On day 10 of the University of Reading MSc Plant Diversity field course – otherwise known as #Botanybus2015 – there was a spot test at the lovely Mullion Cove in the Lizard District, Cornwall.
As they walked the cliffs and adjacent areas Dr M pointed his trusty Dutch auger at 30 plants in turn and students had a couple of minutes to ID them as far as they could, no books no notes, just drawing on their individual accumulated botanical knowledge.
Dr M’s colleague Alastair Culham took a photographic record of each plant and has posted images of the plants on twitter @RNGHerb over a similar period to the field test, you can find all the pics at Culham Research Group here
If you haven’t tried it already have a go here then check the answers below for your eXtreme botanical delight and delectation!
- Umbilicus rupestris (Navelwort)
- Smyrnium olusatrum (Alexanders)
- Oenanthe crocata (Hemlock Water-dropwort)
- Lotus pedunculatus (Great Bird’s-foot Trefoil)
- Asplenium scolopendrium (Hartstongue Fern)
- Eupatorium cannabinum (Hemp Agrimony)
- Centaurea nigra (Black Knapweed)
- Herniaria ciliolata (Fringed Rupture-wort)
- Hypochoeris radicata (Cat’s-ear)
- Carex flacca (Glaucous Sedge)
- Filipendula vulgaris (Dropwort)
- Ficaria verna (Lesser Celandine)
- Luzula multiflora (Heath Wood-rush)
- Potentilla anserina (Silver Weed)
- Glyceria declinata (Small Sweet Grass)
- Brachypodium sylvaticum (Wood False-brome)
- Schoenus nigricans (Black Bog-rush)
- Armeria maritima (Thrift)
- Sanguisorba officinalis (Greater Burnet)
- Apium nodiflorum (Fool’s Water-cress)
- Silene uniflora (Sea Campion)
- Cochlearia danica (Danish Scurvy-grass)
- Heracleum sphondylium (Hogweed)
- Erica vagans (Cornish Heath)
- Ulex gallii (Western Gorse)
- Molinia caerulea (Purple Moor-grass)
- Danthonia decumbens (Heath Grass)
- Allium schoenoprasum (Wild Chives)
- Viola riviniana (Common Dog Violet)
- Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn)
The final spot is Dr M’s favourite Blackthorn!
That’s all folks – for the while!
May 4, 2015
