2 {242

YEARBOOK
of the

HEATHER SOCIETY

1996

ISSN 0440-5757

THE HEATHER SOCIETY

Registered charity No 261407

Affiliated societies
Nederlandse Heidervereniging ‘Ericultura’
Gesellschaft der Heidefreunde
North American Heather Society

President
Mr David McClintock TD, FLS, VMH.

Vice-Presidents

Mr T. A. Julian

Mrs D. Metheny
Major-General P. G. Turpin CB, OBE.

COUNCIL 1995-1996

Chairman
Mr D. J. Small
Honorary Secretary
Mrs P. B. Lee
Honorary Treasurer
Mr A. Hall
Mr R. J. Cleevely Mr A. R. Collins
Mrs D. Everett Mr A. W. Jones
Mrs D. H. Jones JP. Mr P. L. Joyner
Mr D. J. T. Mayne Dr E. C. Nelson (co-opted)
Dr R. Nichols Mr D. B. Oliver
Mr D. H. E. Rope Miss J. Sharpe

Mr A. J. Stow

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Yearbook.

of
The Heather Society

1996

Editor
Dr E. Charles Nelson

Assistant Editor
R. J. Cleevely

ISSN 0440-5757

The Heather Society
c/o Denbeigh, All Saints Road, Creeting St Mary, IPSWICH, Suffolk, IP6 8PJ

© The authors & The Heather Society

The Heather Society and the editors take no responsibility for
the views expressed by authors in papers and notes published

in this Yearbook.

COVER PHOTOGRAPH

Erica kogelbergensis is a showy species, occurring on the
southern slopes of Kogelberg Peak only 80 km southeast of Cape
Town. |E.G.H. Oliver]

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 1-5.

Studies in the Ericaceae (Ericoideae), XX.
A rare new species of Erica from South Africa.

E. G. H. OLIVER & I. M. OLIVER
Compton Herbarium, National Botanical Institute, Private Bag X7,
CLAREMONT 7735, South Africa.

Erica kogelbergensis is a showy species, very restricted in its
distribution occurring only on the southern slopes of Kogelberg Peak
and the adjacent ridges and lesser peaks to the east and southwest,
only 80 km southeast of Cape Town. There it is confined to moist,
peaty areas that receive a considerable amount of moisture, not
only during the rainy winters but also from the frequent clouds that
are swept over the summit slopes by the southeast winds during
the dry summers. This mountain is situated within the area of highest
diversity of species for the Cape flora as a whole and for Erica. There
are about 175 species of Erica in this area (Oliver et al. 1983). Another
restricted endemic on this peak is the well known, yellow-flowered
E. pageana (see Yearbook of the Heather Society 1995) which,
however, flowers in October.

History

There has been some confusion with material of this species in
herbaria. Erica serratifolia was described and figured by Andrews in
1798 from material of unknown origin growing in London. Like many
of the cultivated specimens illustrated by him, this entity is difficult
to place in any of the currently accepted species known from wild
populations. In these cases I have to regard them as being of hybrid
origin raised in a garden. The unappendaged anthers, long lateral
flowering branchlets, smooth corolla and serrate leaves clearly do
not fit the wild populations of E. kogelbergensis. Bolus placed his
variety under Andrews’ name, but did remark that the latter was
known only from garden specimens. Andrews’ E. serratifolia
apparently flowered in spring whereas E. kogelbergensis is autumn-
flowering.

ees <= a a2

Fig. 1. Erica kogelbergensis: yellow form Fig. 2. Erica kogelbergensis: bicoloured form

The early. collections im herbaria (includins the types)mwenre
obtained from flower sellers in Cape Town with consequent lack of,
or incorrect, locality data. However, one from 1936 was said to have
come from the mountains between Steenbrass and Kogel Bay, which
is reasonably accurate.

Erica kogelbergensis is related to the group of tubular-flowered
species that have 4-nate leaves, hairy corollas and anthers with
very small appendages; E. perspicua Wendl., E. macowant Cufino,
E. leucotrachela H. A. Bak., E. colorans Andr. and E. bibax Salisb.
The first three have rather coarser and longer hairs on the corolla
and E. colorans is a lowland species from the Bredasdorp region
with white to pink flowers. E. bibax occurs on the middle northern
slopes of the Kogelberg complex and is probably the closest allied
species. However, it is a more delicate species producing long slender
branches with narrower, soft leaves and flowers which are pale
yellow, sometimes tinged orange, with white lobes. It grows alongside
streams.

There are two colour forms which appear to coexist in some
populations, the pure yellow form and the bicoloured orange and

32°S

60 80 100 km

Fig. 3. Distribution of Erica kogelbergensis in Western Cape [CT=Cape Town]

yellow form. It is not possible to ascertain which colour form the
type exhibited. These colours, coupled with the long tubular flowers,
suggest pollination by birds, perhaps the small orange-breasted
sunbirds which occur in the area (Rebelo et al. 1985).

Erica kogelbergensis E. G. H. Oliver stat. & nom. nov. (§ Evanthe)

Erica serratifolia Andrews var. subnuda H. Bolus, Transactions of the
Royal Society of South Africa 1 (1909): 158.

Shrub erect up to 1.5 m tall, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches
erect, internodes +2 mm long, puberulous with spreading hairs
becoming glabrous, no infrafoliar ridges. Leaves 4—6-nate, semi-erect,
0.6-0.8 x 0.1 mm, linear, adaxial surface flat, abaxial surface rounded
and narrow-sulcate, glabrous, the younger sparsely ciliolate; petiole
appressed, 0.1 mm long, sparsely and shortly ciliate. Inflorescence
with 1-4-nate flowers in 1 whorl at ends of 5 mm long lateral
branchlets forming a dense pseudospike about 40-100 mm long
towards ends of main branches; pedicel 0.2 mm long, pubescent;
pherophyll partially recaulescent in middle position, 0.2 mm long,
ovate-acute, glabrous, ciliolate, yellow-orange; bracteoles 2 just
above pherophyll, 0.18 mm long, otherwise same as pherophyll. Calyx
4-partite, appressed to corolla; segments 0.6 x 0.2 mm, ovate-acute,

Fig.4. Erica kogelbergensis. A, flowering branch, natural size; B, branch with some leaves removed,
x12; C, leaf, x12; D, flower, x6; E, sepal, x12; F, anther, side, front and back views, x12; G, ovary with
stigma above (right), x12; [del. Inge Oliver].

glabrous, edged with a few short hairs and sessile non-sticky glands,
apically narrow-sulcate, yellow-orange. Corolla 4-lobed, +15 mm long,
tubular, inflated below the mouth, finely puberulous, completely
yellow, or orange with yellow; lobes erect to spreading, subacute to
rounded, incurved when old, mostly glabrous. Stamens 8, free,
included; filaments 8 mm long, slightly curved at apex, linear,
glabrous, orange; anthers dorsifixed near base, appendiculate; thecae
1.5 mm long, oblong-obovate, aculeate at base and apex, brown;
appendages shortly decurrent along apex of filament; pore half the
length of theca; pollen shed in tetrads. Ovary 4—(5—6)-locular, 2.0 x
1.8 mm, broad-ellipsoid, 8-lobed, subemarginate, glabrous; ovules
+28 per locule, spreading to pendulous; placenta < the length of axis;
nectaries present around base; style 13 mm long, terete, glabrous;
stigma manifest, capitellate. Capsule with valves splitting to base and
spreading +30°, orange, septa free from columella; seeds ovoid, deeply
reticulate, pale orange-pink. (Cover photograph & Figs. 1-4)

Lectotypus: SOUTH AFRICA. Cape Colony, Caledon Division, mountains between Caledon
and Hermanus, May, [near Hermanuspetersfontein, bought fresh in Cape Town, 2
May 1908] N. S. Pillans 1334 BOL! (selected here); isolectotypi NBG!, PRE, SAM!.

Syntypus: SOUTH AFRICA. Cape Colony, Caledon Division, mountains between Caledon
and Hermanus, fl. Sept. [bought in Cape Town, Sept. 1906], N. S. Pillans 228 BOL!

Other specimens. SOUTH AFRICA. Western Cape. 3418: (-BB), Kogelberg, upper SW

slopes, 1250 m, 21 April 1970, Boucher 1240 (NBG); ibid., Esterhuysen sub Baker 2638

(NBG); ibid., S slopes, 762 m, 4 May 1989, Kirsten 1192 (NBG); ibid., le Maitre 403

(NBG); ibid., upper S slopes, 1150 m, 26 May 1989, Oliver 9137, bicoloured form, (BM,

K, MO, NBG, PRE) & 9137a, yellow form, (NBG, PRE); ibid., ridge S of Kogelberg, E

slopes, 9 May 1966, Powrie 3 (BOL); ibid., May 1939, Stokoe 7158 (BOL, K); Spinnekopsnes

Range, steep S slopes near summit, 670 m, 8 July 1970, Boucher 1330 (K, NBG);

Koedoeberg, just below summit, S side, 860 m, 15 February 1973, Boucher 2114 (NBG);

ibid., 13 September 1969, Vogelpoel sub Baker 2971 (BM, NBG +2).

REFERENCES

OLIVER, E. G. H., LINDER, H. P. & ROURKE, J. P. 1983. Geographical distribution of
present-day Cape taxa and their phytogeographical significance. Bothalia 14: 427-
440.

REBELO, A. G., SIEGFRIED, W. R. & OLIVER, E. G. H. 1985. Pollination syndromes of
Erica species in the south-western Cape. South African journal of botany 51: 270-

280.

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 6.

The position of Bruckenthalia versus Erica.

E. G. H. OLIVER
Compton Herbarium, National Botanical Institute, Private Bag X7,
CLAREMONT 7735, South Africa.

During a revision of the genera of the subfamily Ericoideae (the true
heaths and heathers) in Africa, I was obliged to look at the two
monotypic genera in Europe, Calluna and Bruckenthalia to assess
their positions. Calluna is clearly a distinct and enigmatic genus
that has numerous characters not shared by any other ericoids.
However, there was a problem with the second genus.

Bruckenthalia is currently separated from Erica species in Europe
by having no bracteoles on the pedicel and a partially fused calyx.
This holds true for European ericoids but not for the African species.
A close investigation reveals that the two bracteoles are not lacking,
but are fully recaulescent and actually the two lateral sepals. This
situation occurs in some 100 species in Africa, mainly the wind-
pollinated species which also have partially fused calyces.

The only unique character which Bruckenthalia possesses is its
chromosome complement of n=18 as opposed to n=12 in Erica and
allies and n=8 in Calluna. With only 30 or so of the 860 ericoids
having been counted so far, the chromosome complement is a rather
poor character to use to uphold the genus.

In a generic revision of the Ericoideae to be published later this
year, I will be reducing Bruckenthalia to synonymy under Erica, in
which genus it was originally described by Salisbury in 1802 before
Reichenbach erected Bruckenthalia for it in 1831. There is thus no
need for any new combination and the species should be referred to
as Er« 2 spiculifolia Salisb.

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 7-16.

Threatened Ericaceae in southern Africa.

C. HILTON-TAYLOR
Conservation Biology Research Unit, National Botanical Institute,
Private Bag X7, CLAREMONT 7735, South Africa.

Southern Africa, with more than 750 species of Ericaceae, is a major
centre of diversity for the family and certainly the global centre for
the subfamily Ericoideae (Oliver 1991). This diversity is not evenly
distributed over the entire sub-continent, but is instead concentrated
at the southern tip in the Cape Floral Region (Goldblatt 1978). More
than 620 species of Erica and perhaps 96 species in the other minor
genera are known to occur in the Cape Floral Region (Oliver 1991;
Schumann etal. 1992). The Ericaceae are important constituents of
both the fynbos and renosterveld vegetation types which are
characteristic of the region. Many species of Ericaceae are fairly
widespread within the Cape Floral Region, whereas others that are
more restricted are often locally dominant, but the majority of species
tend to be restricted habitat specialists and generally occur in small
numbers. It is hardly surprising, therefore, given the enormous land
transformations that have taken place since European settlers first
colonised the Cape, to find that a large number of species of Ericaceae
are threatened with extinction.

Hall et al. (1980) listed 92 taxa (species, subspecies and varieties)
of Ericaceae in the southern African Red data book, five of which
were considered to be extinct. Hall & Veldhuis (1985) listed 134
taxa of Ericaceae as threatened and an additional five as extinct in
the Fynbos Biome (an area roughly equivalent to the Cape Floral
Region). One of the extinct species (Erica bolusiae) listed in Hall et
al. (1980) had been rediscovered, but the number of extinctions
remained the same in Hall & Veldhuis (1985) because E. jasminiflora
had become extinct and was added to the list (see below).

Since the last Red data book was published, a number of new
species have been described and there have been many taxonomic
and nomenclatural changes as a result of the systematic work being
done by Ted Oliver, particularly on the minor genera (Oliver 1991).

Since 1985 there has also been considerable expansion of urban
areas, extensive coastal developments, the ploughing of new land
for agricultural crops and numerous other land transformations
which have resulted in many more species becoming threatened
with extinction. A new Red data book for the Fynbos Biome is long
overdue and as a precursor to such a work, all the available
information on threatened species in southern Africa (i.e. the area
south of the Kunene and Limpopo Rivers) has been placed in a
database developed at the National Botanical Institute, Kirstenbosch.
This database is updated on a regular basis as new information is
received. A summary of the information held in this database will be
published shortly (Hilton-Taylor in prep.). For this paper, I have
extracted the current information on the threatened Ericaceae from
the database and a summary of the results is presented in Table 1,
with a brief discussion of the major threats. The conservation status
of southern African Ericaceae is further illustrated by two case-
studies.

From Table 1 it is apparent that approximately 22% of southern
Africa’s Ericaceae species are under threat of extinction. Five of the
threatened taxa are already extinct; one of these, E. velitaris, is a
recent addition to the list, whereas E. jasminiflora was down-listed
following its rediscovery (see below). In addition four of the species
listed as indeterminate are also possibly extinct. Forty four taxa
(6% of all taxa) are in imminent danger of extinction as they are
listed under the endangered and vulnerable categories and this figure
would probably be considerably higher if all the taxa in the
indeterminate and insufficiently known categories were adequately
investigated. The large number of taxa in the rare category on the
other hand is not a true reflection of their threatened status. Many
of these rare taxa are highly restricted endemics occurring on
mountain tops, a habitat which is generally not threatened at
present. If these taxa were evaluated using the recently proposed
IUCN Red Data criteria and categories (IUCN 1994), they would
probably be placed into one of the low risk categories.

Comparing the data used for Table 1 with that contained in Hall
et al. (1980) and Hall & Veldhuis (1985) it appears that 19 taxa have
had their conservation status upgraded (i.e. they were placed in a
higher category of threat) whereas only six taxa were downgraded.
One of those downgraded, E. cerviciflora, is not now considered to

9

be threatened because it was sunk into synonymy under the common
E. grandiflora. Two species previously listed, E. dilatata and E.
praenitens, have been removed from the list as they are no longer
considered to be valid species (E. G. H. Oliver pers. comm.). Taking
into account the removals and additions to the list, this means that
30 taxa have been added to the list since the last Red data book by
Hall & Veldhuis (1985).

lim_smimportant to mote that Table 1 does not imply that the
remaining 78% of Ericaceae species are all not threatened. The
conservation status of many of these species, particularly those which
are poorly known, has not as yet been adequately evaluated. There
are also a number of new species which will have to be added to the
threatened list once they are formally described. Some of these are
fairly well known and they have therefore been included in the
attached list.

As many of the Ericaceae are local endemic species they easily
become threatened by extensive resource exploitation and major
disturbances to their habitats. The nature and extent of the threats
to the Ericaceae have not been fully documented. Table 2, which is
derived from information in the database, provides some indication
of the nature of the major threats and the number of species affected
by these threats. Many of the taxa are affected by more than one
threat and these may have a serious cumulative effect on biological
factors such as genetic decline (included here) which push species
to extinction.

The four threats with the greatest impact on the Ericaceae in
the Cape Floral Region are

(i) invasion of natural vegetation by alien plants, particularly
by species of Australian Acacia and Hakea and by the
cluster pine, Pinus pinaster, from southern Europe;

(ii) the replacement of natural vegetation by agricultural crops
especially cereals and fruits, pasture species and by
ruderals;

(iii) rapid urban expansion and building activities in areas of
high species diversity and endemism; and

(iv) the increase in the number of accidental and uncontrolled
fires has resulted in a fire frequency far greater than many
species can survive; many of these fires also occur at
incorrect times in terms of the species’ biological cycle.

10

Fig. 1. Erica jasminiflora Fig. 2. Erica verticillata

In the eastern montane grasslands of southern Africa, the few
Erica species present (six threatened taxa in KwaZulu-Natal, four
in the Eastern Transvaal and two in Swaziland) are largely
threatened by afforestation with commercial timber species.

Case studies

1. Erica jasminiflora Salisb.

As its name indicates this is an extremely attractive species with
flowers resembling those of jasmine. It was at one time probably
fairly common in the area around Caledon, although only two
populations have ever been recorded. Francis Masson was one of
the first to collect this species and plants were cultivated in England
as early as 1796 from seed which he had collected. The population
from which Masson collected the seed is now extinct as a result of
agricultural activities, particularly the cultivation of wheat. The
remaining population on Shaw’s Pass was monitored for a number
of years as it declined from 150 plants in 1977 to 50 in 1981, 15 in
1982, eleven in 1983, one in 1984 and the sole survivor was reported
as dead in early 1985 (Hall & Veldhuis 1985). The construction of a

lal

road destroyed part of the population and the use of fire to create
grazing for sheep in the adjacent farming areas resulted in the demise
of plants as the fire invariably spread into the population. The area
was fenced off to protect the species from grazing animals and
attempts were made to restore and extend the population by burning
and re-seeding the area in 1978, but these efforts were apparently
unsuccessful. The species was thought to be extinct until after the
area was accidentally burnt in the late 1980s and a number of
seedlings appeared many of which grew to maturity, flowered and
presumably set seed. There has been a subsequent fire and once
again it was feared that the species was extinct, but strong
regeneration has allayed those fears. The remaining population,
confined to an area of less than one hectare, is very small and
numbers probably less than 100 plants, but the species is very
difficult to find when not in flower.

The land on which the population occurs belongs to the Caledon
Divisional Council and for a number of years they leased the site to
Cape Nature Conservation. In 1992, Cape Nature Conservation
decided not to renew the lease of the land, and the area was then
leased to a local school teacher who intended developing part of the
site as an outdoor school camp. When these plans became known,
the South African Botanical Society and Caledon Wildflower Society
lobbied the Caledon Divisional Council, Cape Nature Conservation
and the Department of Agriculture about the conservation
importance of the site (an endangered species of Proteaceae,
Leucadendron cryptocephalum L. Guthrie, also occurs in the area).
It was recently resolved that Cape Nature Conservation will purchase
the land and manage it as a nature reserve.

Although the future of E. jasminiflora seems more secure, it may
well be too late to save this species from extinction. The population
is surrounded by farmland, frequently burnt vegetation and roads
and as a result may have become isolated from its pollinators and
could thus be regarded as non-viable. It has also been suggested
that the failure of a mycorrhizal associate may also be a factor in the
survival of this species (Hall & Veldhuis 1985). To add to its problems,
it is also very difficult to germinate seed of this species and even if
successful, it is difficult to maintain this species in cultivation and
the last plant in cultivation at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical
Garden died recently. Some seed of this species is preserved in seed
banks, but the continued existence of E. jasminiflora is uncertain.

