Longfield, Kent - 09/05/18
Longfield is a small unremarkable town a few miles South East of Dartford on the edge of the urban fringe. As such I am fortunate that within a few minutes I can walk into arable field, Beech woodland or chalk grassland. Here's a few species I found on this walk, culminating in a first record of a nationally rare and endangered plant for Longfield itself. This is the uncommon Field Mouse-ear, which is in decline. There is plenty of it in a disused meadow close to the town, but I fear it will be built on within a few years. Cerastium arvense There were also large stands of Crosswort with its bright yellow flowers, another Kent RPR species due to habitat loss. Cruciata laevipes Lots of flowers means insects and seeds and this Corn Bunting was one of several I saw. Hawthorn was now in flower, though this pink tinged tree was not what it seemed at first to be. It was a Midland Hawthorn with all its flowers having 2 styles.