The Flora of Castlewarden

Latin: Arum maculatum Irish:  Cluas chaoin   This native species can be seen growing in the boundary hedge beside the 8th tee box.  Because of its location these plants sometimes show signs of herbicide damage. This species comes from a family of perennial herbs (Araceae) that produces numerous small flowers in a compact poker-like structure (the spadix) that is associated with, and often partly enclosed by, a large leafy bract (the spathe) that resembles a monk’s cowl. The flowers are pollinated by insects attracted to the spadix by

Latin:  Arabidopsis thaliana Irish:  Tailís   This diminutive plant with it’s very small white flowers is found in waste areas and at the edges of paths around the course.       It is a most unremarkable plant to look at but it has an immensely important worldwide role in scientific research.  The advancement of knowledge in plant genetics and the development of ultra-modern and controversial genetic modification (GM) technology is largely derived from research on this humble plant.   A native annual, it grows to about

Latin:  Antirrhinum majus Irish:  Srubh lao   This is the same as one sees as an ornamental species in gardens.  It is not a native species and is, most likely, a garden escape from many years ago. It has two-lipped tubular flowers in a range of colours, white, yellow, pinkish, red.  It reproduces via self pollination and it sets seeds freely. It is slightly frost-tender. It is widely held that some established populations naturalised on old walls and that naturalised plants often have reddish flowers.  

Latin:  Veronica hederifolia  Irish:   Lus cré eidhneach   A short hairy annual with straggling stems 10-40cm long most often found in cultivated and waste ground.  Although a native plant, it is a relatively rare species in Ireland; infrequent in the eastern half and rather rare in the west.  The leaves are small, have quite prominent hairs and are ivy-like in outline with 5 lobes and a short stalk. Small (4-5mm across), solitary flowers appear during late April or May in the axils of the upper leaves.  They are

Latin:  Veronica chamaedrys Irish:  Anuallach   This is a native perennial that has straggling stems (up to 50cm long).  A distinguishing feature of this attractive little plant is the two lines of hairs on opposite sides of the stems. Flowers that are bright blue with a white “eye” are 10-12mm across and appear from April onwards in loose racemes.  They have 4 slightly unequal petals that are united at the base.  The leaves grow in opposite pairs, are 10-25mm long, oval, downy and coarsely toothed. It is a

Latin:  Trifolium repens Irish:  Seamair bán This is also a native species that has a long history of use in agriculture and is the most widely used forage legume in contemporary Ireland.  As a legume it can fix nitrogen from the air and, being grown so widely, it is a plant that substitutes for a large tonnage of artificial fertiliser and, thereby, represents an enormous annual benefit toIreland’s economy and environment. In addition to these material contributions it can be argued that clover has also contributed to

Latin:  Trifolium pratense Irish:  Seamair dearg Red Clover is a native species that has long been cultivated as a forage crop by Irish farmers although it is now less widely cultivated than White Clover (Trifolium repens). It is more suited for hay making than for grazing and, unlike White Clover, its stems and leaves are covered by fine hairs that make it less palatable to grazing animals. It also has an important ecological function.  Bumblebees are endangered because the old, species-rich meadows of the past have all

Latin:  Stellaria graminea Irish:  Tursarraing bheag   This is a hairless, native perennial that is regularly found in grassland, hedges and marshes. It has a straggling growth habit with weak stems that are more-or-less square in cross section.  The hairless leaves (15-25mm long) grow in opposite pairs, have an elongated spear-like shape and are attached directly to the stem. It produces numerous small white flowers during June-August.  The flowers measure 10-15mm across and they have 5 petals that are divided almost to the base – so

Latin:  Stellaria media Irish:  Fliodh Chickweed is one of the most abundant weeds of cultivated ground and waste places.  The Stellaria genus comes from a large family (Caryophyllaceae) that includes cultivated ornamentals such as Pinks, Carnations and Baby’s Breath (Gypsophylia). It has a straggling growth habit with slender stems up to 40cm long.  The leaves are small and oval and the small white flowers, which can be produced at any time of the year, have 5 petals that are lobed almost to the base.  The

Latin:  Sonchus asper Irish:  Bleachtán colgach   This a native species that is frequent in waste places and roadsides.  It is an annual that grows about 80 cm high and although it looks very like other thistles it has shiny, soft leaves that are far less prickly than they appear.  Starting in June it produces many yellow flower heads (the flowers of many of the other thistle species are purple). The name “Sow Thistle” has come from a folk belief that it was very good for lactating