Distribution of Alien and Adventive Plants at Ports and on Roadsides in Ireland in 1989

Distribution of Alien and Adventive Plants at Ports and on Roadsides in Ireland in 1989 Author(s): Sylvia C. P. Reynolds Source: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Apr., 1992), pp. 59-65 Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25539704 . Accessed: 14/06/2014 00:22 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. . Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd. is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Irish Naturalists' Journal. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 62.122.79.38 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 00:22:31 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublisher?publisherCode=inj http://www.jstor.org/stable/25539704?origin=JSTOR-pdf http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp Ir. Nat. J. Vol. 24 No. 2 1992 59 Jordan, C. (1987) The precipitation chemistry at rural sites in Northern Ireland. Record Agric. Res. (N.I.) 35: 53-66. Rippey, B. & Gibson, C. E. (1984) The variation of calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium concentration, pH and conductivity in lakes in Northern Ireland. Arch. Hydrobiol. 101: 345-360. Smith, S. J., Wolfe-Murphy, S. A., Enlander, I. & Gibson, C. E. (1991) The lakes of Northern Ireland: an annotated inventory of the standing water bodies of Northern Ireland. HMSO, Belfast. DISTRIBUTION OF ALIEN AND ADVENTIVE PLANTS AT PORTS AND ON ROADSIDES IN IRELAND IN 1989 Sylvia C. P. Reynolds 115 Weirview Drive, Stillorgan, Co Dublin Following the mild winter of 1987-88, many interesting alien flowering plants were found at the ports of Dublin, Foynes (Co Limerick), and Rosbercon (Co Kilkenny); their seeds were probably introduced with imported cargoes of commercial animal feeds such as rice bran, rapeseed, waste wheat, cottonseed, soya, corn gluten, citrus pulp and beet pellets (Reynolds 1990, Kelly 1990). In 1988 there were no reports of these species outside the port areas of Foynes or Dublin; most of the Rosbercon plants were found on a railway siding near the port. In mid-July 1989 plants, up to 80cm tall, of Amaranthus retroflexus were noticed on the roadside near Robertstown church 3km south-east of Foynes. They were seen to be growing with several other species such as Setaria viridis, Erucastrum gallicum and Thlaspi arvense which had been found at Foynes port the previous year. Roads around Foynes were then systematically investigated as well as the margins of other roads travelled in Ireland from mid-July to the end of September (Fig. 1), including the main roads between Dublin and Sligo, and Dublin and Dundalk. The ports of Foynes and Limerick (Co Limerick, H8), Rosbercon (Co Kilkenny, HI 1), Waterford (the port is in HI 1), Stokestown (Co Wexford, H12), Galway (North-east Galway, H17), Arklow and Wicklow (Co Wicklow, H20), Dublin (Co Dublin, H21), Sligo (Co Sligo, H28), Drogheda, Dundalk and Greenore (Co Louth, H31) and Killybegs (West Donegal, H35) were also visited during the same period. Independently, the alien flora of other roads in the south of Ireland was noted by Nesta Tirard (see Fig. 1). Nomenclature follows Tutin et al. (1964-1980). Seventy-nine sites with alien species, many distant from ports, were noted in 1989. A site was defined by the presence of at least one of the following species: Amaranthus retroflexus, Setaria viridis, Erucastrum gallicum mdKochia scoparia. Of the 79 sites, 42 were in Co Limerick. The greatest abundance and variety of species was found at Foynes and on the roads around it. Table 1 is a summary of the alien and adventive plants found in 1989 in 13 vice-counties based on detailed distribution records deposited with voucher specimens in DBN. Throughout the survey the most frequently recorded alien species was Amaranthus retroflexus, and the most common assemblage of alien species found on the roadside margins investigated consisted of A. retroflexus, Thlaspi arvense, Setaria viridis and Chenopodium album f. glomerulosum. C. albumf. glomerulosum, as determined by J. M. Mullin (Reynolds 1990), differs