Conservation status: LR
First record: Mr Sare in How, 1650
Cucubalus Otites This plant, the least ostentatious of all its tribe, is peculiar to dry, sandy, and gravelly soils in a very few parts of England, chiefly Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Smith,Eng.Bot. (1793) 2: 85.
See illustrations of windmill etc nr Newmarket, in Silzer F. (1923)
There is a sad omission of Silene otites, [in Bab.1860] which is tolerably abundant at Chippenham. Bab. in litt. to Moore, 15.10.1860, Bab.Mem.347.
56
OLD RAILWAY TRACK, SWAFFHAM PRIOR/BURWELL
(Ballast imported from Freckenham when railway was built, 1884, [see Callard, E.,1924, The Manor of Freckenham], and uncovered when it closed in 1964);
c.70–150 plants on ballast, old railway track, Swaffham Prior, 582.656 – 581.655. GMS Easy, 21.8.1976.
c.150 plants, including large flowering plants on old track where ballast had been removed 1964, & cinders c.1968, NE of track from Crownall Farm, along c.20 yards with Erige can, Poten rep, Heder hel, Brachy syl, Plant lan, Oenothera sp. & Verbascum sp. Pop. map & CPs. G Crompton, 22.8.1976.
2 fl., rest in fruit, G Crompton, 8.10.1978.
1
plant at 577.653, additional to old colony, SM Walters and JW Clarke, 25.6.1985.c.500 inflorescences, former site much extended, 579.654 – 581.655, to the SW of farm track, GMS Easy, 29.7.1991.
Many, JW Clarke, 1992.
Only 1 seen, JW Clarke, 7.1993.
91 clumps, over 276 yards, SW of track, 589.654 – 581.654, in new colony, old site overgrown. GMS Easy, 3.7.1996.
58
Ely, W Marshall, [Is Ely a refer. to Marshall's home ?], n.d., CGE. [not found 1995]
66
NEWMARKET
Otites Spanish Catchfly Found on Newmarket Heath. Mr. Sare. How,1650,86.
Spanish catch fly: otites Tabern. seu sesamoides parv. muscipula Salamantica minor, found on new market Heath mr Sare. Pratt:30.
Sesamoides Salamanticum magnum The greater Spanish Catchflie. Near the gravell pits as you go to the nearest windmill on the Northside of Newmarket town. Ray,1660,154–155(113).
Sesamoides magnum Salamanticum. Newmarket About the Town. Ray Index Loc.
* Sesamoides Salamanticum magnum. Great Bastard Wood, G.493. Muscipula Salam. major, The greater Spanish catch fly, P.636. sine icone. Near the gravel pit as you go to the nearest Windmill on the North side of New–Market Town. Merrett,1667,113.
Sesamoides Salamanticum magnum Spanish Catch–flie. In and about the Gravel–pits, as you go to the nearest Windmill on the North–side of Newmarket–town, and in other like places towards Thetford, Lynne, &c. Ray,1670:282–3.
Lychnis viscosa flore muscosa C.B. Sesamoides Salamanticum magnum. Ger. Muscipula Salamantica major, Park. Muscosa flore S. Ocymoides Belliforme J.B. Spanish Catchflie. In & about the gravel–pits on ye north side of Newmarket town. Ray,ann.1677,192.
'I send you here inclosed the Specimen of a Plant growing on New–market Heath, and in Surry, known by the Name of Star of the Earth in those Parts. It is particularly taken Notice of on the Account of its extraordinary and admirable Virtue in curing the Bitings of Mad Dogs, either in Beasts or Men. One of his Majesty's Huntsmen having prov'd it a great many times, gave the King his Way of using it, which was an Infusion in Wine with Treacle, and or two more Simples. His Majesty was pleased to communicate it to Gresham College to the Royal Society; and no body knowing the Plant by that Name, some there present confirming its Use in that Disease in some Places of England, and procuring the Herb itself, it is as little known here as if it had come from the Indies. I would let you have this best Specimen of it, which I question not but 'tis known to you. If you please to give your Sentiments about it, you'll extremely oblige, &c. Sir Hans Sloane to Mr Ray, London, June 21. 1687. Ray,1718,208.
