52.) ERICACEAE to GARRYACEAE

ERICACEAE - Heather family

ARBUTUS L.

Arbutus unedo L. (Strawberry-tree) - Woodland Very Rare A very rare introduction which is naturalised on the steep rocky slopes of the Avon Gorge and Blaise Castle; occurring elsewhere as a planted tree. This species was formerly considered to be native to Ireland but is now considered to be an ancient introduction, arriving with Iberian copper miners from northern Spain around 4000 years ago.

RHODODENDRON L.

Rhododendron ponticum L. ssp. baeticum (Boiss. & Reut.) Hand.-Mazz. (Rhododendron) / Woodland Uncommon An invasive species of woodland on acidic soils. Not nearly as problematic as it is in other parts of the country.

PIERIS D. Don

Pieris japonica (Thunb.) D. Don (Heath) 'Katsura' General Very Rare Recorded at Tyntesfield Estate in 2011 by A. Blackwell.

[Should this be removed?]

CALLUNA Salisb.

Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull (Heather) / Grassland Scarce Very localised in heaths, acidic grassland and on leached limestone over the Mendips. Very plentiful in some places such as Trooper's Hill but has been lost from other localities due to mismanagement.

[Did the translocated colony from Siston Common survive?]

ERICA L.

Erica tetralix L. (Cross-leaved Heath) Grassland Very Rare Recorded in New Forest, near Portbury Lane, Lower Failand in 1941 by A.J. Willis; Nailsea Station Road area in 1984 by E.S. Smith; Broad Knoll, Winscombe in 1987 by M. Williams; Lockleaze in 2012 by S. Parker [iRecord. What appears to be the same record also made by N. Ramsden and A. Gilliver]; and Sturminster Road, Stockwood, south Bristol in 2014 by L. Quinlan.

[Are records since 1941 reliable?]

Erica cinerea L. (Bell Heather) / Grassland Rare A rare heather of heaths, dry acidic grassland and limestone heath.
Erica vagans L. (Cornish Heath) 1912 Grassland Extinct "Has been planted in several spots on the Court Hill, Clevedon, with Cotoneaster, Hypericum hircinum, etc. The bushes are now of good size and do not appear to dislike the home provided for them, for they flower freely and have spread a little." (White, 1912).

VACCINIUM L.

Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. (Cowberry) 1837 Woodland Extinct Is said to have once occurred at "Leigh Woods; Bot. Guide (1805). Leigh Woods near Bristol, and in that neighbourhood; J.C. Collins, MSS. New Bot. G. Suppl. (1837). Above Weston; Rutter's Hist. (1829)." (White, 1912). The records are very dubious.
Vaccinium myrtillus L. (Bilberry) /- Woodland Rare A rare and localised plant of acidic woodlands and heaths.