from the usual form in that the branches of the inflorescence are more lax, and the glomerules are in distinct, usually distant groups. Erucastrum gallicum, Erysimum cheiranthoides, Descurainia sophia, Polygonum lapathifolium and Kochia scoparia were also constituents of the same assemblage although occurring in smaller numbers and at fewer sites. Two species very common in Ireland, Cap sella bursa-pastoris and Polygonum aviculare, were usually present and there were occasional plants of Spergula arvensis and Avena fatua. Away from the ports, the characteristic assemblage was most often found growing at the road or pavement edge on the outskirts of towns, and, between towns, on open ground at field entrances, by bridges and in front of houses. The aliens were almost always confined to the edges of roads, with This content downloaded from 62.122.79.38 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 00:22:31 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp 60 Ir. Nat. J. Vol. 24 No. 2 1992 fy^l GALWAY ^S*%,AWLCN? A^ji^DUBLIN """,mm ***( ^S^*-^X^ khjdare^'^ \] / ̂S^ I fTrWICKLOW / / ROSCREA^* itfpORTLAOtSE TS / / MONEYGALL^^^^^^ AABBYLEtx/ // ,?/ /K, ^^ /URUNGFORO' ARKLOW? X Crtvwc5 J^sL-kUMERICK / * * KILKENNY X I tarbertO Sf ^7 I N La-4hk CAS// 1 X I NEWCASTLE WEST * _i ^^-*T^TIPPERARV / \ X I C triiuinnrtf JlBANSHA / \ aJTNBNROSS / X KILMALLOCK ?%x ^./ROSBEROONr^LA J _ - 1 A" ?r*i?? r-WlBSTOKESTOWN ^^^t***^ CAHER CLONMEL \ ffC*^ I -X^ w*rrvAJu.? A TdONGARVAN Ir. Nat. J. Vol. 24 No. 2 1992 61 Table 1. Occurrence of alien and adventive species in Ireland in 1989. Species are ordered according to the number of sites where they were found. Authorities follow Flora Europaea (Tutin et al. 1964-1980). Vice-counties are numbered as follows: 2?North Kerry; 6?Waterford; 7?South Tipperary; 8?Limerick; 10?North Tipperary; 11? Kilkenny; 12?Wexford; 14?Laois; 18?Offaly; 19?Kildare; 20?Wicklow; 21?Dublin; 23?Westmeath. ?Species not recorded in 1988; t?possibly introduced; X?probably introduced; ^certainly introduced. Vice-county 2 6 7 8 10 11 12 14 18 19 20 21 23 Total Number of sites 226 42 4762 13121 79 * Amaranthus retroflexus L. 216 40 3652131 1 I 72 "Thlaspi arvense L. 2 1 3 26 3 4 3 1 1 2 1 1 ? 48 "Setaria viridis (L.) Beauv. 11 322 3-41 112? 2? 41 ^Chenopodium album L. f. glomerulosum 2? 1 14 243 11 2?1? 31 "Erucastrum gallicum (Willd.) O. E. Schulz 1 1?13 2 3 2 1 1- 24 "Erysimum cheiranthoides L. 1 ? 1 10 1 3? 1 1 1- 19 XDescurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex PrantI 2 1 ? II 1 I-1 ?? 1 ? 18 ^Polygonum lapathifolium L. 1-8? 2 1 1 1 1? 1?16 "Kochia scoparia (L.) Schrader 1-11 ? 1- 13 XSpergula arvensis L. 1-3 ? 121-1 ? 9 "Avena fatua L. -4 1-1 1 1? 8 "Crepis tectorum L. 1--6 ?- 7 *Amaranthus albus L. -? 4? 1- 5 +*Lepidium densiflorum Schrader -4-- 4 "Trifolium hybridum L. -2 ? 11- 4 "Chamomilla recutita (L.) Rauschert. -4- 4 "Chenopodium glaucum L. -2-1? 3 "Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz -3- 3 v\ Chrysanthemum segetum L. ?-2-1- 3 ^"Sisymbrium altissimum L. -2- 2 *Linum usitatissimum L. -2- 2 "Senecio viscosus L. -I-1 ? 2 "Chenopodium strictum Roth -? 1- 1 "Salsola kali ssp ruthenica (Iljin) Soo -1 ? 1 *Amaranthus hybridus L. -? 1- 1 *Amaranthus blitoides S. Watson -1- 1 "Vaccaria Pyramidata Medicus-1 ? 1 "Sisymbrium loeselii L. -1- 1 *"Lepidium ruderale L. -1- 1 "Melilotus alba Medicus -1-? 1 "Conyza canadensis (L.) Cronq. -?-1 ? 1 "Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. -1 ? 1 strictum and Sisymbrium loeselii were seen only on the roadside at Barrigone, 6km south-east of Foynes in 1989. Other plants found in small numbers at the port and on roads not far from Foynes in 1989 but not recorded in 1988 were Lepidium densiflorum, L. ruderale, Linum usitatissimum, Sisymbrium altissimum and Amaranthus albus. In Limerick City, the characteristic assemblage was found together with solitary plants ofAmaranthus blitoides and A .hybridus on Dock Road near the port where recently spilled 'nuts' of animal feed were noticed on the quayside in August 1989. Scattered alien plants were found on the main roads from Limerick towards