Flora & Fauna

 
   

Grid reference

Location

Taxon Name

Common Name

Local Name/notes

 

 

 

 

 

Non-flowering plants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HY27200550

Main pier/coastal cliffs

Asplenium marinum

Sea spleenwort

Probably elsewhere

HY20M

Quoys burn

Athyrium filix-femina

Lady Fern

 

HY2605

Ditches, hill

Blechnum spicant

Hard Fern

 

HY2506

The lash, West Hill

Botrychium lunaria

Moonwort

 

HY25850585

Quoys burn

Dryopteris aemula

Hay-scented Buckler-Fern

 

HY2605

Several sites, Quoys

Dryopteris dilatata

Common Buckler-Fern

 

HY20M

Quoys

Dryopteris filix-mas agg.

Male Fern

 

HY2605

Common, road middle

Equisetum arvense

Field Horsetail

 

HY2605

Wet sites, drains and ditches

Equisetum fluviatile

Water Horsetail

 

HY20M

Common, Marsh

Equisetum palustre

Marsh Horsetail

 

HY20M

Uncommon

Equisetum sylvaticum

Wood Horsetail

Not found recently, Quoys?

HY20M

Quoys burn

Polypodium vulgare

Polypody

On buildings and Elder

 

 

 

 

 

Flowering Plants

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HY2605

Common, verges, fields

Achillea millefolium

Yarrow

 

HY20M

Common

Achillea ptarmica

Sneezewort

 

HY20M

Uncommon

Aegopodium podagraria

Goutweed

 

HY20M

Cultivated fields, Sandside Links

Anchusa arvensis

Field Bugloss

 

HY2605

Unimproved grassland, coast

Angelica sylvestris

Wild Angelica

 

HY2605

Heathy areas, West Hill

Antennaria dioica

Mountain Everlasting

 

HY20M

Common,Verges, uncultivated areas

Anthriscus sylvestris

Cow Parsley

 

HY2605

Uncommon, Hill

Anthyllis vulneraria

Kidney Vetch

 

HY2605

Coast, shore,cliff

Armeria maritima

Thrift

 

HY2605

Strandline

Atriplex glabriuscula

Babington's Orache

 

HY2605

Common, weed

Bellis perennis

Daisy

 

HY264058

Sandside bay, upper beach and links

Cakile maritima

Sea Rocket

Recent incomer!

HY20M

Quarry

Callitriche platycarpa

Various-Leaved Water-Starwort

 

HY2605

Wet, damp sites

Callitriche stagnalis sens.lat.

Common Water-Starwort

 

HY2605

Hill, Heath

Calluna vulgaris

Ling

 

HY2605

Ditches, Marsh, common

Caltha palustris

Marsh Marigold

 

HY2605

Weed of cultivation

Capsella bursa-pastoris

Shepherd's-Purse

 

HY2605

Weed of cultivation

Cardamine flexuosa

Wavy Bitter-Cress

 

HY2605

Common in wet,damp areas

Cardamine pratensis

Cuckooflower

 

HY2605

Uncommon

Centaurea nigra

Hardhead

 

HY2605

Common weed

Cerastium fontanum vulgare

Common Mouse-Ear

 

HY2605

Common weed

Cerastium glomeratum

Sticky Mouse-Ear

 

HY2605

Uncommon

Chamerion angustifolium

Fireweed

 

HY20M

Weed of cultivation

Chrysanthemum segetum

Corn Marigold

probably extinct on the island now

HY2605

Common, fields

Cirsium arvense

Creeping Thistle

 

HY2605

Common

Cirsium palustre

Marsh Thistle

 

HY2605

Common

Cirsium vulgare

Spear Thistle

 

HY2605

Garden escape

Claytonia sibirica

Pink Purslane

 

HY2605

Coastal

Cochlearia officinalis sens.str.

