The descriptive text, below the map, is from the Cornish Red Data Book (2009). The map on this web page depicts the organisms distribution and shows the records made pre-2000 and those made since.
Range & Status
An European temperate species. Native; a perennial plant which is now, apart from one site in Buckinghamshire (where it might have been introduced), restricted to East Cornwall. Formerly recorded in South Devon, just to the east of the River Tamar.
Regional Distribution
In total it has been seen in 85 1km squares, all in East Cornwall. Since 1999 its decline appears to be continuing.
Habitat & Ecology
Cornish Bladderseed is a plant of woodland and moorland edges, some Cornish Hedges and heathy road banks. Population sizes vary according to the amount of vegetation present and degree of shade. Scrub clearance and woodland management, such as coppicing or clear-felling, and burning of heathland, encourages the appearance or reappearance of populations.
Threats
Lack of appropriate woodland and heathland management.
Conservation
Several sites, such as Luckett (SX37) and Rosenannon Downs (SW96) are SSSI, and other sites in woodland are managed by the Forestry Commission.
I.J. Bennallick, S. Board, C.N. French, P.A. Gainey, C. Neil, R. Parslow, A. Spalding and P.E. Tompsett. eds. 2009. Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2nd Edition.Croceago Press.
The Cornish Red Data Book Project was led by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Federation for Biological Recorders (CISFBR). The full text and species accounts (minus the maps) are available on the CISFBR website.