WZ.

2. Erica verticillata P. J. Bergius

This is also a beautiful species that was once common on the damp
sandy flats south of Cape Town. This handsome plant was regularly
sold as a cut flower until 1948 after which samples dwindled rapidly
as its natural habitat was replaced by urban development and market
gardens. Today the area where E. verticillata once occurred is all
urban sprawl. Fortunately plants of this species have been
maintained in cultivation in a number of botanic gardens around
the world including Kew, Edinburgh, Berlin-Dahlem, St Petersburg
(Leningrad), Belvedere Palace in Vienna, Tresco in the Isles of Scilly
and Villa Taranto near Lake Maggiore in Italy. In South Africa, the
plant was thought to be totally extinct, until plants were discovered
growing in Protea Park (also known as Jan Cilliers Park), an
indigenous garden in Pretoria. Cuttings were made and taken to
Kirstenbosch where they were successfully propagated. Additional
cuttings were also obtained from Kew so as to increase the genetic
stock.

Erica verticillata is extremely easy to cultivate both from cuttings
and seed, and due to a successful propagation campaign at
Kirstenbosch, plants are now readily available to the public. A local
school whose school badge was designed after this species 40 years
ago, recently decided to plant specimens of E. verticillata back on
the school property, where it was formerly so abundant. A number
of plants have also been planted at the Rondevlei Nature Reserve in
very similar habitats to that in which they would originally have
occurred. Reports indicate that these reintroductions have been fairly
successful as they all survived their first dry summer and some of
the plants have already started flowering.

Conclusion

These case-studies illustrate that although extinct in the wild, a
species is not entirely lost provided enough material from different
genetic stock is maintained in cultivation. Also, if suitable sites can
be found, there is potential for reintroduction back into the wild
even though it may only be in a highly managed situation. However,
we cannot afford to be complacent and rely on the efforts of ex situ
conservation to save all the Ericaceae threatened with extinction.
Our botanical gardens have very limited resources and they cannot
grow the increasing number of species listed as threatened. Many

13

of these threatened species are also extremely difficult to maintain
in cultivation as is demonstrated by E. jasminiflora. In situ
conservation efforts are therefore vital if we are to preserve the
diversity of Ericaceae in southern Africa. These conservation efforts
must take into account the biology of the species concerned and
must also not be implemented too late as may well be the case for E.
jasminiflora.

Acknowledgements

I am extremely grateful to Ted Oliver for patiently answering numerous enquiries
about the Ericaceae and their conservation and taxonomic status. Much of the
information presented here is the result of many years of research by Ted Oliver. I also
wish to thank many other people who contributed information on the Ericaceae, but
as they are too numerous to mention here, I would refer readers to Hilton-Taylor (in
prep.) for a full list. Dave McDonald gave valuable comments on an earlier draft of this
manuscript. Deon Kotze who also provided additional information, must be thanked
in particular for the sterling work he does in maintaining the extremely valuable
collection of threatened Ericaceae at the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.

References

Davis, S. D., Droop, S. J. M., Gregerson, P., Henson, L., Leon, C. J., Lamlein Villa-
Lobos, J., Synge, H. & Zantovska, J. 1986. Plants in danger. What do we know?
IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.

Goldblatt, P. 1978. An analysis of the flora of southern Africa: its characteristics,
relationships and origins. Annals of the Missouri Botanic Garden 65: 369-436.

Hall, A. V., De Winter, M., De Winter, B. & Van Oosterhout, S. A. M. 1980. Threatened
plants of southern Africa. South African national scientific programmes report 45.
CSIR, Pretoria.

Hall, A. V. & Veldhuis, H. A. 1985. South African red data book: plants — fynbos and
karoo biomes. South African national scientific programmes report 117. CSIR,
Pretoria.

Hilton-Taylor, C. (ed.) in prep. Red data list of southern African threatened plants.
Strelitzia.

Oliver, E. G. H. 1991. The Ericoideae (Ericaceae) — a review. Contributions from the
Bolus Herbarium 13: 158-208.

Schumann, D., Kirsten, G. & Oliver, E. G. H. 1992. Ericas of South Africa. Fernwood
Press, Cape Town.

14

GENUS

ex | eV RT

Acrostemon 1 2
Coilostigma 1 | 1
Eremia 1 | I)
Eremiella 1 1
Erica S Py XO) DO ko 33 147
Grisebachia 1 10 Leh
Platycalyx 1 1
Scyphogyne 1 1
Syndesmanthus 1

Table 1. Numbers of threatened Ericaceae taxa recorded for each genus in southern
Africa according to conservation status categories defined in Davis et al. (1986).

EX = extinct, E= endangered, V=vulnerable, R=rare, I = indeterminate,

K = insufficiently known.

THREATS TAXA AFFECTED

| Invasive alien plants
Agriculture (ploughing)
Urban development
Uncontrolled fires
Afforestation with alien trees

Presumed genetic decline

Grazing and browsing

Trampling

Quarrying and roads

Commercial flower picking
Flooding of valley bottoms by dams

Table 2. Summary of threats affecting 90 of the threatened Ericaceae taxa in southern
Africa.

iS)

Appendix

List of threatened Ericaceae taxa in southern Africa, with their conservation status
(right column) indicated by the standard abbreviations used for the IUCN Red Data
categories (Davis et al. 1986). EX = extinct, E = endangered, V = Vulnerable, R = rare,
I = indeterminate and K = insufficiently known.

TAXON NAME
Acrostemon xeranthemifolius Erica chrysocodon Guthrie & Bolus E
(Salisb.) Oliv. I Erica clavisepala Guthrie & Bolus R
Acrostemon sp. nov. Erica comptonii Salter R
(“vernicosus” Oliver 8514) R Erica cremea Dulfer R
Coilostigma zeyherianum Klotzsch Erica crucistigmatica Dulfer E
var. tenuifolium (Klotzsch) Oliv. | Erica cryptanthera Guthrie & Bolus K
Eremia brevifolia Benth. R Erica cyrilliflora Salisb. Vv
Eremiella outeniquae Compton R Erica diotiflora Salisb. R
Erica abbottii Oliv. Vv Erica dysantha Benth. I
Erica abeli Oliv. V Erica eburnea Salter R
Erica abietina L. Erica erlophoros Guthrie & Bolus K
var. echiiflora (Andrews) Dulfer R Erica etheliae L.Bolus K
Erica aghillana Guthrie & Bolus Erica fairii Bolus E
var. aghillana V Erica ferrea P.J.Bergius V
Erica alexandri Guthrie & Bolus Erica fervida L.Bolus K
ssp. alexandri E Erica flanaganiti Bolus I
ssp. acockiu (Compton) Oliv. EX Erica fontana L.Bolus R
Erica alfrediti Guthrie & Bolus R Erica galgebergensis H.A.Baker R
Erica amoena J.C.Wendl. R Erica gallorum L.Bolus K
Erica aneimena Dulfer Vv Erica gossyptoides Oliv. I
Erica annectens Guthrie & Bolus R Erica gracilipes Guthrie & Bolus ]
Erica anomala Hilliard & B.L.Burtt R Erica granulatifolia H.A.Baker R
Erica aspalathoides Guthrie Erica greyi Guthrie & Bolus K
& Bolus K Erica heleogena Salter E
Erica atrovinosa Oliv. E Erica heliophila Guthrie & Bolus K
Erica bakeri Salter E Erica hendricksei H.A.Baker
Erica barrydalensis L.Bolus R var. hendricksei R
Erica bauera Andrews V Erica heterophylla Guthrie & Bolus K
Erica beatricis Compton R Erica hibbertia Andrews V
Erica berzelioides Guthrie & Bolus K Erica hillburttii (Oliv.) Oliv. R
Erica blancheana L.Bolus R Erica hippurus Compton R
Erica blesbergensis H.A.Baker R Erica holtii Schweick. R
Erica bolusiae Salter var. bolusiae E Erica humansdorpensis Compton K
Erica brachycentra Benth. I Erica inamoena Dulfer K
Erica brachysepala Guthrie & BolusV Erica inordinata H.A.Baker R
Erica caledonica A.Spreng. R Erica insignis Oliv. R
Erica capensis Salter R Erica insolitanthera H.A.Baker R
Erica capitata L. R Erica intricata H.A.Baker R
Erica casta Guthrie & Bolus Erica jasminiflora Salisb. E
var. casta V Erica junonia Bolus var. junonia E
Erica caterviflora Salisb. E Erica keeromsbergensis H.A.Baker R
Erica chlorosepala Benth. R Erica keetii L.Bolus K

16

Erica kraussiana Klotzsch
Erica lagentformis Salisb.
Erica latifolia Andrews

Erica lenmannt Klotzsch ex Benth.

Erica lerouxiae Bolus
Erica leucosiphon L.Bolus
Erica limosa L.Bolus
Erica lowryensis Bolus

var. lowryensis
Erica macilenta Guthrie & Bolus
Erica margaritacea Sol.
Erica marifolia Sol.
Erica mundu Guthrie & Bolus
Erica nana Salisb.
Erica nematophylla Guthrie

& Bolus
Erica obconica H.A.Baker
Erica oblongiflora Benth.
Erica occulta Oliv.
Erica octonaria L.Bolus
Erica oligantha Guthrie & Bolus
Erica oophylla Benth.
Erica ostiaria Compton
Erica oxyandra Guthrie & Bolus
Erica paludicola L.Bolus
Erica parvulisepala H.A.Baker

Erica passerinoides (Bolus) Oliv.

Erica patersonia Andrews
Erica pauciovulata H.A.Baker
Erica pearsoniana L.Bolus
Erica physantha Benth.
Erica pillansti Bolus
Erica pilulifera L.
Erica portert Compton
Erica propendens Andrews
Erica pulvinata Guthrie & Bolus
Erica purgatoriensis H.A.Baker
Erica pyramidalis Sol.
Erica pyrantha Bolus
Erica quadrisulcata L.Bolus
Erica regia Bartl.

var. variegata Bolus

Erica revoluta (Bolus) L.E.Davidson

Erica rhodopis Bolus

Erica riparia H.A.Baker
Erica rivularis L.E.Davidson
Erica rufescens Klotzsch
Erica sacctflora Salisb.
Erica shannonea Andrews
Erica sociorum L.Bolus

<A AAKAHA

AADAAADAA

es
<K<AKXKSAAK BK DADA HADKADAHAAAA

BHADWAH HOA <

Erica sonora Compton
Erica stylaris Spreng.
Erica subverticillarisGuthrie
& Bolus
Erica swaziensis Oliv.
Erica toringbergensis H.A.Baker
Erica trachysantha Bolus
Erica trichophora Benth.
Erica trichophylla Benth.
Erica turbiniflora Salisb.
var. turbiniflora
Erica turgida Salisb. E
Erica turrisbabylonica H.A.Baker
Erica umbonata Compton
Erica urna-viridis Bolus
Erica ustulescens Guthrie & Bolus
Erica uysttH.A.Baker
Erica valida H.A.Baker
Erica vallis-aranearum Oliv.
Erica velitaris Salisb.
Erica verticillata P.J.Bergius E
Erica vestiflua Salisb.
Erica vogelpoeliu H.A.Baker
Erica wyliei Bolus
Erica xanthina Guthrie & Bolus
Erica zebrensis Compton
Erica zitzikammensis Dulfer
Erica zwartbergensis Bolus
Erica spp. nov.
(““cabernetoides” Oliver 3187)
(“flexistyla” Oliver 10558)
(Burgers 2598)
(Burgers 352)
Grisebachia ciliaris (L.f.) Klotzsch
ssp. bolusu (N.E.Br.) Oliv.
ssp. involuta (Klotzsch) Oliv. I.
Grisebachia incana (Bartl.) Klotzsch I
Grisebachia minutiflora N.E.Br.
ssp. nodiflora (N.E.Br.) Oliv. I
Grisebachia niventi N.E.Br.
Grisebachia plumosa Klotzsch
ssp. eciliata Oliv.
ssp. hirta (Klotzsch) Oliv.
ssp. hispida (Klotzsch) Oliv.
ssp. irrorata (Klotzsch) Oliv.

&
DHOOM ARADAARADAHAKKXAAKS HARAKXH AKRAADKA AA

—

—=— =

Grisebachia rigida N.E.Br. V
Grisebachia secundiflora Oliv. I
Platycalyx pumila N.E.Br. V
Scyphogyne calcicola Oliv. I

Syndesmanthus schlechteri N.E.Br.V

LZ.

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 17-19.

Growing heathers in Western Massachusetts.

GEOFFREY B. CHARLESWORTH
24 Norfolk Road, SANDISFIELD, MA 01255-9745, U.S.A.

My main love is alpines — the kind one insensitive visitor dismissed
with a shrug: That little thing! So heathers have to be considered an
‘extra’. I share a five or six acre garden in the Berkshire hills of
western Massachusetts. The soil is acid sand and very rocky, being
residual detritus from a long vanished glacier. It sounds completely
appropriate for heathers and it is, except that the winters are hard.
This limits the number of species we can grow and even puts a
restriction on the many varieties of Calluna vulgaris and Erica carnea
which in general we can grow. Besides alpine screes and raised beds
there are perennial borders and woodland gardens but heathers
don’t really fit easily into any of these locations. So what does one
do with them?

One solution is that Wisley idea with heathers segregated into
beds laid out in drifts of contrasting colors. My feeling about this is
that it has been done many times — why repeat it? But Norman, who
is the other gardener, has tried his hand at massing groups of the
same variety to give a patchwork of harmonious colors. It always
looks very well but gradually through a series of disconnected events
the original intent of the bed is subverted:

1. A group of the same variety of Calluna succumbs to a really
bad winter (or a really bad April). This leaves a gap which it is
impossible to fill. Baby heathers look ridiculous promising to fill the
gap in five or six years. Full grown heathers would be hard to cram
into the rooty soil and would always look like intruders.

2. Crab grass (couch?) creeps in from the lawn (read meadow)
and infests one of the interior inaccessible plants. Result: it has to
be dug up in order to weed it properly.

If either 1 or 2 occurs one decides to redesign the bed into a
mostly-heather garden and plant a few lavenders or Perovskia
atriplicifolia.

18

3. Two or three dwarf conifers originally planted between the
heathers for contrast suddenly shoot upwards and outwards
overwhelming their neighbours with pushy branches and unwanted
shade. In this case it is probably better to let the closest plants
quietly die or do some discreet pruning to get rid of the distressed
side of the plant.

Anyway I’m not sure I really like the original formula enough to
grieve over the demise of what after all was somebody else’s idea. I
do like heathers though, so I plant them virtually anywhere: raised
beds, perennial borders, with bulbs and thymes, with large mats of
Phlox subulata or even with arabis, alyssum and arenaria. They look
particularly good as single plants. First they act as fillers, their solid
bushy mounds acting as background colour of greys and shiny greens
or bronzes and muted yellows. Then when they bloom they take
over from their short season neighbours. If everything blooms
together so much the better, colour clashes in a garden are as
invigorating as the clash of cymbals in the orchestra.

I like to ‘look at’ as many different plants as I can grow from seed
or find in catalogues. So when I buy heathers it is usually a dozen
or so different cultivars. It wouldn’t do to have all of them planted
close together in one bed. When you get a new small plant in a three
inch pot, you don’t know the flower and foliage colour or its ultimate
height and extent, nor do you know the form - its tightness or
openness. So every plant is planted in a different part of the garden.
They hardly ever look wrong although you may have to move one
occasionally if mutual jostling occurs too rapidly. It is a low-risk of
enjoying heathers in our climate because losing just one or two
individuals is no big deal.

I understand from Charles Nelson that many species are hardy
in Ireland, and I have seen for myself that many species survive the
equally ghastly climate of the US Northwest (just kidding). We have
frequent winter temperatures of —10°F and sometimes —20°F. This
can be with or without snow, but the garden has so many micro-
climates that we have never lost vast quantities of heathers. We
now restrict ourselves to the following species: Calluna vulgaris, Erica
carnea, E. tetralix and Bruckenthalia spiculifolia. We have tried a few
other species of Erica without success. I never shear my plants.
They always bloom well enough and some plants grow ever more
handsome over ten or more years. The ones that are straggly are

9

that way from childhood and I accept that as part of their nature.
When I need new plants (i.e. when I am forced to move a plant) I cut
into pieces and replant the best pieces after cutting back the longest
ends. I never take cuttings. Iam not proud of these admissions but
I would like to dispute the common wisdom that insists that these
two operations — yearly shearing and propagation by cuttings — are
essential. Not true.

Since we have so many heathers and the ‘lawn’ is such a
convenient and tempting seeding ground for their seed, we have
many self-sown heathers joining the thymes, violets, houstonias,
phlox and ajuga running wild. These get mown flat and walked on
frequently. It occurs to me that a heather lawn might be quite
interesting if it were made deliberately and with careful observation
of which cultivars would adapt to such violent treatment. I doubt
whether it would be as spectacular as a thyme lawn at its best, but
the inevitable bees detract from thyme’s charm. I suppose heathers
could bloom very close to the ground, but I have never seen this:
usually just an absolutely flat woody mat of neat leaves. I don’t
think you could achieve this result by shearing back a fully grown
plant and possibly seeding would be the only way. But when I think
about the rich beauty of Erica carnea ‘Vivellii’, the extravagant golds
of a Calluna whose label is lost, the comical lumpy form of C. vulgaris
‘Humpty Dumpty’ or the sensuous mound of C. vulgaris ‘Foxii Nana’,
the novelty of a flat heather lawn is not all that attractive except as
a curiosity.

20

[Photo: A.W. Jones]

Erica bocquetii

Low-growing, hoary shrub with close-packed leaves; leaves 2.0—2.8 min long, 0.6—0.9
mm broad; flowers pink (H§8) in cultivation to heliotrope (H11) in wild, on pedicels 8-12
mm long; stamens 10; ovary with 5 cells.

Erica bocqueti is only found in the mountains of southwestern
Anatolia, Turkey. It was discovered on 28 April 1968, while not in
bloom, by H. Pesmen, at Ciglikara. Pesman described the species
and named it Pentaptera bocquetii (Candollea 23 (1968): 271). Dr
Peter Stevens transferred it to Erica (E. bocquetii (Pesman) P. F.
Stevens), in Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean islands 6: 97 (1978).
A new population was found by R. M. Burton in 1994.

McClintock and Lupo Osti visited two populations of this rare
species in July 1989, and reported finding shrubs growing in crevices
on calcareous rocks in clearings within cedar forests, and always in
some shade. They gathered cuttings, which arrived in West Camel
on 3 August; of the 130 cuttings inserted, 84 rooted.

Erica bocquetu first bloomed at Otters’ Court, West Camel,
Somerset, in late April 1994. It appears to require very sharp drainage
but, even given that, it has not grown well here.

A. W. Jones

21

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 21-22.

Erica cinerea ‘Joseph Murphy’

GEOFFREY YATES
36 Priory Lane, GRANGE-OVER-SANDS, Cumbria, LA11 7BH.

