Family: Boraginaceae
Common name: Common Fiddleneck
Scientific name: Amsinckia micrantha
Date taken: 13/5/2023
Notes: Introduced species from the US occasionally found in sandy wastelands. Not easily confused with other borages, but one similar species, A. lycopsoides, was also reported from the UK. A. lycopsoides is supposedly larger and has scales on the corolla tube, but personally I haven't fully grasped the difference between the two species.
Family: Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
Common name: Winter-cress
Scientific name: Barbarea vulgaris
Date taken: 14/5/2023
Notes: Large (30-60 cm) crucifer with yellow flowers and elongated fruits. Leaves hairless and shiny. Flower buds also glabrous.
Family: Fabaceae
Common name: Common Vetch
Scientific name: Vicia sativa
Date taken: 14/5/2023
Notes: Important features for identification include (1) leaves having 4-8 pairs of leaflets, (2) leaflets being pinnately veined, (3) terminal leaflets develop into tendrils, and (4) flower stalks short to absent. The species is similar to Bush Vetch (V. sepium), but has hairier leaves, lighter-coloured flowers, and calyx teeth that have similar lengths.
Ants guarding the plants were notably annoyed by my presence, but having kept my distance I left unscathed.
Family: Ranunculaceae
Common name: Bulbous Buttercup
Scientific name: Ranunculus bulbosus
Date taken: 14/5/2023 and 29/3/2023
Notes: Very common on grassy meadows, painting the entire landscape golden yellow when flowering. It differs from other buttercups by having reflexed sepals and grooved flower stalks.
Family: Geraniaceae
Common name: Shining Crane's-bill
Scientific name: Geranium lucidum
Date taken: 23/4/2023
Notes: Leaves small, palmate, and shiny. Flower petals unnotched.
Family: Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
Common name: Cuckooflower (Lady's-smock)
Scientific name: Caradamine pratensis
Date taken: 23/4/2023
Notes: Common plant in meadows and by streams. With distinctive rose-pink flowers.
Family: Liliaceae
Common name: Snake's-head Fritillary
Scientific name: Fritillaria meleagris
Date taken: 23/4/2023
Notes: A rare, iconic plant that inhabits wet wildflower meadows. The plant prefers seasonally flooded sites but seems to avoid permanently water-logged parts of the meadow. Vulnerable to collectors, but luckily this population appears to be spreading according to the locals.
