Hieracium lasiophyllum W.D.J. Koch, a hawkweed

Account Summary

The authors of the 1951 Typescript Flora and R.D. Meikle in the 1975 Revised Typescript Flora denoted this record and two others made at the same time by Stewart at Knockmore Hill and "Badmore", which the current author (RSF) and RHN believe is probably Belmore Mountain, as being questionable records. All three Stewart sites are limestone districts. Sadly, after all these years, Stewart remains the only Fermanagh recorder who was really skilled in hawkweed identification, and he too relied on his referee, Mr Backhouse, for what he regarded as certainty of their determination (Stewart 1882). There are no vouchers for H. lasiophyllum from Fermanagh in BEL but, in 2008, D. McCosh confirmed the identification of this microspecies from vouchers collected in Co Down (H38) and Co Antrim (H39) (P. Hackney, pers. comm., July 2008).

H. lasiophyllum is described as a very distinct microspecies (Perring & Sell 1968, p. 96) and it is a plant of cliff ledges, crevices and scree of various basic rock types including basalt, dolerite, Silurian grit and shale, but apparently not on limestone, according to Sell & Murrell (2006, p. 342). In the FNEI 3, where it is recorded in all three VCs, it is claimed it grows on both granite and shale on Mt Spelga in the Mourne Mountains, Co Down (H38). The Co Down shales are almost certainly calcareous.

In Britain, it is widely scattered and relatively frequent in western parts from S Wales to Wester Ross (VC 105) and in the Scottish Highlands (Perring & Sell 1968, Map 558/1.82).

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