Common Scurvygrass

 

HY20M

Schoolhouse

Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora

Montbretia

garden escape

HY20M

Hill, Heath

Empetrum nigrum

Crowberry

 

HY2605

Hill, heath

Empetrum nigrum nigrum

Crowberry

 

HY2605

Uncommon

Epilobium montanum

Broad-Leaved Willowherb

 

HY2605

Common

Epilobium palustre

Marsh Willowherb

 

HY20M

Hill, Heath

Erica cinerea

Bell Heather

 

HY2605

Hill, heath, less common

Erica tetralix

Cross-Leaved Heath

 

HY20M

Heath

Euphrasia micrantha

Eyebright

 

HY2605

Common

Euphrasia officinalis agg.

Eyebright

 

HY2605

Marsh

Filipendula ulmaria

Meadowsweet

 

HY2605

Cultivated fields

Fumaria officinalis

Common Fumitory

 

HY270049

Cultivated fields, Clett, uncommon

Fumaria purpurea

Purple ramping-Fumitory

 

HY20M

Cultivated areas, field margins

Galeopsis tetrahit

Common Hemp-Nettle

 

HY2605

Strandline, common

Galium aparine

Goosegrass

 

HY2605

Marsh

Galium palustre palustre

Common Marsh-Bedstraw

 

HY20M

Heath, Hill

Galium saxatile

Heath Bedstraw

 

HY2605

Verges, unimproved areas

Galium verum

Lady's Bedstraw

 

 

School, Manse Road

Gentianella amarella ssp.septentrionalis

Autumn Gentian

 

HY20M

School, Manse Road

Gentianella campestris

Field Gentian

 

HY2605

Coastal

Glaux maritima

Sea-Milkwort

 

HY2605

Verges, Common

Heracleum sphondylium

Hogweed

 

HY20M

Sandside bay, above strandline

Honckenya peploides

Sea Sandwort

 

HY2604

Near houses

Hyacinthoides x massartiana

Hybrid bluebell

garden escape

HY2605

Marsh, bog

Hydrocotyle vulgaris

Marsh Pennywort

 

HY20M

Heath, Hill

Hypericum pulchrum

Slender St. John's Wort

 

HY2605

Common

Hypochaeris radicata

Cat's-Ear

 

HY2605

Marsh,ditches etc

Iris pseudacorus

Yellow Iris

 

HY2605

Marshy areas, common

Lamium purpureum

Red Dead-Nettle

 

HY2605

Verges, uncultivated areas

Lathyrus pratensis

Meadow Vetchling

 

HY2605

Common

Leontodon autumnalis

Autumnal Hawkbit

 

HY20M

Uncommon

Leucanthemum vulgare

Oxeye Daisy

 

HY2605

Coastal

Ligusticum scoticum

Scots Lovage

 

HY20M

Verges,West Hill

Linum catharticum

Fairy Flax

 

HY2605

Cliff,gardens

Lonicera periclymenum

Honeysuckle

 

HY2605

Verges, drier uncultivated areas, coast

Lotus corniculatus

Common Bird's-Foot-Trefoil

 

HY2605

Marsh, Quoynanap

Lychnis flos-cuculi

Ragged Robin

 

HY2605

Weed of cultivation

Matricaria discoidea

Pineapple Weed

 

HY2605

Ditches

Mentha aquatica

Water Mint

 

HY20M

Wet areas

Menyanthes trifoliata

Bogbean

 

HY2605

Damp, waste areas

Montia fontana

Blinks

 

HY2605

Cultivated areas, field margins

Myosotis arvensis

Field Forget-Me-Not

 

HY2605

Uncommon

Myosotis laxa

Tufted Forget-Me-Not

 

HY2605

Wet, damp sites, ditches

Myosotis scorpioides

Common Water Forget-Me-Not

 

HY20M

Marsh, wet heath

Narthecium ossifragum

Bog Asphodel

 

HY20M

Marsh

Odontites vernus vernus

Red Bartsia

 

HY2605

Verges, uncultivated short turf

Parnassia palustris

Grass Of Parnassus

 

HY20M

Heath, common

Pedicularis sylvatica

Lousewort

 

HYHY2506

Wet areas

Persicaria amphibia

Amphibious Bistort

Exact site unknown??