[1977 07/07/1977 ST455588 Dolebury Warren (DW), grassland and scrub Mendip Ecological Survey recorder - - 4180 1982 27/04/1982 ST455589 Dolebury Warren (DW) Bristol Museum - - 2912 1985 19/08/1985 ST4459 Hill View Dolebury Camp, etc. Keylock - John G 870 1985 25/05/1985 ST5474 Leigh Woods, Abbots Leigh Higgins J Rupert 45 1985 Summer 1985 ST453589 Dolebury Warren (DW), grassland Higgins - Rupert 45 1986 June Sept 1986 ST4559 Dolebury Warren (north) Keylock - John G 870 1988 1988 ST453592 Dolebury Warren North-east Higgins, Mr R., Lawrence, Ms D. 1995 21/07/1995 ST5574 Rifle Range Kitchen, Mr M.&.Mrs. 1999 15/06/1999 ST456590 Dolebury Warren Martin P John 249 2000 mid-May 2000 ST452591 Dolebury Warren AWT Reserve, Limestone Heath on north side of hill H3 Avon Wildlife Trust - - 8 2000 June 2000 ST455588 Dolebury Warren Lister J.A. 2662 2000 Summer 2000 ST452591 Dolebury Warren (H3 Limestone Heath) Higgins Mr. R. Rupert 45 2007 02/07/2007 ST635717 Avon Valley Woodlands local nature reserve, Hencliff Wood, amongst Luzula Hudson - Nick 2677 2007 29/05/2007 ST63537174 Hencliff Wood, place may refer to name of 1km ref. Kitchen or Kitchen and others - Mark and or Clare 9922 2009 31/10/2009 ST55077497 Leigh Woods and Towpath, comments may have more precise location details. Location is as given to BRERC as part of large dataset Somerset Rare Plants Group - - 3687 2010 25/04/2010 ST550749 Leigh Woods and Towpath, comments may have more precise location details. Location is as given to BRERC as part of large dataset Somerset Rare Plants Group - - 3687 2011 20/06/2011 ST4520459155 Dolebury Warren (DW) Smith - Justin 715 2012 22/09/2012 ST6277 within parish or ward of Lockleaze Parker, Stephanie, iRecord - - 9477 2012 16/09/2012 ST5876 within parish or ward of Henleaze Ramsden, Nicola, iRecord - - 9477 2012 30/07/2012 ST6176 within parish or ward of Lockleaze Gilliver, Anne, iRecord - - 9477 2018 30/05/2018 ST6371 Hencliff Wood, Hanham Abbots Higgins J Rupert 45 2019 31/05/2019 ST5165 Felton Common North West, Winford Higgins]

PYROLA L.

Pyrola minor L. (Common Wintergreen) Woodland Extinct Discovered under Beech in Swangrove Wood, near Hawkesbury Upton in 1986 by D. Lawrence and was seen for the last time in 1993 by P.G. Rooney. Historically it occurred at "Leigh Woods; in one of the side glades to the left of the big oak; G.B. Thompson. Wood between Abbotsleigh and the Tan-pits under Failand; discovered by Mr. R. Baker in 1883. In June, 1885, Mr. Baker conducted me to the place and showed me the plant. It grew over a larger area than the discoverer had suspected, and as the underwood had been recently cut it could readily be traced quite 100 yards. In succeeding years the quantity diminished as the wood again thickened until none could be seen. It is only after the ground has been cleared by coppicing that the Pyrola is likely to be observed." (White, 1912). Also recorded at Badminton by W.A. Harford (Riddelsdell, 1948).

1986 31/07/1986 ST798864 Hawkesbury, Swangrove Lawrence, Ms D. 1986 1986 ST797864 Hawkesbury, Swangrove Hedley Mr. S. M. Stuart 20 1989 27/05/1989 ST79358635 Swangrove Wood, North, comments may contain more location details, place may refer to name of 1km ref. Kitchen or Kitchen and others - Mark and or Clare 9922 1992 JUN 1992 ST794863 Hawkesbury, Swangrove Higgins, Mr R. 1992 October 1992 ST798864 Swangrove Wood, north Rooney G Peter 42 1993 10/07/1993 ST796864 Hawkesbury, Swangrove Rooney G Peter 42

HYPOPITYS Crantz

Hypopitys monotropa Crantz (Yellow Bird's-nest) - Woodland Very Rare Found in ancient woodland, usually under Beech.

1st is 1979 1979 ST794660 Brown's Folly (BF) Randall D Rob 55. 2015 is latest record from there.

2007 15/07/2007 ST496679 Cheston Combe Wood, Backwell, N.Somerset Charnock Barbara 1833

2008 2008 ST498678 Jubilee Stone wood, Backwell Chambers Mr. Ian 3775 also 2010

2004 10/08/2004 ST7381 Kingrove Common, north, Kingrove Lane Bonner - IR 9381

17/07/1999 ST797634 Warleigh Wood, comments may have more precise location details. Location is as given to BRERC as part of large dataset Green Mr P Ian 840

ssp. monotropa (Monotropa hypopitys L. ssp. hypopitys) Woodland Extinct With inside of flowers hairy. Recorded at Backwell, Nailsea in 1988 by P. Rooney and at Prior Park in 1991 by A.M. Ainsworth and R.D. Randall.
ssp. monotropa x ssp. hypophegea - [BSBI record] Woodland
ssp. hypophegea (Wallr.) Tzvelev - [BSBI records] Woodland With inside of flowers not hairy. Recorded at Cheston Combe, Backwell in 1986 by P. Rooney.

