newsletter cylchlythyr...newsletter cylchlythyr number / rhif 56 may / mai 2016 2 fig. 1....

THE FRIENDS OF TREBORTH BOTANIC GARDEN

CYFEILLION GARDD

FOTANEG TREBORTH

NEWSLETTER CYLCHLYTHYR

Number / Rhif 56 May / Mai 2016

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Fig. 1. Karakunedake Crater, Kyushu, Japan [p. 11]

Fig. 2 Lychoris raidata in a Japanese rice field [p. 11]

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COMMITTEE

Sarah Edgar ([email protected]) Chair Angela Thompson ([email protected]) Vice Chair, Membership Sec Cath Dixon ([email protected]) Treasurer Natalie Chivers ([email protected]) Curator Rosie Kressman ([email protected]) Horticulturist Dr John Gorham ([email protected]) Events Secretary Thomas (Tomos) Jones ([email protected]) Publicity Dr David Shaw ([email protected]) Committee Member Enid Griffith Committee Member Tom Cockbill ([email protected]) Committee Member Dr Ann Illsley ([email protected]) Committee Member Berta Rosen ([email protected]) Committee Member James Stroud ([email protected]) Committee Member Rosie Barratt ([email protected]) Committee Member Chris Glass ([email protected]) STAG Representative Sam Herniman ([email protected]) STAG Representative

Newsletter Team

John Gorham email as above (layout, photos) Grace Gibson [email protected] (adverts, articles) Angela Thompson email as above (commissioning articles, planning, editing)

Cover Photos: Front: Flowers of Conandron ramondioides in Japan [p. 11]. Back: Recent Google Earth view of the Menai Strait [p. 21]. Unless otherwise stated, all contributions to the newsletter are copyright of the author.

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Issue No. 56 May 2016

CONTENTS

Chair’s Introduction 3

News in Brief 4

Curator’s Report January—April 2016 5

Interesting Books: New Titles in the Library and a Review 7

Half of Plant Specimens Wrongly Named 10

Welcome to Japan…. 13

Allt y Benglog Wych Elm Project: initial report, 22 January 2016 18

Cacti—More at Risk of Extinction than Mammals or Birds! 21

HMS Conway—the Shipwreck at the Bottom of the Garden 24

Renovating the Butterfly Border 33

The Joys of Treborth 34

Pauline Perry—This is Your Life 36

Treborth Botanic Garden Woodland Update 39

History of the Work in the Garden 40

Wetlands Forever 42

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Chair's Introduction, May 2016

The Treborth woodlands are looking fresh and green now, and birds, red squirrels and other wildlife are active in the trees and undergrowth; but there has also been much activity over the winter by our volunteers, doing footpath maintenance and laurel eradication to improve the path through the wood. Gerry Downing reports on this and other woodland developments. Angela Thompson writes about the varied life of Treborth volunteers. An important objective for Treborth, and indeed all botanic gardens, is conservation, and Hilary Miller explains about a new project that we are undertaking - the propagation of a particular, but failing, wych elm that supports a rare lichen. Natalie Chivers gives her usual Curator's report to update you on everything else that has been going on. We are surrounded by interesting local history and in the woodland next door to ours there are remains of HMS Conway and Julian Bridges writes a fascinating article about this historic ship and its dramatic end. Peggy Gollogly has been looking at a different type of history: the people who passed through Treborth and had their photographs taken, but whom we now can't identify - can you help? We always like to have an article or two from around the world and this time Richard Birch takes us to South Japan. We also know that our readers are well aware of environmental issues and the future of our planet, so you will want to see the book review by Val Lane on the "The Sixth Extinction" as well as John Gorham's thoughtful article on cacti species. By the time you read this we will have had our two spring plant sales but just as I write this we are busy preparing for them, with seedlings and cuttings being anxiously nurtured, weather forecasts being monitored and cakes being baked. We have also recently enjoyed the Len Beer Memorial Lecture, an entertaining talk from George Argent about his plant hunting in south-east Asia, and also our annual dinner at the Garddfon Inn. Although these events take work to organise, they are always worthwhile and the best bit is meeting our members. Thank you for your support.

Sarah Edgar

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News in Brief * Donations We are grateful to Dr and Mrs D Williams for their kind contribution to our funds. * Aspirin and Cinnamon James Wong, Kew-trained ethnobotanist, television presenter and author, advises us to dissolve half a 300 mg tablet of soluble aspirin in a litre of water, add a teaspoon of powdered cinnamon, stir well and to use this to soak seeds before sowing and when striking cuttings. You could also just use this mixture for watering. Aspirin (similar to salicylic acid, a natural plant hormone) encourages higher germination rates, boosts plant defence systems and improves overall vigour. The spice cinnamon is obtained from the inner bark of several trees of the genus Cinnamomum. They have evolved chemicals with antibacterial and antifungal properties that help to protect against pathogens. Depending on the species of plants you are growing, you could find you have less damping off and rotting with this approach. * Newsletter Articles Have you got a botanical/horticultural success story that you'd like to share with the Friends? Or even a disaster that we could learn from (just as valuable…)? Or a particular interest in a certain group of plants? If so, it would be great to hear from you if you feel like writing about it, for consideration for a future issue of the newsletter. The Friends' membership is a broad church, from greenhouse potterers to professors, and we aim to have a mix of features and interests in each issue. It's your newsletter, so please do consider contributing to it. Deadlines for me to receive copy for the next 3 issues are: Monday 1 August for Sep 16 edition Monday 5 December for Jan 17 Monday 3 April for May 17 Otherwise, in order to fill up empty pages, there may have to be more of this sort of thing… Why was the botanist afraid of the club moss? He was built lycophyta.

Angela Thompson

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Curator’s Report: January - April 2016

In this report I want to update you about the developments at the Garden since Christmas, but first I want to acknowledge the very sad news we had at the end of 2015 when our very good friend Pauline Perry passed away. Pauline was a zealous and extremely knowledgeable plantswoman, with a fiery passion for botany. We were all very lucky to have spent the summer and autumn months of 2015 with her at Treborth where amongst other things, she managed to see her Southern African bulbs replanted in the Temperate House and discuss the plans for the new shelter to counteract the leaking glasshouse during their dry period. We all have fond memories of Pauline and we all miss her at Treborth. You, probably like me, are feeling that we are finally drying out after the second wettest December on record according to the Met Office, with 385.5 mm (15.1 in) recorded on the Treborth Garden site. It’s no wonder we haven’t been able to mow the grass since November. So, as we welcome the spring, the extra hours of daylight and, fingers crossed, some sunshine, I am very pleased to share with you my latest updates. Staff and volunteers have supported Shaun and me by contributing to our new Strategic Plan for the Garden. It has been presented to the College of Natural Sciences and we have received a very positive response. The Plan focuses on the four strategic branches integral to the Garden (research, teaching, community and conservation), highlighting the invaluable role of the Friends and STAG and stating our immediate and projected priorities in the context of our vision for the Garden. I would like to express my grateful thanks to all involved and look forward to delivering this plan in partnership with you. The Garden Management Committee continues to meet monthly to discuss ongoing maintenance and new projects in the Garden. We have recently implemented a new labelling format, simplifying the black plastic ‘T’ labels with one large stick-on label instead of individual pieces. This will allow us to be more efficient with printing and replacing labels. In my last report I updated you about the management plan for the cultivated garden beds and this work is progressing well. We now have the opportunity to set out the requirements for the management of the lawns, meadow plots and rough vegetation areas. It is my intention to review these areas with objectives to reduce off-takings and the pressure on storage, including composting space and to reduce the invasion of coarse vegetation such as brambles and bamboo into the managed areas.