HY2506

Uncommon,cliff top, short turf

Pilosella officinarum

Mouse-ear Hawkweed

No idea where?

HY2605

Wet heath, marsh, East Hill

Pinguicula vulgaris

Common Butterwort

 

HY2605

Coastal mainly

Plantago coronopus

Buck's-Horn Plantain

 

HY2605

Common

Plantago lanceolata

Ribwort Plantain

Johnsmas irde, waiveran laef

HY2605

Common, verges roadsides

Plantago major

Greater Plantain

 

HY2605

GRAEMSAY

Plantago maritima

Sea Plantain

 

HY2605

Heath

Polygala serpyllifolia

Heath Milkwort

 

HY2605

Weed of cultivation

Polygonum arenastrum

Equal-Leaved Knotgrass

 

HY20M

Cultivated fields Sandside Links

Polygonum aviculare agg.

Knotgrass agg.

 

 

Quarry

Potamogeton natans

Broadleaved pondweed

Probably extinct from this site now

HY2605

Pools, wet areas, marsh

Potamogeton polygonifolius

Bog Pondweed

 

HY2605

Common

Potentilla anserina

Silverweed

 

HY2605

Heath

Potentilla erecta

Tormentil

 

HY2605

Marsh

Potentilla palustris

Marsh Cinquefoil

 

HY2605

Enriched uncultivated grassland, verges

Primula vulgaris

Primrose

 

HY2605

Common

Prunella vulgaris

Selfheal

Throughout

HY2605

Common

Ranunculus acris

Meadow Buttercup

 

HY20M

Uncommon

Ranunculus ficaria ficaria

Lesser Celandine

Not sure where this is

HY2605

Wet sites

Ranunculus flammula flammula

Lesser Spearwort

 

HY2605

Common

Ranunculus repens

Creeping Buttercup

 

HY2605

Quarry- declining

Ranunculus trichophyllus

Thread-Leaved Crowfoot

 

HY2605

Weed of cultivation

Raphanus raphanistrum

Wild Radish

 

HY2605

West hill,East Hill Quoynanap

Rhinanthus minor

Yellow-Rattle

 

HY20M

By the Kirk

Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum

Water-Cress

 

HY20M

A few local sites, Quoys, cliff

Rosa arvensis

Field Rose

 

HY20M

Verges, uncultivated areas

Rumex acetosa

Common Sorrel

 

HY2605

Sandside Links, weedy places

Rumex acetosella

Sheep's Sorrel agg.

 

HY2605

Weedy places, strandline, links

Rumex crispus

Curled Dock

 

HY2605

Common throughout

Rumex obtusifolius

Broad-Leaved Dock

bulwan

HY2605

Coast, hill, verges

Sagina procumbens

Procumbent Pearlwort

 

HY264058

East Hill

Salix aurita

Eared Willow

 

HY2605

Heath, Hill

Salix repens repens

Creeping Willow

 

HY20M

Quoys,Windywalls

Sambucus nigra

Elder

 

HY2605

Coast, cliff and hill

Scilla verna

Spring Squill

 

HY20M

Common

Senecio aquaticus

Marsh Ragwort

dye-flooer, tursick

HY2605

Common, weed

Senecio vulgaris

Groundsel

 

HY2605

Common near houses

Senecio x ostenfeldii

Hybrid Ragwort

 

HY2605

Sandside bay, common

Silene dioica

Red Campion

 

HY2605

Sea cliffs

Silene uniflora

Sea Campion

 

HY2605

West Hill

Solidago virgaurea

Goldenrod

 

HY2605

Shore, strandline

Sonchus arvensis

Corn Sow-Thistle

 

HY2605

Shore, strandline

Sonchus asper

Prickly Sow-Thistle

 

HY20M

Cultivated fields, weed

Spergula arvensis

Corn Spurrey

 

HY20M

Shore, strandline

Spergularia media

Greater Sea-Spurrey

 

HY20M

Uncommon

Stachys palustris

Marsh Woundwort

 

HY2605

Common, near houses

Stachys x ambigua

Hybrid Woundwort

 

HY2605

Common weed

Stellaria media agg.