Dublin, Tipperary, and Cork, but not on the road to Kilmallock which would most easily be supplied with animal feed from Foynes via Newcastle West and Bruree. There were sites with alien plants on the main road east from Limerick near Birdhill and in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, at Money gall, Co Offaly, and on the east side of Kildare town where Amaranthus retroflexus, Setaria viridis, Chenopodium album f. glomerulosum, Thlaspi arvense and Erysimum cheiranthoides were found. A reduced number and variety of plants was found near Kilfeakle on the road This content downloaded from 62.122.79.38 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 00:22:31 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp 62 Ir. Nat. J. Vol. 24 No. 2 1992 between Tipperary and Cashel, at Golden in Co Tipperary, and on the main Dublin-Cork road at Abbeyleix and Portlaoise in Co Laois. After Foynes and Limerick, the greatest variety and number of alien species was found in the New Ross/Rosbercon area. Animal feed is unloaded at a small quay on the west bank of the River Barrow just south of Rosbercon. Most of the plants were found on the Waterford road on the outskirts of Rosbercon, near the main entrance to Rosbercon port and on the railway siding where the same species were recorded the previous year (Kelly 1990). The railway siding is near a market where bags of animal feed are sold. Other sites were the Mount Garrett Ring Road on the east side of New Ross and the main Wexford road just south of New Ross. In the south and south-east of the country, Nesta Tirard (pers. comm.) found small numbers of alien plants just north of Waterford City on the New Ross road, between Freshford and Three Castles in Co Kilkenny, north-east of Dungarvan and near Cappoquin in Co Waterford, and between Clonmel and Caher in Co Tipperary; and greater numbers near Bansha also in Co Tipperary and on the main road between Tipperary town and Pallas Grean in south-east Co Limerick. Although Dublin port is an important centre for animal feed imports (Reynolds 1990), relatively few plants grow there because the quays are swept regularly. In 1989, apart from scattered plants of Amaranthus retroflexus and Setaria viridis and one patch of Senecio viscosus, solitary plants of Vaccaria pyramidata, Salsola kali ssp ruthenica, Chenopodium glaucum and Echinochloa crus-galli were found. Despite careful searches of roadsides in Co Dublin only one plant of Setaria viridis and two plants of Conyza canadensis were found, all near the port. Other ports visited yielded few or no unusual aliens. About 25 Amaranthus retroflexus plants were seen growing with Thlaspi arvense at the port in Arklow, one large plant of A. retroflexus at Stokestown, and a patch of Conyza canadensis looked well established on the quay at Waterford. Alien plants were not reported from the Cork area in 1989 (Maura Scannell and Tony O'Mahony pers. comm.) and although Thlaspi arvense is a fairly frequent established alien in many localities in Co Antrim and Co Down, there are no recent records of A. retroflexus, Setaria viridis or Erucastrum gallicum in those counties (Paul Hackney pers. comm.). A few plants of A. retroflexus and E. gallicum had been found in 1988 on a street near the seafront at Youghal, Co Cork (Daniel Kelly pers. comm.). Near the port of Greenore, a single plant of Thlaspi arvense and a few plants of Spergula arvensis were found, neither associated with other alien species. Away from the ports, solitary plants or small numbers of A. retroflexus were found on roadsides as at Leixlip, Athlone, Camolin and Waterford. Although Thlaspi arvense, Descurainia sophia, Erysimum cheiranthoides and Polygonum lapathifolium are included as members of the Irish flora (Webb 1977, Scannell and Synnott 1987), they are found in many other parts of the world (Tutin et al. 1964, Clapham et al. 1987) and their constant appearance with more exotic roadside aliens would indicate that they have probably been introduced with them. Spergula arvensis, Avena fatua, Chrysanthemum segetum and Came Una sativa, which are similarly widespread, occurred with the alien