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Over the winter months, we have continued to receive support from the Confucius Institute and the British Council for the on-going development of the Two Dragons Chinese Garden Project. Structural trees and shrubs including Hamamelis mollis, Cornus kousa var. chinesis and Tetrapanax papyrifer have arrived and are fundamental specimens that contribute to the second stage of planting in the Chinese Garden. The British Council has also funded a visit to Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Garden for me and Rosie in April 2016. We are both delighted to take up this opportunity and continue the partnership working between both organisations. In addition to the renovation of the Orchid House which I noted in my previous report, we are continuing to further diversify our Orchid collection with the addition of some new species, notably Anguloa clowesii and Prosthechea garciana, both native to the Venezuelan cloud forest and Caribbean endemic Ornithidium coccineum. We have also recently accessioned a variety of heritage fruit trees from Ian Sturrock’s Welsh Fruit Nursery which will be planted in a new orchard site in front of Rivendell Office and the Curator’s House. This will replace the current Welsh Orchard site behind the new pond and include the planting of a Denbigh Plum and Cariad Cherry in addition to the variety of apple trees. I would like to say a very big thank you to STAG who have been successful in securing £1000 from the Student’s Union Activity Development Fund which they have kindly donated to the renovation of the butterfly border (see Hilary’s article). and zoology practical sessions with the College of Natural Sciences, forest school sessions with Wild Elements and Wonderwoods and botanical art classes with our artist-in-residence. Despite the wet and windy winter, Treborth and its facilities continue to offer a variety of opportunities for all who want to visit and be a part of it. I am looking forward to seizing the opportunities spring will give to us here at the Garden. Easter has whizzed by already and our sights are firmly on the plant sales - please come and join us if you can, and I look forward to welcoming you to Treborth. Until the next Curator's report…

Natalie Chivers

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Interesting Books: New Titles in the Library and a Review In the Treborth Library, available for reference at Treborth Alien Plants by Stace and Crawley, pub William Collins in New Naturalist Series. This copy has been donated by Tomos Jones, MSc, ex Bangor student, who contributed to the January 16 newsletter. The subject has become familiar both to naturalists and the general public, due to awareness of the damage to the environment by Japanese knotweed and New Zealand pigmy weed, to name but two examples. There are very interesting discussions of how we define alien plants and what we do about them, if anything, since some can be beneficial. Flora of the Silk Road by Gardner and Gardner, pub Tauris. This copy has been bought by the Friends. This is an overview of the plants and scenery to be found in various countries along this ancient 5000 mile route, including Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iran and of course China and Central Asia. More than 500 wild flowers are detailed with beautiful photos. Steppes: the Plants and Ecology of the World's Semi-Arid Regions by Bone, Johnson et al, pub Timber Press. This copy has also been donated by the Friends. All the world's steppe regions in North and South America, Africa, Asia and Europe are discussed. Many staple crops and garden plants have originated in these expansive grasslands, and the book describes the plants in each area, and the geology and climate that created them. Angela Thompson Book review The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History by Elizabeth Kolbert, pub Henry Holt & Co. The author is a journalist rather than a scientist, and as she makes no assumptions about the readers' prior knowledge, her writing is easily accessible to us all. I came to this book intrigued by the title and the blurb on the back cover: "over the last half million years there have been five mass extinctions on Earth. Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the next one". The author travels to the Amazon, the Andes and the Great Barrier Reef and meets up with a number of these

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scientists. In addition, there are also 16 pages of notes, acknowledgements and bibliography in support of her text. She explores the theories of what caused previous extinctions, which are known by the names of the geological periods in which they occurred. One idea for the title of this present sixth extinction comes from what she terms is today's Catastrophozoic Era. Fossil remains are examined in various layers of sediment and she speculates on what will be compressed into our layer - she suggests rat bones, nuclear fallout, river diversions, mono-culture farming and ocean acidification. Kolbert examines how humans have rearranged Earth's biota, transporting flora and fauna and various pathogens to all corners. (It is now thought that Easter Island was deforested by introduced rats rather than humans.) Areas of the Amazon in the past supported many species of frog and some species have disappeared altogether, due to the spread of a fungal disease previously not encountered by native species. She visits caves in the New York state which supported thousands of bats where now none can be found due to white-nose syndrome, caused by a fungus thought to have originated in Europe or Asia that has affected bat populations throughout North America. The increases in human population and pressure from hunting have brought about loss of habitat for megafauna. Paul Ehrlich (Stanford ecologist) states: "in pushing other species to extinction, humanity is busy sawing off the limb on which it perches". Further reading in this area took me to an article in the Washington Post by Justin Suraci, a Canadian ecologist, entitled 'Why Nature Needs a Landscape of Fear'. He studied the critical role of terror in balancing eco-systems in terms of how fear of larger predators, not just the predators themselves, becomes an all-encompassing dread of their presence and keeps smaller 'mesopredators' in check - they spend less time feeding and more time avoiding getting eaten. This in turn allows even smaller prey to flourish, maintaining an economical harmony that has been honed for millennia. However, all over the world, dread is vanishing - humans are killing off wolves, lions, tigers, bears and sharks, changing the natural world for the worse. Kolbert looks at the effects of climate change: the composition of our atmosphere at present, when carbon dioxide has risen by 40% in the past two centuries, and when methane has almost doubled and is higher than at any time in the last several million years at 400 parts per million. These gases are amongst a group known as the greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere and cause a rise in average global temperature. One third of these gases have been absorbed by the oceans, affecting corals and calcifers. If these gases continue to accumulate,

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within the next 50 years, all coral reefs will be dissolving and with them will go a variety of life as rich as that in the rainforests. In a particularly interesting chapter for botanists, Kolbert visits the Manu National Park in Peru with Miles Silman, a forest ecologist who began his career looking at the stability of forest communities. This led him to examine how the climate in the tropics has changed over time. He established, in 2003, a series of 17 one-hectare tree plots at different elevations of a 3,600 m high mountain. Each plot represents a different forest community, and is visited every year to assess the response of trees to climate change. Will plants be able to tolerate temperatures predicted to be higher than those of the past millions of years? Over time, climates have changed slowly, allowing some adaptations. The effects of human behaviour have brought about change over a much shorter period. The author takes us on a mental journey from the North Pole down to the Americas, observing how the number of tree species increases all the time, until we arrive at Silman's plots which collectively contain 1,035 species of tree. She looks at a number of theories that explain why so many species live in the tropics. What holds true for trees also holds for birds, insects, frogs and fungi, and the birds, insects and mammals are important seed dispersers and pollinators. Each of Silman's plots has a different average annual temperature. Tropical species have narrow thermal ranges, and trees abundant in one plot may be missing entirely in the next one. After only four years, Silman and his team noticed that some species of trees in the plots had moved further up the mountain; not individual trees obviously, but their dispersed seeds had grown at the optimum temperature range for their species and if this was to be found higher up the slope, then the trees grew at the higher altitude. This shift amounted to an average of 2.5 m per year. Of course, over time, there's a limit to the altitude that trees can retreat to: when there's no-where higher left to go, extinction occurs. Earth's temperature has always fluctuated over millions of years, and Kolbert looks at theories to explain this variation. If the earth warms by 5% as predicted, the temperature will be the same as that in some periods of past geological times, but the result for the earth will be different because of the faster pace of change at present. She speculates about whether there is time for some life to migrate or adapt to more suitable conditions. Another chapter deals with the problem of habitat fragmentation in the Amazon basin. This occurs when deforestation for agriculture, logging, mining etc divides up the natural vegetation into small areas. The populations of trees, birds, insects, mammals, all forms of life, then become vulnerable for a number of

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reasons and tend to decrease. Ecosystems become unstable, possibly leading to local extinctions. Kolbert's engaging writing style delivers a powerful punch. It should be depressing but it is not. The book does not offer solutions but its purpose is to issue a wake-up call even if, for a number of species, it is already too late.

Val Lane

Half of Plant Specimens Wrongly Named

As much as 50 per cent of all natural history specimens in the world’s museums could be incorrectly named, a new study claims. This can cause headaches for biologists, so researchers from the University of Oxford and the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh set out to assess the accuracy of current naming practices.

‘Many areas of biological sciences, including academic studies of evolution and applied conservation, as well as achieving the 2020 targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity are underpinned by accurate naming,’ explains Dr Robert Scotland from the University of Oxford. ‘Without accurate names on specimens, the records held in collections around the world would make no sense, as they don’t respond to the reality outside,’ he adds.

In one example, the team scoured the records of the genus which includes the sweet potato. Examining 49,500 specimens from the Americas, they found that 40 per cent of names were outdated synonyms. A further 16 per cent were unrecognisable or invalid. The situation is probably similar for other groups. Yet there could be an even more worrying problem around the corner. Of 1.8 million different species described on Earth, 0.35 million are flowering plants and 0.95 million are insects. So while names of flowering plants are often wrong, the situation in the insect kingdom could be even worse.