Who was Joseph Murphy? Why was a bell heather named after him?
So many garden plants are named after individuals, and we are not
always made aware of the background of the naming. In some cases
the person concerned made an important contribution to heather
growing, and in a very modest and unsung way, this is the case with
Joseph Murphy.

Joe is an Irishman who, despite his 50 years in England, has
never lost his Irish accent or his allegiance to his native town of
Bray. He came to England to find work, which he did in the mining
industry in Nottinghamshire, and he worked in that industry until
it affected his health when he sought casual work as a jobbing
gardener. In the late 1960s he knocked at the door of a house in
Newstead Abbey Park, Nottinghamshire, seeking work and thereby
started a new life working with heathers which lasted until he retired.
Once Joe was ‘converted’ from his strong belief that the only way to
grow any plant was to use the same methods as the farmer in his
home town used to grow his turnips and potatoes, he became the
finest potting machine ever invented, potting-up at least 1000 plants
every day, in addition to 4000 cuttings per day in the season. When
the Javo potting-machine salesman telephoned twice a year on his
UK selling tours, he never could understand that Tabramhill Gardens
had the best potting machine you could ever wish for, and he had
never heard of the Joseph Murphy make. I never found out whether
the Javo man ‘clicked’, or understood the English sense of humour.
The fact was that Joe rarely, if ever, broke down; he never needed
servicing, and he ran on a ‘fuel’ of black tea, bread and butter, and
cigarettes.

Joe was the most loyal of men, with a ‘heart of gold’, who was
and will always be regarded with great affection by those who worked
with him. He convinced us that he really was interested in heathers
when in 1972 he returned from one of his rare holidays in his native

jeg

Pe an
Pas Me

Fig. 1 Joseph Murphy at work in Tabramhill Gardens, December 1977.

country with cuttings of two heathers which he had collected on
Bray Head, County Wicklow.

Calluna vulgaris ‘Bray Head’ is a compact ling with attractive,
coloured spring growth, as on ‘Spring Torch’ and many others. It
has always been a much under-rated cultivar, yet it is free-flowering,
has a compact habit and excellent spring foliage colour.

The bell heather (Erica cinerea) that Joe collected, and which we
named after him, is one of the plants that has a striking fluorescent
quality which makes its purple flowers stand out much more than
others of similar colour. ‘Joseph Murphy’ also has a compact habit.
It was amusing to see this listed as a ‘new’ plant in one of the major
mail-order catalogues about five years ago. The appearance of his
plant in such an eminent catalogue was a tribute to a man who
made a substantial contribution to heather production for more than
ten years.

23

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 23-30.

The flora and fauna of the North York Moors,
and the uses of heather and moorland by
mankind.’

S. M. REES
North York Moors National Park, The Old Vicarage, Bond Gate,
HELMSLEY, N. Yorkshire, YO6 SBP.

The North York Moors National Park consists of an isolated upland
area, Significant in that it is the most easterly upland area in Britain
and has the largest single block of heather-dominated moorland in
England and Wales. It has been a national park since 1952 and the
primary reason for its designation was the heather moorland. It must
be remembered that most (80%) of the land is in private ownership,
and the moors are used as private sporting estates where the wild
red grouse are the prime quarry.

Heath species in the North York Moors

The different heaths and heathers occupy different niches in the
moorland system, but these all occur naturally and have been
present to a greater or lesser extent since the last ice age ended
10,000 years ago.

Common heather or ling (Calluna vulgaris), found on shallow peat,
is the most extensive. Management by burning favours this species
as it regenerates well from seed or rootstocks after just the right
level of fire. Bell heather (Erica cinerea) and cross-leaved heath (E.
tetralix) are found at opposite extremes of the dry—wet spectrum.

These are not the only heath species which occur. Bilberry
(Vaccinium myrtillus) cloaks the slopes of the moorland plateau and
is also often found under birch and oak woodland as it can tolerate
more shade than heather.

Other members of the heath family are far scarcer — cranberry
(Vaccinium oxycoccus) is only found in a few wet flushes; cowberry
(V. vitis-idaea) trails over sloping ground; bearberry (Arctostaphylos
uva-ursi) is also rare and bog rosemary (Andromeda polifolia) survives

24

f 4 Sey

Fig. 1. View of Lockton High Heath

on one of the few remaining blanket bogs. A plant closely resembling
the heath family (Ericaceae), but not a member of it, is crowberry
(Empetrum nigrum; Empetraceae), often forming dense mats and
producing hard, black fruits.

Vegetation history

The plants described above owe their present distribution largely to
the activities of mankind, combined with climate change interacting
with soils and geology over thousands of years. Their distribution
and abundance has changed in that time, and the evidence for this
is found in pollen profiles preserved in peat layers that allow a glimpse
of conditions in the past. During the last ice age, more than 15,000
years ago, most of the area now occupied by the North York Moors
was not covered by glaciers, and the vegetation of the unglaciated
areas would have been similar to the tundra now found in the
northern countries like Alaska. As the climate warmed and the ice
retreated, trees and scrub began to invade and may well have covered
the whole area by about 7,500 BC. When humans reached this area
about 3,000 BC, the first forest clearances began — for hunting, for
firewood and eventually for grazing domestic stock. The moors would
probably have been open by the time the Romans came to the area
inthe first century AD:

D5)

Since medieval times the moors have been grazed by domestic
stock, preventing re-invasion of scrub and trees (although some
woodlands survive in places), and managed by the use of fire. Even
so, the moorland is still a semi-natural habitat and provides a haven
for many species.

Wildlife interest
For wildlife, the mosaic of heathers provides the following:

— food in the form of nectar, pollen, green shoots and even

woody material

— cover and safety from predators

— nesting and breeding areas

— shelter from bad weather — the plants reduce wind speed and

often provide conditions of higher humidity than grassland
or open ground

—a physical structure for perching on, hunting, or displaying

from.

The one species that is most strongly associated with heather is the
red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus). It eats, nests in and shelters
in heather and spends the whole year on the moorland. Virtually all
of the other birds that use the moorland ecosystem are migratory
and use other habitats during their life cycle. Birds like curlew,
golden plover and lapwing are present in summer and all use heather
stands of varying heights for nesting in. These species feed on insects
that live in the heather litter. The small falcon, the merlin (Falco
columbarius), also uses heather to nest in, and this bird preys on
small birds and even large insects found over moorland.

Many birds are easily seen, but other animals are more secretive,
using heather to hide themselves away. Adders (Vipera berus) are
mostly seen by people who are scared of snakes, but these shy
creatures would always try to get away from humans. (It should be
noted that adders, along with the birds, are legally protected.)
Another reptile that is sometimes seen is the common lizard (Lacerta
vivipara), but normally just as a flicker of a brown tail disappearing
through the heather stems.

The pygmy shrew (Sorex minutus) is quite strongly associated
with moorland. This miniature carnivore is the size of a 1p coin and
yet needs to eat about 100 maggot-sized insects a day to survive.

26

Fig. 2. Caterpillar of the northern eggar moth (Lasciocampa quercus ssp. callunae)

Insects form the most diverse part of the heather ecosystem, and
could far outweigh the other creatures. There are many attractive
species. Butterflies include the green hairstreak (Callophyrs rubi)
whose caterpillars feed on bilberry, the large heath (Coenoympha
tullia) which feeds on heather nectar (mainly cross-leaved heath
which flowers early and is found in the same wet places as the sedges
that are the caterpillar’s food plants), and the small pearl-bordered
fritillary (Boloria selene), again obtaining nectar from early flowering
heathers.

Moths on moorland can be large and colourful, and the caterpillars
of two species are dependent on heather — these are the striking
emperor moth (Saturnia pavonia), and the northern eggar moth
(Lasclocampa quercus ssp. callunae). Moorland dragonflies use the
heather in their territories as perches from which to catch prey,
whereas the green tiger beetle (Cicindela campestris) utilises the warm
sheltered areas between the heather plants to hunt for prey on the
ground. Some insects can reach plague proportions — for example
the heather beetle (Lochmaea suturalis) which can seriously debilitate
stands of heather.

The structure of the heather vegetation is vital to encourage
biodiversity — human use encourages this but even in ‘natural’
conditions heather creates its own structure as older plants fall open
and layer, creating open areas ready for colonisation by young plants.

Di,

The story of human use

Since humans first colonised the North York Moors they have used
the upland areas for hunting, grazing animals and even growing crops.
Evidence for this is shown by numerous settlements, field systems
and other features, sometimes no more than a bump or hollow in the
ground. The heather moors were probably in existence by the time
the Romans invaded Britain, but it was not until about 1200 AD that
systematic farming began. At this period the wealthy Cistercian
monasteries at Rievaulx, Byland and elsewhere, ran flocks of sheep
on the moors. It is probably from this time that burning became more
regular (although fire had been a management tool since early times).
At some point it was recognised that heather sprouts again after
burning, providing fresh, young, nutritious shoots for the hardy breeds
of sheep. Sheep eat Calluna vulgaris in preference to Erica tetralix and
this often leads to increased dominance of the latter.

Nearly 600 years later, this characteristic of heather was exploited
to boost the grouse population. This favoured game bird relies on
heather for its survival and management has been developed to cater
for its every need. Burning produces the open areas of short, young
heather for feeding; heather of medium height is suitable for nesting;
and the older, taller heath provides shelter. Increasing the diversity of
heather heights will encourage more grouse territories and more birds
Oe way eabbals

Of course the property of heather as a fuel has long been recognised
by the farming communities. Even in the 1960s old woody stems were
collected for fuel, and today the turves (heather root systems) are still
cut by a few people — what else can be used in a landscape largely
devoid of trees?

In summer the heather moors hum with the sound of bees — some
are wild, but most are from hives taken up onto the moor for heather
honey, providing humans with a taste of the heather itself long after
the flowering season is over. Besoms are another traditional use for
heather, using the long stems collected in bundles to form sweeping
brushes. Another use of long heather stems was for thatching,
sometimes even using plants with the roots still attached and turves
on the ridges. This type of thatching is rarely seen today but
documentary evidence suggests it was once common in this area. The
durability of heather stems also made them valuable for road and
track foundations; this use can be traced as far back as Roman times.

28

Many of these uses are thought of as traditional — others include
the use of heather as a herb or tisane, as a dye plant and for tanning.
Anyone who has been bilberry picking will appreciate how labour-
intensive some of these uses are. Also many of these uses involve
skills that are all but lost, and where mechanisation of such tasks
is difficult or impossible.

Increasingly, these traditional uses are being combined with
‘modern’ land-use practices that do not specifically use heather but
make use of the open landscapes typified by heather moors. These
include military training exercises or installations (past and present),
water catchment and storage, but also include uses that involve an
‘escape’ from the modern world — outdoor leisure activities like
walking, riding or even just appreciating the space and landscape of
the moor.

Scientific studies, examining the inter-relationships between
heather, soils, water and other plant or animal communities, are
leading to a better understanding of an environment that sometimes
is taken for granted. These scientific investigations are also
developing other uses of heather to solve some modern problems
Among these are the use of cut stems as a bio-filter for water and
air; as an alternative horticultural medium to peat; or, even a bio-
fuel. Unfortunately in too many cases these heather-dominated areas
have not been highly-valued — on a local scale there is so much
heather moor that other uses have been implemented, mainly
farming or forestry, and these are generally of low productivity.
Drainage of the peat moors also causes irreversible hydrological
change. Changes in intensity of use can lead to overgrazing and
erosion, while far distant industrial activities cause pollution and
acid deposition. In the North York Moors direct losses of moorland
to other land uses between 1952 and 1983 accounted for 25% of
the 1952 area. The impact of pollution, drainage and stocking levels
on the remainder is still not fully understood, but it is important
that the future of these habitats is secured because Britain holds
most of the global resource of heather-dominated plant communities.
These are not just closely interwoven with the history and culture
of people, but are also vital for the survival of many species of wildlife.
Recently these habitats have been officially identified as being
important on a European scale — time will tell if the North York
Moors achieve formal designation.

29

The National Park Authority's role
The National Park Authority’s role is to develop partnerships with
local farmers and landowners, raise awareness among visitors about
the importance of traditional land uses, and counter threats to the
habitat by developing and implementing strong policies for
conservation. Visitors to the North York Moors often do not realise
that most of the national park is privately owned. It is important to
recognise that the beauty of the wide sweeps of heather is a by-
product of centuries of management for farming and game. Scientific
study in this century has identified that the habitat supports a wide
diversity of plants and animals, even though at first sight it looks
somewhat monotonous. Some of this diversity can be attributed to
the rotational winter burning in small patches carried out by farmers
and keepers. The burning promotes fresh heather growth which is
highly nutritious. The resulting variation in structure and openness
leads to different microclimatic conditions and other, as yet
unknown, factors that suit different kinds of insects and other
invertebrates. Different birds also use open or sheltered areas for
breeding, depending on their preference. The mosaic or ‘patchwork’
of heather heights therefore provides a greater diversity of associated
species. If this management were stopped, it could have significant
consequences. One of these would be the gradual ageing of all the
heather. At present there is not enough scientific information to
predict what the changes would be if this occurred on a large scale.
Studies are needed urgently and in the North York Moors an area of
moorland near the famous ‘Golf Balls’ early warning station of
Fylingdales Moor (now demolished and replaced with a single
pyramid-shaped radar station) may provide this opportunity.
Unmanaged (i.e. no burning and no sheep) since at least the 1960s
the heather is still there in almost waist-high stands. Even though
adjacent to a forestry plantation, the scrub has not yet taken over.
Studies of the growth of these heather plants and how they are
surviving need to be carried out as soon as possible. It is known
that heather can persist as a result of natural layering of the stems
(i.e. rooting where they touch the most, peaty ground, resulting in
rejuvenation of the older plants).

Back on the rest of the Moors, sporting interests usually
dominate the management. Grouse cannot be reared in captivity,
unlike pheasants, and are a highly sought-after game bird. Grouse

30

is the species that most people associate with heather moors and
the North York Moors support a significant part of the English
population.

The future for the moorlands is by no means certain. Sheep
farming in the uplands is in a precarious position and there are
pressures on the shooting industry. The costs of employing
gamekeepers and shepherds to manage the moorland are
considerable. Dealing with problems arising from the increasing use
of four-wheel drive ‘convoys’ that churn up access tracks, or from
sheep rustling, or the gradual invasion of bracken adds to these
costs. There is a need to maintain healthy stocks of both sheep and
grouse, and to develop the economic viability of farms and moorland
shoots. If this is not done, the continued existence of the heather
communities may well depend on public support.

FURTHER READING

Emery, N., Warner, J., Pearson, A. Causeway House, Northumberland. |unpublished
report, available from A. Weir, Northumberland National Park).

North York Moors National Park. 1990. Moorland management programme 1985-1990.
North York Moors National Park Committee.

Spratt, D. A. 1993. Prehistoric and Roman archaeloogy of north-east Yorkshire. Council
for British Archaeology & North York Moors National Park Committee.

Sutton, S. L. & Beaumont, H. E. 1989. Butterflies and moths of Yorkshire: distribution
and conservation. Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union.

Sykes, N. 1993. Wild plants and their habitats in the North York Moors. North York
Moors National Park Committee.

Talbot, R & Whiteman, R. 1991. The Yorkshire moors and dales Weidenfeld & Nicolson,
London.

Usher, M. B. & Thompson, D. B. A. (editors) 1988. Ecological change in the uplands.
Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford.

1 This paper covers some of the points made at the Heather Society’s visit to the North
York Moors National Park in early September 1994.

31

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 31-35.

Some bees, wasps and other insects associated
with British heathlands.

M. EDWARDS
'Leaside', Carron Lane, MIDHURST, West Sussex, GU29 OLB.

Three species of heather are normally associated with British
heathlands, Calluna vulgaris, Erica cinerea and E. tetralix. Two other
species, E. ciliaris and E. vagans, are found in a few western localities.
Many important insect species of heathland are more dependant
upon the same soil characteristics which make an area suitable for
the growth of heathers than upon the heathers themselves; either
as a direct or indirect food resource. This article is concerned only
with species which are closely associated with heathers.

Ericaceous plants have a particular way of releasing their pollen
on to insect visitors. The anthers are formed as a tube, with the
pollen grains released to the inside of the tube, and the lower end
having pores through which the pollen grains can be shaken out. In
order for a visiting insect to obtain large supplies of pollen it must
be able to shake the anthers, rather like applying pepper to one’s
dinner. It may come as a surprise to some that honey bees (Apis
melifera), large numbers of which can sometimes be seen flying over
heathers, are merely acting as nectar robbers, taking very little
effective part in the transfer of pollen from flower to flower. This is
because honey bees are not able to vibrate the anthers, a process
which has become known as buzz-pollination (Neff & Simpson 1993).
The effective transfer of pollen between flowers depends upon the
presence of other bee species, some of which are very closely
associated with the heathers they pollinate, only flying during the
flowering period between the end of July and September and
obtaining the majority, if not all, of their pollen supplies from
heathers. Species with such close relationships with specific plant
species or genera are said to be oligolectic. It is possible that
oligolecty is maintained by the newly emerged bee smelling the traces
of the stored pollen upon which it fed as a larva.

o2

Two bees which are oligolectic on heathers and widespread in
the British Isles are Colletes succinctus and Andrena fuscipes. Both
species nest in the ground and are solitary, with a single female
digging and provisioning its own nest. The nest comprises ten to
twenty or so cells; exactly how many depending on the lifespan of
the individual bee and the foraging conditions prevalent. The females
are about three-quarters the size of the honey bee with conspicuous
bands of short hairs at the edges of the plates of the dark brown
abdomen and orangey-yellow hairs on the thorax. The pollen is
carried in special hairs on the hind legs and can be easily seen.
Males of both species are less distinctive, being smaller, slimmer
and less obviously banded on the abdomen. They may be found
flying rapidly just over the tops of the heather at the end of July and
beginning of August.

Bombus jonellus, sometimes called the heath bumblebee, is also
associated with heathers, though less closely. It has two nesting
cycles a year in the south of England, the first brood workers are
produced by overwintered queens which initiate nests during March.
These nests produce queens during June which mate and establish
nests straight away. The queens produced by these nests during
September then hibernate to initiate nests the following March.
Second brood workers show a strong preference for foraging on
heathers, as do too the single brooded individuals from further north;
but the first brood workers, being among the earliest bumblebees
present on southern heathlands, can have no chance of utilising
heather flowers.

These bees have others which depend upon them and, ultimately,
upon the heather flowers. Just as in birds, there are cuckoo species
which steal the bees’ nest provisions of nectar and pollen in order to
raise their own young. Bombus jonellus is probably parasitised by
the cuckoo bumblebee (Psithyrus sylvestris). The Psithyrus gains
entry to the nest, eventually killing the Bombus queen and laying
its eggs, which only produce males and females, in the cells which
are tended by the Bombus workers. No more Bombus workers are
produced and the colony eventually dies out as the Psithyrus males
and females fly away.

