Annual Sea Blite- Suaeda maritima (L.) Dumort.

Stace (2010) pg 495/ Stace (2005) pg 150)/ Rose & O’Reilly (2006) pg 134/BSBI Distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=2019.0

Annual sea blite, Suaeda maritima is an annual, shrubby herbs with succulent linear leaves flat on the upperside, rounded on the lowerside. Flowers are bisexual and female and have (5) tepals (one segment of the perianth used when sepals and petals are not differentiated) present. These partly conceal the fruit. Seeds are arranged horizontally  which is an important difference from from S.vera (Stace 2010).

The plant is glabrous with woody (slightly reddish) stems.

Leaves are pointed at the tip and tapered at the base (Rose and O’Reilly 2006):

Annual sea-blite is a simple, much branched annual herb to 30 (75)cm. Often woody at base and leaves 3-25 x 1-2 (4)mm and not rounded at base. The whole plant becomes purplish-red in the autumn.

These herbs grow in a variety of habitats (Stace 2010) but often along the seashore below the high tide mark (Clapham et al. 1989).

Prickly saltwort- Salsola kali L. ssp kali

Stace (2010) pg 495/ BSBI Distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=1806.0

This species is found growing in sand around newly forming dunes at locations such as “Far point”.

Prickly saltwort, Salsola kali L. ssp kali  is a succulent herb with straggly stems up to 50cm and an annual lifecycle (Stace 2010):

Individual leaves are linear/linear-triangular and usually hispid (harsh hairs or bristles). The margins are entire but spine tipped. As they are succulent, they measure 40 x 2mm. .

The flowers have tepals (one segment of the perianth used when sepals and petals are not differentiated) (Stace 2010).

Leaves are succulent and spine tipped:

Shrubby Sea blite- Suaeda vera Forssk ex J.F.Gmel

Stace (2010) pg 495/ Rose & O’Reilly (2006) pg 134/BSBI Distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=2018.0

These shrubby herbs provide important habitat for other species and is usually a plant found in mainland Europe. On Blakeney Point and  along the North Norfolk coast it grows more abundant than in most of the UK:

Sea blites, Suaeda spp. are annual or perennial herbs with succulent linear leaves flat on the upperside, rounded on the lowerside. Flowers are bisexual and female and has (5) Tepals (one segment of the perianth used when sepals and petals are not differentiated) present and partly conceal the fruit.

Seeds are smooth and arranged vertically (differing from S.maritima).

S.vera is an evergreen, branching shrub up to 1.2m, leaves are 5-18 x 0.8-1.5mm obtuse and rounded at base (Stace 2010). The leaves are cylindrical and rounded at the tip and base (Rose & O’Reilly 2006):

Found on the drier areas of the saltmarsh(Stace 2010)  and may be more likely to be on the shingle bank (Clapham et al 1989).

Main shingle ridge:

(Note there are Yellow horned-poppies and patches of Sea sandwort growing around the Shrubby sea-blite).

Cock’s foot- Dactylis glomerata L.

Stace (2010) pg 1014/ Rose (1989) pg 174/ BSBI distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=607.0

This is a common “weed” species throughout the UK (see BSBI) but included here as it is found growing in large clumps around the “Lifeboat house” potentially dispersed inadvertently by visitors.

A tufted perennial, Cock’s foot, Dactylis glomerata is without stolons and rhizomes:

Features include; glabrous growing up to 1.4m. Leaves and sheaths are glaucous (Stace 2010) strongly compressed keeled and more or less flat (Rose 1989):

Pulling the sheath away from the stem, the ligules are keeled, pointed and white (Rose 1989):

All branches bear dense ovoid clusters of flattened green or purple-tinged spikelets. Inflorescences are erect, 3-15cm long with 1 or 2 stiff lower branches that spread at 45⁰ in flower then erect in fruit (Rose 1989):

Note lemmas have hairs or prickles on the keels. Awns (bristles) are 1.5-2mm (Stace 2010):

Common cord grass- Spartina anglica C.E.Hubb.

Stace (2010) pg 1065/ Rose (1989) pg 154/ BSBI Distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=2278.0

This perennial saltmarsh grass can be found within the saltmarsh on the landward side of Blakeney Point and on the intertidal areas between the dunes at Far Point particularly.

This species has an interesting background regarding its’ existence as a (fertile amphidiploid) hybrid orginating from the native Spartina maritima (Curt.) Fernald and Spartina alterniflora Lois., aNorth American species. For more information see the JNCC website: http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-1680

Common cord grass, Spartina anglica has creeping rhizomes and grows with stout erect stems up to 130cm tall (Stace 2010). It has broad, wide spreading upper leaves (Rose 1989) with ligule hairs 1.8-3mm long (Stace 2010):

Each plant has 2 to 12 spikes, each measuring 7 to 23cm. The spikelets within are 17 to 21mm. Glumes are adpressed and hairy without awns but obvious anthers (yellow) 5 to 7mm (Stace 2010):

In better focus but without measurements:

Broad Buckler Fern- Dryopteris dilatata (Hoffm.) A.Gray

Stace (2010) pg 38/ Rose (1989) pg 230/ BSBI Distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=661.0

One of the  seven fern species listed on Blakeney Point (Pearson et al. 2007), is Broad Buckler fern, Dryopteris dilatata. It can be recognised from the following features.