The research is published in Current Biology, vol 25, issue 22, 16 Nov 2015.

(This article originally appeared in Planet Earth, which is a free magazine about science published by the Natural Environment Research Council, and is reproduced with permission. Readers are welcome to subscribe via the website www.planetearth.nerc.ac.uk.)

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Fig. 3. Mt. Shinmoedake, Japan [p. 13]

Fig. 4. Richard Birch admiring bonsai trees in Kumamoto Castle, Kyushu, Japan [p. 13]

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Fig. 5. Aeginetia indica in Japan [p. 13].

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Welcome to Japan….

‘…Bond-san’, says Tiger Tanaka, head of the Japanese Secret Service. James Bond aficionados will know that in the novel ‘You Only Live Twice’, Bond’s nemesis, evil arch-villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld, finally gets his come-uppance, strangled in his own Japanese Garden of Death. In the film, it’s a little different: Blofeld’s Evil Underground Lair, from which he launches attacks on American & Soviet space flights, is in a hollowed-out volcano.

The film’s setting was Mt Shinmoedake, in the Kirishima Mountains on Kyushu, Southern Japan. In 1968, it contained a pretty, azure-blue lake in the bottom of the crater, which turns out – by skilled editing – to be the metal roof to Blofeld’s secret base. It seemed to be a good destination while we were in Japan, but it transpired that Mt. Shinmoedake erupted violently in 2011. Viewed from the equally impressive collapsed caldera of nearby Mt. Karakunedake, the quiescent cone of Shinmoedake appears now to be filled with ominously steaming porridge.

We ascended the mountain in September, possibly the worst time for a naturalist to be in Japan. In spring, the slopes are pink with the blooms of Azalea japonica, a form characteristic of the Kirishima ranges. But by September, the exciting birds (like fairy pitta and yellow-throated bunting) have all gone, and the only shrub in bloom is the rather mundane Hydrangea paniculata, growing around the edges of the lakes that form in the craters of the many dormant volcanoes. Kirishima is a volcanic park, one of the now trans-global Geoparks networks (including Anglesey).

At sea level, this part of Japan is sub-tropical. The lowlands are intensively cultivated and highly engineered: all waterways are canalised and every available plot is given over to the cultivation of rice, but there is tolerance of the brilliant Hurricane Lily Lycoris radiata, so-called because it flowers at the onset of cyclone season. It’s not native to Southern Japan but occurs in nearby South Korea. It would require conservatory or greenhouse cultivation in the UK. Field edges contain patches of scrub: always worth a look for the combined activities of bird-watching and the chance to find something of interest botanically. A double-whammy on occasions where there was a bull-headed shrike perched on a stump over which scrambled Paederia scandens or the bizarre Trichosanthes kirilowi . The former has no popular name, but the small white trumpet-shaped flowers with their red corolla are very attractive. Trichosanthes, or Japanese cucumber, has extraordinary fringed flowers, followed by round gourds, which turn orange when ripe. It has medicinal properties currently being researched to develop treatments for HIV.

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While the coastal belt of Kyushu is densely populated and developed, the mountainous interior is – like most Japanese mountains – clothed in lush forest of bamboo and Podocarpus. The Japanese have great skill in cultivating Podocarpus, particularly P. macrophyllus which they train into elegant shapes. It is also eminently suited to Bonsai, and a garden devoted to this Japanese art form can be found in the grounds of Kumamoto castle. The forest on the lower slopes is still semi-tropical. Of particular interest here was Conandron ramondioides, a striking plant that grows on water-drenched rocks. I puzzled at its affinities: it looks like it should be in the Primulaceae, but as the specific name suggests, it’s in the Gesneriaceae – the family that includes the African violets. Here too, one of the strangest plants I have ever encountered: the ‘Forest Ghost’ Aeginetia indica with its solitary finger puppet flowers. Lacking any green pigment, it is parasitic on other plants, especially grasses.

An ascent of the slopes of Mt Karakunedake passes through mixed forest of Cryptomeria and Cedrus. Here can be found the curious saprotrophic plant Monotropastrum humile; similar in habit and form to the European Monotropa hypopitys (which can occasionally be found in the dunes at Newborough), except that it is ghostly white instead of yellow. There is also an Arisaema fruiting in the ground layer. The park information centre suggests this is Arisaema sazenso, not one in general cultivation. It has candy-striped, hooded brown flowers in spring and would certainly be amenable to cultivation in North Wales’ gardens. We will find out: I collected a fruiting head and removed about 100 seed from the squidgy berries.

When the summit is reached, one can look down into a precipitous crater, unusual in that there is no lake. Karakunedake is quiescent, but when it did erupt it must have been awesome, because it blew out half the rim, leaving a scree slope down the northern flank. This has mostly been colonised by forest, but where open scree remains, a pretty Asiatic alpine gentian, tentatively identified as Gentiana scabrum var. procumbens, blooms in September. For sheer beauty it does not compare with many Asiatic gentians already in cultivation, such as G. farreri or G. sino-ornata from the Himalayas, but it is nevertheless a delightful find.

I was disappointed that I would not get to see the limpid lake that disguised Blofeld’s hideout, but that is the nature of Japan: everything is dictated by volcanic forces, and that’s why the mountains are undeveloped. Only a fool or a super-villain would risk it. This was brought home to us on the last day of our visit. We stopped off at Mt Aso, Kyushu’s highest mountain, in the hope of seeing some new birds, but the peak was shrouded in cloud and we changed our minds.

The next day, 16th September 2015, the mountain blew up.

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Fig. 6. Podocarpus macrophyllus In Japan [p. 13]

Fig. 7. Monotropastrum hum ile in Japan [p. 13]

Fig. 8. Arisaema sazenso in Japan [p. 13]

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Fig. 9. Gentiana scabrum var. procumbens in Japan [p. 13]

Fig. 10. Karekunedake Cedar Forest, Japan [p. 13]

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Fig. 11. Habitat of Hydrangea paniculata [p. 13].

Fig. 12. Paederia scandens. [p. 13].

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With that thought, it is perhaps best to leave summing up Japan to 007 himself, in the haiku that he compiles, and from which the novel gets its title:

‘You only live twice: Once when you are born And once when you look death in the face’

Richard Birch

Allt y Benglog Wych Elm Project: initial report, 22 January 2016 Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has commissioned Treborth Botanic Garden (TBG) to propagate material from mature wych elms (Ulmus glabra) on and adjacent to the Allt y Benglog National Nature Reserve (NNR) in Meirionydd. The mature elms support a rare lichen, Biatoridium monasteriense, which is currently the only known site for the species in Wales. The purpose of the project is to try to ensure that a suitable substrate continues to be available within the NNR for the lichen to colonise in the future. The ‘mother tree’ for the lichen blew down several years ago and has been righted and continues to support the lichen, but is vulnerable in the medium to long term. Two further trees downstream have been identified as supporting the lichen. Only two other mature wych elms are known to exist within the site, but they do not currently seem to support specimens of B. monasteriense. TBG proposes to propagate material from the mature elms using several appropriate techniques:

· Hardwood cuttings to be collected in winter · Softwood cuttings to be collected in summer · Air layering summer · Seed seed to be collected when ripe (probably May)

The preferred techniques are cuttings / layering as these will produce trees genetically identical to the parent trees, increasing the likelihood of producing a suitable substrate for the lichen.

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21 January 2016 - Site Visit Dr Shaun Russell Director, Treborth Botanic Garden, Bangor University Hilary Miller Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden Paul Williams Site Manager, NRW The first project field visit was made in order to familiarise TBG representatives with the site and ecological context of the trees and to collect some hardwood cuttings to grow on. Paul Williams (NRW) led the visit and all three trees supporting B. monasteriense were visited and the lichen identified. Since being righted and braced with cables, Tree 1 has been pollarded and has now generated a significant amount of new young growth which appears to offer good opportunities for cutting material. Trees 2 and 3 have some young growth which is accessible for cutting – these trees are on the steep edge of the river gorge making access to suitable growing stems more difficult. Material was collected from the trees and taken back to TBG to be planted. The following treatments were followed:

* hormone rooting powder

Number of cuttings

Treatment* Location

Tree 1 5 Treated Greenhouse

5 Treated Outside

5 Untreated Greenhouse

4 Untreated Outside


3 Untreated Outside


3 Untreated Outside

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The cuttings (Figure 14) were potted up in a 50/50 mix of Melcourt peat- free compost and John Innes No 2 potting compost with a small amount of Osmocote slow release fertiliser. Further work on: 1) softwood cuttings, 2) air layering (probably on Tree 1), and 3) seed collection/sowing will be pursued through 2016 by TBG. The intention is to propagate sufficient numbers of robust and healthy wych elm saplings for re-planting and establishment at Allt y Benglog in the medium-term future (2016-17) and beyond. TBG has offered an MSc project opportunity to the current cohort of MSc Conservation and Land Management students at Bangor University, as an ancillary study to the Wych Elm Project. A student will be sought who can potentially study the macro-site ecological conditions for host elms and the rare lichen B. monasteriense at Allt y Benglog, and bark microsite conditions for lichen colonisation and establishment. Mature wych elm specimens in the woodland SSSI at Treborth Botanic Garden can also provide experimental material for bark testing and comparative studies.

