Search Results: A-guide-to-selecting-species
Anthemis arvensis - Corn Chamomile
In common with other mayweeds Corn Chamomile has a daisy like compound flower head and leaves that are finely divided, almost feathery in appearance. Flowering occurs from June to September. Identification of the various mayweeds is tricky and beyond the scope of this website but in brief Corn Chamomile has less feathery and hairier leaves than other common species in this group. The crushed leaves smell pleasantly of chamomile but the scent is not as strong as it is with Scented Mayweed. Unlike Scented Mayweed, a few chaffy scales can be found in the central yellow area of the flower.
Chrysanthemum segetum - (Glebionis segetum) - Corn Marigold
This short to medium height annual is unmistakeable in flower (June to October) with its large bright yellow daisy-like compound flower head. The leaves are slightly fleshy, lobed, hairless and covered with a waxy layer that gives them a greenish blue colour. NB In future we will be listing this species under the Latin name ‘Glebionis segetum’ in line with the third edition of Stace. Some modern publications including Sell and Murrell list it as Xantophthalmum segetum.
Papaver rhoeas - Common Poppy
Poppies with their large red flowers with blackish centres are unmistakeable cornfield annuals. There are, however, four species in Britain which could match this description. Common poppy can be told from the three rarer species by its rounded, flat-topped and hairless seed capsules. In flower from June to August.
Adonis annua - Pheasant's-eye
Sorry - we have now sold out of this species. This rare cornfield annual has bright-green finely dissected leaves which are borne on a branched stem that can reach up to 50cm. The distinctive flower with its dark red petals surrounding a central mass of black anthers gives it the appearance of a miniature (15-25mm across) anemone. Flowering is normally from June to July and is followed by an elongated oval seed-head of about 30 olive-green seeds similar in size and shape to grape pips.
Alisma plantago-aquatica - Water-plantain
A tall (up to 1m) perennial with small pale lilac flowers which open from midday to evening. The leaves are broad lanceolate, rounded at the base. The fruits form in a close ring.
Alliaria petiolata - Garlic Mustard
Also known as Hedge Garlic and Jack-by-the-hedge. A medium to tall biennial or short-lived perennial with small white, yellow-centred flowers. Flowers occur from April to June and are followed by long green seedpods that shed their seed from July onwards. The fresh green, heart-shaped leaves that are well toothed and smell of garlic when crushed are probably the easiest way to identify this plant.
Peucedanum palustre - (Thyselium palustre) - Milk-parsley
The milk part of Milk parsley refers to the white sap found in the stem of this hairless biennial member of the carrot family whilst the parsley part relates to the 2-4 pinnate leaves with their blunt tipped, deeply divided leaflet which are said to resemble those of parsley. Milk parsley is practically limited to the Norfolk and Suffolk broads where it is only likely to be confused with members of the Water-dropwort family, however in these species the umbel is composed of a number of ‘clumps’ of flowers whilst in Milk parsley the flowers are more evenly distributed across the umbel. Flowering occurs from July to September. NB In future we will be listing this species under the Latin name ‘Thyselium palustre’ in line with the third edition of Stace.
Anthyllis vulneraria - Kidney Vetch
A short to medium height plant this perennial vetch is characterised by its silky pinnate leaves and flower head crowded with many small flowers each with a woolly calyx. The flowers can vary from very pale yellow through to orange and occasionally crimson but our plants are a typical mid yellow. Flowering occurs from June to September.
Atriplex prostrata - Spear-leaved Orache
There are quite a few species of weeds that have the same general appearance, with spears of tiny flowers and often mealy foliage. These are members of the goosefoot family, the two main genera being goosefoots (Chenopodium) and oraches (Atriplex). The oraches can normally be separated from the goosefoots in having separate male and female flowers on the same plant and by having their fruits enclosed in two triangular bracts. Spear-leaved orache has, as its name indicates, spear shaped leaves which are more triangle in shape than other members of the genus. Spear-leaved orache is also known as Hastate orache and may be given the botanical name Atriplex hastata in older books.
Chelidonium majus - Greater Celandine
Sorry we have now sold out of this item. We hope to have new stocks once this year’s harvest has been cleaned. A medium tall, bushy perennial with greyish pinnate leaves with lobed leaflets. The flowers, which are present from April through to early October, consist of four well separated deep yellow petals. These are followed by a long seed capsule containing a row of shiny black seeds.
