Saturday 27 June 2020

Unidentified Plants - Update Edit


1. Viper's Bugloss
 
I'd really appreciate help with what's starting to become a back-log of unidentified plants. I've tentatively put a name to some but with many I don't know where to begin. I've tried using some online keys but that hasn't been too successful because I haven't yet grasped the basics of plant topography, if that's even the right term?
Birdwise - just a quick look at the river on the in-coming tide - 2 Common Tern, 15 Sandwich Tern, 5 Mediterranean Gull and 5 Whimbrel.

Edit - a huge thank you to Seth and Kev for their assistance. They have the knowledge that I wish I had! Following their comments (see below) I've put a name to the majority of the plants that have been causing me headaches.


2. Hogweed - Warren View.


3. Yarrow - Warren View.


4. Wild Madder


5. Corn Marigold


6. Wild  Radish - Ludwell Valley Park.


7. Perennial Cornflower -  Exminster Marshes.


8. Probably Greater Skullcap -  Dawlish Warren.


9. Probably Common Stork's-bill


10. Field Speedwell


11. Possibly Short-stemmed Willowherb


12. Possibly Cut-leaved Crane's-bill


13. Black Medick


14. Smooth Sowthistle - Warren View


15. Vervain - non-native garden escape.


16. Common Mallow


17. Green Alkanet


18. Germander Speedwell?


19. Willowherb species


20. Naturalised pink oxalis species?
 

21. Germander Speedwell?


22. Wild Onion - the Maer.


23. Nipplewort


24. Pale Flax - tonnes of this on Orcombe Point.


25. Rock Sea-spurrey


26. Unidentified


27. Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea - The Maer.


28. Field Pansy - photographed on Orcombe Point in the autumn.


29. Tutsan


30. Dotted Loosestrife - Blackhill Quarry.


31. Lucerne


32. Possibly Common Stork's-bill


33. Unidentified - abundant plantain sp on the Maer.


34. Feverfew


35. Water Forget-Me-Not - wet areas - Stover CP.


36. Hemlock Water Dropwort - Stover CP.
 

37. Marsh Valerian


38. Sea Lavendar - found by the estuary between Mudbank and West Lodge.

13 comments:

  1. Oh wow, lol! So I'm very tired (and just a tad inebriated) and ready to quit for the night. But...very briefly (ie there will be misidentifications for sure) - you have 1) Viper's Bugloss 2) Hogweed/Wild Angelica 3) Yarrow 4) Field Madder 5) Corn Marigold 6) Radish type thing 7) Perennial Cornflower 8) prob Greater Skullcap 9) dunno though looks familiar 10) a speedwell 11) short-stemmed willowherb? 12) a cranesbill sp 13) Black Medick 14) a sow-thistle sp 15) dunno 16) one of the mallows 17) give up...need sleep....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Gibster - thank you so much for your help. I'm very envious of your knowledge. At some point soon I'll get round to getting a decent field guide which will hopefully prevent such lengthy posts. I'll take some comfort in assuming by blog helped you get off to sleep. All the best and thanks again. Matt

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  2. What Seth said...inc plant IDs.
    2) Hogweed (4- Field Madder FYI skeletal leafs are the mine of Mecyna asinalis), 9) Prob Common Stork's-bill 12) poss Cut-leaved Crane's-bill 15) Vervain 17) Green Alkanet 20) oxalis? - any leaf pics 22) Wild Onion 23) Cat's-ear? 24) Pale Flax 25) Rock Sea-spurrey 26) ? 27) Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea (long-tailed Blue foodplant) 29) Tutsan 30) Yellow Loosestrife 31) Lucerne 32) Common Stork's-bill? 33) Interesting no idea 37) Marsh Valerian 38 Sea-lavender

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  3. Amazing - thank you Kev - I honestly hadn't expected such lengthy and detailed responses from you and Seth - I really appreciate it. I'm hoping I will reach a stage where I'll at least be able to put a name to the common stuff, but I fee that point is some way off! Thanks again and all the best. Matt

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  4. 33 - is it just Sea Plantain that's gone to seed?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Seth - I'm afraid I have no clue but there is masses of it on the Maer. Thanks again. Matt

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  5. 2 is Hogweed (Wild Angelica is a different plant). 4 is Wild Madder (not Field Madder, which has pinky-purple flowers). 6 is Wild Radish. General comment: often flowers are enough and you need to see details of the 'green bits'!

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    Replies
    1. Ah - I misread Seth's comment. Thank you Dave. I will endeavour to document each plant more carefully. BTW - please let me know if you come across any Broad-leaved Helleborines - I've been searching but no luck yet. All the best. Matt

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  6. Hi Matt- I don't think 33 is a grass. Given the location it could be bucks horn plantain or as Gibster says sea plantain? I can't see any leaves in the picture

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    Replies
    1. Hi James - many thanks. As you can probably tell I'm completely new to all this - can't tell grasses from plantains yet! Good to hear from you. All the best. Matt

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  7. Plenty of plants there. Most of the IDs look good. A couple of the unidentified don't really show enough detail but I'll add:

    10 Field Speedwell
    14 Smooth Sowthistle
    15 isn't our native Vervain, but a garden escape- Verbena rigida, a close relative
    16 Common Mallow
    19 not convinced this is Hoary Willowherb but one of the others
    20 the flowers look like one of the naturalised pink Oxalis species, but can't see any leaves to confirm my idea
    30 isn't the native Yellow Loosestrife but a frequently naturalised garden escape- Dotted Loosestrife
    23 Nipplewort

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Neil - blimey this is a tough business! I can tell these naturalised garden plants are going to cause me some problems! Thank you so much as always for your help - amazing stuff. I've got a feeling I'll be calling on everyone's expertise again in the not too distant future...
    All the best. Matt

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Matt
      26 looks a bit like corn cockle because of the long sepals. If so it's a good spot because they are rare now. Good luck with the plant ID still tricky even if they do keep still
      Bay

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