Hilary Miller and Shaun Russell

Fig. 14. Wych Elm cuttings [p. 18]

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Cacti – More at Risk of Extinction than Mammals or Birds!

Ann Illsley and I were looking through the library of books in the lab at Treborth recently, and we came across some IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) Red Data booklets. The Red Data lists categorise species threatened with extinction, and we thought it was time to update our copies of these lists. That proved more difficult than you might expect (that is another story!), but my attention was drawn to a report (IUCN, 2015) of research by a large (>75) international team on the conservation status of cacti (Goettsch et al., 2015). This group gathered the literature on 1,478 species of cacti and assessed the conservation status of each during nine expert workshops. In terms of the percentage of species that are regarded as ‘threatened’ in IUCN terms, the Cactaceae at 31% rank above mammals (25%) and birds (13%), but below cycads (63%), amphibians (41%), corals (33%) and conifers (34%). The authors point out that centres of diversity with the highest concentrations of cactus species do not coincide with centres of diversity for other plant and animal groups, and tend to be neglected in conservation efforts. 6.7% of Cactaceae species (99 species) are ‘Critically Endangered’, 12% (177 species) ‘Endangered’ and 9.4% (140 species) are ‘Vulnerable’. The main threats are land conversion for agriculture (and sometimes aquaculture), over-collection for the horticultural trade and land development for housing or industry (including mining). The problems are made worse by the extremely tight geographical distribution of some species, and extensive biological variation within and between isolated populations. The latter also poses the question of how many species there are within the Cactaceae, with new species being described even now, and taxonomic revisions altering the total count. The two most recent monographs list about 1800 species and subspecies (Anderson, 2001; Hunt, 2006), while the 2nd edition of the Cites Cactaceae Checklist (Hunt, 1999) includes 2,250 taxa. It is also questionable whether species is the right taxonomic level to use in terms of conservation of the range of diversity within the Cactaceae, since even a single species can be quite diverse with different forms and varieties at different (or even the same) locations. Some examples of recently discovered species will help to illustrate the problems. Geohintonia mexicana Glass and WA Fitz Maur (Figure 27) was discovered in Nuevo Leon, Mexico in 1992 and named after George S. Hinton. It is listed by IUCN as ‘Near Threatened’, mainly because of its limited distribution range (<25 km2). Although subjected to wholesale collection for the horticultural trade from the original site, plants on steeper slopes survived and new locations with large populations were identified. The Mexican Government prohibits the collection of all cactus plants and seeds, and there are severe penalties for illegal

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collection. It is also listed in CITES Appendix II, restricting international trade in this species (and most cacti). Plants and seeds are commercially available in Europe. Mammillaria luethyi GS Hinton (Figure 26) was first noted by Norman Boke growing in a coffee tin at the Crosby Hotel in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico! Plants obtained from the hotel were photographed, but died before a full description could be prepared. It was published by George Hinton in 1996. The IUCN lists it as ‘Vulnerable’ because it is known from only two (unpublished) sites in Coahuila, Mexico within an area of less than 20 km2. If these locations were known to plant collectors, the species could become ‘Critically Endangered’. Mammillaria luethyi is common in cultivation. Astrophytum caput medusa (Velazco & Nevarez) DR Hunt (Figure 15) was found in the Tamaulipan shrubland of Nuevo Leon in 2001 and originally named Digitostigma caput-medusae. It has to be the most bizarre of the recently described cacti, with a swollen caudex/root from which arise long, thin almost deciduous branches (tubercules) bearing characteristic Astrophytum flowers towards the tips. According to IUCN it is ‘Critcally Endangered’ because it occurs at a single location and is subject to illegal collection and trampling by livestock. It is also becoming common in cultivation. The genus Aztekium is also from Nuevo Leon in Mexico. The first species to be described, A. ritteri (Boed) Boed, was discovered in Rayones, Nuevo Leon by Ritter in 1929. It is listed as of ‘Least Concern’ by IUCN, but is in Appendix I of CITES. It has been found at several new sites recently and there seems to be a large population that faces limited threats. Aztekium hintonii Glass and Fitz Maurice(Figure 16) was discovered in Galeana, Nuevo Leon in 1991. It grows on near-vertical canyon walls, sometimes with Geohintonia mexicana. It is ‘Near Threatened’ because of its extremely small range (<50 km2) and illegal collection, although the wild population is quite large. The latest species to be described, Aztekium valdezii Velazco, Alvarado et Arias, has not yet gained universal recognition and has not yet been evaluated by IUCN. It comes from the Sierra Madre Oriental in Nuevo Leon. Not long after its discovery it was offered for sale by nurseries in the Czech Republic (so much for the effectiveness of Mexican Government controls and CITES!). It was published in 2013 in Xerophilia, a Romanian publication that has also recently published the first description of Turbinicarpus heliae García-Mor., Díaz-Salim & Gonz.-Bot. in November 2015. The authors consider this species should be classified as ‘Endangered’ because fewer than 500 individuals have been found so far, and these face dangers from cattle grazing.

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Conservation is not only a problem for newly-described species. Mammillaria bombycina Quehl has become a favourite in cultivation since its publication in 1910, based on a cultivated specimen and without habitat details. It was rediscovered in the wild by William and Betty Fitz Maurice in 1988 in the Sierra Fria in Aguascalientes, Mexico. It is classed as ‘Vulnerable’ by IUCN because of its limited range (<160 km2) and historical over-collection.

In most of the above cases the risks to wild population are offset to some extent by widespread cultivation (unplanned ex situ conservation!), even if introduction to cultivation is initially from illegal collections. Another question to consider is whether conservation of the full range of diversity within an actively evolving group such as the cacti is realistic or desirable. After all, it is a fundamental tenet of Natural Selection that some variants will die out. Can we do anything at Treborth to conserve endangered cacti (or other succulents)? Our only contribution so far has been the growing of several specimens of the spiral aloe (Aloe polyphylla) from Lesotho. These are quite large plants and not easy to cultivate in the numbers necessary to preserve the high variability found in seedlings. As far as cacti are concerned, space dictates that we would have to focus on a limited number (even as low as one) of species of small, easily grown cacti.

John Gorham

References: Anderson, EF. 2001. The Cactus Family. Timber Press, Portland. 776 pp. ISBN-13: 9780881924985. Hunt, D. 1999. The CITES Cactaceae Checklist. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 315 pp.ISBN: 9781900347457 Hunt, D. 2006. The New Cactus Lexicon. Dh Books, Milborne Port. In 2 volumes. ISBN 0 9538134 4 4. Garcia-Morales, LJ, Diaz-Salim, JF, Gonzales-Botello, MA. Badillo, CP & Flores Lince, CA. 2015. Turbinicarpus heliae (Cactaceae), A New Species from Central Mexico. Xerophilia, Special Issue no. 8.1. Goettsch, B. et al. 2015. High Proportion of Cactus Species Threatened with Extinction. Nature Plants. Article 15142; DOI: 10.1038/NPLANTS.2015.142.

IUCN 2015. Illegal trade contributes to placing cacti among world’s most threatened species – IUCN Red List. http://www.iucn.org/?21955/Illegal-trade-contributes-to-placing-cacti-among-worlds-most-threatened-species--IUCN-Red-List. Accessed 6-12-2015.