Chickweed

 

HY20M

Marsh, uncultivated areas

Stellaria uliginosa

Bog Stitchwort

 

HY2605

Heath, unimproved grass,Common

Succisa pratensis

Devil's-Bit Scabious

 

HY2605

Common

Taraxacum

Dandelion Agg.

 

HY265058

Sandside Bay

Taraxacum naevosiforme

Dandelion

 

HY20M

Hill, heath

Thalictrum alpinum

Alpine Meadow-Rue

 

HY2605

West Hill, schoolyard lawn

Thymus polytrichus

Wild Thyme

 

HY20M

Not the foggiest!

Trientalis europaea

Chickweed Wintergreen

Site not known

HY2605

Common

Trifolium pratense

Red Clover

Curly Doddy (Sandra) Curly Toady (Ethel)

HY2605

Common/grassland/verges

Trifolium repens

White Clover

 

HY20M

Resevoir East Hill

Triglochin maritimum

Sea Arrowgrass

 

HY20M

Resevoir East Hill

Triglochin palustre

Marsh Arrowgrass

 

HY2605

Coastal/Sandside Links,

Tripleurospermum maritimum sens.str.

Mayweed

 

HY20M

Common, weed

Tussilago farfara

Colt's-Foot

 

HY2605

Common, near houses

Urtica dioica

Stinging Nettle

 

HY264058

Sandside Bay, links

Urtica urens

Small nettle

Old record

HY20M

Hill, heath

Vaccinium myrtillus

Bilberry

 

HY20M

near Kirk

Veronica beccabunga

Brooklime

 

HY20M

Common

Veronica scutellata

Marsh Speedwell

 

HY20M

Common

Veronica serpyllifolia

Thyme-Leaved Speedwell

 

HY2605

Verges uncultivated areas

Vicia cracca

Tufted Vetch

 

HY2605

Common, Verges, uncultivated areas

Vicia sepium

Bush Vetch

 

HY2605

Common, throughout, verges, cliff

Viola riviniana

Common Dog-Violet

 

HY20M

Cultivated fields

Viola tricolor tricolor

Pansy

 

HY264058

Below  low water spring/Sandside Bay

Zostera marina

Eel-grass

Exposed in the rare extremes of low tide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sedges, Rushes and Grasses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HY2605

Common

Agrostis canina sens.lat.

Velvet Bent

 

HY2605

Common

Agrostis capillaris

Common Bent

 

HY2605

Common

Agrostis stolonifera

Creeping Bent

 

HY2605

Common

Aira praecox

Early Hair-Grass

Flowers early

HY2605

Wet grassland

Alopecurus geniculatus

Marsh Foxtail

 

HY2605

Fields

Alopecurus pratensis

Meadow Foxtail

 

HY2605

Common

Anthoxanthum odoratum

Sweet Vernal Grass

 

HY2605

Verges

Arrhenatherum elatius

False Oat-Grass

Not as common as mainland

HY 264058

Sandside Links

Bromus hordeaceus ssp hordeaceus

Soft Brome

 

HY2605

Heath, East and West Hill

Carex binervis

Green-Ribbed Sedge

 

HY20M

Sedge rich

Carex echinata

Star Sedge

 

HY2605

Common

Carex flacca

Glaucous Sedge

 

HY20M

Sedge rich sites

Carex hostiana

Tawny Sedge

 

HY2605

Common

Carex nigra

Common Sedge

 

HY2605

Common

Carex panicea

Carnation Sedge

 

HY20M

Sedge rich sites

Carex pilulifera

Pill Sedge

 

HY20M

Common

Carex pulicaris

Flea Sedge

 

HY20M

Sedge rich sites

Carex viridula brachyrrhyncha

Long-Stalked Yellow Sedge

 

