Some woodland plants giving me trouble (UK)

13 years ago

Hello I've been examining the woodland flora here in south Scotland and have just a few plants giving me ID trouble.

This one is extremely common, but I've never known what it is: http://img263.imageshack.us/i/dsc02327hp.jpg/ and http://img827.imageshack.us/i/dsc02346r.jpg/

Is this Comfrey (I'm quite sure it is)? leaves are rough and medium sized to exceptionally large:

http://img851.imageshack.us/i/dsc02349n.jpg/ and http://img291.imageshack.us/i/dsc02374s.jpg/

Is this a species of sorrel/dock? It just looks slightly different to any other I've seen. i.e acetosa, acetosella, crispus.

http://img26.imageshack.us/i/dsc02371my.jpg/

And this delightful number. standing out from the crowd. Bright pale blue flowers. http://img268.imageshack.us/i/dsc02368f.jpg/

And lastly! Does this look like more Red Campion foliage?It is growing in abundance but I can't locate any good reference pics of campion foliage and just how widespread is it?

http://img97.imageshack.us/i/dsc02358jq.jpg/

I'll keep researching but any help you guys can give is hugely appreciated. Cheers!

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Comments (3)

flora_uk
13 years ago
Your first one is a Geum. Almost certainly Geum urbanum aka Herb Bennet - very common.If you are exceptionally lucky it is Geum rivale but I very much doubt it - I don't recall ever seeing it in the wild. Whereas G urbanum is a weed in my garden.

No 2 I think it Pentaglottis sempervirens, green alkanet, an introduced weedy plant. It gives me a rash as it has sharp hairs which get stuck in your skin.

No 3 certainly looks like a Rumex and more of a dock than a sorrel. But you are right it does look a little unusual, although common dock is very variable.

No 4 is a Myosotis aka forget-me-not, possibly true wild M sylvatica but more likely a garden escape since garden forget-me-nots are bred from this species.

The last is definitely red campion and will soon flower and you can see for certain.

The first 4 plants look like the sort of thing that turns up in rather disturbed woods near habitation, maybe even a place where people have dumped garden refuse in the past. Is that possible? They are not true woodlanders or indications of old woodland.

For future reference you can put pictures directly into your posting by copying and pasting the html tag from your photo hosting site.

Copying and pasting all those urls is a bit fiddly, especially since my son has nicked my mouse and not returned it!

Flora
jordangrub
Original Author
13 years ago
Ah, flora uk - outstanding as usual! Gave me a lot to think about. I guess I can only wait for Guem to flower and see if it's the rarer of the two. But it is a weed here too, about as common as celandine and anemone etc so probably urbanum. Anyway, so glad I know what it is. The alkanet I'm still not sure about. Alkanet, comfries, foxglove and borage really get the better of me in their vegetative state, but I suppose alkanet is most common and therefore most likely.

It is very possible that garden refuse has been dumped in these woods as there are several farmhouses littered along its perimeters. It is a disturbed habitat, without a doubt, but a nice one!

Out of interest, what plants would indicate an ancient woodland? Alongside the ones you've seen already, there is an abundance of ramsons, few-flowered garlic, dog violets, wood anemone, celandine, bracken, male fern, bluebell, opposite leaved saxifrage, wood sorrel,himalyan balsam,periwinkle and many more.

My apologies on all those urls, you're right, I knew there had to be a cleaner way. Well thanks for your time and knowledge again...and your mouse-less efforts. Back to the woods I go :).
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flora_uk
13 years ago
Wood anemone is an indicator and if you have a lot they are probably pretty old woods. So too are (English!)bluebells and wood sorrel. The Himalayan Balsam is an invasive alien which is threatening riverside flora all over the UK.

I am giving a link to indicator species.

I was particularly excited to find Herb Paris and Toothwort in my wood.

Here is a link that might be useful: Indicators of ancient woodland

Some woodland plants giving me trouble (UK)

Comments (3)

flora_uk

jordangrub
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Some woodland plants giving me trouble (UK)

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flora_uk

jordangrubOriginal Author

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jordangrub
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