Velazco Macias, CG, Alvarado Vazquez, MA and Arias Montes, S. 2013. A New Species of Aztekium (Cactaceae) from Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Xerophilia Special Issue no. 2.

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HMS Conway: the Shipwreck at the Bottom of the Garden In addition to all the other wonderful features of Treborth, and one which definitely makes us unique as a botanical garden, is the fact that we have an important historical wreck near the bottom of the Garden, on the edge of the Strait. Starting from the boathouse, approximately 100 m eastwards towards the Menai Bridge, you will arrive at the final resting place of a sailing warship built in 1839 which served in a number of important events of the Victorian era. (The steps down to the boathouse are not recommended because of health and safety concerns!). Anyone who, like me, has a CV which includes having Friday lunch with my team in every waterside pub in the area, will have seen faded photos of the black and white chequered ship, broken and sagging, with her bows almost on the shore, and her stern hanging off above the deep water outside the Platter rocks. As I also have on my CV an almost obsessive interest in maritime history, I had to find out more. This is the story. The ship was built as HMS Nile, named after one of the major naval victories of the Napoleonic Wars, and commissioned as a 90 gun second rate ship, the next size down from three deckers such as HMS Victory, but very similar in design and purpose. This was the early 19th century equivalent to a nuclear armed submarine, or a modern aircraft carrier - it was what was used to get one's point across to any Johnny Foreigner who needed convincing that Britain did then rule the waves. 200 feet long, with 850 officers, men and boys, (cozy, and probably very smelly) she was one of the first Royal Navy ships to be fitted with engine and propeller. The French had started to experiment with ships powered by both sail and steam, and HMS Nile was one of the first trials of this kind of vessel in Britain. She served in the Crimean War, which included considerably more than just the charge of the Light Brigade; we were also busy being cross with the Russians in the Baltic, where she was involved in actions capturing supply ships near St Petersburg. Also she formed part of a fleet which visited New York during the American Civil War, during the period when we were deciding which side to support, and also visited the Caribbean. She was decommissioned and loaned to the Mercantile Marine Service Association in 1876. The MMSA was formed after interfering government meddling – even in the no-holds-barred era of Victorian capitalism – insisted that ships should be commanded by people who knew what they were doing. Merchant Navy Acts in 1851 and 1854 required that captains and officers should be properly trained, examined and certificated, so ship-owners of the major ports established what were in effect technical training colleges. Off Rock Ferry in the Mersey, the

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Fig. 16. Aztekium hintoni. A recently discovered cactus from Mexico [p. 21]

Fig. 15. Astrophytum (Digitostigma) caput medusa [p. 21]

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Fig. 17. Treborth Wildlife List, 2nd March 2016 [p. 34]

Fig. 18. Treborth Lab. with a Strelitzia regina flower, 2nd March 2016 [p. 34]

Fig. 19. Sophie Williams and Pauline Perry in 2008 ©Tom Timms [p. 36]

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Liverpool owners established a school ship in 1859, using a small redundant naval vessel called HMS Conway. It became clear that this original ship, and its successor, were too small for the job, so the admiralty offered HMS Nile in 1876, and she was renamed HMS Conway. From 1876, she trained cadets for service in all forms of maritime life - almost 900 different shipping companies, harbourmasters, pilots, other training organisations, navies, emergency services etc. We have to remember that this was the period during which Britain carried the goods of the world, both for our empire and for anyone else who could pay, so it was seen as a desirable profession in which to become qualified. In May 1941, with constant bombing in Liverpool, it was decided that the ship and its 250 cadets would be safer somewhere else, which is where the story starts to become a lot more local. Established on a mooring just west of the Gazelle, opposite Bangor pier, training continued throughout the wartime period and until 1949, when again crowded conditions made a change inevitable. The ship would be moved to Plas Newydd where additional accommodation could be provided within the house, which had been used by the US intelligence corps during the war. The journey westward through the Swellies was tense but uneventful. The 22 foot depth of HMS Conway was the largest ship ever to have done it and there was only three feet clearance for the masts which had been shortened down as much as possible, as they passed under the suspension bridge. A new mooring had been prepared west of Plas Newydd, where the ship would spend the next five years. As someone who spends a great deal of time on the water there, I am really sad to have missed by half a century, the sight of the great wooden hull, swinging on the tide, surrounded by small boats doing Swallows and Amazons stuff, perhaps the sound of a rugby match being played, or the shouts of a drill instructor on the shore, perhaps boys in the rigging learning maintenance, perhaps flag signalling, all to the whistle of bosuns’ pipes. I don’t think it was any form of holiday camp, but as a training establishment for a hard calling, I can’t think of a better setting. The ship was now over 100 years old, and was badly in need of a refit. She had last been fully inspected in 1938, and the copper bottom was almost a century old. A functioning heating system and a full MOT were required which could only be done in dry dock in Birkenhead. It was decided to move the ship back through the Swellies on the highest tide of the year, in April, and to remain off Bangor until the end of the summer term to minimise disruption to the educational programme. Before we embark on the final awful voyage, it's time to go across to Ocean Sciences in Menai Bridge for a brief seminar on the tides of the Menai Strait. Due to the configuration of the Strait, with two outlets to the open sea, the tide behaves

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in an almost unique fashion. The main stream of the northward flowing flood tide in the open Irish Sea enters first through the constricted entrance of Abermenai, then an hour or two later, the flood tide finds its way right around Anglesey, filling in from the eastern end as well. This stronger westward flow eventually takes over from the earlier eastward flow and the direction reverses about ninety minutes before high tide, after which the flow is strongly westward. There are similar complications when the bath empties at low tide, but we won’t bother with them here. The other salient point is that as the height and strength of the tide varies between small neap tides and larger spring tides, dependant on the phase of the moon, so the character of the change of direction changes dramatically too. With neap tides there is a lengthy period of dithering and indecision, whereas during big spring tides, with much more water to shift in the same time span of the tidal cycle, the change of direction happens much more suddenly, as if a switch has been thrown. Everyone involved would have been fully aware of this, but there was a problem in that the ship was so big that it could only be moved on the top of a high spring tide. Coming westward from Bangor, the flow would have been favourable long before the depth was sufficient to float the ship over the rocks between the bridges (collectively known as the Swellies) therefore they could wait until there was sufficient water. Going eastwards towards Bangor, they would have to wait for the last minute for enough depth, and hope to get through despite the fact that the direction of flow would shortly change against them. All the known facts were accumulated and the move was planned for 14th April 1953. The earliest they believed they could get through without running aground was to cross under the Britannia Bridge at 9.20 am. The two tugs were harnessed to the ship, one ahead to pull, and one astern to help control the now engineless ship, and the mooring at Plas Newydd was dropped at 8.22 am. At 8.50 am they paused by the Nelson statute East of Pwllfanogl to await the planned time to enter the Swellies. At 9.23 am they passed under the bridge and began the transit of the Swellies. At 9.26 am, only a third of the way to the suspension bridge, the tidal flow was slack, and then immediately began to flow against them. By the time the ship had been towed past Swelly rock, with the perch tower on it, it was already 9.40 am, and the flow had increased against them to almost ten knots. This is one of the strongest tidal flows anywhere in the British Isles, and as the ship slowed to a standstill it must have been becoming apparent that it was all going horribly wrong. They moved the ship, now in a situation like someone running up the down escalator, out of the main stream, into an area of slacker water on the Anglesey side just west of the suspension bridge off Church Island to consider their options. They did not really have any! Going back would have been virtually impossible due to difficulties controlling the tow. Staying put where they were and