HY20M

Sedge rich sites

Carex viridula oedocarpa

Common Yellow Sedge

 

HY2605

Common/grassland

Cynosurus cristatus

Crested Dog's-Tail

 

HY2605

Common

Dactylis glomerata

Cock's-Foot

 

HY2605

Hill, heath

Danthonia decumbens

Heath-Grass

 

HY2605

Common

Deschampsia caespitosa

Tufted Hair-Grass

 

HY2605

Hill,heath

Deschampsia flexuosa

Wavy Hair-Grass

 

HY2605

Common, damp/wet sites

Eleocharis palustris

Common Spike-Rush

 

HY20M

Uncommon

Eleocharis uniglumis

One-Glumed Spike-Rush

 

HY2605

Common

Elytrigia repens

Common Couch

 

HY2605

Damp heath

Eriophorum angustifolium

Common Cottongrass

 

HY2605

Common

Festuca rubra agg.

Red Fescue

 

HY20M

Common

Festuca vivipara

Viviparous Sheep's-Fescue

 

HY2605

Wet areas

Glyceria fluitans

Flote-Grass

Not recorded recently

HY2605

Common throughout

Holcus lanatus

Yorkshire-Fog

 

HY2605

Common damper sites

Juncus articulatus

Jointed Rush

 

HY2605

Damp and muddy

Juncus bufonius agg.

Toad Rush agg.

 

HY20M

Common

Juncus bulbosus

Bulbous Rush

 

HY2605

Common

Juncus conglomeratus

Compact Rush

 

HY2605

Common

Juncus effusus

Soft Rush

 

HY20M

Shore, strandline

Juncus gerardii

Saltmarsh Rush

 

HY2605

Heath

Juncus squarrosus

Heath Rush

 

HY2605

Sandside bay

Leymus arenarius

Lyme-Grass

 

HY2605

Common

Lolium perenne

Perennial Ryegrass

 

HY264058

Uncommon, Sandside Links

Lolium multiflorum

Italian Ryegrass

Side of access track to beach

HY2605

Common

Luzula campestris

Field Wood-Rush

 

HY2605

Common

Luzula multiflora

Heath Wood-Rush

 

HY20M

Quoys

Luzula sylvatica

Great Wood-Rush

Not common on the island

HY2605

Common

Molinia caerulea

Purple Moor-Grass

 

HY2605

Common, Hill, poor acidic grassland

Nardus stricta

Mat-Grass

 

HY2605

Manse road ditch

Phalaris arundinacea

Reed Canary-Grass

Doubtful record

HY2605

Fields

Phleum pratense sens.str.

Timothy

 

HY2605

Common

Poa annua

Annual Meadow-Grass

 

HY2605

Common

Poa humilis

Spreading Meadow-Grass

 

HY2605

Common

Poa trivialis

Rough Meadow-Grass

 

HY20M

Strandline sea-turf

Puccinellia maritima

Sea Meadow-Grass

 

HY20M

Areas around quarry

Schoenus nigricans

Black Bog-Rush

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orchids

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HY2605

Hill, heath

Dactylorhiza maculata ericetorum

Heath Spotted-Orchid

 

HY2605

Verges, fields

Dactylorhiza purpurella

Northern Marsh-Orchid

 

HY259050

Locally abundant, Manse verges

Listera ovata

Common Twayblade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stoneworts

 

 

 

 

HY20

Quoys, Quarry

Chara vulgaris

Common stonewort

 

HY20

Quarry

Chara virgata

Delicate stonewort

 

HY20

Windywalls, Quarry

Nitella flexilis

Smooth Stonewort

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Sources of information - Orkney Biodiversity Record Centre

John Crossley - County Botanical Recorder                    Effy Everiss - Charophyte recorder

 
Some records are historical and have yet to be verified recently. Many species are common throughout Graemsay, exact locations have not been specified, general habitat included instead.
Local names, have only included names local to Graemsay from Ethel and Sandra, I’m sure there are many more to add!