Firstly, members of the Drypopteridaceae have fronds thrice pinnate in lower parts and twice pinnate towards frond apices.

The whole blade shape is ovate to triangular-ovate and grows to 1 (1.5)m. The lowest pinnae are the longest  (Stace 2010). Note above that  pinnules (division of the second order of a compound fern frond) are convex on the upper side. Generally, there are 6- 10 pairs of larger pinnae beneath the frond tip and whole blade is rarely more than 3 times as long as broad (Rose 1989):

Looking closely at the petiole (stalk), there are numerous pointed scales which are dark centred within paler edges (Rose 1989).

Also, the kidney shaped indusia (protective membranous flap covering sori)  are toothed and bear stalked glands (Rose 1989) though you might need a magnifying glass to see this (Stace 2010):

In general, the sori are in rows (Stace 2010):

Sand sedge- Carex arenaria L.

Stace (2010) pg 961/ Rose (1989) pg 174/BSBI distribution map: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=344.0

This species, Sand Sedge, Carex arenaria is found growing on sand dunes from where they begin at “The Hood” dunes along the Point.

This species can be identified as a true sedge -Carex family- as the stems are solid (unjointed) and 3 sided (triangular) in cross section, at least the lower part of the stem (Rose 1989).

This species is very extensively rhizomatous. Basal leaf sheaths persistant, becoming brown (Rose 1989):

Within the basal leaves are single stems growing up to 90 cm tall though often much less (Stace 2010). Inflorescences are dense, oblong to triangular in appearance (Rose 1989):

Utricles are the envelope that encloses the nut within the female flowers (Rose 1989). In the case of Carex arenaria, these are 4-5.5.mm, winged with a beak 1-2mm (Stace 2010):

Sheep’s-bit- Jasione montana L.

Stace (2010)pg 676/ Rose &O’Reilly (2006) pg 417/ BSBI Distribution map: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=1048.0

This species can be found growing in patchy groups in the main dune system on Blakeney Point. It is a member of the Campanulaceae or Bellflower family.

(Though listed by Stace as either Perennial or Annual, Rose lists it as a Biennial which is the category I have listed it in for now).

Sheep’s-bit, Jasione montana  could be confused with a Scabious species due to the flowers growing in a terminal congested head (Stace 2010):

It grows suberect to decumbent (lies on ground, turns upwards at tip) to 50cm and is hairy all over (Stace 2010):

Like other Campanulaceae, leaves are both alternate up the stem and basal. Lower leaves are narrowly oblong with short stalks (Stace 2010).

Basal leaves:

Inflorescence is depressed and globose, 0.5 to 3.5cm across. The corolla is blue, tubular, straight in bud but splits nearly to the base when it opens. (I decided, that the inflorescence looked similar to the composite flowers of the Asteraceae so listed it as such in the key).

Tamarisk- Tamarix gallica L.

Stace (2010) pg 427/ BSBI Distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=2031.0

Tamarisk, Tamarix gallica is a deciduous shrub/tree and non native species (introduced to the UK as a windbreak stabiliser in sand by the sea) but found on Blakeney Point growing against a building affectionately know as “The laboratory”:

This species is very rarely self sown so is likely to have been planted here either accidentally or deliberately.It grows up to 3m.

Features of this species include alternate, simple, entire, small leaves that are scale like without stipules and sessile (without stalks). They are 1.5 to 3mm long, narrowly triangular ovate, acute to acuminate, green to glaucous (Stace 2010):

No picture available from this specimen but flowers are small arranged in long catkin like racemes. The flowers have 5 sepals, 5 white to pink petals (1.5-2mm) and 5 stamens joined at base to a lobed or stellate nectarfarious disc (Stace 2010).

For picture of Tamarisk in flower, see http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/44/Tamarix_gallica_bloemen.jpg/220px-Tamarix_gallica_bloemen.jpg

Lax flowered Sea-lavender- Limonium humile Mill.

Stace (2010) pg 429/ Rose & O’Reilly (2006) pg172/ BSBI Distribution: http://www.bsbimaps.org.uk/atlas/map_page.php?spid=1149.0

As members of the Plumbaginaceae family, they are perennials, leaves are basal, narrowed to base, simple in shape without stipules. Flowers are in branched cymes (in the lavenders case). The calyx is fused proximally with free scarious lobes distally. Each flower has 5 petals, 5 stamens and 1 celled ovaries (Stace 2010).

Lax flowered Sea-lavender, Limonium humile  is quite similar to Common, Limonium vulgare in appearance (grows erect up to 60cm tall with elliptical leaves, 30cm long ) but spikes are noticibly more lax (Stace 2010). Identification can be difficult between these two sspecies, particularly as they can hybridise:

The inflorescence spikes can be 2-5cm, with 2-3 spikelets branching off. In the field a way to measure for this species are that the lowest 2 spikelets  are 4-10mm apart. Additional information is that this species is monomorphic and self compatible (Stace 2010).

Note that the picture shows plant without petalled corollas. The flowers would be in clusters within keeled, green bracts surrounding the petals.

Petals are lilac (like other Limoniums) but anthers are reddish brown (Rose 2006).