Sesamoides 'Sir Hans Sloane to Mr Ray' {letter in full] Near Elden they call it Earth Star & give ye whole plant bruis'd & rowld up in Butter or in Milk & Water to Sheep & other Cattle bitten by Mad Dogs. The cure performd in 2 or 3 times taking. Ntn.' Newton,ann.Ray,272.
Lychnis viscosa flore muscoso Spanish Catchfly; Star of the Earth. In and about the Gravel–Pits on the North–side of Newmarket Town; Ray,1690,141; Ray,1696,201–202.
In and about the gravel pits on the north side of Newmarket town. Ray in Gibson's Camden,1695.
Mr Ray's Answer. Sir, I receiv'd your Letter with the Specimen enclosed, which seems to me to be the Sesamoides Salamanticum magnum of Clusius, or the Lychnis viscosa flore muscoso of C.B. which I have observed to grow plentifully upon Newmarket Heath, that part I mean that is in Suffolk; for on Cambridsgeshire Side I have not found it. I wonder it should have such a Virtue as you mention; but it seems it is well attested. Dr Hulse writes to me he finds it in Grayes Farrier. Ray.Phil.Letters,1718,209. [Here Ray states it was in Suffolk, yet previously he had always included S. otites in his floras for Cambridgeshire.]
'In a Letter from the Revd. Mr Thos Steward V.D.M. to Dr Mortimer, Secr. R.S. concerning the Virtues of the Star of the Earth, Coronopus, or Bucks–horn Plantain, in the cure of the Bite of the Mad–Dog. See Trans. No.443, p.319 and 360.' Phil. Trans. Roy.Soc. 1738. 40:449–462.
Letter from Thos. Steward in Phil.Soc.Trans.Roy.Soc. Nov.1. 1738, [p.449–462.] on Ray's mistake in naming Silene otites as the cure for the Bite of the Mad–Dog instead of Coronopus or Bucksthorn Plantain. It includes Ray's letter to Steward explaining how the mistake arose. 'Steward showed conclusively that Ray was wrong and that the plant of that name is Plantago coronopus... as used for bites from rabid dogs. Ray was presumably sent the wrong plant (as James Britten decided, in 1881, too.)' DE Allen in litt. 2.3.1999.
Lychnis viscosa flore muscoso Spanish Catchfly. In and about the Gravel–Pits on the North–side of Newmarket Town; Ray,1724,340.
Muscipula Salamantica major Martyn, 1727,92.
Lychnis viscosa flore muscoso. In and about the Gravel–pits: Ray Syn.Ed.3.340. The plant has been lost about New–market these many years. Martyn,1732,2:99–100.
Lychnis fl. albo min. Newmarket On the Heath. Th.M.ann.Meth.–Index Loc.13.
Lychnis flore albo min. Newmarket Heath Th.M.ann.Meth.–Index Loc.13.
Cucubalus otites. Newmarket. About the town. Martyn,1763,Herbat.IX.
Cucubalus otites N(ewmarket) Fisher ann. Berkenhout,274.
Cucubalus otites Spanish Campion, or Catchfly. Gravel–pits on the North Side of Newmarket. Relhan,1785.
Gravel–pits on the North side of Newmarket: Bot.Guide,1805,1:53.
Gravel–pits on the North Side of Newmarket. Relhan,1802; Relhan,1820.
Newmarket. Winch, add. NBG,1835,[Suff.]114.
CHIPPENHAM
Chippenham. Found here by Mr C. Miller. Martyn,1763,Herbat.IX.
[?first Curator of Botanic Garden, Cambridge]
Cucubalus otites Chippenham Fisher ann. Berkenhout,274.
Silene otites Cucubalus otites Spanish Campion, or Catchfly. Chippenham. Relhan,1785.