The two solitary species of bee have their own cuckoo species
which lay their eggs in the completely provisioned cells of their host.
The parasite larva eats the egg or young larva of the host and then

33

consumes the pollen and nectar in the cell. As the cuckoo species
steals the provisions laid down by the host species they are known
as thief-parasites or cleptoparasites. Both the cuckoo species are
conspicuously coloured insects; possibly an adaption to spending a
long time flying over areas of bare ground looking for host nests
where they are very open to predation by birds and it is worth
advertising their distatefulness. Nomada rufipes is cleptoparasitic
on Andrena fuscipes, it about one third the size of a honey bee and
is brightly banded with yellow, black and red-brown on the abdomen.
Epeolus cruciger is slightly larger, with black and silvery-yellow
banding and is cleptoparasitic on Colletes succinctus. Very little is
known about the effects of the parasites upon the breeding success
of the host species; some cleptoparasitic species can appear to be
almost as numerous as the host! A similar indirect dependence
upon heathers is shown by one of our largest wasps, the sphecid
Ammophila pubescens. This wasp has a conspicuous, long, thin, red
abdomen which ends in a black tear-drop like swelling, the overall
length being about 18mm.

Fig. 1. The caterpillar of the beauti- Fig. 2. Erica tetralix ‘Alba Mollis' showing
ful underwing moth (Anarta signs of insect damage. [Photo: Brian
myrtilli). [Photo: lan Menzies] Tysterman|]

34

This wasp can often be seen flying along sandy paths on good
quality heathlands in south-eastern England, sometimes it can be
found dragging a parasitised caterpillar towards its nest; a burrow
in the ground which it closes with sand grains, using a particularly
large one to tamp the soil down. This tamping stone is held in the
jaws and vibrated with the aid of rapid wing movements. Very often
the caterpillar being dragged to the hole is that of the beautiful yellow
underwing moth (Anarta myrtilli), a common, but localised, heather
feeders

That wasp has its own probable parasite; this time a fly, the
striking black and white bee-fly, Thyridanthrax fenestratus. This
species is about three-quarters the size of a honey bee and has
wings which are strikingly patterned with black. The exact
relationship of Thyridanthrax to the Ammophila has been the subject
of recent research by English Nature (Edwards 1994) but some details
of the life history have still to be elucidated. The female fly digs her
rear into loose sand by standing over the sand and attempting to fly
backwards into it. The ovipositor has a series of miniature hooks
around it which can move in and out as a miniature grab. It is thought
that she is using these grains to coat the very small egg and increase
its mass. After one or two digging actions she takes off and flies
close to small tufts of heather and grass and can be seen to flick her
abdomen towards the base of these. This flicking is known to be
associated with oviposition in other bee-flies. What happens after
that is not yet clear. However, Thyridanthrax has been reared from
pupae of Ammophila which were dug up in the spring.

The caterpillar of the silver studded blue butterfly, Plebejus argus,
is associated with another member of the aculeate hymenoptera,
this time an ant (Joy 1995). The butterfly is known to have a range
of food plants. On heathers the eggs of the butterfly are most
frequently laid low down amongst small, but vigorous, plants during
August but do not hatch until the following April. This requirement
for small vigorous plants means that the butterfly is often found
associated with areas where the vegetation is recolonising after
having been burnt in the previous few years, especially when there
is a high proportion of Erica cinerea. The larvae are attractive to two
species of ants, Lasius alienus and L. niger, as they secrete sugars
and amino acids from specialised glands. In return the larva gains

35

the ants’ protection from potential predators and may even be taken
into the ants’ nest.

All the species mentioned above, with the possible exception of
Bombux jonellus, have a need for areas of bare ground with
recolonising heathers. This is particularly important for the
establishment of nests which are made in open ground in warm
situations. These conditions were maintained by the traditional
management of heathlands but only recently have many modern
heathland management programmes started to pay sufficient
attention to this requirement; concentrating instead upon creating
large expanses of flowering heather and treating areas of open ground
as eyesores in need of re-vegetating as quickly as possible (Edwards
1994; Joy 1995).

References

Edwards, M. 1994. Bare ground invertebrates. National Lowland Heathland Programme,
English Nature.

Joy, J. 1995. Heathland management for the silver-studded blue butterfly. National
Lowland Heathland Programme, English Nature.

Neff, J. L. & Simpson B. B. 1993. Bees pollination systems and plant diversity, pp.
143-167 in Hymenoptera and biodiversity. London: Natural History Museum & C.
A. B. International.

36

[D. Small: Heather Society Slide Library]

Erica arborea ‘Estrella Gold’

Broad evergreen shrub to 2m having gold foliage in winter turning lime green in
summer, white flowers in Spring.

ref. Yb Heather Soc. 1977:50; 1979: 58; van de Laar, The heather garden (1978); de
La Rochefoucauld, La bruyére (1979)

Erica arborea ‘Estrella Gold’ was found as a seedling by Rinus
Zwijnenburg of Boskoop, Netherlands, in 1972 whilst travelling in
the Sierra da Estrela, east of Coimbra in Portugal. It was intro-
duced by Peter Zwinenburg of Boskoop by 1974 and received an
A.G.M. in 1992.

Although other yellow-foliaged Erica arborea seedlings were found
in Spain by D. C. McClintock, E. C. Nelson and D. J. Small
(McClintock, Yb Heather Soc. 1983: 39), none has been selected for
naming.

D. J. Small

oy

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 37-38.

Improved seed germination of Cape Erica
species by plant-derived smoke.

DEON KOTZE
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Private Bag X7,
CLAREMONT 7735, South Africa.

The Cape Floral Region, in which fynbos is the dominant vegetation,
has approximately 1400 species which are rare, threatened or
endangered. This constitutes 72% of the total for threatened or
endangered species in the whole of South Africa. The Ericaceae is
one of three major families defining fynbos. Many of these species
have outstanding horticultural value and at least 100 species are
also rare, threatened or endangered.

Propagation of many Cape Erica species from seed is difficult, as
seeds are dormant and require very specific environmental cues for
germination. A characteristic feature of the fynbos environment is
the recurrence of fires, and seeds of many species are adapted to
germinate in response to one or more cues provided by fire.

Recently it has been discovered that in addition to the more
obvious effect of heat, smoke from fynbos fires on it’s own is
responsible for stimulating the germination of seed of many Erica
species. This is an important discovery which has considerable
significance for the conservation and restoration of fynbos vegetation
and is of major economic importance in the utilisation of Erica species
with horticultural potential. About 40 species were screened with
smoke treatment and the results suggest that about 26 species had
improved germination ranging from 164% to 8100%.

Many more of the Cape heaths will have to be investigated in the
nursery and in field experiments before any pattern of response
within the family can be elucidated. Amongst the species responding
to smoke treatment were a number of species of particular
horticultural importance. These include E. curvirostris, E. formosa,
E. glomiflora, E. pinea and E. phylicifolia. The smoke treatment
ensures a much greater efficiency when propagating from seed and
this should make more plants available to the horticulture industry.

38

Procedure used to smoke seeds

1. Seed is sown in conventional plastic trays and is covered by a
thin layer of soil

2. The trays are placed in a polythene tent and smoke is pumped
into the tent by means of a plastic pipe from a large metal drum.

3. The smoke is generated in the drum by burning a mixture of
dry and green Fynbos leaf and stem material. The trays are left
in the smoke for 1 to 2 hours.

4. At the end of this period the trays are removed and the seeds
carefully watered to wash the smoke deposit in the soil.

5. The seed trays are then placed under cover in a shade house
until the seeds have germinated.

6. As many fynbos seeds require fluctuating day/night
temperatures for germination, the best time to sow and treat
Erica seed is in the late summer and early autumn.

The new ‘Instant Smoke Plus’ seed primer

The new primer solution contains a combination of natural
substances which have been found to overcome dormancy and
stimulate Erica seed germination. The degree of response varies with
the species but, on average, treated seed samples give at least double
the number of seedlings when compared to untreated samples.
“Kirstenbosch” is the registered trademark of the new primer. Orders
can be placed at the Kirstenbosch address.

Procedure for use

1. As required, place one primed paper disc in a container (e. g.
cup). Add 50 ml water to the container and wash the primer
from the paper.

2. Seed is also sown in conventional plastic trays and covered by a
thin layer of soil.

3. Add 950 ml of water to the primer

4. Water seed trays carefully with primer solution, use a watering
can with a fine spray of a hand spray 7

5. Keep wet with solution for at least 24 hours. Water thereafter as
normal

Reference
BROWN, N. A. C. (1993) Promotion of germination of fynbos seeds by plant-derived
smoke. New phytologist 123: 575-583.

oy)

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 39-42.

The frost resistance of heaths and heathers.

PETER BANNISTER
Department of Botany, University of Otago, PO Box 56, DUNEDIN,
New Zealand.

This paper is an attempt to summarise what is known of the frost
resistance of heaths and heathers, members of the Ericoideae (i.e.
Calluna vulgaris and Erica species).

First of all, how can the frost resistance of heathers be
determined? One way is to record winter frost damage either in
collections of heathers or amongst wild species in the field. This
allows species and cultivars to be ranked with regard to the degree
of damage they experience, whilst meteorological records enable the
temperatures causing damage to be quantified. The main problem
with such a method is that one has to await a severe winter which,
when it occurs, will cause substantial damage to one’s valued
specimens.

Erica erigena provides a convenient example of this approach. It
is relatively hardy and is killed only by the severest frosts in Britain
and Ireland. In plots at Stirling, Scotland, plants of E. erigena
originating from Loch Nalawney (Connemara, County Galway)
escaped winter damage when other heath plants of southern origin
showed some damage (Bannister 1981). However, these same plants
were completely killed after the severe 1979 winter when the
minimum air temperature was —15°C (R. H. Marrs, pers. comm.). At
Harlow Car, England, above-ground shoots of cultivars of E. erigena
were killed after air frosts of —13°C in 1979, but regeneration occurred
from stem bases (Vickers 1983) and death occurred in 1982 after a
minimum air temperature of —16.9°C in December (Julian 1983). In
Ireland, plants of E. erigena in the National Botanic Garden, Dublin,
were damaged after air temperatures of —11.5°C in 1982, but
regenerated from stem bases (E. C. Nelson pers. comm.), and Foss
(1986) recorded damage in the field in Mayo after an air frost of only
—8.1°C. These observations suggest that E. erigena is likely to be
killed completely when air temperatures fall below —15°C and to

40

suffer damage, but be capable of recovery, at temperatures between
—8°C and -13°C.

A second method involves artificially subjecting plants to low
temperatures and monitoring their survival. This obviates the need
to wait for cold weather and has a second advantage in that it is
possible to measure the frost resistance of cut shoots rather than
whole plants. Generally either the temperature causing 50%
damage to shoots (or killing 50% of plants) or the lowest
temperature at which plants escape damage is used as a measure
of frost resistance. In 1994-1995, Tony Polwart of Keele University
and I monitored the annual course of frost resistance of cut shoots
of E. erigena (originating from Loch Nalawney and grown at Ness
Gardens in Cheshire) and found a maximum winter frost resistance
of —15°C. Sakai and Miwa (1979) treated shoots to 15 days of low
temperatures (—1° to —3°C ) to induce maximum hardiness, and
reported that E. erigena (as E. mediterranea) was damaged by
temperatures of less than —18°C. These values are in fair agreement
with the estimates made from the field observations that were
mentioned previously.

Frost resistance is not constant and varies through the year.
The main factors influencing frost resistance are day length and
temperature. Young shoots are frost sensitive, but harden as the
tissue matures and as the days shorten. In short days, frost
resistance is further increased by exposure to low, not necessarily
freezing, temperatures (i.e. below 5°C) as autumn progresses into
winter. However warmer temperatures during the day cause de-
hardening so that increased temperatures during late winter and
spring cause a loss of frost resistance. Thus the maximum winter
frost resistance of a particular plant may vary from year to year,
depending on the prevailing weather. For example, our studies at
Ness Gardens found that the frost resistance of E. erigena, E. ciliaris
and E. mackaiana was several degrees less in the mild 1994-1995
winter than the preceding, colder winter. The greatest danger of
frost damage, however, may not be in winter but rather in autumn,
late winter, or spring when less hardened plants may be damaged
by early and late frosts of a lesser severity than those in midwinter.

Genetic factors also influence frost resistance, so that members
of the same species of different provenance are likely to differ in

4]

their frost resistances as much as they do in their patterns of growth
and flowering (see Bannister 1978, 1981). Consequently different
cultivars are unlikely to have identical frost resistances. This is well
illustrated by the work of Sakai and Miwa (1979) who showed a
range of winter frost resistances in cultivars of Calluna vulgaris from
=7-© (Joy Vanstone) to -35°C (Nana Compacta’, ‘H. E. Beale’).

Another question that might reasonably be asked is whether the
frost resistances of various species of heather relate to their
biogeography. In a broad sense they do. Cape heaths are known to
be tender and show a range of measured frost resistances from —5°C
to —8°C with the hardier species such as E. caffra and E. canaliculata
showing the highest resistances (Sakai & Miwa 1979). In contrast,
the same authors found that frost resistance of European Erica
species ranged from —13°C (E. lusitanica) to —23°C (E. carnea ‘Snow
Queen’). Within Europe, Calluna vulgaris has the most northerly
and continental distribution of all the heathers and the greatest
frost resistance (-29°C, Ulmer 1937; -—17°C to —35°C, Sakai & Miwa
1979). Erica tetralix also has a northerly distribution (extending into
southern and western Scandinavia and eastwards into Poland) and
a maximum frost resistance of around —20°C (Till 1956; own
unpublished data). Erica cinerea and E. vagans have highly oceanic
distributions, and our unpublished data (from lowland sites) recorded
maximum frost resistances of only —12°C. Species such as E. ciliaris,
EB. mackaiana, and E. erigena have more southern, oceanic
distributions and might be expected to have even lower frost
resistances, but this does not appear to be the case, as we found
that Irish examples of these three species have maximum frost
resistances in the range —15°C to -18°C (unpublished data).
Consequently, it is unlikely that the distribution of these species is
limited by an ability to develop adequate levels of frost resistance.

Outside the Ericoideae, arctic and alpine ericaceous species (e.g.
species of Vaccinium, Cassiope and Rhododendron, Loiseleuria
procumbens, and even Calluna vulgaris) can be hardened to survive
temperatures below —30°C and some can survive temperatures as
low as —70°C (Sakai & Larcher 1987). Against that background, Erica
species do seem to be the most tender and sensitive members of the
family.

42

Acknowledgements

The measurements of frost resistance at Ness Gardens were carried out when I was on
sabbatical leave from the University of Otago. Iam most grateful to the following: Rob
Marrs who provided space and facilities at Ness Gardens; Hugh MacAllister who allowed
me to decimate his collection of Irish heathers; and Tony Polwart (Keele University) for
his collaboration and provision of facilities for the determination of frost resistance.

References

BANNISTER, P. 1978. Flowering and shoot extension in heath plants of different
geographical origin. Journal of ecology 66: 117-131.

BANNISTER, P. 1981. Phenology and carbohydrate content of heathers of southern
origin grown in Scotland. Transactions of the Botanical Society of Edinburgh 43:
271-279.

FOSS, P.J. 1986. The distribution, phytosociology, autecology and post-glacial history
of Erica erigena R. Ross in Ireland. Unpublished PhD thesis, University College,
Dublin.

JULIAN, T.A. 1983. Damage at Harlow Car during the winter of 1981-2. Yearbook of
the Heather Society 3: 9-12.

SAKAI, A. & LARCHER, W. 1987. Frost survival of plants. Ecological studies 62.
Springer Verlag, Berlin.

SAKAI, A. & MIWA, S. 1979. Frost hardiness of Ericoideae. Journal of the American
Society for Horticultural Science 104: 26-28.

TILL, O. 1956. Uber die Frostharte von Pflanzen sommergrtiner Laubwalder. Flora
143: 499-542.

ULMER, W. 1937. Uber den Jahresgang der Frostharte einiger immergrtiner Arten
der alpinen Stufe, sowie der Zirbe und Fichte. Jahrbtich ftir wissenschaftliche
Botanik 84: 553-592.

VICKERS G. P. 1983. Heather trials 1976-81. Heather Society, Leicester.

43

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 43-46.

Reproduction in Erica mackaiana.

H. McALLISTER
University of Liverpool Botanic Gardens, Ness, NESTON, Wirral.

Introduction

There has been much argument in the past about the status of Erica
mackaiana, whether it is a true species or merely a variety of E.
tetralix. Much of this discussion has arisen because the plant appears
to be incapable of producing seeds in its three known Irish localities.
It has been little studied in northern Spain where it is a common
component of the vegetation on wet heathy hill-sides. Excursions
to this part of Spain in 1967 and 1976, and to the Roundstone area
of Galway in Ireland in 1968 allowed me to make observations of the
plant in the wild and to obtain material for cultivation.

Seed production

The production of seed has never been reported in the literature,
though Webb (1955) deduced its existence in northern Spain from
the occurrence of what he interpreted to be seedlings. As we shall
see later, there may be some doubt that what he saw were in fact
seedlings. No plants with cotyledons were reported.

I have examined much material in the wild at Craiggamore near
Roundstone, and Lough Nacung material in cultivation, and have
been unable to find any seed. However, even though the Spanish
sites were visited in late June and July 1967 when E. mackaiana
was in full bloom, seed was frequently found in the previous year’s
capsules, concealed within dense bushy plants, usually growing in
moist, sheltered places. The ornamentation of the seed coat is
areolate and very similar to that of E. tetralix and E. cinerea, but
quite distinct from that of E. ciliaris in which the ridges do not meet
in such a way as to form a distinct areolation. Numerous seedlings
were seen, but only on bare, damp, clayey soil, often growing with
bryophytes, at the sides of ditches and streams. All stages were
seen from seedlings with cotyledons only, to plants a year or two old

44

with withered cotyledons. They grew with seedlings of the associated
species, E. ciliaris, E. cinerea and Daboecia cantabrica. The E.
mackaiana seedlings could certainly be distinguished, even from
those of E. ciliaris, by the time they had developed the third whorl of
post-cotyledonary leaves, as by this stage the characteristic pilosity
has developed on the upper surface of the E. ciliaris leaves. These
fine, velvet-like, pilose hairs are most easily seen by holding a leaf
up to the light and carefully examining the upper surface of the leaf
with a hand lens. These hairs are never present in EF. mackaiana
and are always in E. ciliaris and E. tetralix and their hybrids E. x
watsonii (E. ciliaris x tetralix) and E. x stuartu (E. tetralix x mackatana)
and so are the most definitive character for distinguishing E.
mackaiana from its closest relatives. The seedlings of E. cinerea are
easily distinguished by the much narrower post-cotyledonary leaves
and those of Daboecia by their much larger size. There is therefore
no doubt that E. mackaiana in Spain regularly reproduces by seed.

In cultivation I have obtained viable seed from an Irish plant
from Lough Nacung in Donegal by growing it in a pot alongside a
Spanish plant. This evidence suggests that the sterility of the Irish
material is due to the reduction of the colonies in the wild to self-
sterile clones.

