Plant Hunters
25 August 2009
Nature conservation bodies in Fermanagh came together recently to undertake a county survey for the rare sun-loving, blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bermudiana).
In the UK, Fermanagh is the last bastion of this rare North American plant. It can be found in species-rich grassland, old quarries and roadside verges. Increasingly many of these habitats are disappearing or falling into decline through changes in farming and management practices.
Blue-eyed grass is a Northern Ireland Priority Species and has been selected as a locally important species in the Fermanagh Local Biodiversity Action Plan. In order to help establish its current status in the county, evaluate threats to its habitat and identify opportunities for strengthening its populations a training course was organised for local land managers and keen conservation volunteers.
Conservation Volunteers, Ulster Wildlife Trust, Fermanagh District Council, National Trust and CMS all pitched in to deliver an informative and productive day.
The group met at the Share Centre, Lisnaskea to be given a brief talk giving background to the plant and the history of its past recording in Northern Ireland. They then headed out to Derryvore, part of the National Trust Crom Estate near Derrylin.
After about half an hour of scouring the fields (and avoiding the bulls) the small blue flower was spotted. This gave many in the group their first glimpse of this elusive plant and after close examination made finding more examples much easier.
The plant, actually a type of Iris, is very distinctive and fairly easy to spot when in flower. Unfortunately it only flowers for short periods during good weather, something that’s been lacking this year!
The rest of the time it very closely resembles a grass, hence the name, making it much harder to find. Like looking for a needle in a haystack. It was with some amusement that after an hour or so of searching the muddy fields we returned to the car park and found a bunch growing next to where we had parked!
For the rest of the day the group surveyed sites that had historical sightings around Florencecourt and Lough Melvin. Eventually the increasingly heavy rain brought the day to an end but not before we had all taken survey cards and given promises to continue the hunt with our own network of contacts.
Further surveys will be carried out for the remainder of the growing season and new sites searched for. We finished much wetter, but far better informed about this elusive little plant.
Conservation Volunteers’ CAT team volunteers searched other sites and confirmed its presence near Ederney and Derrygonnelly.
If you spot or know where blue-eyed grass is growing we would be very interested to know so that we can add the information to the biodiversity database and gain a greater understanding to its distribution and the threats to it.
| Relevant links |
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| Conservation Action Teams |
| External links |
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| Habitas - Bue-eyed grass |
| UWT |