Tuesday 19 April 2016

More Hampshire Wildflowers

Some more wildflowers from around Hampshire in the last week.


This is Alternate-leaved Golden Saxifrage, much less common than its relative Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage and one I've never been able to find up until now. Once seen though it is quite obviously different, especially in being larger and more brightly coloured with toothed leaves.


The yellow is very intense and the bracts glossy


Here it is with Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage (small flowers on left)


Alternate-leaved Golden Saxifrage - Chrysosplenium alternifolium

  
Purple Toothwort - Lathraea clandestina

 

 Usually seen growing on the ground parasitising tree roots this clump was actually in the fork of a willow tree several feet above ground.


This is American Skunk Cabbage an invasive species which I believe is due to be eradicated from many areas. It is a very beautiful plant and looks spectacular but boy does it stink! It is probably one of the worst plants I've smelt (the worst is Hedge Woundwort - Hideous!!) The odour filled the whole woodland in the heat of the sun and made me feel quite nauseous. The smell made me want to leave but the visual delight made me want to stay.


With the light behind it you can see where it got its alternative name of Swamp Lantern 


American Skunk CabbageLysichiton americanus


Shepherd's Cress and Little Mouse-ear 
 

Shepherd's Cress has characteristic flowers with two large and two small petals 


Shepherd's Cress - Teesdalia nudicaulis 


Thale Cress - Arabidopsis thaliana 


Field Woodrush - Luzula campestris


Spring Beauty - Claytonia perfoliata


Mousetail - Myosurus minimus


Ivy-leaved Speedwell - Veronica hederifolia



Wall Speedwell Veronica arvensis

2 comments:

Ian Andrews said...

We have American Skunk Cabbage in our garden pond and believe me, it doesn't even come close to Drancunculus Vulgaris or the Dragon Arum, for a stench like a rotting corpse. A fantastic plant for a hot spot but don't put it downwind of the patio.

Karen Woolley said...

Hi Ian, It didn't smell of rotting corpse (like a stinkhorn does)it was a horrid sweet smell more like rotten root vegetables I thought. Having said that I'm not really a connoisseur of rotting smells!