Vegetative reproduction

Webb (1954: 190; 1955: 362) referred to the fact that E. mackaiana
is favoured by small-scale disturbance to the peat in which it grows.
He concluded that this is due to regeneration from fragments of its
twigs and commented on how masses of such regenerating shoots
on the edges of peat cuttings resemble a crop of seedlings. However
it seemed strange that only E. mackaiana should regenerate in this
way when E. tetralix and Calluna were at least as frequent in some
sites. ,

In Spain in 1967 | had noticed E. mackaiana plants growing on
very dry, sandy, largely bare soil on top of a quarry which appeared
to be surrounded by numerous seedlings. This was an extremely
unlikely habitat for seedling establishment, and examination showed
that none of the small plants bore cotyledons. Excavation revealed
that the young plants were in fact proliferations from horizontally
growing roots (Fig.1). On a dry roadside bank in the same area the
crumbly shaley rock had numerous pockets of soil which appeared

Fig. 1 Erica mackaiana proliferating from roots; northwestern Spain July 1967.

Fig. 2 Erica x stuartii proliferating from roots; Ireland.

45

46

to be supporting isolated E. mackaiana seedlings which were some
distance (often 30-60 cm) from the nearest large plant. Again,
excavation proved these to have sprung from roots which had grown
through the crumbling rock.

In Ireland excavation was more difficult as it was not so easy to
extract the roots from fibrous peat as it had been to remove them
from the gravelly soil in Spain. However, it was clear that here too,
E. mackaiana showed extensive regeneration from roots and that
this was why disturbance of the surface vegetation so favoured the
Species — no other species is capable of such regeneration from fine
roots. In certain places peat cutting was being carried out and
sometimes the surface vegetation had been removed in preparation
for cutting but no deeper digging had taken place. In these situations
the vegetation developing was an almost pure stand of E. mackaiana
proliferating from broken roots in the peat. Similarly E. mackaiana
was frequently the only species growing from bare peat blocks which
had been cut and left lying and from blocks cut out from the surface
and left inverted over neighbouring vegetation.

In Ireland E. x stuartiiwas also examined and found to be capable
of proliferation from its roots but less freely than E. mackaiana (Fig.
2)

These observations suggest that E. mackaiana and E. x stuartti
could be propagated by root cuttings but they root so easily from
soft young shoots that there is probably no need for another method.

References

WEBB, D. A. 1954. Notes on Four Irish heaths. Irish naturalists’ journal 11: 186-192

WEBB, D. A. 1955. Biological flora of the British Isles. Erica mackaiana Bab. Journal
of ecology 43: 319-330.

47

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 47-48.

Casual observations (1982, 1994) on Erica
tetralix in Picos de Europa, Asturias, Spain.

E. CHARLES NELSON
National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, DUBLIN 9, Ireland.”

Erica tetralix, cross-leaved heath, is a calcifuge shrub that is
characteristic of oligotrophic, acidic soils, and of wet, humus-rich
habitats such as raised bogs and blanket peat. Thus its presence
within an area which is underlain by Carboniferous Limestone is
unexpected unless there is a geological or topographical anomaly
that permits the development of suitable, non-calcareous habitats.

During June 1994, while based at Carrena de Cabrales (Asturias),
I noted Erica tetralixin three localities which cannot be characterised
as bogs. These populations were at Collado de la Caballar, north-
east of Sotres (c. 1200 m alt.), and north-facing slopes between
Majada de Tordin and Tielve mirador, and between Collado de
Pandébano and Majada de la Terenosa (c. 1300 m alt.). The localities,
about 5 km south-east of Arenas de Cabrales, are respectively about
25 km north of Pena Prieta, and 18 km east-north-east of Vegabano,
the nearest habitats of E. tetralix noted by Rivas Martinez et al. (1984).

At Collado de la Caballar, Erica tetralix was associated with bell
heather (E. cinerea), Cornish heath (E. vagans) and ling (Calluna
vulgaris) in an open heathland. The same species were present in
the same type of vegetation between Majada de Tordin and Tielve,
and between Collado de Pandébano and Majada de la Terenosa. The
most notable absentee from all the sites where E. tetralix occurred
was Mackay’s heath (E. mackaiana) which elsewhere in northern
Spain is very rarely found growing with E. tetralix (Nelson & Fraga
Vila, 1984), a marked contrast to the Irish populations wherein a
hybrid between these two species, E. x stuartii, is abundant.

I did not have sufficient opportunity to examine the populations
in detail, so neither their extent nor the edaphic propensities of the

“Present address: Tippitiwitchet Cottage, Hall Road, OUTWELL PE14 8PE, UK.

48

soil could be determined. However my casual observations are that
Erica tetralix was growing in well-drained, humus-rich soil in habitats
which were undoubtedly abundantly supplied with moisture from
mist and rain. There was no evidence of water-logging, and the
associated species did not include plants typical of waterlogged bogs
(e.g. bog asphodel (Narthecitum ossifragum), common cottongrass
(Eriophorum angustifolium), deergrass (Scirpus cespitosus)). The
habitats were not oligotrophic bogs. Rivas Martinez et al. (1983)
reported the presence in Cordillera Cantabrica (Picos de Europa) of
one vegetation association including Erica tetralix, and noted that
this association was found on oligotrophic bogs (turberas oligotrofas).
Erico tetralicis-Trichophoretum germanici association contains other
calcifuge, wetland species including Narthecium ossifragum,
Eriophorum angustifoltum and Scirpus cespitosus subsp. germanicus.
Rivas Martinez et al. (1983) listed six localities where examples of
this association were found: at Vegabano (Leon), Pico Jario, Vega
Cimera (Asturias), Alto de la Baba (Asturias), Pena Prieta (Palencia)
and Curavacas (Palencia).

In July 1982, Enrica tetralix was observed by D. McClintock,
E. C. Nelson and D. Small (McClintock 1983) at several other localities
within Cordillera Cantabrica: Puerto del Escudo on the main road
to Burgos (c. 1100 m alt) (Cantabria); Puerto de Leitariegos, south of
Cangas de Narcea (Leon); near Huergas de Barbia, west of San
Emiliano (Leon); Puerto de Ventana, between San Emiliano and
Trubia (Asturias); 4 km from Covadonga monastery on road to Lago
Enol (Asturias).

Voucher specimens for these records are in DBN. My thanks are
due to Adrian Garlick (Spantrek) for facilitating my observations in
1994, and to David Small for those in 1982.

Rerefences

McCLINTOCK, D. C. 1983. Iter Hispanicum Ericaceum. Yearbook of the Heather Society
3 (1): 33-40.

NELSON E. C. & FRAGA VILA, M. I. 1984. Studies in Erica mackaiana Bab. II.
Distribution in northern Spain. Glasra 7: 25-33.

RIVAS-MARTINEZ, S. et al. 1984. La vegetacién de la alta montana Cantdbrica - Los
Picos de Europa. p. 184, tab. 55. Leon: Ediciones Leonesas.

49

Constance MacLeod
The Society’s first Secretary.

Constance MacLeod: died on 28
February 1995. Born on 17 June 1904
in South Africa, near Durban, Natal,
she won a scholarship at the High
School to the University of Natal
where she read Latin, French and
Botany. Having gained a first class
degree at the age of 19, she began a
teaching career. In 1930 Constance
spent a year on a teacher’s exchange
scheme in London. There she met a
distant cousin, Donald MacLeod, an
army officer who later rose to the rank
of lieutenant colonel. She returned to
South Africa, but in 1934 came back
to England and they were married.
The MacLeods settled in Horley,
Surrey, three miles from where my
parents, Roy and Mabel Turner, had
butt a Mouse Some Seven years
earlier. They were of the same age as
Constance and although both families were obliged to spend the
war years elsewhere, they returned to become involved in the same
local activities in this once-quiet rural community. (None of them
foresaw, then, the arrival on their doorstep of Crawley New Town,
the M23 and Gatwick Airport!) The MacLeods, as members of the
Horley Local History Association, were always delighted to show
people round their historic sixteenth century cottage, Yew Trees,
whose garden was gradually converted from roses to heathers.
Constance gained committee and administrative experience with
the parish and rural district councils, as well as with the Cottage
Hospital and Empire Hall management committees. It was not

50

surprising, therefore, that her husband nominated her as Secretary
of a society which an old school chum of his, Sir John Charrington,
set out to create in 1963 to promote the popularity of heathers as
garden plants.

Sadly Donald died only a year later. Constance then gallantly
also assumed the office that he had held as Treasurer. Her daughter,
Mary Hall, recently said: ‘My mother did not make friends easily
after coming to England, but this involvement with The Heather
Society and the appreciation of members made her life worth living,
in a way that nothing else could have done.’

She worked closely with Sir John Charrington, who had been
appointed first Chairman. Following the inaugural meeting at the
Royal Horticultural Society, Vincent Square, London, Sir John
arranged for the Heather Society to hold its subsequent annual
general meetings at the London office of the Coal Utilisation Council
of which he was an official. Constance did all the mailings of the
Yearbook unaided, using a small manual typewriter. Later the Bulletin
arose out of her desire to communicate with all members, not just
those who wrote to her personally. She enjoyed corresponding with
people all over the world on her favourite subject and in letters gave
and received real affection. She became very knowledgeable on all
aspects of heather growing and kept up-to-date with the new heather
cultivars.

Our first Secretary was particularly anxious that non-hardy Cape
heaths should not be entirely neglected. She maintained a
correspondence with Ted Oliver and visited him when she went on
holiday to South Africa.

After Constance had recovered from a hip replacement in 1970,
she was warmly welcomed back at the AGM by Sir John and was
overwhelmed to receive a considerable ovation from an appreciative
assembly. The Society's membership had much increased as a result
of her personal interest and she persuaded my father, a retired
banker, to take over the treasurership in 1972. She was an early
riser, starting her correspondence at 5.30 in the morning. By 7.30
she would be on the phone to him for half an hour discussing
membership problems, as well as how to reply to the latest of the
weekly letters from Sheffield, with which John Ardron bombarded
her. She and Mr Ardron were both very strong-minded personalities
and had very different ideas on how the Society should be run!

oil

She particularly enjoyed her first ten years in the Heather Society,
but felt she lost one of her links with the past when Sir John died in
1977, three years after moving from his lovely heather garden in
Kent. A handbag, which appears in many photos, was given to her
by him and she cherished it until she died in her 91st year.

On her retirement from the secretaryship in 1977, Constance
took up bookbinding and set about the renovation of her book
collection. She remained reasonably active until about 1988 and
could still potter in the garden two years later. When visiting her in
the autumn of 1991, I found her very content despite a lack of
mobility. She was delighted to browse through the Society’s
photograph albums which I took along for her to see. Her dark brown
eyes shone as she happily reminisced over the early days.

Constance had been increasingly unwilling to go out for fear of
falling. Also her house had been burgled three times while she was
at home. She was eventually persuaded in 1992 to leave the cottage
for the Old Rectory Nursing Home at Newdigate. She enjoyed her
90th birthday celebration there in June 1994, but eventually was
no longer able to read, walk or concentrate.

Her funeral was held in Horley, and the Society was represented
by David and Anne Small, as well as by me and my husband. After
the ceremony her daughter, Mary, with her children, Katy and
Christopher, took the lovely heather floral tribute which the
Chairman had brought and laid it in the garden at Yew Trees.

Constance dominated Council meetings during Arthur
Bowerman’s chairmanship; she had rigid ideas and was sharply
critical of and argumentative with whomsoever she disagreed.
Although she could be difficult to get on with, she was much admired
and charmed people with her infectious enthusiasm and cheery
smile. We today owe much to her dedicated work for the Society in
its early years.

Pamela B. Lee

Secretary

52

[K. Kramer]

Calluna vulgaris ‘Alexandra’

Evergreen subshrub, belonging to a form of Calluna vulgaris in which the flowers
never develop beyond the bud stage. The buds start, in late summer, white at the
base with a pale crimson tip which develop with age to deep crimson (Deep H13) by
early winter.

ref. Yb Heather Soc. 1994: 39; 1995: 52.

This cultivar has been one of the startling successes of Kurt Kramer’s
breeding programme which he started in 1981. This particular
seedling was raised about 1991 and first introduced in 1993. It was
bred to compete with the Cape heath Erica gracilis which is sold by
the millions each year in October for decoration of graves on All
Saint’s Day in Europe and for winter window box and tub displays.
C. vulgaris ‘Alexandra’ is protected by Plant Breeder’s Rights
throughout Europe and will receive similar protection in North
America.

D. J. Small

53

25th Annual Conference
National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin
4-10 September 1995

Foreword David McClintock, President
The highlight of the year has been the outstanding success of the Irish
visit. With typical ‘Irishness’ it was dry in the normally wet west and
wet in the driest part of Ireland on the way to David Robinson’s garden
at Howth! Our many visitors from overseas must have felt their journey
well worthwhile, just as we were delighted to have them with us. But
we missed our faithful Swedish member Brita Johansson, who had
been seriously unwell but I am glad to report better now. And I have
never heard a better set of lectures than those given to us at Glasnevin.

But it was not just the weather, and the lectures, and the glorious
scenery and flowers that made this so successful. With the support of
his Director, Donal Synnott, Charles Nelson organised the conference
programme and its associated field trip, at the same time that he was
arranging his own wedding. And the intricate business of arranging for
members from California, Canada, New England, Italy, Holland, Norway
and South Africa to get to and from the far west of Ireland (those from
Germany made their own arrangements) was quietly and efficiently
undertaken by Anne Small and her husband, our Chairman. As a result
everything ran with smoothness. It was such a friendly party too. My
warm thanks to all who made it so. My expectation that the occasion of
the bicentenary of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, and the
Heather Society’s 25th Annual Conference and A.G.M. would be very
special, was fulfilled.

Outside Britain, where shall we go next? Our Dutch counterpart
Ericultura celebrates its silver jubilee in 1996, an occasion we would
want to join. Their plans include a visit to England in mid-May.

Connemara and The Burren Maurice S. Everett
When Dr Charles Nelson planned this field trip to precede the Annual
Conference in Dublin, he confidently expected to attract a dozen or so
of our hardier members. However, this was to be a rare opportunity to
be taken to see heathers not found growing wild elsewhere in, as Charles
put it, the Celtic Archipelago (also known as the British Isles), and the
word got around! As a result, enthusiasts from Canada and USA
(members of the North America Heather Society), Holland, Italy, Norway,

54

Britain and Ireland flocked to Connemara. When the party assembled
in Clifden, we numbered around 60 - enough to fill two of the best
hotels - but we all mingled sociably over dinner each evening. By a
coincidence, about 20 members of the German Heather Society were
also in the area. We had the pleasure of meeting them at the Connemara
National Park and some of them joined us on one of our field trips.

We had been warned that we would be visiting one of the wettest
areas in Ireland (an average of 265 days of rain each year and rainfall
measured by the yard) but we could have left our wet-weather gear at
home. After such a dry summer, even the famous bogs were more like
meadows. The three days of the field trip were dry, sunny and warm,
with only a brisk breeze on occasions to frustrate the photographers.

On the first day we were taken to the Connemara National Park,
Letterfrack. In the Visitor Centre, the Park Superintendent, Dr Noel
Kirby, explained how he and his staff are conserving the natural flora,
fauna and landscape of Connemara within the 2000 acres (800 ha)
Park. After coffee, Charles Nelson spoke about Irish heathers, whetting
our appetites for what we would see later. A fairly energetic guided
tour of the Park in the afternoon took us past a megalithic tomb and
gave some of us our first sighting of Daboecia cantabrica in the wild, as
well as the more familiar Calluna, Erica cinerea and E. tetralix. Brilliant
gold among the heathers (and protecting them from grazing animals
with its spines) was the dwarf gorse, Ulex gallii, in full bloom. We saw
part of the 14km-long deer fence but the red deer (recently reintroduced
to the area) kept out of sight. Not so the very friendly Connemara ponies,
well-adapted to the rugged terrain.

Even though we spent almost seven hours at the National Park, it
was impossible to take full advantage of all the excellent facilities:
most of us saw the breathtakingly beautiful audio-visual display about
Connemara and the fascinating exhibition illustrating the history of
the peat bogs but only a few found time to take in the Sruffaunboy
(“Yellow stream’) Nature Trail. One member of our party looked longingly
at the steep, rocky outline of nearby Diamond Hill and vowed he would
climb to its peak if he had the time — knowing full well we had to leave
in a few minutes! On our return journey, we made a detour along the
scenic Sky Road for wonderful views to the offshore islands and across
Clifden Bay. We deliberately misdirected the coach driver so that we
could admire and applaud his remarkable ability to turn the coach in
less space than most of us would need for a car.

The large size of our party made it essential for it to be split into
two groups for the visits to several different habitats in Connemara

3)

and The Burren. This was delicately and diplomatically arranged
(accompanied by much merriment) by our Chairman, David Small,
and Charles Nelson, between the four courses of an excellent dinner.

The next morning, our coach headed south and at Ballinaboy took
the aptly-named Bog Road towards Toombeola. Our leader, David Small,
recognising a rocky landmark, got our driver to stop so that he, David,
could investigate. After a few strides into the relatively dry bog he gave
a beckoning wave signifying instant success. We were about to see
the only plants (perhaps a dozen) of Erica ciliaris growing wild in Ireland.
They were, however, very effectively guarded — not just by the ranger,
who arrived hard on our heels, but also by a swarm of midges. We
admired the plants, pondered briefly how they came to be there, took
our photographs and beat a hasty retreat.

Further along the same road, we found a real quaking bog and
bounced from tussock to tussock looking particularly for Erica
mackaiana, E. tetralix and their hybrid E. x stuarttt. David Small claimed
that once we ‘got our eye in’ we would be able to spot E. mackaiana at
50 paces. Maybe some of us could but many resorted to pulling apart
a flower very gently and examining the ovary with a hand-lens. E.
mackaiana and E. tetralix are easy to distinguish: the former having a
totally hairless ovary whereas that of the latter is downy. Their hybrid
is intermediate in character and repeatedly the cry went up: “How
many hairs make a stuartii?” The authoritative answer appeared to be
“Just one!”, so a really thorough examination of an apparently bald
ovary was deemed to be absolutely essential before a plant could be
placed in the Mackay or the Stuart clan.

Next we were taken to Carna, via Glinsk, to see the multipetalled
form of Mackay’s heath, E. mackaiana f. multiplicata, in a very wet bog.
We also hunted for various forms of Daboecia, including the “double-
flowered” ‘Charles Nelson’, which was soon spotted by our eagle-eyed
Bulletin editor. A white Daboecia was disqualified by David as it had a
reddish calyx. However, a true white was seen by the other group the
following day. Despite our best endeavours, no sighting was made ofa
Daboecia with upward-facing flowers (D. cantabrica f. blumii).

Lunch at Roundstone was the occasion for some excellent food
and a brief flurry of excitement: someone claimed to have spotted an
Erica vagans! So he had — but in a garden!

After lunch, we left the coach in Roundstone and headed west into
the hills to find Erica erigena. Walking and scrambling up the green,
rocky side of Errisbeg, we skirted the summit (which almost tops a
thousand feet) and reached the shoulder between Errisbeg and

56

Roundstone Hill. The views were magnificent. We had been told to
look out for a small lough in a hollow just downhill from our viewpoint.
We did find a rather wet depression abounding in sundews, but the
promised lough had disappeared in the drought. E. erlgena was not
difficult to find along the edges of the not-quite-dried-up water course.
Not far away someone found a tiny trickle of water cascading just a few
inches into a small rocky pool surrounded by prostrate junipers,
Calluna, E. cinerea as well as E. erigena. Our cameras clicked yet again.