Chippenham Gravel Pits, etc. etc. Abundant, J Dalton, n.d., YRK:188.
Chippenham Gravel Pits, Rev. J Dalton 1800, YRK:188; HJW Cat. [cf Medicago minima below]
Chippenham, on the Balks, plentifully. Bot.Guide,1805,1:53.
[Trifolium echinatum arvense also at Newmarket where the Sesamoides Salamanticum grows. Ray,1660,166(119)] ...Medicago arabica minima Chippenham Gravel pits C Abbott, [c.1800] Fl.Selecta 1:44, LTN.
Chippenham, on the Balks, plentifully. Relhan,1802;1820.
Chippenham Grapit. Bab.ann.
Cambridgeshire, CM Lemann in Hb Churchill Babington, n.d., CGE.
Chippenham, CM Lemann, 6.1833, CGE.
Chippenham, G Luxford, n.d., SWN.
Chippenham, S Hailstone, 1843, YRK:188. – Gravel Pits added. SH Cat. [Not in HJW Cat.]
Chippenham Gravel–pit, Hb Hailstone, 1843, Bennett,1899.
Sandy field, near Freckenham, EM Gataker, 5.10.1846, NWH.
Gravel pit at Chippenham, CC Babington, 29.7.1852, CGE.
Silen anglica ...mistake..in the Flora..the localities for S. otites appeared under this species, and S. otites was omitted altogether. Babington's own locality for S. anglica was 'To the east of Chippenham' (Spn in Hb Bab. from Chippenham, Cambs, 29 July, 1852). West,1898,250.
I am much obliged to you for the corrections in the Fl.C...There is a sad omission of Silene otites which is tolerably abundant at Chippenham in my District 5. In litt. to AG More, 15.10.1860, Bab.Mem.347.
Gravel pit, Chippenham, WP Hiern, 29.7.1863, K. BM. LIV.
Chippenham, WJ Hooker, 29.7.1863, LIV.
Old town gravel pit, at Chippenham, Newmarket, FA Hanbury, 19.7.1863, BM.
Chippenham, near Newmarket, FA Hanbury, 19.8.1863, LIV. BM.
Chippenham gravel pit, Hb T Talbot, 1867. DGS.
Chippenham, Cowell Hb., 31.5.1882 & 10.8.1883, (6 sheets), IPS.
Chippenham Gravel pits, J Percival, 1884, RNG.
Chippenham Gravel pit, G Goode, 1890, BM.
Plentiful at the Chippenham gravel–pit, 1894–6; West,1898,250.
Gravel–pit, Chippenham, W West Jnr. 23.8.1895, CGE.
Chippenham, Prof. HM Ward, 18.6.1898, CGE.
Chippenham, RH Lock, 7.1900, CGE.
Chippenham, FR Tennant, 1901, CGE.
Gravel pit, Chippenham, AB Jackson, 17.7.1901, K.
'& nr Chipppenham Fen/Fm' ann.Wallis.
Chippenham Gravel pit, G Goode, 15.7.1905, RNG. BM.
Chippenham Gravel pit, AJ Wilmott, 7.1905, BM.
Chippenham Gravel pit, in fruit and some plants still (or again!) in flower, AJ Wilmott, 5.9.1905, BM.
Chippenham Gravel pit, Hb RS Adamson, 9.7.1909, BM.
Chippenham Gravel pit, Thos. J. Foggitt, 26.8.1909, BM.
Old gravel pit Chippenham, AJ Crosfield, 15.9.1909, CGE.
Gravel Pit, Chippenham, CE Salmon, 15.9.1909, BM. K.
Gravel pit, Chippenham, AB Jackson, 17.7.1911, K.
Freckenham, Suff. Hb. Sir Harold Jeffreys, 30.7.1912.
Gravel pit, Chippenham, JE Little, 24.9.1912, Diaries, II:290, HTN.
Old gravel pit, Chippenham, RH Compton, 7.1913, CGE.
Chippenham, EF & HL Drabble, 8.1927, BM.