THEACEAE Mirb.

CAMELLIA L.

Camellia japonica L. (Japanese Camellia) - place Theaceae before Garryaceae General Recorded at Black Horse Wood in 2024 during a BNS meeting and found on Nortons Wood Lane near Clevedon in 2025 by D. Hawkins.

GARRYACEAE - Spotted-laurel family

GARRYA Douglas ex Lindl.

Garrya elliptica Douglas ex Lindl. (Silk-tassel) General Very Rare A single male plant grows by the Clifton observatory.

1998 26/04/1998 ST565732 Clifton, Brisol Green, Mr I., Maxwell, Mrs D., Millman, Mrs P. 2000 2000 ST5972 Bristol, Lawrence Hill Bland Mr. R.L. Richard 00796 2000 2000 ST5873 Bristol, Cabot Bland Mr. R.L. Richard 00796 2000 2000 ST6270 Bristol, Brislington East Bland Mr. R.L. Richard 00796

AUCUBA Thunb.

Aucuba japonica Thunb. (Spotted-laurel) / Woodland Very Rare Found birdsown in wooded areas often besides streams.

1st 2 records are 1975 pre 1975 ST559730 below North Road, Leigh Woods, Avon Gorge National Nature Reserve Russell R.V. - 412 1975 pre 1975 ST563727 Burwalls Wood, Leigh Woods, Avon Gorge National Nature Reserve Russell R.V. - 412

List:

Arbutus unedo L. (Strawberry-tree) - Woodland
Rhododendron ponticum L. (ssp. baeticum (Boiss. & Reut.) Hand.-Mazz. - Stace) (Rhododendron) / Woodland
Pieris japonica (Thunb.) D. Don (Heath) 'Katsura' General
Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull (Heather) / Grassland
Erica tetralix L. (Cross-leaved Heath) Grassland
Erica cinerea L. (Bell Heather) / Grassland
Erica vagans L. (Cornish Heath) 1912 Grassland
Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. (Cowberry) 1837 Woodland
Vaccinium myrtillus L. (Bilberry) /- Woodland
Pyrola minor L. (Common Wintergreen) Woodland
Hypopitys monotropa Crantz ssp. monotropa (Stace, NBN) Monotropa hypopitys L. ssp. hypopitys (old name) (Yellow Bird's-nest) - Woodland
Hypopitys monotropa ssp. monotropa x ssp. hypophegea - [BSBI record] Woodland
Hypopitys monotropa Crantz ssp. hypophegea (Wallr.) Tzvelev (Yellow Bird's-nest) - [BSBI records] Woodland
Camellia japonica L. (Japanese Camellia) - found on Nortons Wood Lane near Clevedon in 2025 by D. Hawkins. - place Theaceae before Garryaceae General
Garrya elliptica Douglas ex Lindl. (Silk-tassel) General
Aucuba japonica Thunb. (Spotted-laurel) / Woodland

Species to add:

Erica tetralix L. (Cross-leaved Heath) /
Pieris japonica (Thunb.) D. Don (Heath) 'Katsura' /
Hypopitys monotropa ssp. monotropa x ssp. hypophegea - [BSBI record] /
Hypopitys monotropa Crantz ssp. hypophegea (Wallr.) Tzvelev (Yellow Bird's-nest) - [BSBI records] /
Camellia japonica L. (Japanese Camellia) - found on Nortons Wood Lane near Clevedon in 2025 by D. Hawkins. - place Theaceae before Garryaceae /
Garrya elliptica Douglas ex Lindl. (Silk-tassel) /