The most exciting find of the day was made just as we were about
to return to the coach. How many of us would even have recognised it
as a heather? With its upturned bright pink flower and its ragged petals,
it looked more like our native ragged robin. Only its familiar cross-
leaved stems really gave the game away. This was the split-corolla form
of the cross-leaved heath, E. tetraltx f. fissa.

Our third day was spent in The Burren, where most of the others
had been the day before. Although only just across Galway Bay from
Connemara, and enjoying the same climate, The Burren presents a
very different prospect. It is a paradox, or, rather, a whole series of
paradoxes. This seemingly dry, barren, rocky landscape provides homes
for a unique array of Alpine, Arctic and Mediterranean plants. I am not
the one (even if space permitted) to explain how and why acid-loving
plants such as ling thrive here, and why trees like holly, hawthorn and
yew, grow no more than a few inches high.*

We skirted the north-east edge of The Burren and turned southwest
at Cappaghmore, through a pass in the steep hills. When the minibus
stopped, we were all glad to disembark and stretch our legs after the
long drive from Clifden. Half-a-mile or so away we could see a cliff face,
topped by Eagle’s Rock, from where our advance was observed by a
herd of goats (known hereabouts as Burren deer). Had they been grazing
the stunted trees only just peeping out from the fissures (or, in Irish,
scailps) in the limestone pavement? Here we saw the rusty-back fern,
tiny plants of the burnet rose, harebells, the conspicuous seed heads
of the carline thistle, and so much more. On top of the limestone, in
small, saucer-shaped depressions, were many lime-hating Calluna and
Erica cinerea, evidently growing in an acid environment despite the
presence of the limestone only a few millimetres below. Next, we found
ourselves in a wild flower meadow containing perhaps a hundred
* For a full explanation of all the wonders of The Burren you must read E. C. Nelson &

W. F. Walsh. 1991. The Burren: a companion to the wild flowers of an Irish limestone
wilderness.

oh

different species. We did not stop to count them but noted, amongst
those in flower, knapweed, devil’s-bit scabious and, most memorable
of all, the delightful white grass-of-Parnassus — neither a grass nor
from Parnassus! Sheltering at the foot of the cliff were the ruins of the
tiny eighth century St MacDuach’s Church and its adjacent well. A
more isolated and forbidding site would be difficult to imagine — none
of us felt the urge to become a hermit.

After a smoked salmon lunch at Ballyvaghan, we travelled to the
north-west corner of The Burren, where the limestone of Black Head
looked almost snow-white in the afternoon sun. We explored the narrow
strip of limestone pavement between the coast road and the waters of
Galway Bay (on the far side of which could be seen the hills and
mountains of Connemara). Here were the ubiquitous heathers perched
on the limestone and, in the scailps, several ferns, together with a
number of flowering plants, including wood sage with its orchid-like
flowers and the common but, nevertheless, attractive bloody cranesbill
and herb Robert. Much appreciated, especially by those who had not
visited The Burren in the spring, was the sight of mountain avens still
in flower. We scrambled around, hither and thither, trying to take it all
in and delaying our departure until the last possible moment.
Eventually and reluctantly we had to leave!

Back at the hotel in Clifden, after another excellent dinner, a vote
of thanks to Charles Nelson and David Small for an outstandingly
successful trip was proposed by Allen Hall and greeted with thunderous,
heartfelt applause.

Remembering Dublin R. J. Cleevely
Arriving from all parts during Friday afternoon, delegates gradually
managed to wend their way round the Dublin City University campus
to locate Registration in the University Accommodation office. After
along journey the boundary road detour was almost the final straw -
but the “H.S.” signs, or Ros Cleevely, indicated they had almost reached
their goal. But even then - some had to find what seemed to be non-
existent rooms in the accommodation’s maze of doors; or even then
negotiate room changes. Seventy-four delegates (or more!) attended,
but not all reached their dining tables at seven sharp, which was just
as well, for neither had the food!

Fed, re-united with friends and/or introduced to others, delegates
assembled in a lecture room for the Chairman’s opening and a poetic,
light-hearted introduction from Dr. Charles Nelson, the organiser.

58

Next morning, everyone came to terms with a self-service
breakfast and learnt that ‘a ten to twenty-minute’ walk in Dublin
really means a trek of more than half-an-hour. At the National
Botanic Gardens, delegates were welcomed by the Director Donal
Synnott, who expressed his pleasure at the Heather Society’s
presence during the bicentenary commemorations. The morning’s
lecture programme was described by some as “the best ever!”:
attractive Irish gardens; fens, raised and blanket bogs; and the
morning ended with Ted Oliver’s enjoyable and colourful summary
of Cape heaths. That only served to whet everyone’s eagerness to
see the display of South African Erica species that had been flown
over from the National Botanical Institute in Kirstenbosch by Ted
Oliver and Deon Kotze. For many, including those who admit to
preferring our northern species and their cultivars, this has been
declared the highlight of the 1995 conference. What was also a
surprise to some was to discover that the authority on the Capes,
of whom we had been aware for some 30-odd years, was not some
wizened old professorial type, but the friendly, rather dapper
gentleman who had just given us a splendid talk.

Another ‘lottery-table’ meal and then in the afternoon most
delegates departed for a tour of the Wicklow Mountains National
Park ending at Glendalough - but afterwards really wishing they
had not gone at all! An enraptured few, captured by the unique
display of Capes, had elected to view, photograph, or do otherwise
to them, at their first opportunity and stayed behind. Fortunately,
everyone else had ample occasions during the weekend to follow
suit - this honey-pot was never free from admirers!

Somehow, everyone returned to DCU, changed, and then got
back to Glasnevin for a reception that evening. This was marked by
David Small, the Chairman, presenting a collection of Cape heath
plants to the National Botanic Gardens on behalf of the Heather
Society. Later, it may have been the surfeit of Capes, the wine, or
simply that the stars were in a different place, one group took a very
devious route back to our quarters that night. Celebrations by the
Irish of sporting victories were a feature of this visit. One, that
evening, led to Walter Wornick encountering an instance of real
‘Irishness’ when trying to get back into his room - a tale that can
only be told properly by Walter!

After what was becoming our customary scramble, Sunday

59

morning began with the group photograph in front of the Turner
glasshouse at Glasnevin. The subsequent guided tours of the Botanic
Gardens, led by either Charles Nelson, or Donal Synnott, meant
that delegates gained different perceptions but all appreciated its
features, its trees and the heather beds. Most were staggered by
the cost of re-furbishing the magnificent glasshouses to their former
glory and incorporating modern technology to manage the intended
displays of sub-tropical flora and Cape heaths. Some were intrigued
by the vegetable trials and the infamous potato variety ‘Lumper’.

Another enjoyable lunch served by the helpful staff at Glasnevin
ensured we kept to our timetable, but the weather decided to interfere
with a memorable thunderstorm [referred to in the Autumn Bulletin].
However, despite the weather, rising manholes, losing the coach
and other distractions - the column of following cars managed to
find their way to the place that “grew bananas & Cape heaths -
located somewhere to the North of Dublin”. David Robinson’s
fascinating assemblage of exotic plants at Howth, provided scope
and vistas for all the photographers and topics for discussion by the
dampened botanists and gardeners taking a tasty, filling tea laid
out in his garage.

We had to hasten back for another meal, the Conference dinner.
But the continual exercise, not listed in the programme, of course,
ensured appetites remained. Then the entertaining finale of the
customary Open Forum that tackled a series of heather problems.
This was opened by presentations to the Heather Society’s principal
officers and our Dublin hosts on behalf of the North American
Heather Society by their President, Homer Ferguson and Vice-
President, Dee Daneri.

And so yet another conference came to an end. Perhaps, it was
distinguished by its international flavour with so many members
attending from America and other friends from various parts of Eu-
rope. All experienced the friendliness of our hosts and their fellow
countrymen and enjoyed Ireland, some retaining memories of see-
ing familar garden heathers growing in the wild.

Yet, to everyone, it will be remembered for the diversity and colour
provided by the Cape heaths, both in Ted Oliver’s words and his
slides, in the unique display from Kirstenbosch, and in the living
examples of E.cruenta and E.glandulosa at Howth. It will be very
difficult to beat!

60

CULTIVAR AND SPECIES NOTES

CULTIVARS REGISTERED TO 31 DECEMBER 1995

131 Calluna vulgaris ‘Florrie Spicer’

Registered 22 September 1995: Mrs W. E. S. Bamford, Haythorne Nursery, Verwood, Dorset.
Summer foliage yellow/green: flowers single, white with gold/chestnut anthers,
August to September: compact, erect habit. A seedling found in a pot of Calluna
vulgaris “‘Blazeaway’ in Haythorne Nursery.

132 Calluna vulgaris ‘Sidney Spicer’

Registered 22 September 1995: Mrs W. E. S. Bamford, Haythorne Nursery, Verwood, Dorset.
Summer foliage yellow/ green: flowers lavender (H3), single, July to August: prostrate
habit. Found growing in the centre of a pot of Calluna vulgaris “White Lawn’ but it
proved impossible to determine if it was a sport or a seedling.

133 Calluna vulgaris ‘Violet Bamford’

Registered 22 September 1995: Mrs W. E. S. Bamford, Haythorn Nursery, Verwood, Dorset.
Mature summer foliage yellow / green with orange-gold tips:flowers pink (H8), single,
in July to August: compact, prostrate habit. Found as a nursery seedling in 1989.

134 Calluna vulgaris ‘Wendy Bamford’

Registered 22 September 1995: Mrs W. E. S. Bamford, Haythorne Nursery, Verwood, Dorset.
Foliage dense, in summer mature foliage yellow/ green with orange/ gold tips: flowers
pale mauve (H2), single, July to August: semi-prostrate habit. A nursery seedling
found in 1987.

135 Erica carnea ‘Branton Bamford’

Registered 22 September 1995: Mrs W. E. S. Bamford, Haythorne Nursery, Verwood, Dorset.
Mature summer foliage yellow/ green: flower buds sparse, in racemes approximately
2cm long towards the centres of long, trailing stems: semi-prostrate habit. A sport on
Erica carnea ‘Pink Cloud’ found in Haythorne Nursery in 1992.

136 Erica cinerea ‘Brian Bamford’

Registered 22 September 1995: Mrs W. E. S. Bamford, Haythorne Nursery, Verwood, Dorset.
Has tufts of bract ("wheat-ears") which are characteristic of E. cinerea var. rendlei, and
normal flowers. Foliage mid-green: "wheat-ears" of 12-16 deep red bracts 2.7 - 3.5mm
long x 1.6-2.3mm wide, flowers, single, with normal style and stamens, corolla shading
from mauve (H2) at base to amethyst (H1) at tip, calyx deep red: Upright habit, 30cm
or more tall. A seedling in Ringwood Forest in 1982. Ref: Yb Heather Soc. 1985: 62 - 63.

61

137. Erica cinerea ‘Ogmund’

Registered 10 October 1995: Mrs E. B. Petterssen, Otervei 16, 5045 Skjoldtun, Norway.
Open, upright habit, 20cm tall, 15-20cm spread: foliage dark green with mid-green
tips in spring: pedicels and sepals dark red, corolla bicoloured, amethyst (H1) at base
shading to white and back to amethyst at lobes, July to August. Found as a seedling
by Mrs Petterssen in July 1993 on the island of Misje, west of Bergen, Norway. Named
after her late friend, the poet Olav H. Hatige (d. 1994) who wrote “Ogmund rides
home”. Ogmund was a 13th century merchant-venturer from Mrs Petterssen’s village
who became a Crusader in Jerusalem.

138 Erica tetralix’Helen Nicol’

Registered 1 November 1995: Robert D. W. Nicol, Stranraer, Wigtownshire DG9 OBG.
Habit spreading, 20cm tall, 40cm wide: foliage bright green: flowers single, calyx
yellow, corolla white, June to August. Found as a seedling, by Mr Nicol in July 1984
at MarkHill, Glenapp, Ballantrae, Ayrshire, Scotland, and named after his wife.

139 Calluna vulgaris ‘Forty-niner Gold’

Registered 8 November 1995: Mrs R. Daneri on behalf of Col. James Thompson, P.O. Box 21,

Manchester, California 95459,USA.
Habit open, erect, 40cm tall, 45cm wide: foliage lime/ yellow with gold tips throughout
the year: flowers single, white, in racemes up to 25cm long, from August to late
October. Sport on Calluna vulgaris ‘Long White’, found in his garden by Col. Thompson
in May 1991. Introduced by Heather Heaven, Humboldt County, California in 1995.
Taller than other sports from “Long White’.

NEW AQUISITIONS

Calluna Vulgaris

"Bennachie Prostrate'

Found on a mountain in Scotland by James Mackay in 1993.

Ref: Yb. Heather Soc. 1994:40
Light green foliage, mauve flowers, cushion forming similar to 'Mullardoch'. August to
September

'Cairnwell'
Found in Scotland c.1970 by Magnus Ramsey of Threave Gardens.
Ref: Yb. Heather Soc. 1991:41

Gold foliage, prostrate, pink, August to September.

'Erling' [new name]
A witch's broom on ‘Martha Hermann’, in Sweden by a friend of Brita Johansson in 1990.
Extreme dwarf, dark green foliage; looks like a ball of moss.

‘Golden Sunrise' [new name]
A sport from 'Sunrise' found on his nursery by John L. Jones, Glywern Nursery, Cilcennin,
Lampeter, Dyfed, Wales by 1992.

Deeper gold foliage than Sunrise’, more compact, mauve, August-September.

62

"Helen Gill’ [new name]

A sport on 'Beoley Silver' found in my garden 1984 and named after my granddaughter.
Foliage grey-green with cream-tips in spring and early summer, erect habit, white flowers,
September-October.

‘Johan Slegers' [new name]
A seedling found growing near a plant of 'Sir John Charrington' by A.G. Slegers at his nursery in
‘Holland in 1992.
Foliage yellow/orange, deeper in winter, erect habit, flowers deep violet, September to
October

'Sir Anthony Hopkins' [new name]
A seedling found on his nursery by Nigel Sheldon, Wrenvale Nurseries, Ammanford, Dyfed,
Wales, in 1993.

Foliage bright green, compact spikey growth, dome shaped, flowers very sparse, lavender.

Daboecia cantabrica
"Alistair'
Found by H.H. Ballantyne of Netherfeld, near Dumfries in a friends garden before 1991.
Ref: Yb. Heather Soc. 1993:43
Small leaves light green, flowers pale rose, July to September.

‘Glamour’ [new name]
Found by S. Ketelaar in his garden 1988, in Holland.
Foliage dark green, erect habit, flowers violet-red, July to September.

Erica carnea
"Romance' [new name]
Found by S. Ketelaar in a private garden in Holland in 1985.
Foliage light green, habit spreading, flowers white with slight violet blush

"Red Shift' [new name]
A seedling found on his nursery by John Proudfoot,Almondell Nursery, Methven, Perthshire.
in 1990.
Foliage dark green with bronze tips, open habit, flowers ruby. Faster growing than
'Nathalie’.

Erica cinerea
"May Gold' [new name]
A seedling found on his nursery by John L. Jones, Glywern Nursery, Cilcennin, Lampeter, Dyfed,
Wales, in 1993.
Foliage deep gold in spring and early summer, habit erect with curling stems, flowers
deep pink.

'Ogmund' [new name]
Wild Seedling found by Mrs. E.B. Pettersson growing wild on the island of Misje near Bergen,
Norway in 1993.

see p. 61.

63

'Promenade' [new name]
Found by S. Ketelaar in his garden 1993.
Foliage dark green, habit broad, erect, flowers robin red, June to September

"Tessa'
A seedling found by H. Ballyantyne of Netherfield nurseries, Dumfries.
Ref: Yb. Heather Soc. 1993:46

Foliage dark green, open habit, flowers purple., May to July.

Erica tetralix
‘Cons Gold' [new name]
A sport on 'Con Underwood' found by John L. Jones, Glywern Nursery, Cilcennin, Lampeter,
Dyfed, Wales, in 1993.
Green foliage with gold tips in spring and early summer, erect habit, flowers magenta.

E. manipuliflora x E. vagans
"Ashlea Gold' [new name]
Raised by Dr J. Griffiths from a deliberate cross in 1983.
Foliage deep gold, darker than 'Valerie Griffiths’, erect habit, compact, flowers pink.

compiled by J.PLATT
Fern Bank, 176 Southport Road, Ulnes-Walton PR5 3LN, Lancashire

NEW SPECIES & COMBINATIONS

Erica

. alnea E. G. H. Oliver & I. M. Oliver, Bothalia 25 (1995): 90-91.

. amatolensis E. G. H. Oliver, Bothalia 24 (1994): 123-124, comb.& nom.
nov. (= Ericinella multiflora Klotzsch).

. hexensis E. G. H. Oliver & I.M. Oliver, Bothalia 25 (1995): 89-90.

. hillburtii (E. G. H. Oliver) E. G. H. Oliver, Bothalia 24 (1994): 124 comb.
nov. (= Ericinella hillburtti E. G. H. Oliver)

. hispiduloides E. G. H. Oliver & I. M. Oliver, Bothalia 25 (1995): 87-89.

. hottentotica E. G. H. Oliver & I. M. Oliver, Bothalia 25 (1995): 93-94.

. mackaiana Babington f. multiplicata E. C. Nelson, Yearbook of the Heather
Society 1995: 40

. magisterati E. G. H. Oliver &I. M. Oliver, Bothalia 25 (1995): 94-95.

. microdonta (C. H. Wright) E. G. H. Oliver, Bothalia 24 (1994): 124-125,
comb. nov. (= Ericinella microdonta C. H. Wright; syn. E. shinniae
S. Moore, E. brassii Brennan; E. microdonta var. craspedotricha
Brennan)

E. paserinoides (Bolus) E. G. H. Oliver, Bothalia 24 (1994): 124, comb. nov.(=

Ericinella paserinoides Bolus).
E. tarantulae E. G. H. Oliver & I. M. Oliver, Bothalia 25 (1995): 91-93.

Bae 8b

bo Ob

64

CULTIVAR NAMES NEW TO THE REGISTRAR

Some of the names listed below have been formally published elsewhere in
accordance with the International code of nomenclature for cultivated plants.
Reference to those publications are cited. Most of the other names are not
established as they have not been published in dated publications with
accompanying descriptions as required by the ICNCB. PBR = plant breeder’s

rights

‘Arabella’

‘Arielle’

‘Ashlea Gold’
‘Aurora’

‘Branton
Bamford’

‘Brian Bamford’

‘Candles’

‘Con’s Gold’
‘Daviesiv’

DISS
‘Erling’

‘Florrie Spicer’
‘Fritz Kircher’

‘Gengold’

“Helen Gulls
‘Improved
Variety’

‘Lavender Mist’

Calluna vulgaris

Daboecia cantabrica

E. manipuliflora x vagans
Erica [Cape heath]

E. carnea

E. cinerea
Erica |Cape heath]

E. tetralix
Erica [Cape heath]

E. tetralix

Calluna vulgaris
Calluna vulgaris
Calluna vulgaris

E. nana x patersonia

Calluna vulgaris
E. melanthera

Erica [Cape heath]

Introduced by Kurt Kramer, Edewecht-
Stddorf, Germany, by 1995; in Kramer,
Information tiber neue Heidesorten,
August 1995. PBR applied for.
Introduced by Kurt Kramer, Edewecht-
Stddorf, Germany, by 1995; in Kramer,
Information tiber neue Heidesorten,
August 1995. PBR applied for.

