feral pansy

While on the way to the allotment I noticed a pansy (Viola × wittrockiana) growing wild.

vetches and tares

I've spent a little time to identify some of the vetches and tares in the area.

The tare growing around the allotment site appears to be (from counting leaflets in a leaf, and flowers in an inflorescence) hairy tare (Vicia hirsuta), though the usual key character given in the hairy fruit, which is not yet available for examination.

The reddish-flowered vetch, with flowers solitary or in pairs in the leaf axils, growing both in my front lawn and on the allotment site, is common vetch (Vicia sativa). [Spring vetch (Vicia lathyroides) has only solitary flowers, lack tendrils, and has only 2 to 4 (exceptionally 5) pairs of leaflets.]

The purplish-flowered vetch, growing in my garden, among other places, is bush vetch (Vicia sepium). This has many fewer flowers per inflorescence than tufted vetch (Vicia cracca), but the inflorescences are close together, so it takes a close look to tell them apart by this criterion.

4 more species

Bugle (Ajuga reptans), along the old railway line, just before the overbridge.

Great willow-herb (Epilobium hirsutum) and foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), by the path connecting the old railway line to the road out to the south east. There are reasonably common, but it wasn't until now that they had matured enough to be confidently identifiable.

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus), in a narrow strip of roadside semi-woodland.

roadside plants

I recorded some plants present along the side of the main road to the south east, as far as the parish border this morning. Part of the roadside is lined with hedges, part has a broad verge (now overgrown with bracken) in front of the edge, and part is a woodland edge.

Seedlings of the following trees were observed - sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastaneum), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), oak (Quercus robur) and elder (Sambucus nigra). This is the first confirmation of non-planted specimens of hawthorn, which will be added to the list.

Other plants observed were yarrow (Achillea millefolium), ground elder (Aegopodum podagraria), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), knapweed (Centaurea nigra), field thistle (Cirsium arvense), a leopardsbane (Doronicum sp.), cleavers (Galium aparine), herb robert (Geranium robertianum) including the white-flowered form, ivy (Hedera helix), hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), a hawkweed (Hieracium sp.), white dead-nettle (Lamium album), meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis), a bird's foot trefoil (Lotus sp.), bistort (Persicaria bistorta), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata), creeping cinquefoil (Potentilla reptans), field buttercup (Ranunculus acris), creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), a rose (Rosa sp.), bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.), sorrel (Rumex acetosa), broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius), common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), prickly sow-thistle (Sonchus asper), dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.), goatsbeard (Tragopogon pratensis), red clover (Trifolium pratense), nettle (Urtica dioica), and a vetch (Vicia sp.).

These represent the first observations (this year) of Lathyrus pratensis, Persicaria bistorta, Potentilla reptans, Sonchus asper and Tragopogon pratensis. Although Centaurea nigra has been noted earlier this year, it hasn't been documented in this blog previously, and also will be added to the list.

There was also a yellow cichorioid daisy, of a type unfamiliar to me. I suspect that it is a hawk's beard (Crepis sp.).

Geranium dissectum

A 5th species of cranesbill, cut-leaved cranesbill (Geranium dissectum) is now in flower. Locally it is in flower on the nearby allotment site, but today I also saw it within the Florula Urbana area, and in the region on the far side of that area, where it was more common.

Veronica

The recent trend in botanical thought is to recognise a broadly drawn circumscription of the genus Veronica, including Hebe and other Australasian genera.

48 species and hybrids of Veronica are recorded in Britain, per BSBI. These are classified below, following an online summary of the classification of Veroniceae. (I have inferred that the BSBI's Veronica paniculata represents V. spuria, and haven't been able to relate their V. grandis to that classification.)

Not all of these are common, but 34 are sufficiently established in this country to be include in Stace's New Flora of the British Isles.

• subg. Hebe




• Veronica barkeri (Barker's Hebe)


• Veronica dieffenbachii (Dieffenbach's Hebe)


• Veronica ×franciscana (hedge veronica)


• Veronica ×lewisii (Lewis's Hebe)


• Veronica salicifolia (Koromika)


• Veronica traversii




• subg. Derwentia




• Veronica calycina




• subg. Pseudolysimachion




• Veronica bachofenii


• Veronica longifolia (garden speedwell)


• Veronica longifolia × spicata


• Veronica spicata (spiked speedwell)


• Veronica spuria




• subg. Beccabunga




• Veronica acinifolia (French speedwell)


• Veronica anagallis-aquatica (blue water-speedwell)


• Veronica beccabunga (brooklime)


• Veronica catenata (pink water-speedwell)


• Veronica gentianoides


• Veronica ×lackschewitzii (hybrid water-speedwell)


• Veronica peregrina (American speedwell)


• Veronica serpyllifolia (thyme-leaved speedwell)


• Veronica repens (Corsican speedwell)


• Veronica scutellata (marsh speedwell)




• subg. Veronica




• Veronica alpina (alpine speedwell)


• Veronica montana (wood speedwell)


• Veronica officinalis (heath speedwell)


• Veronica urticifolia




• subg. Orientales




• Veronica austriaca (large speedwell)