Silen oti Chippenham, E Drabble, Sept. 1928, ex Hb RJ Butcher and ex Hb WJ Fordham, YRK:188.
Near Cambridge, E Drabble, 1929, ex Hb WJ Fordham, YRK:188.
Babington's old gravel pit near Freckenham, JE Lousley, 11.7.1931, Hb PM Hall, BM.
Babington's old gravel pit between Worlington and Freckenham, (vide Journal), V.c.26. JE Lousley, 11.7.1931, RNG.
Freckenham, JE Lousley, 1931, K.
Gravel pit, Chippenham, WH Mills, 2.8.1931, BM.
Grassland waste near crossroads between Chippenham and Mildenhall, (near Freckenham I believe), AJ Wilmott, n.d.? 1931, BM.
67
Fordham & Isleham Sand Pit, AF.ann.
Isleham Sand Pit, A Fryer, 13.8.1881, NMW.
Fordham, A Fryer, 7.8.1882, BM. LIV.
Plantation between Fordham and Chippenham, G Goode, 15.7.1905, CGE. LIV.
ISLEHAM PLANTATION FIELDS AND PITS:
[From Fordham]... walked by Freckingham and Worlington to Mildenhall. In a field on the right hand between those places we found Medicago minima, and Power said that he had found Silene otites at that place. 1 June 1837, Bab.Mem.62.
Between Fordham and Freckenham. Bab.ann. [Medic min Between Fordham and Freckenham. Bab.1860].
... and close to the county boundary between Fordham and Freckenham, W West Jr, 1896. West,1898,250.
Plantation between Fordham and Chippenham, G Goode, 15.7.1905, CGE. LIV.
Plentiful in many places on the Fordham and Chippenham sands, Fordham church being the farthest locality to the west known for this plant in England. Our records are all for spots near the two villages above named, and compromise roadsides, warrens, and gravel pits. Evans,1939,51.
[There is an old gravel pit still opposite Fordham Church, but it has always appeared to have been reseeded and is grazed, sometimes by Highland cattle. There is also an overgrown 'old gravel pit' (2
" OS map 1955] beside the road from Fordham to Freckenham 645.709, (in Fordham), in the angle where the road from Fordham to Freckenham B.1102, meets the road to Chippenham, B.1085.]––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
PITS BETWEEN ROADS AND ISLEHAM PLANTATION–between west side of Isleham Plantation and road to Isleham, B.1085.
'Pit was excavated in 1935 for making Isleham – Littleport Rd to sugar beet factory.' f. JW Clarke, 13.11.1975. [It is shown on 2
" OS map 1955]Gravel–pit on Isleham Rd c.
mile outside Chippenham, 657.713, PM Garrett, 1951 & 1952.Gravel pit, Chippenham, CC Townsend, 15.8.1956, K.
Still in quantity on S side of old gravel–pit, 657.713, FH Perring & SM Walters, 10.5.1955.
5 fl. spikes at west end of pit and 30 at NW side. old grassy gravel pit near Freckenham, 658.712, Pop. map, GMS Easy & G Crompton, 1.10.1975.
25–50 plants at NE corner of pit in fl. & fr. or chewed off. CPs. and c.200 S. conica near top of pit on its north side. CP. Plants on N bank not found.. 'bullocks taken off because of drought, sheep now on. Turnips dying in pit near Plantation; sewage sludge has/is being put on the flat south end of the field.' f. Mr Simpson, owner. G Crompton, 7.7.1976.
Pit has recently been manured & resown. S.otites seen on N. edge, also S. conica seedlings. JW Clarke & G Crompton, 13.11.1976.
c.100 around edge of pit with 80 S. conica, GMS Easy, 29.7.1980.
No plants found after conversion of field to lucerne, G Crompton & EM Hyde, 8.8.1985; & GMS Easy, 9.1985.
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WEST SIDE OF ROAD FROM CHIPPENHAM TO FRECKENHAM
Road from Chippenham to Freckenham, TG Tutin, 1938.