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waiting for the next tide would have probably had the ship aground at low water. The only possibility was to go forward. The second tug was moved ahead of the ship to provide more towing power (Figure 20) and they eased back out into the full contrary tidal stream at about 10.20 am. For a further ten minutes the whole set up was virtually stationary, only a 100 metres from the Menai Bridge. The tidal stream, continually increasing against them, also became more turbulent. I have been through on a powerful RIB in the middle of the tide, and the water backs up on the east side of the bridge to the extent that the level is a whole metre higher than on the Treborth side. It also eddies and swirls violently as it pours through the narrow gap under the bridge. At 10.30 am, the end came, as the ship took a sudden sheer in towards the Treborth shore, gripped by a violent eddy, and completely overpowering the tugs, one of which was in considerable danger of capsizing. The grounding was quite gentle and the ship stuck with her forward two thirds on the Platter Rock and the aft section unsupported over the deep channel (Figure 21). Almost immediately the level of the tide began to fall and ominous noises started as the ship began to take this unnatural strain. A wooden ship, however strongly constructed to withstand other people’s cannonballs, is designed to be supported evenly over its length by the water it is floating in. The best analogy I can find is to imagine pushing a jigsaw puzzle off the edge of a table. The pieces might lock together, but eventually they will fail. By the time the tide had ebbed fully, it was obvious that it was all over (Figure 22). As much as possible of the cadets’ possessions and the ship’s equipment were recovered, then everyone involve tried to walk away quickly to avoid responsibility for the removal of the wreck, until the Caernarfon Harbour Trust was forced to start clearing the danger to navigation that it formed for other shipping. Finally, in 1956, a mysterious fire burnt the wreck out completely (Figure 23). Now there is very little left to see. Nigel has told me that there are some substantial timbers somewhere in the bottom of the woods, and I have seen on the foreshore a variety of bits of metal, wire, large nails and small bits of charred wood. There are some large iron knees (brackets between decks and sides of the ship, a metre plus in length) down there somewhere too, maybe near the bottom of the steps. Never mind the access rights, if you want to go down there, check the tide tables carefully and wear good boots as it is very slippery. The sight and sound of the water at low tide is very impressive - where else can you experience rapids changing direction? So what actually went wrong? There was a plan based on the predicted times of the tide, both the change of direction, and high water. I know these can vary by anything up to 30 minutes, even from the computer powered predictions that are published now by Ocean Sciences. This is generally caused by weather

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conditions, both barometric pressure, and the wind direction and strength, outside in the Irish Sea. The plan seems to have been adhered to rigidly, without any consideration that the timing might have needed modification on the basis of observing what was actually happening that morning. The local Caernarfon pilots, experienced in navigating ships up and down the straits, were not consulted in the planning stage, and their advice on the day was not taken. (They may not have had enough gold braid to have been taken seriously). There was no small boat taking depth soundings on the day, which would have allowed the ship to have begun the passage as soon as there was enough water. If you have followed my ramblings carefully you may have realised that the whole adventure could well have been doomed from the start, as the whole configuration of geography and oceanography of the Strait was basically a lobster pot, easy to get into, but to get out may have been completely impossible. The maritime training school went on at Plas Newydd until 1974, with further shore buildings, by which time Great Britain had completely lost interest in having a merchant navy. State subsidies were cut, by the same government minister who ended the supply of free school milk which made me such a healthy little boy. The site then morphed into the outdoor pursuit centre for Cheshire County Council. This was recently privatised, and some of their sailing teaching is now carried out at the sailing club at Felinheli. I’m aware that this subject is not central to a University Botanic Garden, so this has been no more than a brief sketch. If you want the full history, then have a look at www.hmsconway.org It is the best place to look for the inaccuracies and simplifications in my account. It also includes a mind bogglingly detailed study of the way the tides behave in the Strait. Next time Angela is desperate for an article… how to build a bridge, or possibly two…

Julian Bridges

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Fig. 21. The Conway wreck site, very soon after grounding. The ship still looks like a ship [p. 24]

Fig. 20. It’s all going horribly wrong—a view from the Menai Bridge. Note second tug heeling over as the ship swings towards the shore, and Treborth boathouse in the background above the stern of the ship. [p. 24]

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Fig. 22. Low water - ship with broken back. Note Treborth boathouse behind the ship, and the house on Gorad Goch in the background. [p. 24]

Fig. 23. The very end - the wreck of HMS Conway burning in 1956 [p. 24]

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Renovating the Butterfly Border In 2009, Ann Wood of the FTBG created a butterfly border at Treborth to attract butterflies and other beneficial insects and to demonstrate that a range of garden plants are suitable for this purpose. The border is in the north east corner of the Garden, a sheltered sunny spot close to the wildlife pond. Over the past couple of years, some of the plants have become rather too successful resulting in the loss of some of those originally included in the design. A renovation was therefore planned and the opportunity taken to extend the border to rationalise the adjacent area to make mowing around it easier. The importance of using native plants to attract wildlife is often stressed, but many garden plants are also attractive to butterflies and other insects, including those that are important pollinators. Recently the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has published the results of a major scientific study it carried out which shows that garden plants are successful in attracting pollinators. The RHS advice is to:

Plant a mix of flowering plants from different countries and regions;

Place an emphasis on plants native to the UK and the northern hemisphere;

The more flowers a garden can offer throughout the year – regardless of plant origin (native or non-native) the greater the number of bees, hoverflies and other pollinating insects it will attract and support.

Many labels on plants in garden centres or information in seed catalogues flag up those that are attractive to butterflies and bees or other pollinating insects. The RHS promotes a ‘RHS Perfect for Pollinators’ logo. The renovated border is wider at the top end, with a crushed slate path running along the back to make it easier to maintain. There are already some shrubs attractive to butterflies such as Buddleja along the adjacent woodland edge and this planting will be reinforced with more varieties of suitable shrubs. The re-design includes a small area with a seat to allow visitors to enjoy the border and the butterflies. A revised plant list has been drawn up, based on Ann’s original list, but with additions to extend the flowering season and take advantage of the increased space. When the planting is complete there should be plants in the border and surrounding area in flower from early Spring to late Autumn, plus a Mahonia to provide winter flowers for bumblebees or other insects which emerge from hibernation on warm days. Some of the plants, especially the annuals, are being grown from seed in the Garden while perennials and shrubs will be purchased.

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The Friends are very grateful to STAG who were successful in bidding for funds from Bangor University Students Union and have allocated this funding to the work on the butterfly border. The student work parties are also providing active help with all the hard work involved in the renovation. Do come along and visit the border and to see how it develops and to enjoy the butterflies and other insects it attracts.

Hilary Miller

The Joys of Treborth

On Wednesday 2 March 2016, I went to Treborth, as usual, for the volunteer day. And, as usual, I looked at the two white boards that are prominently displayed in the entrance to the lab. One of them (Figure 24) lists the jobs that need to be done in the Garden, either by Natalie and Rosie, or by the volunteers or by contracted specialists. The other gives information about observed stages in the seasonal development of fungi, plants and trees etc, and details of species of birds, insects and other creatures that have recently been spotted in the Garden (Figure 17) . If you look at the photo of the list of jobs, you can see a wide variety of tasks. There must be something you could do! Even if you can't mend a fence, tell a Chusqaea from a clematis (you'd soon be enlightened!) or know which perennials to remove from the butterfly border, you could probably tidy up in the glasshouses or remove overhanging branches - there are tasks for all levels of knowledge and competence. And a willingness for those in the know to help those who aren't. There are sitting-down jobs too: although plant pot washing might not be too attractive, you could clean and oil secateurs etc… As you can see from the photo of wildlife notes, various people have jotted down things they have seen or heard. A kind of diary develops and you can keep abreast of changes through the seasons concerning plant and animal life. The entry for 3 February caught my eye - a dead great crested grebe! Try as I did, I was unable to find out more about this strange occurrence - did it drop dead out of the sky, or get into difficulties in the pond? Neither would be likely! If whoever reported it is reading this, perhaps they could explain…

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Then I walked into the lab and the 'wow' factor jumped at me in the shape of a beautiful bird of paradise Strelitzia flower (Figure 18) in a glass jar on the bench (a large clump of this plant growing in the temperate house had been divided and the bloom had been saved for us to admire). Very often, something new will be put on display - a sprig of a flowering shrub, a perfect fungus, an empty wasp nest, a colourful feather - something that will make us wonder at the beauty, variety and complexity of the natural world. When I showed this piece in draft form to a regular volunteer, he said I'd missed out a third and most important photo - that of the volunteers at lunch-time, sitting in the lab, each with soup, sandwiches or a portion of last night's pasta dish, and mugs of tea or coffee. News is exchanged, views are aired on endless topics, and there's much laughter, friendship and easy companionship. Treborth is all about getting people engaged with the nature around us in the world and in particular with the lovely area of the Garden. There's always something new to see or learn about. You may be amazed by an exotic orchid flower, be glad to see a nest-site hunting queen bumble bee or hear a variety of bird song. You may be saddened when a tree falls, but it's part of the continuum of life. So come along to Treborth and volunteer here. It will do you and the Garden good!