assemblage but in smaller numbers and at fewer sites (Table 1) and were not otherwise seen in the vicinity. Spergula arvensis is native in Europe, has become widely naturalized in the United States and is known to have been re-introduced into Britain with soya bean waste (Grenfell 1987). Not all of the adventives recorded in 1989 were necessarily associated with animal feed. On one stretch of the main road south-west of Clonroche in Co Wexford there were large numbers of Thlaspi arvense, and that species was also found in smaller quantities at other sites without companion aliens. T. arvense and Descurainia sophia were found together on a roadside south of Herbertstown in east Co Limerick. A patch of many plants of T. arvense, Erysimum cheiranthoides and several Came Una sativa on recently disturbed ground by the main Cork road in south-west Limerick City could possibly have originated from dormant seeds in the soil. Two other species recorded in 1989, Conyza canadensis and Senecio viscosus, do not seem to be connected with the animal feed alien assemblage. C. canadensis appeared well This content downloaded from 62.122.79.38 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 00:22:31 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp Ir. Nat. J. Vol. 24 No. 2 1992 63 established on the quays of Dublin and Waterford ports and isolated plants were also found close to Dublin port. S. viscosus has been known in the Dublin area for a long time (Colgan 1904). In Ireland this species has been associated with railway ballast (Akeroyd 1982, Smiddy 1986) and although one patch of plants was found in Dublin port in 1989, greater numbers were found on railway tracks and in a nearby parking lot outside the port area. At Rosbercon, it is possible that this species was already established on the railway siding before the introduction of the other alien species. Eleven species were recorded in 1989 but not in 1988 (Table 1). As had been noted for the alien and adventive plants found in 1988 (Reynolds 1990), these species found in 1989 are widely distributed in Europe and elsewhere (Tutin et al. 1964, Clapham et al. 1987). Further details are given in the Appendix for the eight species which are not listed in Scannell and Synnott (1987) with an indication of earlier Irish records. No earlier Irish records were found for Amaranthus hybridus or A. blitoides. All four species of Amaranthus recorded in Ireland in 1989 were associated with the import of soya bean waste from N America at Avonmouth Docks in Britain (Grenfeil 1987). It is not known whether the alien species on Irish roadsides in 1989 originated from seeds in animal feed spillage over the winter of 1988-89 or even earlier, or from self-sown seeds of plants which had not been noticed in 1988. However, there is evidence that some alien species may overwinter in Ireland. Thlaspi arvense was one adventive species still notably thriving and producing new growth in November 1989. It can be an annual or overwintering herb (Clapham et al. 1987) and in May 1990, many well grown plants in flower and with immature fruits were seen on roadsides where they had also been recorded in 1989, in Cos Limerick, Offaly, Kildare, Wexford and Kilkenny. Two Erucastrum gallicum plants about 30cm tall in flower and with immature fruits were also found in May 1990 at Rosbercon, and one at Kilmallock in Co Limerick. A few basal rosettes up to 10cm in diameter of this species, which can be annual or biennial, were seen during the same month both near Robertstown church in Co Limerick and in Rosbercon. Many species produced mature seeds {Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album f. glomerulosum, Erucastrum gallicum, Erysimum cheiranthoides, Descurainia sophia, Lepidium densiflorum, Thlaspi arvense and Setaria viridis), and there is evidence of seeds overwintering successfully. Abundant seed was found on one old Kochia scoparia plant at Robertstown church on 4 November 1989. When the same site was visited on 5 May 1990 there were four young plants of K. scoparia 5-7cm tall exactly where the old plant had grown. At Rosbercon, in the same place where a