SEC DMOS

Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips, Ericaflora,
Monbulk, Victoria, Australia, by 1995.
See p.60 | Registered cultivars |

See p.60 [ Registered cultivars |

Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips, Ericaflora,
Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by 1995.

See) p63

Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips, Ericaflora,
Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by 1995.
Glynwern Heather Nurseries,
Cilcennin, Lampeter, Dyfed, Wales by
1995;

See p.61

See p.60 | Registered cultivars |
Introduced by Kurt Kramer, Edewecht-
Stddorf, Germany, by 1995;
Ericultura 98 (September 1995): 13.
PBR applied for.

Shown by E. G. H. Oliver at Heather
Society Conference, September 1995,
National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin.
see p. 62

Illegitimate; Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips,
Ericaflora, Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by
1995.

Error for E. sparsa ‘Lavender Miss’; Mr
& Mrs D. A. Phillips, by 1995.

‘Mauve Hybrid’
‘May Gold’
‘Monja’
‘Nocturne’
‘Ogmund’
‘Pink Calan’
‘Pink Hybrid’
‘Pink Lantern’

‘Roding’

‘Ruby Glow’

‘Ruby Pearl’
‘Ruby Shepherd’
‘Showtime’

‘Sidney Spicer’
‘Surprise’

‘Violet Bamford’
‘Wendy Bamford’
‘Wittunga Satin’

‘Woodleigh’

Erica [Cape heath]
E. cinerea
Calluna vulgaris
Calluna vulgaris
E. cinerea

E. tetralix

Erica [Cape heath]

Daboecia x scotica

Calluna vulgaris

Erica [Cape heath]

Erica [Cape heath]
E. melanthera
E. sparsa

Calluna vulgaris
E. melanthera

Calluna vulgaris
Calluna vulgaris
Erica [Cape heath]

E. cf. subdivaricata

65

Rejected; Mr & Mrs. D,; A: Phillips,
Ericaflora, Monbulk, Victoria, Australia,
by 1995.

See p02

Named by H. Wordtmann, Wardenburg,
Germany, by 1995. PBR applied for.
Not established. Unknown source.
see p.61 [ Registered Cultivars |

In Der heidegarten 36 (1994): 66.
Rejected; Mr & Mrs .D. A. Phillips,
Ericaflora, Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by
1995.

Seedling grown by John Proudfoot,
Methven, Perthshire, 1989.
Un-named plant purchased in Denmark
by Mrs. B. Johansson, Vargén, Sweden
c.1980. Named by her in 1995.
Rejected: Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips,
Ericaflora, Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by
1995,

Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips, Ericaflora,
Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by 1995.

Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips, Ericaflora,
Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by 1995.

Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips, Ericaflora,
Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by 1995.

See p.60 [| Registered cultivars |

In The shrub and tree growers of
Australia, by 1995;

See p.60 [| Registered cultivars |

See p.60 [ Registered cultivars |

Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips, Ericaflora,
Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by 1995.

Mr & Mrs D. A. Phillips, Ericaflora,
Monbulk, Vic., Australia, by 1995; a
label read “Erica persoluta rubra
‘Woodleigh” and “Erica Woodleigh
Persoluta rubra hybrid” .

CULTIVAR NAMES AMPLIFICATION and AMELIORATIONS

‘White Delight’

Erica colorans

[Yearbook 1994: 42] Published in Pelmia
Rand (1990): 76.

A number of people have helped with compiling the above list by telling me of new
names they had come across. I am especially indebted to David McClintock, Jack Platt

and David Small.

66

Yb. Heather Soc. 1996: 66-71.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

ANONYMOUS. 1995. Alien invader threat to moors. Yorkshire evening post (12 May).

The alien moss Campylopus introflexus inhibits the development of heather seedlings.
[DMcC]

ANSALDI, M., MEDDA, E. & PLASTINO, S. 1994. I Fiore delle Apuane. Guida alla Flora di

Altitudino di Parco. Mauro Baroni editore & C.s.a.s., Genoa. ISBN 88-85408-52-4.
A description of all the plants occurring throughout the Apuane National Park. The species
are grouped in colour-coded sections according to various criteria that range from flower
form and colour to habitat and altitude. An introduction provides information on the region,
its various environments, their characteristics and their endemic flora. Brief descriptions
and references to Erica carnea (pp. 218-219), E. arborea, E. scoparia (pp. 300-301) and Calluna
vulgaris (pp. 220-221). [RJC]

ARNOLD, T. H. & de WET, B. C. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Memoir

of the botanical survey of South Africa 62. Pp 825.
Provides basic information about the southern African flora - the richest flora in the
temperate world. A complete list of all taxa with their synonyms, important references
and data on regional distribution. with codes — Erica is assigned computer ref. no. 6237000
(see pp. 534-547). [RJC & DMcC]

BADMIN, J. S. 1995. An overwintering population of Zygina rubrovittata ... in London.
Entomologists monthly magazine 131: 151-157.

This rare leaf hooper has been in great profusion in the triangular heather bed by South
Kensington station. [DMcC]

BARLOW, F. R. 1994. Francis Masson's account of three journeys at the Cape of Good Hope 1772-
1775. Pp 183, illustrated. Tablecloth Press, Cape Town. ISBN 0-620-18571-6. [Limited issue
of 350 copies].

Erica massonii commemorates this botanical collector who was sent out by Kew. Various
references to Erica species that he introduced into European gardens. Also includes
material on other places Masson visited, for example the Azores. [ECN]

BENNETT, M. 1995. White heather as a wedding flower. Plant lore notes and news 39: 190.
Extract from her book British customs from the cradle to the grave (1992, p. 123). [DMcC]

BONNARD, B. 1993. Channel Island plant lore. Herbal remedies, folk lore and legends, superstitions
and beliefs. Guernsey Press, Guernsey. Pp 70.

References to heathers are limited to the local island names for Erica tetralix, E. cinerea and
Calluna (p. 58), all of which appear to be similar with some terms being used regardless of
species.

BROWN, N. A., KOTZE, D. & BOTHA, F. A. 1995. The promotion of seed germination of Cape
Erica species by plant-derived smoke. Seed science and technology 25: 573-580.

25 out of 40 species showed improved germination, some up to 8100% [DMcC]

BROWN, N. A., BOTHA, F. A. & PROSCH, D. 1995. The benefits of smoke in germinating
South African shrubs. The garden 120: 402-405.

39 Erica listed and 2 illustrated. [DMcC]

BUCZACKI, S. 1994. Heathers and conifers. Your garden (December): 8-12.

Standard stuff with old cultivars. [DMcC]

67

BURTON, R. 1994. Local wild flowers in Kent. Calluna vulgaris. South London Botanical Institute
gazette (November): 1.
Much decreased in the county; best at Farningham. [DMcC]

BURTON, R. M. 1995. A new locality for Erica bocquetii. Karaca Arboretum bulletin 3: 27-29.
The second place for this Turkish endemic. [DMcC]

CAPERN, S.J. M., RISAGER, M. & LEA, J. M. 1994. Effects of nitrogen supply on frost hardiness
of Calluna vulgaris. New phytologist 128: 461-468.
The effect can be rapidly and accurately assessed in the laboratory by analysis of excised
shoots. [DMcC]

CLEMENT, E. J. & FOSTER, M. C. 1994. Alien plants of the British Isles. Botanical Society of the
British Isles, London. Pp xviii, 590.
Entries for Erica arborea, E. carnea, E. x darleyensis, E. lusitanica, E. terminalis (p. 115).

CRONK, Q. C. B. & FULLER, J. L. 1995. Plant invaders. Chapman & Hall, London.
Calluna invading New Zealand (p. 143), Erica lusitanica in New Zealand (p. 155-156). Seed
bank up to 480,000 per sq. metre. [DMcC]

DAFNI, M. 1994. Note on side advertisement in flowers. Functional ecology 8: 136-138.
Tests on 99 South African Erica on the attraction to pollinators of the ‘side view’ of a flower.
[DMcC]

DOWNHAM, F. 1994. Cold weather heathers. Amateur gardening (26 November): 12.
Erica carnea, E. x darleyensis and a very dull “Top Ten’. [DMcC]

ENGLISH NATURE. 1995. National lowland heathland programme. English nature (Publication
no 21). Pp 14.
Information and articles on the various projects to restore and manage lowland heathland
with which English Nature is currently associated. These include the restoration of the
Greenham Common USAAF air-base, Berkshire, to the heathland habitat that existed prior
to 1942; management of the NNR at Thursley Common, Surrey; the future of the Brecklands;
the restoration of Black Park, near Slough; trials of machinery to strip turf in order to expose
bare ground; and progress in establishing a NNR on the Humberland peatland workings.
[RJC]

EVERETT, D. 1995. Heather gives interest to parterres. Country life (16 March): 71.
Describes her heather parterres with two telling photographs. [DMcC]

FELTWELL, J. 1995. The conservation of butterflies in Britain, past and present. Wildlife Matters,
Battle; The Chameleon Press, London. Pp ix, 230, [iii]. ISBN 0-907970-02-8
A history of the conservation of butterflies. Ecological issues are considered and there are
brief reference to heathland, Erica cinerea, Calluna vulgaris in discussion of threats to
heathland habitats and particularly the plight of the Silver-studded blue butterfly on a
site in Suffolk. [RJC]

FERMAN, D. M. M. & McADAM, G. H. 1994. Seed bank in stands of heather moorland. Irish
naturalists’ journal 24: 480-483.
‘Most striking was the stability of the existing Calluna.’ Based on work at Ballycastle, County
Antrim. [DMcC]

FITZGERALD, C. 1995. Common sense. Yorkshire evening post (2 May).
Defence of the treatment of Skipwith Common, to preserve its heather. [DMcC]

GENT, G., WILSON, R. et alii. 1995. The flora of Northamptonshire and the Soke of Peterborough.
Kettering & District Natural History Society; Robert Wilson Designs, Rothwell, Northants.
Pp 335. ISBN 0-907381-03-0; 0-907381-08-1.
A comprehensive reference to the flora from earliest record to the situation at the present
time. ‘Heathland is lacking as very few acid soils occur.’ Consequently, brief references to
Calluna, Erica cinerea and E. tetralix either ‘rare’ or ‘very rare’. [RJC]

68

GOLDBLATT, P. & JOHNSON, D. (eds.) 1994. Index to plant chromosome numbers 1990-
1991. Monographs in systematic botany of Missouri Botanical Garden 51.

Some Ericaceae listed (pp. 88-89), Calluna vulgaris; Erica scoparia subsp. scoparia; Gaultheria
spp.

HARPUR, M. 1995. Moors melodies. Cara 28 (1): 16-19.

Tourist promotion, with photograph of Calluna which ‘ends up in Scandinavia, for blood
filtration! When it’s saturated they chop it up and use it for fertilizer.’

HARRINGTON, R. & STORK, N. E. (eds.) 1995. Insects in a changing environment. 17th

symposium of the Royal Entomological Society of London, September 1993.
Heathland and moorland mentioned in various contexts: the constraints imposed by the
effects of ‘habitat fragmentation’ (p. 19); the threats to these habitats of beetles and butterflies
(pp. 337-338); to studies of ground beetles and their value as indicators of land-use (pp.
413-414). [RJC]

HOPKINS, J. J. 1995. The habitats directive - Selecting the U.K. sites. British wildlife 6: 297-306.
A general introduction to the European Community legislation for the establishment of a
series of protected sites selected for their habitats or species (SACs) with intended timetable
for its implementation; this is preceded (pp. 286-296) by an alphabetical list of possible
sites in the UK. Among the list of Priority habitats are: 31.12 Southern Atlantic wet heaths
with Erica ciliaris and E. tetralix; 31.234 Dry coastal heaths with E. vagans. The Lizard is
listed with a photo of Cornish heath above Kynance Cove (p. 306); Thursley, Surrey is
listed as a ‘North Atlantic’ wet heath. [RJC]

HUTSON, L. 1995. Plant profile. Erica. Your garden (May): 67.

Advice for window boxes [DMcC]

HYAM, R. & PANKHURST, R. 1995. Plants and their Names. A concise dictionary. Royal Botanic
Gardens, Edinburgh & Oxford University Press, Oxford. ISBN 0-19-866189-4.

Reference work to common and scientific names with their derivation. Calluna (p. 83),
Erica (pp. 177-178), Ericaceae (p. 178).

ISAACSON, R. T. 1995. Flowering plant index 3 (No. 1). University of Minnesota.

Lists pictures in colour of taxa including cultivars: Andromeda (p. 18), Calluna (p. 47), Daboecia
(p. 88); Erica (pp. 113-120, largely South African by Schumann). (See also Yearbook 1994:
50.) [DMcC]

JOHANSSON, B. 1995. Ljung. Hemtrddgdrden 4: 21-22.

Excellent account of Erica carnea cvs, with two striking photos of them in her garden. [DMcC]

JOHANSSON, R. & LINDAU, A. K. E. 1995. Ville Blomster 1 Skog og Mark. Oslo, 1995.

Two pages each for Andromeda (p. 412), Calluna (p. 38), Erica tetralix (p. 414 with distribution
maps for all Scandinavia; no E. cinerea. [DMcC]

JORGENSEN, P. K. 1995. De flotteske Lyng - de hjemmelavede. Haven 6/7: 336-337.
Propagation [DMcC]

JUNIPER, T. 1994. Comment: Conservation on the global stage - the Habitats Directive, the
Biodiversity Convention and the U.K. British wildlife 6: 99-103.

Photographs (colour) of Caledonian Forest at Rothiemurchis (p. 100, Calluna in foreground)
and of cross-leaved heath with lichens and bryophytes at Flanders Moss, Scotland (p. 102),
one of the largest sites of primary raised-bog in the U.K. [RJC]

KEITH, L. B. 1994. Heather moorland regeneration: the government initiatives. The Heather
Trust 10th annual report: 29 & 31.

The joint management of grouse and grazing animals.

KELLY, J. 1995. Ericas. Amateur gardening (8 April): 23-29.
A standard survey with poor photos [DMcC]

69

LAURENCE, I. 1994. A guide to the wild flowers of Cleveland. A comprehensive flora of the county of

Cleveland. Cleveland County Council. Pp 174.
Numerical catalogue of species in the county and brief information on occurrence. Limited
information on Ericaceae (ling, cross-leaved heath & bell heather (pp. 100, 399, 400);
Pernettya mucronata [sic] (p. 99) one record in birchwood, Lazenby; Vaccinium vitis-idaea, V.
myrtillus. [RJC]

LUTEYN, J. L. (ed.) 1995. Flora neotropica. Monograph 66. Ericaceae Part II. The superior-ovaried
genera (Monotropioideae; Pyroloideae; Rhododendroideae; Vaccinioideae p.p.) New York
Botanical Garden, New York. Pp iii, 560, [v].

18 genera, 155 species of Ericaceae with superior ovaries that occur in the Neotropics;
introduction by P. F. Stevens, ‘Familial and interfamilial relationships’, provides valuable
summary of the taxonomic history of the Ericaceae. [RJC]

McCLINTOCK, D. 1995. Erstbeschreibung auf Lateinisch, Erica x oldenburgensis. Deutsche
Baumschule 5: 198.

The formal description of the hybrid Erica arborea x carnea. [DMcC]

McDONALD, D., JURITZ, J.M., COULING, R.M .. & KNOTTENBELT, W. J. 1995. Modelling
the biological aspects of local endemism in South African fynbos. Plant systematics and
evolution 195: 3-4.

‘E. G. H. Oliver provided valuable information on endemic Ericaceae.” [DMcC]

MARREN, P. 1994. England's national nature reserves. T. A. & D. Poyser, London, in association
with English Nature. Pp xxii, 272. ISBN: 0-85661-083-6
(See Bulletin of the Heather Society Summer 1995: 15-17). Three of the excellent colour
photographs feature heaths. [RJC]

MEASURES, J. 1995. Harvesting briar pipes. The Algarve resident (20 January).

MICHAEL, N. 1993. Grazing English lowland heaths. Sanctuary 23: 34.

Grazing diversifies a heath. [DMcC]

MILNE, J. 1995. Wild flowers in watercolour. B. T. Batsford, London. ISBN 0-7134-7380-0.

A book by a skilful artist to stimulate interest in painting flowers; explains the techniques,
materials and methods she uses. These range from detailed studies to a free-style that
instantly captures the essence of a plant, for example, the simple brush strokes used in ling
which she describes as ‘a real gem to paint’ (p. 84). [RJC]

MOSSBERG, B., STENBERG, L. & ERICSSON, S. 1995. Gyldendals Store Nordiske Flora.
Gyldendal Norsk Forlag, Oslo. Pp 695. ISBN 82-05-22561-3.

Norwegian plants, short descriptions, illustrated around the periphery of each page;
includes Erica tetralix, E.cinerea and Calluna vulgaris. [RJC]

MICHAELSON, M. .1994. Gammel lyngdrift attraksjon i Lindas. Bergens Tidende (16 October):
Mf

NELSON, E. C. 1995. Erica x stuartii : the authorship reconsidered. Watsonia 20: 275-278.

The correct authority is (Macfarlane) Masters.

==== 1995. The art of flowers. Charlotte Wheeler Cuffe, The flowers of Burma. Wendy Walsh, The
flowers of Ireland.s. Stationery Office, Dublin. Pp 36pp.

Catalogue of National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Bicentenary exhibition; reproduction
of Erica cinerea (p. 12) from Flowers of Mayo (see below).

NELSON, E. C. & WALSH, W. 1995. Flowers of Mayo. Dr Patrick Browne’s Fasciculus plantarum
Hiberniae 1788. Edmund Burke, Dublin.
Erica cinerea (pl. 5); Daboecia cantabrica (plate 6); both with text.

NOLAN, A. J., HULME, P. D. & WHEELER, D. 1994. The status of Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull in
Fair Isle. Botanical journal of Scotland 47: 1-16.
A survey of the health and present status of Calluna heath that dominates (53%) the

70

vegetation on Fair Isle based on sample examinations carried out between May and
September 1992. [RJC]

OLIVER, E. G. H. 1994. Studies in the Ericoideae (Ericaceae). XV. The generic relationship
between Erica and Ericinella. Bothalia 24: 121-126.

Transfers Ericinella multiflora (now E. amatolensis), E. paserinoides, E. hillburti and E. microdonta
to Erica. [DMcC]

OLIVER, E. G. H. & OLIVER, I. M. 1995. Studies in the Ericoideae (Ericaceae). XVI. Six new
species of Erica from the Western Cape. Bothalia 25: 87-95.

Erica alnea, E. hexensis, E. hispiduloides, E. tarantulae, E. hottentotica, and E. magisterati. [DMcC]

[PASCO, A.] 1995. Trimming winter heathers. Daily telegraph weekend (6 May): [11]

PEARCE, F.1995. Airborne urine threatens heaths and moors. New Scientist (25 March).
Nitrogen pollution is affecting bog plants including heathers. In East Anglia it is ammonia
from animal urine — a dairy cow produces 40 litres a day. [DMcC]

PETERS, C. R., O’BRIEN, M. O., & DRUMMOND, R. B. 1992. Edible wild plants of sub-Saharan
Africa. An annotated checklist emphasizing the woodland and savanna floras of eastern and southern
Africa, including the plants utilised for food by chimpanzees and baboons. Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew.