Angela Thompson

Fig. 24. Treborth Jobs List, 2nd March 2016. [p. 34].

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Pauline Perry – This is Your Life

(reproduced here with Figure 19 from the Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden Newsletter, issue 33, September 2008, in remembrance of Pauline who died in

December 2015. Her death was reported in Newsletter issue 55, January 2016, with tributes from Nigel Brown and Pat Denne)

In this occasional series of prominent Treborth people we come to Pauline who over the years has had a tremendous input into the work of the Friends and whose botanical knowledge has been in much demand. The Friends of Treborth as an association was founded by Pauline and Ann Wood way back in 1997. It grew out of the Friends of Plant Biology (one of the old departments of the University) when this group became defunct. Much advice on the administration of the new support group was given by Alfred Williamson who was then Treasurer of the FPB. He became Chair of the new venture for 6 months and then Pauline took over and remained in that position for two years. She stayed on the Committee until 2003, and has always been very active in a hands-on approach, directing work and helping to maintain the Garden’s beds. Pauline is a regular volunteer on Wednesdays and Fridays and is an excellent example to us all! Pauline was born in Ealing, West London to a keen gardening father. Kew Garden was only a short bus ride away and Pauline recalls it being a favourite playground during her childhood and fostering a lifelong interest in things botanical and gardening. In her tenth year the family moved to East London with her father’s job, and at 11 she was sent to boarding school in Arundel, near Brighton. This arrangement did not work out very well for Pauline, and soon after, with the start of the War, the Fleet Air Arm took over the school and staff and pupils were evacuated to Surrey, with plans to move to Scotland in the near future. As a result, Pauline’s parents transferred her to an evacuated school in Ross on Wye to be near her brother who had also been evacuated to the area. She later left school without any qualifications, such were the shortcomings of the wartime teaching regime. Her first job was in Manchester in a Tax Office, which put Pauline off office work for life. She then returned home to London and started on a number of correspondence courses and attended college to gain her Matriculation with an idea of escaping city life to work in horticulture. She went to Wye College, part of London University, in Kent and graduated with a BSc in Horticulture, after a hard slog to catch up on basic science. Pauline then applied to every Botanical Garden in the country for further practical experience but was unsuccessful because of a bias against women then and a return from the War of men seeking jobs. In the end she spent 6 months working in a well-known Woking nursery on a wage of 78 shillings a week, well below the pay of those working in the office at the nursery.

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Realising that job was a dead-end, she spent over a year living at home and working in a City florist’s which gave her good experience in the trade. Her parents then moved to Hertfordshire and Pauline went with them, working for short periods in various floristry and horticultural businesses. She then decided she would try teaching and her first job was in a rather up-market convent boarding school. There, biology was regarded as being rather risqué so she only taught botany! After two years there, in 1956 and in her late twenties, she got a job teaching in New Zealand, again in a boarding school. She recalls having a fantastic time there, buying an ancient car with two fellow teachers and during the long holidays exploring the country from north to south, camping and staying in remote cabins. Pauline returned to the UK by sea (then a 5 week voyage) for her brother’s wedding, visiting a friend in Australia on the way for two months and taking in Sydney, Queensland’s tropical forests and the Great Barrier Reef. The next 4 years were spent teaching in various boarding schools and then she decided to leave teaching and took up training in secretarial skills. She’s never used them in a job but finds the ability to type a great advantage in this computer age. She visited her brother, an engineer, working in Doha in Qatar in the Persian Gulf for a couple of months and on the way home went to Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Lebanon. She later took an enjoyable job teaching Rural Studies in a secondary modern school near Swindon, staying over 4 years there, and then returning home to care for her ill mother until her death. Her father, who had deteriorating eyesight, needed a certain amount of looking after so she took a job nearby in a comprehensive school in Witney near Oxford, again teaching Rural Studies but to boys only (the girls doing more domestic subjects!). On her father’s death three years later around 1970, she decided to go to South Africa, finally realising a long-held ambition. She taught biology at a girls’ boarding school near Durban, but found that nearly all the textbooks were not relevant to South African natural history since they were based on European examples. So she spent a good deal of her time trying to find information on local wildlife and plants. During her holidays she explored the national parks with an emphasis on the animals and birds rather than on the huge abundance of plant species. Her travels with friends and Land Rover parties took her to the then Southern Rhodesia and South West Africa, Botswana and Kenya. Pauline returned to the UK for three months and then went out again to Cape Town where she had been accepted by the University there to study for an MSc in Environmental Studies. She undertook seminars, lectures and project work, but left before completing the necessary thesis as she had been offered the post of horticulturalist at the Karoo National Botanic Garden, a satellite of the world-famous

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Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden. Karoo is an indigenous (Khoi San) word indicating aridity, and Karoo areas, where rainfall averages less than 300 mm a year, cover almost half of South Africa. The Karoo NBG had an international reputation for the collections of South African succulents but the Curator suggested that Pauline should build up a collection of geophytes (‘bulbous’ plants) which were poorly known at the time. This involved numerous trips into the veldt (natural vegetation areas) to collect material to grow and identify. Identification was often difficult, which led Pauline to study taxonomy, and after some 6 years she moved to the Compton Herbarium at Kirstenbosch for further help. Work involved two genera in particular, one of which, Bulbinella, contained 17 species, 8 of which she described as new and for which she was awarded an MSc. The other genus is considerably larger and complicated by the fact that in the majority of cases it produces leaves and flowers at different times. Although not really completed on retirement, she managed to publish her work of over 100 species, about half of which had not previously been described. She stayed in the Cape for more than 15 years until her retirement at 65 and her return to the UK. Pauline’s only brother and his family lived in North Wales and she settled here too to be near him in his final years. She was familiar with the area having visited him on many occasions. Her botanical interests led her to Treborth and its ongoing problems, and she has done extensive work, at the request of the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust and published in their bulletin, on Joseph Paxton and his plans for Britannia Park on land now covered by the Botanic Garden. She has also been involved in the work of the North Wales Wildlife Trust, the Alpine Garden Society, the National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens and the University of the Third Age. She still keeps up her contacts with many of her friends around the world. Pauline’s expertise in horticulture is greatly valued by those involved in Treborth and we hope that her enthusiasm and dedication to the Garden will continue to inspire our volunteers and her experience to help develop Treborth’s future. A further tribute to Pauline has been received from Ann Wood, who worked closely with Pauline in the early days of the Friends to establish its support role to the Garden: Pauline was an important part of my education in the true rigour which should be practised in a successful botanic garden - always meticulous in details - and inspiring in the forward progress of Treborth.

Angela Thompson

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Treborth Botanic Garden Woodland Update The woodland at TBG continues to be a special and valuable part of our Botanic Garden with literally thousands of visitors enjoying walking both within the woodland and alongside the spectacular Menai Strait. From dog-walkers, Wales Coast Path travellers, joggers and horse riders to the hundreds of children who have experienced the fun and fascination of the woodland at the Forest School site, our visitors have enjoyed many facets of our special woods.

But it’s not only a place for visitors; it is an integral and valued part of the University’s Estate that is used as a site of scientific research for the students who study at BU. The new red squirrel population is currently being studied to determine the genetics and the extent of this growing population as well as bird feeding habits studied throughout the Garden. Students are a central part of what we do at TBG and they contribute in practical ways to the maintenance and development of the woodland. Our active ‘Student Treborth Action Group’ (STAG) continues to hold regular work parties and eat lots of biscuits on Wednesday afternoons!

As reported previously (Newsletter 54, September 2015) we successfully applied for a Glastir Grant to help us maintain and enhance the woodlands. During the past year the first of a 5 year programme of work has been completed. This comprised footpath maintenance, where brambles and sedge have encroached, rhododendron and laurel extermination from the SSSI alongside the Menai Strait, grey squirrel control, the purchase of a bench and picnic table and the eradication of snowberry and Japanese knotweed. In the current year the Glastir programme schedule includes more laurel clearance, significant footpath improvements, continued control of grey squirrels and some judicious woodland thinning.

Glastir assisted work is only part of the woodland work that is underway. There are routine tasks like clearing fallen and dangerous trees from the paths, which BU’s Estates Department takes on, and litter collecting (thanks to Pat Denne) as well as continued development activities.

