5.1892, IPS; Near Chatteris, A Shrubbs, 29.5.1894, CGE; A.Fryer, (J.Bot.1899), AF cat.
Common at Langwood on Sandy Highlands, AF.ann.
Bare places about Trees on grass land, Woods End, AF.ann; Wood Fen, AF.ann.
My garden at Wood Street, AF.ann.
Tithe Fen, AF.ann.
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Hinxton, old railway, Shrubbs, Evans,1939.
Stump Cross to Ford of Cam, Ickleton, A Shrubbs, 5.1910, CGE; Towards Stump Cross, Shrubbs ann; Grass Road, Stump Cross, AS Shrubbs, 5.1914, CGE.
Ickleton, nr Cemetery, 1912, Shrubbs ann; near Ickleton, Mr Shrubbs, 1912. Evans,1913,230.
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Bot. Garden, Hb. ES Cowell, 13.5.1894, IPS.
Stourbridge Fair Green. Relhan,1785;1802;1820; Relhan. Bab.1860,3; Bab.MS.Fl.1.8.
Found on the University Farm by someone now forgotton, c.1928.
University Rifle Range, (Marshall Ward), Evans,1939.
Barton; Mr Vernon. Bab.ann.3.
Hazenfield, in the Road leading to Cambridge, near the Village, plentifully. Relhan,1802; Hasenfield, in the Road leading to Cambridge, near the Village, plentifully.Relhan,1820; Haslingfield, in the road to Cambridge in the village, plentifully; Relh. Bab.MS.Fl.1.8; Haslingfield, at the outskirts of the village on the road to Cambridge, plentifully; Relhan. Bab.1860,3; Went to Haslingfield to look for Relhan's locality for Myosurus minimus, but did not find it. 26.5[4].1834 Bab.Mem.20.
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Market gardens on local area of greensand, Cottenham, 436.658, 437.662, 442.662; hundreds of plants on bare ground, in and between rows of paeonies, SE of road between Cottenham and Westwick, 436.658, JL Sharman, 4.1991, [26.4.1991,with G Crompton]. The extent of this population was subsequently mapped by E Norman, 6.5.1991, who found >700 plants in flower and fruit on the tracks and bare ground in and between blocks of arable and rows of various crops of flowers, 435.662-438.659. This site must be very near Ray's locality 'in the corn by the high-way side leading from Hogington [Oakington] to Huntington road plentifully.' Ray, 1660, Flora Cantab.102. (Nat.in Cambs,1992).
2 small patches in and near the new fallow have gone. The whole area drier than in 1991, and Myosurus having to compete with Poa annua, 437.662, and abundant and vigorous in a newly cultivated area (strawberries), 442.662, sketch plan of distribution, E Norman, 7.5.1992.
(1991 site), among Pyrethrum & Peonies near stream side of field, i.e. N and strean completely dry; only 4 plants, drier than last year and paths slightly harrowed with Poa annua dom. Spergula arvensis less common than in 1992, E Norman, 5.5.1993.
('New field') 438.662, at and opposite Monksilver Nursery, still abundant on N side, i.e. stream side, both beside path and among Peonies although well cultivated, Poa annua invading, Arabis thaliana common, over 300 plants in c. 75 m. E Norman, 5.5.1993.
Orchard tracks, Cottenham, 440.662 & 437.662, O Peacock, 7.5.1992, [R].
Cockfield Lane, Landbeach. Okes ann.129.
Myosurus Mouse-tail. In the corn by the high-way side leading from Hoginton to Huntington rode plentifully. Ray,1660,102(86); Myosuros Mousetail. In the corn-fields by the high-way, leading from Hoginton to Huntington-rode, and in many other places. Ray,1670:218; Hogington JM.ann; Myosurus HogintonTh.M.ann.Meth.-Index Loc.10; Hogington. By the side of the way leading from the town to the Huntingdon road, very plentifully, in April. Mr Ray. Martyn,1763,Herbat.III; Hoginton Fisher ann.Berkenhout,89; Oakington, in a Lane leading from the Village to the Huntingdon Road. Relhan,1785;1802;1820; By the highway from Oakington to the Huntingdon road; Ray. Bab.1860,3; By highway from Oakington to the Hunts. road; Ray. Bab.MS.Fl.1.8.
