recent observations

mayweeds: mayweeds are a group of 7 species of dissected-leaved daisies, which I have difficulty identifying. The species are pineappleweed (Matricaria discoidea), scented mayweed (Matricaria recutita), corn chamonile (Anthemis arvenis), sticking mayweed (Anthemis cotula), chamonile (Chamaemelum nobilis, scentless mayweed (Tripleurospermum inodorum) and sea mayweed (Tripleurosperum maritimum). At least three species are present. One is easily identified as pineappleweed by the absence of ray florets. The other two can be identified as scented mayweed by the conical receptacle, and the scentless mayweed by the absence of scent (distinguished as sea mayweed by the absence of fleshy leaves). It is also differs from scented mayweed in having more sprawling, more wiry, often red-pigment stems, larger capitula, and flatter receptacles.

bulrush: the formation of inflorescences on a stand on bulrushes in a wet spot in the meadows to the south of the railway line has enabled me to identify them as Typha latifolia (not gap between the male and female parts of the inflorescence).

field maple (Acer campestre): I've found a seedling of this at the edge of the carpark at the end of the old railway line that runs along the back of my garden.

common centaury (Centaurium erthyraea):

melilot (Melilotus sp.): the melilot seen would seem to be either tall melilot (Melilotus altissimus) or ribbed melilot (Melilotus officinalis). I may have to wait until fruit is available before I can tell which.

hemlock water dropwort (Oenanthe crocuta): a few days back I had a second look at one of the water dropworts growing along the canal (this one is in the inlet of a lock overflow channel), and identified it as hemlock water dropwort.

black bindweed (Fallopia convolvulus): seen on the north side of the road east out of town.

marsh bedstraw (Galium sp.): some of this was seen on the far back of the canal. Unfortunately I couldn't get close enought to identify whether it was G. palustre, G. uliginosum or G. constrictum.

currants: a couple of specimens of gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa) are present at the southeast extremity of the meadows south of the railway line, and a specimen of red currant (Ribes rubrum) has established itself in a hedge alongside the nearer canal.

poplars: along the path at the far side of the railway line there are seedlings of both white poplar (Populus alba) and one of the American poplars (Populus sp.).

cherries: seedlings of at least one species of Prunus are quite common. I have yet to identify the species.

Parthenocissus: I have encountered a Parthenocissus in several localities, including two where it is not plausibly planted. I haven't confirmed the identity to species yet, by I suspect that this is false Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus inserta).

sun spurge (Euphorbia helioscopa): I have yet to identify all spurges growing in the area, but sun spurge is among them.

creeping yellow-cress (Rorippa sylvestris): in a damp spot in a field I had earlier found a yellow flowered crucifer (and also a celery-leaved buttercup). This was presumably a plant that had overwintered. On Tuesday I found that locality had (as I suspected might be the case) a large number of smaller plants of the same species, mixed with scented mayweed, flowering. The small, yellow, flowers, and shape of the fruit, identify them as creeping yellow-cress.