The arboretum development progresses with more bamboo and general clearance enabling the planting of some native fruit trees. Unfortunately, there is still a backlog of fallen trees to clear from the hurricane winds of February 2014 not only in the arboretum but also more widely in the woodland.

The Forest School area has been developed and enjoys increasing use by hosting birthday parties, events over the summer holidays, teacher training sessions and visits from local primary schools. Jon Steele and Tom Cockbill have been the prime movers behind these various events and they are planning some tasteful improvements

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to the site which include improved seating around the fire site, a bigger wood store, rebuilding the brash boundary hedge and some selective tree thinning to remove dead and badly formed specimens. More ambitious plans are currently being formulated to construct a roundhouse, using locally sourced timber to provide a safe and dry shelter in inclement weather.

Gerry Downing

History of the Work in the Garden

The Friends of Treborth Botanic Garden are in the process of compiling a historical record of the people who have over the years helped to maintain and develop Treborth Botanic Garden into the wonderful resource we have today.

For this to be a success we need help from past workers, members and anyone else who may recognise some, or all, of the people in the photographs we have included in this issue of the newsletter. If you can put a name to anyone featured, please email the information to me at [email protected]

As you can appreciate this is a large project that will take many years to complete, but with your help we should be able to name most, if not all, of the many people who have been involved in the history of the Garden.

Thank you for any help you can give to this project. Peggy Gollogly

THRENODY

Songs for all seasons of life

Threnody are a small “a capella” group who bring live choral singing into funerals and celebrations in North Wales. We sing at crematoria, village halls, private

homes, woodland burial grounds, fundraisers, food festivals and parties.

We sing well-known hymns and songs, as well as less familiar tunes about love, consolation, nature and spirit, in Welsh, English and other languages. We sing for

all religions or no religion.

As a local community choir we only charge expenses, not a professional fee. Our demo CD will give you an idea of our repertoire and which songs might suit you.

For more information please contact:

Tim Clark (Celebrant) 07747 600830 [email protected], or Franki Gifts (Conductor) 07957 575038 [email protected]

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Fig. 25. If you can put a name to anyone featured on this page, please email the information to Peggy at [email protected] [p. 40]

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Wetlands Forever! From a wildlife and scenic point of view, the wetlands of Anglesey rival the interest and attractions of the coast and one of the best examples lies between Llangefni and Newborough along the flood plain of the Cefni River. It is known as Malltraeth Marsh and such is its wildlife value that most of it is scheduled as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The RSPB manages 300 hectares of it as a nature reserve and over the last 20 years the Society’s pro-active management has had remarkably beneficial results for many plant and animal species associated with wetlands, including bittern, gadwall, shoveler and other ducks, otter and water vole, and several plant species such as marsh stitchwort and pillwort. The Friends visited Malltraeth Marsh on 13 February, 2016, to see the results for themselves. Wetlands form where there is impedance of rain water and/or drainage water. They include areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salty according to accepted conservation parlance. Ecologically, wetlands are among the most diverse and productive ecosystems on earth and they are closely tied into the provision of essential ecosystem services. Malltraeth Marsh occupies a former inlet of the sea and its low-lying nature makes it a natural collection point for ground water. The Cefni River supplies alluvium, and in former times, the sea provided mud and sand sediments still present beneath the surface. Agricultural engineering projects over the last 200 years have transformed the area from a wildlife-rich coastal inlet to pastureland with attendant losses in biodiversity. Subsidence caused by coal mining in the 19th century locally created some small lakes and associated wildlife interest which attracted the interest of the RSPB. In 1994, the organisation instigated a programme of controlled re-wetting across a much larger area of the marsh involving the excavation of numerous shallow pools (scrapes), new reed beds and ditches, along with careful management of the wet grasslands, all designed to maximise wildlife interest. We started our visit at the northern end of the Reserve where there is a convenient car park by Tai’r Gors just off the A5 at SH464726. From here, a tarmac track leads westwards towards the Afon Cefni providing an excellent view of a series of shallow pools. Those to the south are clothed in lush, varied vegetation in summer and harbour a good variety of waterfowl, while the more recent scrapes to the north are designed to provide semi-aquatic feeding areas for lapwing and other waders. To protect ground nesting birds such as the Red-listed lapwing from fox predation the scrape area is surrounded by electric fencing. Here in Wales, lapwing has suffered a dramatic decline as a breeding bird with an estimated 600 pairs

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remaining. The figures for Malltraeth Marsh reflect that loss with numbers of breeding pairs having dropped from 40 to 5 between 1985 and 1997, but more recently there has been an increase due to better habitat management, eg more secure summer flooding of pasture, along with protection from foxes and, in 2014, 24 pairs bred and fledged 49 chicks. Reaching the cycle track which runs parallel with the Afon Cefni on an elevated bank for 3 miles, it becomes obvious that the present configuration of Anglesey’s largest river is entirely artificial in its straight entrenchment. On either side lies a managed landscape of varying wetness. By means of pumps and ditches, pipes and sluices the RSPB is recreating some of Malltraeth’s former marshy variety on the south-eastern side of the Cefni River. Our gentle stroll south along the cycle track produced close views of tufted duck, diving deeply in the main river channel, their sleek, handsome, pied plumage and polar ice-blue bill stunning in the winter light. As well as wintering on Malltraeth Marsh, small numbers breed around the deeper pools on the RSPB reserve with broods as late as August. Anglesey is a stronghold for this species holding over half of the Welsh breeding population. Wet grasslands grazed to varying degrees by ponies and cattle stretch away from the Cefni River for almost a mile to the south east. Little egret dotted the ditches and scrapes along with an occasional grey heron. Wigeon and teal grazed the shallow pools, their distinctive contact calls adding audible interest to our walk (duck don’t just quack! – these two species whistle and bleat in the most musical manner). Approaching one of the main lakes at Morfa-mawr, we were delighted and surprised to encounter an otter crossing a track just 25 metres in front of us! It disappeared up an embankment of rushes and disturbed two brown hares. We reached the top of the bank in time to see not one but three otters swimming in line ahead along the far reed-fringed margin of a pool purposefully created a few years ago as part of a habitat enhancement programme. Excitement indeed and vivid evidence of the benefit of strategic conservation efforts at Malltraeth. We headed back with dusk approaching and the evening sounds of greylag geese wiffling in to roost and little grebe trilling from hidden pools deep within the reed beds. What is so magical about this place is the variety of wildlife it accommodates and their positive response to conservation efforts. For example, reed bunting has jumped from just 11 singing birds in 1995 to 338 in 2012. The nationally scarce, semi-aquatic fern known as pillwort has expanded from obscurity to now occupy a hectare of ground, making it one of the largest populations in Europe, due to the widespread creation of scrapes on the reserve. Indeed, Malltraeth Marsh is now rated as one of the top five sites in Britain for freshwater

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plants. And with increased plant diversity comes greater invertebrate interest including water beetles, dragonflies and damselflies. From rushy pastures to a bioluxuriant mosaic of wetland habitats, the RSPB has rejuvenated this part of Malltraeth Marsh by conservation management of the highest order supported by generous grant aid from the EU Life Fund, HLF and the WREN Biodiversity Action Fund. We are fortunate indeed to have such a site on our doorsteps, a site which is free to visit 24/7 and which offers memorable wildlife encounters whatever the time of year. The Reserve Manager, Ian Hawkins, has written an excellent account of the reserve in the Natur Cymru (Nature of Wales) magazine, number 55, Summer 2015 and further information is also available on line (www.rspb.org.uk/malltraeth) or call the RSPB Bangor office on 01248 672850.

Nigel Brown

ABERCONWY NURSERY The Welsh Alpine Plant Specialists

Interesting home grown alpine plants, including dionysia,

androsace, saxifrage, gentians and dwarf ericaceous subjects as well as other choice plants all grown on our attractive hillside nursery in the Conwy Valley,

overlooking the Carneddau

On a minor road just off the A470, about 2 miles north of Bodnant Gardens we’re open in the Spring, Summer and

early Autumn but never on a Monday.

Graig, Glan Conwy, LL28 5TL. Tel. (01492) 580875

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Fig. 26. Mammillaria luethyi, a ‘vulnerable’ cactus from Mexico [p. 21]

Fig. 27. Geohintonia mexicana, a ‘near-threatened’ Mexican cactus of limited distribution in the wild [p. 21]

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