Erica spp listed (p. 107) are E. cerinthoides, E. coarctata, E. mammosa, E. phylicifolia, E. plukenetit,
E. undulata. [RJC]

PHILLIPS, S. 1995. Lucky heathers. Gardeners’ world (January): 34-37.

A well illustrated general account, recommending the Heather Society. [DMcC]

RICHARDS, A. J. 1994. Andromeda polifolia, in STEWART, A. et alii (eds.) Scarce plants in Britain.
An admirable succinct account with an up-to date distribution map (p. 46) showing where
and why it has diminished. [DMcC]

ROBINSON, T. 1995. Botany — a Roundstone view. Irish botanical news 5: 5-12.

A personal view of Connemara’s plants and their history — ‘cultural ecology, with comic
interludes’. Mainly about heathers, and mainly Erica mackaiana. Highly entertaining. [ECN]

ROSE, G. 1994. Fair weather friends. Sunday times (6 November): 37.

Cherrybank “home to 600 ‘species’ of heather’. Full-page photo of Norrie Robertson. [DMcC]

ROTHERO, G. & THOMPSON, B. [1995]. An annotated checklist of the flowering plants and ferns
of Main Argyll.

The result of the Argyll Flora Project, dealing with the various areas covered followed by
entries for each plant giving brief details of locality and habitat; Ericaceae pp. 44-46. [RJC]

SAUNDERS, G. 1995. Picturing plants. An analytical history of botanical illustration. Zwemmer in
association with the Victoria & Albert Museum,London. Pp 152. ISBN 0-302-00652-4
(paperback) £12.95.

Virtually a catalogue of the exhibition of botanical illustration held at the ‘V & A’ during
the summer 1995. The illustration of Erica ramentacea by Bauer (pl. 57, p. 83) is given as an
example of ‘botanical perfection’. [RJC]

SCHONFELDER, I. & SCHONFELDER, P. 1994. Kosmos Atlas Mittelmeer - und- Kanereniforal
Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart. Pp 304. ISBN 3-440-06223-6
Short description of the characteristic habitats in the Mediterranean and the Canary Isles
with over 1600 photos of the plants that are found there. Includes Erica arborea, E.
manipuliflora, E. multiflora, E. scoparia, E. terminalis, E. verticillata, and Arbutus unedo, A.
andracine and A. canariensis. |RJC]

SEABROOKE, P. 1994. Heather ready. The sun (29 October).

‘Heathers make a stunning display in the garden.’ [DMcC]

SHARPE, L. 1995. Heather bedding. Boston globe (5 March).
Kate Herrick’s garden at Cape Cod. [.DMcC]

Tal

SHEPPARD, T. 1995. Strike it lucky. Amateur gardening (16 July): 17.
Propagation ‘in the greenhouse’. [DMcC]

SMALL, D. 1995. Useful stop-gap colour producers. Amateur gardening (4 February): 35.
Winter flowerers. [DMcC]

STRAKER-SMITH, P. & PHILLIPS, J. 1994. The logistics and arithmetic of heather burning.
The Heather Trust 10th annual report: 25, 27.

Answers key questions of what, how much and when.

THOMPSON, D. B. A. & HESTER, A. J. [eds.) 1994. Heaths and moorlands: cultural landscapes.
HMSO, London.

A fine book. [To be reviewed in the 1997 Yearbook].

THOMPSON, J. 1994. Fair heather friend. Flower and garden (October-November):44-49.

His garden in California [see S. CLARK & K. M. OLSEN, Yearbook 1995. DMcC]

TICKLE, A. 1995. The acid test for plants; acid rain and British plants. Plantlife, London. ISBN 1-
872613-03-9. £2.50.

A concise account. Sections are devoted to particular environments and the species suffering
from acid rain; photograph of Erica tetralix as a characteristic species of threatened upland
heaths. [RJC]

TORT, M. (ed.) 1994. Haut Allier. Acta botanica Gallica 141: 595-687.

Report of 125th session of Société botanique de France (1994) on habitats and vegetation of
the Haut Allier. Calluna and Vaccinium spp. reported in several plant association lists. ‘Les
landes a Callune’ is one of the seven series recognised in the section devoted to the
associations present on slopes and mounds in the region.

TUCKER, A. O., KUNST, S.G. VRUGTMAN, F. & HATCH, L. G. 1995. Checklist of cultivars.
Arnoldia Winter 1994-95: 7-59.

Calluna (p. 10); Daboecia (p. 12); Erica (p.12-13); bibliography giving most sources. [DMcC]

USHER, M. 1994. Heaths and moorlands: cultural landscapes. The Heather Trust 10th Annual

Report: 44-45.
Report of 2nd annual conference (The joint management of grouse and grazing animals)
of the Research & Advisory Services Directorate of Scottish Natural Heritage held at
Aberdeen, 25-27 August 1993.

VICKERY, R. A. 1995. A dictionary of plant lore. Oxford University Press,Oxford.

Heather (p. 175): two recent accounts of its uses, including heather ale. [DMcC]

VILA, M. & TERRADOS, J. 1995. Effects of nutrient availability on neighbours, on shoot growth,
re-sprouting and flowering of Erica multiflora. Journal of vegetation science 6: 411-416.
Results largely what would be expected. [DMcC]

VOIGT, N. (ed.) 1994. Bedeutung von heidedkosystemen fiir die Wirbellosenfauna. Supplement

zu Faunistisch-Okologische Mitteilungen 16.
3 papers on ecology of the invertebrate fauna associated with heathland habitats at various
reserves in Schleswig Holstein. The occurrence and particular habitats and food required
by various insects, especially beetles is described from observations made during 1990.
Lists of characteristic species for different stages of heathland succession are provided;
the early pioneer-stages and the young shoots of Calluna are considered to be of special
importance because these favour specialized and rare heathland species. Ideally a
combination of other habitats adjacent to the heathland is necessary for the provision of
suitable nesting & food resources for most taxa. [RJC]

WOODHEAD, F. 1994. Flora of the Christchurch Area. Felicity Woodhead, Bournemouth;
Blackmore Press, Shaftesbury. ISBN 0-952-2857-0-3.

Modern survey intended as a basis for further study and use in future conservation
decisions. References to Calluna, Erica cinerea, E. tetralix and E. lusitanica. [RJC]

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NURSERYMEN MEMBERS

W = wholesale nursery only
R = retail nursery
MO = nursery willing to supply plants by mail order

ZONE 1 - Scotland

W Mr. & Mrs. T.G.M. CALLAN, Taggs Nursery, Hartwood Mains, WEST CALDER,
WEST LOTHIAN, EH55 8LE

W R MO Mr.D.A. LAMBIE, Speyside Heather Centre, West End, Skye of Curr, DULNAIN BRIDGE,
INVERNESS-SHIRE, PH26 3PA

W R MO Mr. C.P. PIPER, Pennyacre Nurseries, Crawley House, SPRINGFIELD, FIFE, KY15 3RU

WR Mr. J.D.W. PROUDFOOT, Almondell Nursery, 34 Lynedoch Road, METHEVEN,
PERTHSHIRE, PH1 3PN
WR Mr. G.S. STURROCK, Angus Heathers, 10 Guthrie Street, LETHAM, ANGUS, DD8 2PS

ZONE 2 - Ireland

R Mr. W. CRAWFORD, Dalhanna, 148 Avenue Road, Lurgan, CRAIGAVON,
CO. ARMAGH, N. IRELAND, BT66 7BJ
Mr. L. DORAN, Doran Nurseries, Timahoe, Donadea, NAAS, CO. KILDARE,
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Mr. & Mrs. D.J. GATTRELL, Beechtrees Nursery, 21 Pigeontown Road, Glenavy,
CRUMLIN, CO. ANTRIM, NORTHERN IRELAND, BT29 4LJ

R Mrs. M. HANNA, 162 Lisnevenagh Road, ANTRIM, CO. ANTRIM, NORTHERN
IRELAND, BT41 2JJ

R Mr. & Mrs. D. KERINS, Fernhurst Garden Nurseries, Killowen, KENMARE,
CO. KERRY, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Mr. & Mrs. C. McCOY, McCoy Nurseries, Littletown, Kilmeague, NAAS, Co. KILDARE,
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

R Mr. G. WILLIS, Kilternan Nurseries, Old Post Office, KILTERNAN,
CO. DUBLIN, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

Sp eS See

ZONE 3 - England: Northeast
R Mr. & Mrs. D.R. ANDERSON, Dilston Plains, CORBRIDGE, NORTHUMBERLAND,
NE45 5RE
WR Mr. & Mrs. W. CROW, Starraig Nead, Scots Gap, MORPETH, NORTHUMBERLAND,
NE61 4EQ

ZONE 4 - England: Northwest

W R Mr. & Mrs. S. CRABTREE, Eversley Nursery, 10 Granville Avenue, Hesketh Bank,
PRESTON, LANCASHIRE, PR4 6AH
W Mr. T. FODEN, Foden Nurseries, Rowley House, Kermincham, HOLMES CHAPEL,

CHESHIRE, CW4 8DX
R MO Mr P.J. FOLEY Holden Clough Nursery, Holden, Bolton By Bowland, CLITHEROE,
LANCASHIRE, BB7 4PF
WR R. HOLMES & SONS, The Nurseries, Natland, KENDAL, CUMBRIA, LAY 7QC
W R MO Mr. T.J. OKELL, Okell’s Nurseries, Duddon Heath, Nr. TARPORLEY, CHESHIRE,
CW6 OEP

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ZONE 5 - England: Humberside & Yorkshire
WR Mr. & Mrs. M.P. HARRISON, Asselby Nurseries, Asselby, Nr. GOOLE,
N. HUMBERSIDE, DN14 7HE

ZONE 6 - England: East Midlands

R NEW ST. NURSERY, 47 New St., BLABY, LEICESTERSHIRE, LE8 3GT
R Mr. & Mrs. A. SCOTT-BLORE, 7 Cheribough Road, Old Acres, CASTLE DONINGTON,
DERBYSHIRE, DE7 2NR
W R MO TWO DALES NURSERIES, Two Dales Farm, Selston Lane, Annesley, WOODHOUSE,
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, NG17 9LA

ZONE 7 - England: West Midlands

WR Mr. J.L. ALLEN, Green Beech Nursery, Oxleys Road, Wishaw, SUTTON COLDFIELD,
W. MIDLANDS, B76 9PA
R Mr. & Mrs. J. AMBRIDGE, 134 Newpool Road, Brownlees, Biddulph,
STOKE-ON-TRENT, ST8 6NZ
W Mr. & Mrs. M. EVERETT, Greenacres Nursery, BRINGSTY, WORCESTER, WR6 5TA
WR Mr. T.G. VEITCH, Broadlands, Springbrook Lane, EARLSWOOD, WARWICKSHIRE,
B94 5SF
WR Mr. & Mrs. R. WARNER, Barncroft Nurseries, Dunwood Lane, Longsdon,
STOKE-ON-TRENT, STAFFORDSHIRE, ST9 9Q0W
R Mrs. H. WARREN, Conifers, 10 Outwoods Street, BURTON-ON-TRENT,

STAFFORDSHIRE, DE14 2PJ

ZONE 8 - Cymru (Wales)

WR Mr. & Mrs. N. CROFT, Glynwern Nursery, Cilcennin, LAMPETER, DYFED, SA48 8RJ

ZONE 9 - England: East

R MO Chris BOWERS AND SONS, Whispering Trees Nursery, WIMBOTSHAM, NORFOLK,
PE34 8QB
W R MO Mr. & Mrs. B.F. HIPPERSON, Norwich Heather & Conifer Ctr, 54a Yarmouth Road,
Thorpe, NORWICH, NORFOLK, IP21 4QP
R Mr. & Mrs. H.B. OAKES, The Nurseries, Pulham St. Mary, DISS, NORFOLK, IP21 4QQ
W Mrs. P. RODWELL, Upminster Lodge Nurseries, Tomkyns Lane, UPMINSTER, ESSEX,
RM14 1TP
W R MO Mr. & Mrs. D.J. SMALL, Denbeigh Heather Nurseries, All Saints Road,
Creeting St. Mary, IPSWICH, SUFFOLK, IP6 8PJ
W R MO Mr. T. WRAY, Bridge Nurseries, Dunwich, SAXMUNDHAM, SUFFOLK, IP17 3DZ

ZONE 10 - England: North Thames

ZONE 11 - England: Southern

WR Mr. & Mrs. R.W.S. BIGGS, Bodiam Nursery, Ockham House, Bodiam,
ROBERTSBRIDGE, EAST SUSSEX , TN32 SRA

R Mr. & Mrs. J. FRANCIS, The Nursery, 37 Stone Lane, WORTHING, WEST SUSSEX,

BN13 2BA

W R MO Mr. J. MARTIN, Hillway Nursery, Felbridge, EAST GRINSTEAD,
RH19 2PS

W WINDLESHAM COURT NURSERIES, London Road (A30), WINDLESHAM, SURREY,
GU20 6LJ

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ZONE 12 - England: Southwest

R

Mr. & Mrs. B.C. BAMFORD, Haythorne Nursery, 113 Ringwood Road, VERWOOD,
DORSET, BH31 7AD

Mr. L. HAWKER, Fiveways, Donne Lane Head, Odcombe, YEOVIL, SOMERSET,
BA22 8UE

Mr. & Mrs. A.W. JONES, Otters’ Court Heathers, West Camel, YEOVIL, SOMERSET,
BA22 7Q0F

NAKED CROSS NURSERIES, Waterloo Road, Corfe Mullen, WIMBORNE, DORSET,
BH SSR

Mr. & Mrs. H. PRINGLE, 166 Woodlands Road, Ashurst, SOUTHAMPTON,
HAMPSHIRE, SO4 2AP

Mr. P.J. SQUIRES, Heatherwood Nurseries, Merley Park Road, WIMBORNE, DORSET,

ZONE 13 - England: Far West

W

R

MO

Mr. & Mrs. R. PARKER, Badgers Holt Flower Nursery, Mount Whistle, Ashton,
HELSTON, CORNWALL, TR13 9TE
Mr. A. POWELL, Talaton Plants, 1 Ivy Cottages, Talaton, EXETER, DEVON, EX5 2SD

ZONE 14 - Europe, North America, Australasia

W

==

R MO
R
MO

Mr. H.W. de BRUIJN, Insteek 46, 2771 AB BOSKOOP, NETHERLANDS

Mrs. C. COE, Coehaven Nursery, 150 Rangiuru Road, OTAKI, NEW ZEALAND

Mr. J. COUTURIEUX, St Prayel, 82 Rue Paul Elbel, 88420 MOYENMOUTIER, FRANCE
Mrs. N. Spencer, Heather Heaven, 3342 School Street, FORTUNA,

CALIFORNIA 95540, U.S.A.

Ms. K.D. HERRICK, Rock Spray Nursery inc., Box 693, TRURO,

MASSACHUSETTS 02666, USA

Mrs. R.M. KNIGHT, Heather Acres Inc., 1199 Monte-Elma Road, Elma ,
WASHINGTON 98541, USA

Mr. K. KRAMER, Edammer Strafse 26, 26188 EDEWECHT-SUDDORF, GERMANY
Mr. & Mrs. D.A. PHILLIPS, Ericaflora, P.O. Box 206, MONBULK, VICTORIA 3793,
AUSTRALIA

Mr. P. RAES, Ridderstraat 40, 3040 NEERIJSE, BELGIUM

Mr. R. SPITZ, 1512 CHAVANNES-SUR-MOUDON , SWITZERLAND

VIVEROS DEL SUEVE S.A.T. Finca Las Huelgas s/n, Villamayor, 33583 Pilona,
ASTURIAS, SPAIN

Mr. H. WESTERMANN, Baumschulenweg 2, 29646 BISPINGEN, GERMANY

Mr. D. WILSON, 6227 Hopedale Road, CHILLIWACK, BRITISH COLUMBIA V2R4L5,
CANADA

THE HEATHER SOCIETY

Administrator:
Mrs A. Small: Denbeigh, All Saints Road, Creeting St Mary, Ipswich IP6 8PJ, Suffolk

Registrar:
Mr A.W. Jones: Otters' Court, Back Street, West Camel, Yeovil, BA22 7QF, Somerset

Slide librarian:
Miss J. Sharpe: 3 Selby Road, Fulford, York YO1 4RD, North Yorkshire

Editor of Bulletin:
Mrs D. Everett: Greenacres Nursery, Bringsty WR6 STA, Worcestershire

COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Finance General Purposes Publications Technical
A. Hall Mrs D. H. Jones P. '‘L. Joyner D. J. Small
(chairman) (chairman) (chairman) (chairman)
Mrs D. H. Jones A. Hall R. J. Cleevely R. J. Cleevely
P. L. Joyner Mrs P. B. Lee A. R. Collins A. R. Collins
D. J. T. Mayne D. J. T. Mayne Mrs D. Everett Mrs D. Everett
D. B. Oliver Dr R. Nichols A. W. Jones A. W. Jones
Miss J. Sharpe D. B. Oliver D. H. E. Rope
D. J. Small
A. J. Stow
Editor of Yearbook
Dr. E. Charles Nelson
Tippitiwitchet Cottage
Hall Road
Outwell
Wisbech
Cambridgeshire, PE 14 8PE
Tel: 01945 773 057 Fax: 01945 774 077

All material for the 1997 issue of the Yearbook of the Heather Society
must reach the Editor not later than
31 October 1996

YEARBOOK OF THE HEATHER SOCIETY

1996

CONTENTS

E.G. H. Oliver & I. M. Oliver
Studies in the Ericaceae (Ericoideae), XX
A rare new species of Erica from South Africa

i. G,. H. Oliver
The position of Bruckenthalia versus Erica

C. Hilton-Taylor
Threatened Ericaceae in southern Africa

Geoffrey B. Charlesworth
Growing heathers in Micoto Massachusetts

A.W. Jones
Erica bocquetii

Geoffrey Yates
Erica cinerea 'Joseph Murphy'

S. M. Rees
The flora and fauna of the North York Moors,
and the uses of heather and moorland by mankind

M. Edwards
Some bees, wasps and other insects associated with
British heathlands

David Small
Erica arborea 'Estrella Gold'

D. Kotze
Improved seed germination of Cape Erica species
by plant-derived smoke

P. Bannister
The frost resistance of heaths and heathers.

H. McAllister
Reproduction in Erica mackaiana Bab.

E. Charles Nelson ‘
Casual observations (1982, 1994) on Erica tetralix
in Picos de Europa, Asturias, Spain

Pamela B. Lee
Constance MacLeod, The Society’s first secretary.

David Small
Calluna vulgaris 'Alexandra'

The Heather Society 25th annual conference 1995
National Botanic Gardens, Dublin
Remembering Dublin

CULTIVAR AND SPECIES NOTES
Cultivars registered to 31 December 1995
New acquisitions - J. Platt
New species & combinations
Cultivar names new to the Registrar

RECENT PUBLICATIONS
NURSERYMEN MEMBERS

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