With Bank Holiday travels (and traffic jams!) in prospect Dr M says: Let’s play that classic travel game “eXtreme botany through the car window!”

Dr M has been reminded in his recent field surveys of two similar (but different!) rosette plants of disturbed ground, both with rough, blistery-bristly leaves and often found growing together, but which can be confused by the beginning botanist – even though they are from rather different families. So how to tell them apart?

A classic spring plant is the beautiful May tree, Crataegus monogyna, (also known as Hawthorn of course) by who’s flowering we know the season must be springtime, the only pretty ring time! even, mayhaps, the first signs that Sumer Is Icumen In!?

As part of Dr M’s “are you getting enough botany?” campaign, Dr M has posted the third of his spring plant ID quizzes, the pink, blue and purple flower quiz.

Dr M asks: Are you getting enough eXtreme botany? As part of Dr M’s  “are you getting enough botany?” campaign, here is the third spring plant ID quiz; the pink, blue and purple flower quiz.

As part of Dr M’s “are you getting enough botany?” campaign, Dr M has posted the second of his spring plant ID quizzes, the yellow flower quiz.

Dr M asks: Are you getting enough Plant ID? As part of  Dr M’s “are you getting enough botany?” campaign, Dr M has prepared the next of his spring plant ID quizzes, this is the yellow flower quiz.

As part of Dr M’s one man (or one doctor) “are you getting enough botany?” campaign, Dr M has posted the first of his spring plant ID quizzes, the white flower quiz.

Dr M is delighted to introduce this typically non-contentious guest post from fellow botanist John H Warren

New research shows that the oft-quoted 5-a-day fruit and veg may not be enough to ward off disease and even premature death, but rather, 7-10 is much better.