number of large Amaranthus retroflexus plants, up to lm across, producing mature seeds had been observed on 2 September 1989, thousands of seedlings 1 -2cm high were found on 13 May 1990 packed along cracks in dried out ground. A similar density of A. retroflexus seedlings was found on 5 May 1990 among gravel at Foynes port and on the roadside at Robertstown church in areas where that species had been very common in 1989. In the spring of 1989, good germination was obtained from seeds of Setaria viridis, Chenopodium capitatum and C. strictum collected in 1988 and sown indoors in potting compost. The young plants were grown on in the author's garden in Dublin and those plants of C. capitatum produced abundant seed by midsummer 1989 and the other two species by early autumn. Seeds of C. capitatum and C. strictum were shed and young plants were noticed in the garden in May 1990. Both species again produced flowers and fruits. The plants of S. viridis were harvested before the seeds were mature. However, in 1990, more seeds of S. viridis were sown directly into the garden and plants grew to maturity. Where seeds had been shed, new plants appeared in 1991. Freshly collected Kochia scoparia seeds were sown into open ground in November 1989; one seedling was seen in early spring 1990. Dried seeds of this species, which had been in a plant press over the winter, were sown outside on 20 May 1990; there was good germination within five days. All of these plants had mature fruits by the middle of October. In 1987 in south-west Scotland, several of the same alien species as had been found in Ireland in 1988 and 1989 were noted growing at the curb of a road leading to a feed grain merchant's mill in Dalbeattie, Kircudbrightshire; these included Erucastrum gallicum, This content downloaded from 62.122.79.38 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 00:22:31 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp 64 Ir. Nat. J. Vol. 24 No. 2 1992 Lepidium densiflorum, Thlaspi arvense, Descurainia sophia and Chenopodium album (Olga Stewart pers. comm.). Amaranthus retroflexus, Setaria viridis, T. arvense and C. album were found in the same area in 1989. Imported grain, mainly from Liverpool and Glasgow, is delivered by road to the mill at Dalbeattie. The similarity of the habitat and assemblage of alien species with that found on roadsides in Ireland is striking. In conclusion, alien plants were looked for more extensively and also appeared to be more widespread in Ireland in 1989 than in 1988. Although there is the likelihood of renewed introductions each year, it has been shown that seeds and plants of several species survived the winter of 1989-90. With suitable climatic conditions in future seasons, these plants may persist at some of their present sites; they may continue to spread in Ireland and some species may establish themselves in the country. Acknowledgements I would like to thank the Dublin Port and Docks Board for permission to botanize at Dublin Port; Nesta Tirard, Elinor Wiltshire, Declan Doogue, David Nash and Margaret Norton for additional records; Tim Rich, Bruno Ryves and Eric Clement for determining specimens; Paul Hackney for checking alien plant records in BEL and the Belfast area; Donal Synnott for help at DBN and John Parnell for giving me access to TCD; Olga Stewart for information on aliens in Scotland and Ro Fitzgerald for Wexford; Murrogh and Suzanne O Brien for their practical support while doing field work; Julian Reynolds and Daniel Kelly for constructive comments on the manuscript; Rachel Arbuckle of Design Council for kindly preparing the map; and Julian, Conor, Elinor and Owen for their tolerance to the spread of alien plants into their home and garden. REFERENCES Akeroyd, J. R. (1982) Senecio viscosus L. in Ireland. Ir. Nat. J. 20: 361-364. Burton, R. M. (1983) Flora of the London Area. London Natural History Society, London. Clapham, A. R., Tutin, T. G. & Moore, D. M. (1987) Flora of the British Isles. 