By-The-Wind-Sailor (Velella velella) strandings.

Fierce storms brought plenty of visitors to the Isle of Wight at the end of November and during the first week of December. However, these will not feature within Tourist Board statistics! These were oceanic visitors cast ashore along much of the south coast of England. An extraordinary number of the floating hydroid Velella velella (L.), or "by-the-wind-sailor" were washed up all around the coast of the Isle of Wight with specific records from Compton, Totland, Ventnor and Gurnard. Perhaps even more interesting was the fact that this was the third mass stranding since 2002. Hitherto, the species was regarded as a very occasional visitor and the only previous records for the Isle of Wight are in 1986 and 1925.

The strandings on our beaches in 2002 and 2003 occurred in early summer and the animals were quite small, being only 20-30mm across. Those stranded in late autumn of 2006 were much larger reaching 50-80mm. Predators of Velella include Sun Fish (Mola mola), now a relatively frequent sighting along the coast, and a violet sea snail (Janthina janthina), which makes a float rather like bubble-wrap. This striking species was found washed up during the earlier strandings but I have had no reports on this occasion.

Also stranded in recent gales were many Goose Barnacle (Lepas anatifera) attached to wood, bottles and other structures. If you find these again, check to see whether a small Columbus Crab (Planes sp.) is living amongst them. Several were found in Dorset.

Dr. Roger Herbert Marine Recorder

Hard Shield Fern refound after 133 years

Hard Shield Fern (Polystichum aculeatum) has been discovered growing in an apparently natural situation in Brighstone Forest, by Paul Stanley.

The only confirmed record for this species as a native until now has been that of Fred Stratton and F.J.Hanbury from a hedgebank opposite the Sun Inn at Calbourne on the 15th of August 1871. In Hampshire it is described in Brewis et al., (1996) 'The Flora of Hampshire' as "Very locally frequent" and is found on "Banks in dry woodland and shady stream-gullies, mainly on basic soil". There are old unconfirmed records from the Island and these are discussed here.

An interesting Mayfly larva from Lukely

A mayfly larva has been found by Keith Marston at Plaish in the Lukely Brook on 7th May 2006.
There have been no previous records of mayfly larvae of this genus from the Lukely Brook. It is not possible to speciate the animal from the photo, but it is likely to be either Ephemera danica or Ephemera lineata.
Mayfly of this genus have been recorded from the Eastern Yar near Newchurch (Herbert to KM, pers. comm).

NB There is another species of mayfly larva on the photo Ephemerella ignita

from the Bulletin, February 2006.

The Isle of Wight Helleborine is an enigmatic orchid. It was so called because, when originally found near Ventnor in 1913, it was thought to be a new species. It doesn't seem to have been seen again until the 1930's in Bonchurch Landslip and then in 1951 when Dr Laidlaw's father found a specimen at St Lawrence. By that time, it was recognised that the plant was not unique to the Island, but found in scattered localities in England, Wales and Ireland. It became known as the Green-flowered Helleborine. The plant persisted at St Lawrence until around 1959, but there have been no further confirmed Island records until now.

During a particularly hot spell of weather in August 2003, a visiting botanist, Peter Jupp, found an unusual Helleborine close to the footpath in Eaglehead Copse, a Wildlife Trust reserve. He thought it could be Narrow-lipped Helleborine. The plant lasted a very short time in the heat but I sent photographs to the referee, Professor Richards at Newcastle University. He considered that it could well be a specimen of Green-flowered Helleborine.

It did not reappear in 2004, but in August 2005 Peter Jupp was on holiday here again and he alerted local botanists to the fact that it had reappeared. Again photographs, together with a single pickled floret, were sent to Professor Richards. He was able to confirm that this was indeed Green-flowered Helleborine and was, moreover the same type which was originally found at Ventnor in 1931, now known as Epipactis phyllanthes var. vectensis.

So, after an absence of 44 years, the Isle of Wight Helleborine has reappeared on the Island. It is a plant which has a habit of appearing and then disappearing, only to reappear years later somewhere else, so we must enjoy this special Island plant whilst we can.

Colin Pope