• Veronica orientalis


• Veronica prostrata




• subg. Fruticulosae




• Veronica fruticans (rock speedwell)




• subg. Chamaedrys




• Veronica arvensis (wall speedwell)


• Veronica chamaedrys (germander speedwell)


• Veronica verna (spring speedwell)




• subg. Pellidosperma




• Veronica glauca


• Veronica praecox (Breckland speedwell)


• Veronica triphyllos (fingered speedwell)




• subg. Pocilla




• Veronica agrestis (green field-speedwell)


• Veronica campylopoda


• Veronica filiformis (slender speedwell)


• Veronica opaca


• Veronica persica (common field-speedwell)


• Veronica polita (grey field-speedwell)




• subg. Digitatae




• Veronica chamaepithyoides


• Veronica grisebachii




• subg. Veronicella




• Veronica crista-galli (crested field-speedwell)


• Veronica cymbalaria (pale speedwell)


• Veronica hederifolia (hexaploid ivy-leaved speedwell)


• Veronica sublobata (tetraploid ivy-leaved speedwell)

Veronica hederifolia

I walked over to the local stately home to have a wander round their gardens this afternoon. Much of the route is outside the Florula Prima area (so, for example, a record of Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris) doesn't qualify), but on the way back I encountered ivy-leaved speedwell (Veronica hederifolia) growing in the cracks of a roadside wall.

This is distinguishable from other native species by the lobed, alternate leaves, and by bearing small flowers solitarily in the leaf axils on pedicels about the length of the petiole and blade combined. The other alternate-leaved species are slender speedwell and field speedwells. The field speedwells have toothed, not lobed leaves, and large flowers (for a speedwell). The slender speedwell has crenate leaves, and moderate sized flowers borne on long pedicels.

I suspect that this is a common plant in the area, but I haven't yet trained myself to recognise speedwell species in passing.

allotment weeds

I has a look round the allotment site this evening to see what weeds (and other non-cultivated plants) are growing there.

A Brassica, a bindweed (probably Calystegia sp.), hairy bitter-cress (Cardamine hirsuta), creeping thistle (Cirsium arvense), hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), a willowherb (Epilobium sp.), spindle (Euonymus europaeus), a fumitory (Fumaria sp.), cleavers (Galium aparine), hedgerow cranesbill (Geranium pyreniacum), opium poppy (Papaver somniferum), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata), greater plantain (Plantago major), field buttercup (Ranunculus acris), creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.), broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius), pearlwort (Sagina procumbens), common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), smooth sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus), dandelion (Taraxaxum offinicalis agg.), a hop trefoil (Trifolium sp.), nettle (Urtica dioica), a speedwell (Veronica sp.), a tare (Vicia sp.), a vetch (Vicia sp.) and common dog violet (Viola riviniana).

canal banks

Much of the remainder of the circuit to the supermarket was among canal towpaths.

Along the banks of the canal that forms the eastern boundary of the Florula Prima area I observed large bitter cress (Cardamine amara) and slender speedwell (Veronica filiformis), and along the towpath of the other canal an elder (Sambucus nigra) seedling, sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata), horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) and silverweed (Potentilla anserina).

woodland plants

I took the long way to the supermarket this morning, to have a look at the largest area of woodland in the Florula Prima area.

Seedlings of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), beech (Fagus sylvatica), ash (Fraxinus excelsior), holly (Ilex aquifolium and elm (Ulmus sp.) were observed.

Shrubs included ivy (Hedera helix), bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg), rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum) and snowberry (Sympharicarpos sp.). I need to confirm that the last two are growing wild, rather than were planted.

Herbaceous plants include garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), ramsons (Allium ursinum), wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa, cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), hairy bitter-cress (Cardamine hirusta), opposite-leaved golden saxifrage (Chyrsoplenium oppositifolium), pink purslane (Claytonia siberica), cleavers (Galium aparine), herb robert (Geranium robertianum), wood avens (Geum urbanum), hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta, an iris (Iris sp.), yellow archangel (Lamiastrum galeobdolon), a mercury (Mercurialis sp.), lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria), creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens), common ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), red campion (Silene dioica), a nightshade (Solanum sp.) dandelion (Taraxacum officinale agg.), nettle (Urtica dioica), wood speedwell (Veronica montana), and a water lily.

Plus bracken.

newly in flower

Common plants that have come into flower in the last few days are red campion (Silene dioica), pink purslane (Claytonia siberica) and red clover (Trifolium pratense). Also seen in recent days are ramsons (Allium ursinum), wood avens (Geum urbanum) and white dead-nettle (Lamium album).

buttercups

Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) has been in flower for several weeks. Buttercups are now coming into flower; having reminded myself of the difference in foliage between creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens) and field buttercup (Ranunculus acris) I find that both are currently in flower in the area.

white-flowered crucifers

The most widespread crucifer in the area is hairy bitter-cress (Cardamine hirsuta), which grows in a variety of weedy situations, but is absent from the dry situations favoured by some other cruciferous weeds. Cardamine hirsuta varies greatly in size, and habit.