3rd edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Clement, E. J. (1978) Adventive News 10. B.S.B.I. News. No. 18: 10-15. -(1980) Adventive News 16. B.S.B.I. News. No. 24: 14-18. Colgan, N. (1904) Flora of the County Dublin. Hodges Figgis, Dublin. Easy, G. M. S. (1979) Amaranthus species in Cambridgeshire. B.S.B.I. News. No. 22: 17-20. Grenfell, A. L. (1980) Aliens galore at Brislington Tip. B.S.B.I. News. No. 25: 17-18. -(1987) Adventive News 37. B.S.B.I. News. No. 47: 34-38. -(1988) Adventive News 39. B.S.B.I. News. No. 50: 25-32. Kelly, D. L. v 1990) Some weeds and aliens of a southern port. Ir. Nat. J. 23: 271-272. Knowles, M. C. (1906) A contribution towards the alien flora of Ireland. Ir. Nat. 15: 143-150. Praeger, R. LI. (1900) Notes on the Limerick Flora. Ir. Nat. 9: 260-265. -(1938) A Flora of the north-east of Ireland. 2nd edition. Quota Press, Belfast. Reynolds, S. (1990) Alien plants at Foynes and Dublin ports in 1988. Ir. Nat. J. 23: 262-268. Scannell, M. J. P. & Synnott, D. M. (1987) Census catalogue of the flora of Ireland. Second edition. Stationery Office, Dublin. Smiddy, P. (1986) Senecio viscosus L. in the Cork flora. Ir. Nat. J. 22: 39. Stewart, S. A. & Corry, T. H. (1888) A Flora of the north-east of Ireland. MacMillan & Bowes, Cambridge. Stewart, S. A. & Praeger, R. LI. (1894-95). A supplement to the Flora of the north-east of Ireland of Stewart & Corry. Appendix to Proceedings of Belfast Naturalists Field Club. 2(5): 136-236. Tutin, T. G. et at. (1964-1980) Flora Europaea. 1-5. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Webb, D. A. (1977) An Irish Flora. 6th edition. Dundalgan Press, Dundalk. APPENDIX Distribution of 8 alien and adventive species found in Ireland in 1989, not listed in Scannell and Synnott (1987), with an indication of earlier Irish records. Symbols and authorities as in Table 1. Abbreviations as follows: BR?B. T. Ryves; TR?T. C. G. Rich. *Salsola kali ssp ruthenka (H21), Dublin. Dublin Port, Alexandra Quay, 01834. One plant, det E. Clement, DBN. Co Kildare (Knowles 1906, DBN); Co Down (Praeger 1938). This content downloaded from 62.122.79.38 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 00:22:31 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp Ir, Nat. J. Vol. 24 No. 2 1992 65 * Amaranthus hybridus (H8), Limerick City, Dock Rd, R5656. One plant, det BR, DBN. First Irish record. Tropical and subtropical America; commonly introduced and naturalized in many parts of Europe (Tutin etal. 1964). A casual on rubbish tips and elsewhere in Britain (Clapham etal. 1987); thousands of plants were found at one site in Surrey (Clement 1980) and it has been known to outnumber A. retroflexus in Cambridgeshire (Easy 1979). *A. blitoides (H8), Limerick City, Dock Rd, R5656. One plant, det BR, DBN. First Irish record. C and W North America; naturalized in C and S Europe; casual throughout most of Europe (Tutin et al. 1964). Recorded occasionally in Britain {e.g. Clement 1978, Grenfell 1980, 1988, Burton 1983). *A. albus (H8), Limerick. Foynes Port, R2551, several plants; W of Foynes, R2452, one; Glin, R1247, one; N of Shanagolden, R2649, one. (Hll), Kilkenny. Rosbercon, Waterford Rd, S7127, two. Det BR, DBN. Co Kildare (Knowles 1906, DBN); Co Down (Praeger 1938). *Vaccaria pyramidata (H21), Dublin. Dublin Port, Alexandra Quay, 01834. One plant, DBN. NE Ireland (Stewart and Praeger 1894-95); Co Limerick (Praeger 1900, DBN); Co Dublin (Colgan 1904, DBN); Co Louth (DBN); Co Armagh (TCD); Co Antrim and Co Down (Praeger 1938). *Lepidium densiflorum (H8), Limerick. Foynes Port, R2551, few scattered plants; Glin, R1247, one; E of Foynes, R2650, two; E of Newcastle West, R3333 (Elinor Wiltshire pers. comm.). Det TR, DBN. Co Antrim (Praeger 1938). There are specimens in DBN from Co Kildare, collected by Miss Knowles in 1904, and Co Dublin, collected by Miss Legg in 1918, and in BEL from Co Down, collected by S. A. Bennett and CD. Chase in 1922, all originally determined as L. ruder ale and redetermined by TR as L. densiflorum. *L. ruderale (H8), Limerick. W of Foynes, R2452. One plant, det TR, DBN. Co Dublin (Colgan 1904); Co Antrim and Co Down (Praeger 1938). There is a published record for Co Kildare (Knowles 1906) but the supporting specimen in DBN collected by Miss Knowles was redetermined as