In old gravel pits nr Freckenham, 662.714, M Southwell, 6.7.1950. MS list of S.otites sites.
In gravel pits right of road [coming from Mildenhall] from Freckenham to Chipp. pH 6.36. fls heavily grazed by rabbits. assoc. species list. M Southwell, Notebook. CUB.
Like a haycrop, in old gravel pits near Freckenham, M Southwell, 6.7.1950. MS card list of S.otites sites. and Sites for S.o. in File 4/F/1, Nature Conservancy, Norwich.
Gravel pit on Freckenham – Chippenham Rd, just within boundary, 663.715, M Southwell, 1951 (new workings have eliminated it). Pits being worked again, 662.714, M Southwell, 1953. MS card list of S.otites sites.
Isleham plantation gravel Pits on roadside bank, Chippenham–Freckenham, 662.714, FA Wrigley, 7.1960.
Rsv, 662.712, CNT Exc. 27.5.1961, [R].
Both sides of road for c.300 yards from county boundary, southwards c.25 plants plants on each field side of road bank, in short grassland above the base of fence line, but many also below the fence line, in all c.50 mature plants with about 200 fl. spikes. NR posts mark site notified to County Surveyor. FH Perring, Pop. map 9.7.1969.
A few plants on either side of road, [in area of kink in road] banked verge. Verge v. overgrown – hedges have been removed. With M. x varia. 662.713, Pop. map, G Crompton & GMS Easy, 1.10.1975.
300 on Rsv (with 90 S. conica on field edge). GMS Easy, 7.1980.
662.713, c.20 plants, extension of site into adjacent lightly grazed field, from 6th fence post south of kink in road, in c.30 x 3.5m. with Achil mil, Agros ten, Ceras arv, Echiu vul, Erodi cic, Koele gra, Medic x varia, Phleu nod, Sedum acr, Salvi hor rare., Silen alb, Trifo arv ab. Nearby, S. conica. Pop. Map, assoc. species list & CP, G Crompton and J Heap. 23.9.1981.
None found, G Crompton, 10.1986.
2 plants, JW Clarke, 7.6.1990.
2 large plants in fl. (after verge had been cut in May by Flymo), on either side of 15th fence post from Suff. boundary. A new hedge has been planted, with the trees surrounded by black polythene, on which Sedum acre was flowering. Assoc. species [west side with S.o.] Cardu nut, Carex hir, Ceras arv, Erodi cic, Galiu ver, Holcu sp., Knauti arv, Linar vul, Medic fal, Papav arg (rare), Papav dub, Reseda lutea, Rumex acetosella, Trifol arv, Salvia hor in field, Sedum acr, Verba tha. [east side of road] Bromu dia by hedge, Medic fal freq., Papav arg, occ., Papav dub, ab. G Crompton & B Jackson, 25.7.1991.
Rsv, 1 + 4 clumps, on west side of fence, 662.712[4], G Crompton & M Way, 23.7.1992.
Map of proposed woodland planting parallel to RSV. C Newlands, 17.12.1993.
Rsv, 662.714, 1 or 2 plants, between 3rd and 4th post from kink in road with deer fence strainer post. None in field adjacent, verge uncut, vegetation quite rank. adj. land newly planted with trees. Pop. map and assoc. species list, C Newlands, with G Crompton & DA Wells, 14.7.1994.
The Mamre Wood scheme has been supported by a £46,500 Forestry Authority grant payable over 10 years to owners Paul and Marilyn Hedger. They have opened the 46.5 acre area, about half of their deer farm, to the public for walks. It is also open for riding for the disabled. Cambridge Evening News, 15.9.1994.
24 plants between 8th & 9th fence posts, JCA Rathmell, 22.5.1997.East side:11 plants between 8th & 9th post from county boundary post, 662.714, JCA Rathmell, 31.5.1998, [R].
None found, 'the grass on the verge was very tall and dry', JCA Rathmell, 17.6.2001.