Wavy bitter-cress (Cardamine flexuosa) is not easily distinguishable from C. hirsuta, but can be recognised by the presence of 6, rather than 4, stamens. I hadn't identified the former within the Florula Prima area until today, when I encountered some in wet area along the course of the abandoned railway line that runs along the back of my garden.

A third species of Cardamine, Lady's Smock (Cardamine pratense agg.) is widespread in wet areas, including my garden. (Cardamine pratense), which commonly propagates vegetatively, is a complex of at least 5 cytotypes, but although the species is variable, distinct types cannot be identifed by morphology in Britain.)

Shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) is common in dry urban locations, such as pavement back edges, and at the feet of street trees. A long-fruited crucifer, which I identify as thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana) is also common in such locations.

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is common along hedgerows and woodland edges.

Danish scurvy grass (Cochlearia danica) is common in its narrow habit - dry, hot, salty locations along the verges of major roads.

An observation of a single plant of whitlow-grass (Erophila verna) awaits confirmation.

Among crucifers with other coloured flowers, annual honesty (Lunaria annua), and species of Brassica and Sisyrimbium have been seen.

more trees

Alder (Alnus glutinosa) - sapling growing underneath a bridge.

Holly (Ilex aquifolium) - seedlings and young trees within a pine plantation on a small hill.

Oak (Quercus robur) - seedling along the old railway line that runs along the back of my house.

cranesbills

Herb robert (Geranium robertianum and shining cranesbill (Geranium lucidum) are common in the area, and are easily identified, the former by its palmate leaves, and the latter by its shining leaves.

At least one other species in now flowering in scattered localities in the area.

Hedgerow cranesbill (Geranium pyrenaicum), dovesfoot cranesbull (Geranium molle) and small-flowered cranesbill (Geranium pusillum) are difficult to tell apart, at least with my degree of knowledge. It turns out that the common one here is G. molle, but that I have been overlooking it as G. pyrenaicum, or G. rotundifolium, but apart from the larger flowers of G. pyrenaicum G. pyrenaicum has yellow stigmas, and G. molle red stigmas. G. rotundifolium has entire petals, instead of the bifid petals of the other three species.

Of the 3 plants I had photographed as G. molle in past years only one is definitely that species; the identity of the others is not currently clear to me. On the other hand, one photograph labelled as G. pyrenaicum turns out to be G. molle (but there are also genuine photographs of G. pyrenaicum).

G. pusillum has smaller and paler (lilac versus purple-pink) flowers, and instead of the ten fertile stamens of the other two species has five fertile and five sterile stamens. Although there are plants in the area with paler flowers those I have obtained clear photographs of have ten fertile stamens, and I am interpreting them as variation in the flower colour of G. molle.

trees and shrubs

With herbaceous plants it is usually fairly obvious which plants are cultivated, and which are wild or feral. This isn't the case for trees, and to a lesser extent shrubs, particularly hedgerow shrubs.

Therefore I am introducing as a rule of thumb (not necessarily to be followed to the letter) that trees and shrubs wild enough to qualify for the Florula as those which are observed to be producing seedlings.

From today's travels, these include sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), Norway maple (Acer platanoides) and horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastaneum). To these should be added hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) - I pulled up an unwanted sapling from my back garden a few days back.

Willows and cotoneasters also qualify on these grounds, but I have yet to identify the species involved.

western end of town

I had a look at the grass verges at the western end of town. Herbaceous plants observed were yarrow (Achillea millefolium), ground elder (Aegopodium podagraria), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), cow parsley (Anthriscus sylvestris), daisy (Bellis perennis), shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), a mouse-ear (Cerastium sp.), a goosefoot (Chenopodium sp.), spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare), cleavers (Galium aparine), dove's foot cranesbill (Geranium molle), red dead nettle (Lamium purpureum), green alkanet (Pentaglossis sempervirens), ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata), great plantain (Plantago major), hoary plantain (Plantago media), sorrel (Rumex acetosa), broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolia), groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), smooth sow thistle (Sonchus oleraceus), a chickweed (Stellaria sp.), dandelion (Taraxacum offinciale agg.), a hop trefoil (Trifolium sp.), nettle (Urtica dioica) and germander speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys)

short botanising expedition

I started a survey of a section of roadside verge, before abandoning it due to the commencement of rain, and a battery low indicator on the camera.

However, over about 100 yards of verge the following were seen - Alliaria petiolata (garlic mustard), Anthriscus sylvestris (cow parsley), Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bitter cress), Galium aparine (cleavers), Heracleum sphondylium (hogweed), Plantago lanceolata (ribwort plantain), Ranunculus sp. (buttercup, probably R. acris), Rosa sp. (rose), Rubus fruticosus agg. (bramble), Rumex sp. (dock), Senecio jacobaea (common ragwort), Senecio squalidus (Oxford Ragwort), Senecio vulgaris (groundsel), Taraxacum officinale agg. (dandelion), Urtica dioica (nettle), Veronica sp. (speedwell, small-, pale-flowered), Vicia sp. (vetch) and a bindweed (probably Calystegia sp.).