L. densiflorum by TR. A recent specimen, con TR, was collected in Co Antrim by S. Bees ley in 1986 (BEL). *Linum usitatissimum (H8), Limerick. Foynes Port, R2551, several plants; Glin, R1247, one. NE Ireland (Stewart and Corry 1888, Praeger 1938). There are specimens from Cos Kerry, Limerick, Kildare and Antrim in DBN, and one from Co Antrim in TCD. Now rarely seen in Ireland (Webb 1977). FIVE WEEVIL SPECIES NEW TO IRELAND (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONOIDEA) M. G. Morris Furzebrook Research Station, (NERC Institute of Terrestrial Ecology) Wareham, Dorset BH20 5AS An unsuccessful search was made from 17 to 22 July 1991 for the exceptionally rare Irish weevil Barypeithes curvimanus du Val. During the course of fieldwork in counties Kildare, Wicklow, Dublin and Meath, five species of the families Apionidae and Curculionidae were found which have not previously been recorded from Ireland. However, the specific status of one of the curculionids is not established beyond all doubt. Names of Coleoptera follow Kloet and Hincks (1977) and those of plants Clapham et al. (1987), in both cases where possible. Apion (Synapion) ebeninum Kirby (Apionidae) This distinctive species was found in numbers (17 males and 11 females taken) at Summerhill Wood, Co Meath (N8547), on 20 July 1991. The site, a coniferous plantation, has a broad ride running roughly north-south through it and this supports a lush vegetation, but is not obviously exceptional entomologically. The weevils occurred exclusively on Vicia sepium L., a common plant throughout Ireland, in company with Apion (Pseudotrichapion) aethiops Herbst, the latter being slightly less abundant (20 specimens taken). A. aethiops was taken at only two other sites during this intensive period of fieldwork, though V. sepium was worked at several of them. This content downloaded from 62.122.79.38 on Sat, 14 Jun 2014 00:22:31 AM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp Article Contents p. 59 p. 60 p. 61 p. 62 p. 63 p. 64 p. 65 Issue Table of Contents The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 24, No. 2 (Apr., 1992), pp. 43-86 Front Matter The Reproductive Biology of the Freshwater Pearl Mussel Margaritifera margaritifera (L.) in Co Donegal [pp. 43-50] Contributions to the Limnology of Northern Ireland: (5) The Lakes of Co Antrim [pp. 51-59] Distribution of Alien and Adventive Plants at Ports and on Roadsides in Ireland in 1989 [pp. 59-65] Five Weevil Species New to Ireland (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea) [pp. 65-69] The Irish and British Plants in the Herbarium of Trinity College, Dublin. II. The Non-Vascular Plants [pp. 69-72] Bonito or Pelamid Sarda sarda Bloch in Irish Waters, Further Records and a Review of the Irish Records [pp. 72-74] Dendrobaena attemsi (Michaelson, 1902) and Microscolex phosphoreus (Dugès, 1837), Two Earthworms New to Ireland [pp. 74-75] The Occurrence of Bosmina longirostris (O.F.M.) in Lough Neagh [pp. 76-77] Field Records: Insects New Records of Weevils (Coleoptera, Curculionoidea) from Kildare, Wicklow, Dublin and Meath [pp. 77-78] A Further Occurrence of Psectra diptera (Burmeister) (Insecta, Neuroptera) in Ireland [p. 79-79] Atheta strandiella Brundin (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae), a Necrophilous Beetle New to Ireland [p. 79-79] A New Moth Record for Ireland Cybosia mesomella (L.) (Lepidoptera) Four-Dotted Footman [pp. 79-80] Fish Notes Wreckfish Polyprion americanus Bloch & Schneider [pp. 80-81] Black-Bellied Angler Lophius budegassa (Spinola) [p. 81-81] Black-Mouth Dogfish Galeus melastomus Rafinesque-Schmaltz [p. 81-81] Turbot Scophthalmus maximus (L.) [pp. 81-82] Zoological Notes The Shore Crab Carcinus maenas L., an Indoor Pest in Dublin City [p. 82-82] A Local Survey of Road Casualty Birds in Co Tipperary [pp. 82-84] Report The Northern Ireland Biological Records Centre [p. 84-84] Correspondence The Flea Beetle Phyllotreta in Ireland [pp. 84-85] The Robert Lloyd Praeger Fund [p. 85-85] The Dublin Naturalists' Field Club Report for 1991 [pp. 85-86] Reviews Review: untitled [p. 86-86] Review: untitled [p. 86-86] Back Matter