Wild Plant Identification

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Wild Plant Identification
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ross

Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 123

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 4:44 pm Post subject: Wild Plant Identification
I was wondering if anyone could help identify these wild plants seen today...all found in light woodland in Hampshire Plant A- this was everywhere. Some had black markings on. Plant B- only saw this once Plant C- saw this once Apologies if pictures aren't clear enough- only had my camera phone on me at the time, thanks ross.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45712
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 4:46 pm Post subject:
No idea, but very interesting.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 4:54 pm Post subject:
A (bottom) is Arum, ladies finger. Potentially a lethally poisonous. It's ahead of itself, flowering quite early. I do know B from somewhere. Can't place it. I'll think on it and get back to you. C is a bit indistinct, can't really make it out well enough to take a pot shot. Could be ground elder, could be various other things.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45712
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 4:56 pm Post subject:
I thought ground elder too but don't the leaf lobes look too small and far apart, or is that because it's on a wooded site? You can tell ground elder from the smell of a crushed leaf, how would you describe it Cab?

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 5:01 pm Post subject:
without seing the stem I can't be absolutly sure, but first one looks like an elder seedling. The spiky one probably Lords and Ladies. No idea about other one.

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 5:09 pm Post subject:
The middle one looks like Lady's Mantle to me. Agree with everyone else on the other two.

ross

Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 123

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 5:09 pm Post subject:
thanks - I probably need to improve my photography skills! I will go back with a proper camera soon and see if it makes any difference!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45712
Location: Essex

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 5:14 pm Post subject:
Ground elder has a really distinctive smell, you can't mistake it for anything else, dunno how to describe it though, carrotty/parsleyish maybe??

moggins

Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 942
Location: Gloucester

Posted: Tue Apr 05, 05 6:14 pm Post subject:
Plant C looks like ground elder to me to, I have a garden full of it

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Apr 06, 05 7:48 am Post subject:
You see, it does look like ground elder, but that means that a little seedling like that looks like elder, at least the leaves do. The leaves are actually more reminiscent of alexanders, but that's clearly not likely in a woodland in Hampshire (unless it's right near the sea) and it's also a bit small for an Alexander at this time of year.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Wed Apr 06, 05 9:22 am Post subject:
Damn - there's lots of exhibit A on our walks, and I've been wondering if it was edible! I'll stick to nettles!

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Apr 06, 05 10:50 am Post subject:

tahir wrote:

You can tell ground elder from the smell of a crushed leaf, how would you describe it Cab?

Celeryish, rather reminiscent of parsley and celery, but different. Trouble is, I'd desribe a whole load of wild umbellifers that way

wildfoodie

Joined: 05 Apr 2005
Posts: 2169

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 4:21 pm Post subject:
plant c looks like an elderberry seedling - the leaves look very sharply toothed too much for ground elder. if it stinks it probably is elderberry! plant b looks like it's going to grow alot, some kind of scrambler/ climber thingy? that notch at the edge of the leaf where it joins the stem looks familiar, possibly a hop or bryony? plant a: lords and ladies jacky

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 4:24 pm Post subject:

wildfood junkie wrote:

plant c looks like an elderberry seedling - the leaves look very sharply toothed too much for ground elder.

I thought that... But then it also looks like Alexanders, and it also looks a bit like Angelica, and just once in a while a ground elder gets a bit beaten looking like that... Hard to say, isn't it?

Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Fri Apr 08, 05 6:23 pm Post subject:

wildfood junkie wrote:

plant b looks like it's going to grow alot, some kind of scrambler/ climber thingy?

Not a mallow or something? I just thought from the shape of the leaves and the way the stems splay out; but I think it's a bit early and I don't think they attach to the stem like that. I always think of pea family, with the leaves wrapped around the stem like that.

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