Navelwort

If you live in the west of Britain, a wall covered with navelwort is likely to be a fairly everyday sight. This species has a remarkably southern and western distribution in the UK, and does not usually grow in the east of England, or on limestone rocks. 

I spent the afternoon botanising in a village just north-east of Stamford, which has an abundance of rubble walls made from Blisworth limestone. The walls are different in character from most of the other local walls, and support a somewhat different flora, with very abundant rue-leaved saxifrage and house-leek. But I was amazed when I came across this particular wall, which has a clearly thriving population of navelwort, with plenty of young plants. I was even more amazed to find two further colonies on nearby walls, all appearing ancient and all facing east!

There are only two twentieth century records of navelwort that I can find in South Lincolnshire, both originating from recent introductions, but Pete remembers reading an old text that remarked on the frequency of navelwort in some Lincolnshire villages. Unfortunately he can't remember where he read it! I really need to know, because to me this population looks as though it's been established for a very long time and could be quite important.