COLL-oquies

Botanical Recording

"I see the flower-woman is back again with her green Morris 1000. What is it she does, peering into gardens, wandering round farmyards and traipsing over the island? Our vice-county recorder, whatever is that?"

Well, dear Collachs, so kind, patient and helpful, I'll try to explain what a v.c. recorder is expected to do! Man is a methodical soul, so in 1852, a well-known botanist, H.C. Watson, divided Britain into 112 vice-counties for each of which a botanical recorder was appointed - Scotland has forty-one. They are members of the BSBI (Botanical Society of the British Isles) and those for Scotland are appointed by the Committee for Scotland, all on a purely voluntary basis. Mull, Coll, Tiree and all the surrounding smaller islands comprise v.c. 103.

My main function is the keeping of past and present records of the local flora on a card index, which has to be passed on to my successor. Coll extends over three grid squares - a plant found growing in a new square is entered on my card index and details are sent to the Biological Records Centre. If it is new to the vice-county or to the island, details go to the editor of the botanical journal Watsonia and a voucher specimen (unless very rare) is sent to the Herbarium at Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. For expert determination, there are a number of 'referees' to whom a specimen can be sent. Eventually we hope to have a Flora published for each v.c. The British Museum (Natural History) published a Flora of Mull in 1978.
 
I also try to answer queries about the flora, either from botanists or the BSBI; vet any specimens sent me; try to track down old records (most interesting); note which plants are extinct, decreasing, increasing or incomers arriving. Arable 'weeds' are going, garden 'weeds' coming. Recorders should get to know their own areas to be able to visualise the habitat of any new plant reported and, if possible, visit the site and check- and keep eyes open for the reappearance of any plant formerly recorded but not seen again. So it's understandable that I greatly welcome the help of those living on Coll, or interested in its plants - and especially of B and Kenneth Cassels and Ces Porelli who are so good at sending me new "finds".

I love working with wild plants, studying the different places they choose to grow in and the company they usually keep - and the honorific title of "v.c. recorder" gives me a reason and excuse for wandering about the island!

Joan W. Clark