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Abundant in gateways, Ouse Washes, (RSPB), 49-88-, CJ Cadbury, 5.1972. Gateway, Ouse Washes, Downham, 4977.8798, Cliff Carson from record by James Cadbury, 6.7.1992.
Field grazed by pigs, Manea, 471.889, David Allen, 1979; Abundant in cattle pens adjacent to Cradge bank opposite Welches Dam, Manea, 475.853, CJ Cadbury, 5.1992.
Thousands of plants in flower, in the wet ruts of a track along the base of the Cradge bank, between Ouse Washes & 100ft Drain, Mepal, 442.816 & 453.824, CJ Cadbury, 1.5.1988; Several hundred plants beside willow belt, 440.820, CJ Cadbury, 1988; Mepal Cradge bank, thousands from 3rd telegraph pole to opposite Fortrey Hall, but none under gates, 440.810-443.816, JCA Rathmell, 3.5.1998.
Cradge Bank, 440.813, M Gurney, 19.5.1999, [R]; Flowering, rutted ground in gateway, NW side of Mepal Bridge, 439.813, NF Stewart, 20.5.1989; Along ruts along top of bank, for 150x, Mepal, 441.814, RSPB, 1979; Rather small numbers, Mepal Washes, 439.813, GMS Easy, 10.5.1991; Many hundreds, Mepal Washes, 440.814-448.819, GMS Easy, 10.5.1991; Rather small numbers, Mepal Washes, 449.821, GMS Easy, 10.5.1991.
Cradge bank, Mepal, wet places on track at foot of Cradge bank, hundreds, 439.813, tens, 447.819 & 445.817, CJ Cadbury, 26.5.1993; Mepal Cradge bank, under all gates by track, 440.810-443.816, JCA Rathmell, 12.5.1996.
Scattered, Oxlode Washes, 468.841, 472.845, 477.854, GMS Easy, 10.5.1991; Small numbers, Oxlode Washes, 481.859, GMS Easy, 8.5.1991; scattered, Oxlode Washes, 486.866, GMS Easy, 8.5.1991.
Silt spoil bank, Purls Bridge, c. 478.869, Leslie Street, 1979.
Abundant over 25 x 20m in a gateway on the Washes opposite Purl's Bridge, 483.864, C Carson, Washes Report, 1992.
-Ouse Washes area: for distribution methods in Washes see Nat in Cambs 21:16.
Washes nr Pymore, CJ Cadbury, 1972; CJ Cadbury comm. Cliff Carson, 6.7.1992; Thousands of plants in 5 gateways onto the Ouse Washes from the Cradge Bank, SW of Pymoor Viaduct, c. 495.878, CJ Cadbury, Nat. in Cambs 15:33-35; In considerable quantity over 10 sq. yds or more in cow-trodden area, co-dominant with Matricaria matricarioides (Less)Porter, just inside a gate into 6 Wash SW of railway, 497.879, [? CJ Cadbury], 5.1972, CGE; Few, S. Pymore Washes, 489.870, GMS Easy, 8.5.1991; vast numbers, S. Pymore Washes, 490.870-495.879, 497.880-498.888, GMS Easy, 8.5.1991.
Many thousands, Witcham Gravel Washes, 450.822-459.829, GMS Easy, 10.5.1991; Small numbers, Witcham Gravel Washes, 459.830, GMS Easy, 10.5.1991; Scattered, Witcham Gravel Washes, 460.830-467.839, GMS Easy, 10.5.1991.
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c. 25 plants, field gateway, Chettisham, 542.833, ME Smith, 17.5.1980; field gateway, Chettisham U3A Exc., 1991.
Ely, WM., Bab.ann.3.
Large groups, Pymore Bridge Washes, 500.885, 503.889, GMS Easy, 8.5.1991; Vast numbers, Pymore Bridge Washes, 505.894 etc., GMS Easy, 8.5.1991; Scattered, N. Pymore Bridge Washes, 511.898, 513.900, GMS Easy, 8.5.1991.
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Scattered, Littleport Toll Washes, 520.910, GMS Easy, 11.5.1991.
Scattered, N. Pymore Bridge Washes, 511.898, 513.900, GMS Easy, 8.5.1991.
Vast numbers, S. Welney Washes, 527.920 etc., GMS Easy, 11.5.1991; Scattered, S. Welney Washes, 530.924, GMS Easy, 11.5.1991.