Cruciata laevipes - Crosswort
Crosswort is a tufted perennial identifiable by its un-stalked leaves in whorls along the stem and small, pale yellow flowers of four petals clustered around the stem just above the leaves. The only other common plant with whorled leaves and yellow flowers is Lady’s bedstraw but it, in common with other true bedstraws, has its flowers in terminal panicles giving it a more ‘frothy’ appearance (see the Lady’s bedstraw page for more detail and photographs). Crosswort is in flower from April to June.
Dactylorhiza fuchsii - Common Spotted-orchid
As its name suggests Common spotted-orchid is probably the commonest and most familiar of our wild orchids. An attractive plant with a spire of pale pink, two lipped flowers lined and blotched with dark purple and with narrow, usually dark spotted leaves it is unmistakeably an orchid. However, there are a number of closely related species that look similar to Common spotted-orchid but the one it is most often confused with is the Heath spotted-orchid. In the photograph below the lower half of the flower appears to consist of three lobes or petals; in the Heath spotted-orchid the central lobe would appear as a short tooth and the other two would be broader with a more wavy edge. Flowers from late May to August
Digitalis purpurea - Foxglove
An unmistakeable stately biennial or short lived perennial with a basal rosette of soft, downy and wrinkled leaves and a tall, un-branched spike of bright pinkish purple (or sometimes white) flowers.
Fritillaria meleagris - Fritillary
With large, nodding, bell shaped flowers a chequer board of pale and dark purple or of cream, fritillaries are unlikely to be mistaken for any other plant. Flowers from April to May.
Galium mollugo - (Galium album) - Hedge Bedstraw
A sprawling and scrambling medium to tall grassland perennial. In common with most other bedstraws, Hedge bedstraw has a square stem with whorls of undivided leaves and clusters of small white four petalled flowers. Distinguishable from other similar bedstraws by its smooth stem and relatively broad leaves (no more than five times long as wide). Could be confused with Heath bedstraw but differs in habitat and the seeds (actually small dry fruit) differ. See next species. NB In future we will be listing this species under the Latin name ‘Galium album’ in line with the third edition of Stace.
Galium uliginosum - Fen Bedstraw
There are two species of medium height, clambering bedstraws that can be found growing in damp soils (three if you live in the New Forest), marsh and fen bedstraw. Fen bedstraw is the shorter of the two and can be identified by the presents of a bristle like tip to the leaves and backward pointing hairs along the edge of the leaves. The flowers, which are present from June to August, are white and formed into loose clusters at the end of the stem.
Galium verum - Lady's Bedstraw
A short to medium and often sprawling grassland perennial. In common with other bedstraws Lady’s bedstraw has a square stem with whorls of undivided leaves and clusters of small four petalled flowers. Lady’s bedstraw is Britain’s only yellow flowered bedstraw (although it can be confused with Crosswort), its golden yellow flowers being present from June until September. The plant, when dried, retains the scent of new mown hay hence its common name which dates back to a time when palliasses were stuffed with straw.
Geranium sylvaticum - Wood Cranesbill
Wood cranesbill is an attractive native perennial, similar in appearance to meadow cranesbill but slightly smaller and with distinctive bluish violet flowers. Also the leaves are less deeply cut and the stalks of the ripe fruit-pods are held erect and not drooping as tends to be the case with meadow cranesbill. Flowering occurs from June to late August.
Geum urbanum - Wood Avens
Wood avens, or herb bennet as it is also known, is a medium height perennial with a flower of five yellow petals and turned-back sepals. The lower leaves are pinnate with the end leaflet much larger than the rest. Flowering occurs from May right through to November and beyond. The flowers develop into a bur-like head of fruits with reddish brown hooks.
Hypericum hirsutum - Hairy St John's-wort
Two British species of Hypericum have hairs on both upper and lower sides of the leaf; Marsh St John’s-wort which has runners and is found in bogs, and Hairy St John’s-wort which has an erect stem and black dots along the margin of its sepals. Being a medium to tall grassland perennial with a rounded stem Hairy St John’s-wort can be mistaken for Perforate St John’s-wort but, as the name suggests, it is hairy and the oblong leaves are much longer. It flowers from July to August with seed shed from September onwards. The plant normally dies back in winter but may persist in particularly sheltered sites.