Common Alder

Flower: Common Alder produces both male and female flowers on the same tree (monoecious). The male catkins are long, drooping, and yellowish-brown, typically appearing in late winter to early spring (February–March), before the leaves emerge. Female flowers are small, upright, and reddish-purple, maturing o... Fruit: By late summer, the fertilised female flowers develop into small, cone-like structures called strobiles. These woody fruits are green at first and mature to a dark brown, releasing small winged seeds that are dispersed by wind and water. The "cones" often persist on the tree through winter. Leaves: Alder leaves are rounded or oval with a distinctive notched (emarginate) tip and a serrated margin. They are a rich green and slightly sticky (glutinous) when young — hence the species name glutinosa. In autumn, they typically fall while still green, rather than turning bright colours.

[view all information]

Marsh Arrowgrass

Flower: Marsh Arrowgrass produces delicate, star-like flowers arranged along a slender, upright spike that can reach 10–30 cm in height. Each flower has six narrow pinkish-purple or greenish tepals (not true petals or sepals), and yellow-tipped stamens, creating a subtle but attractive display from June to ... Fruit: The fruit is a narrow, cylindrical capsule that splits into six longitudinal segments when mature. These fruits are green at first but turn brown as they dry out. Each segment contains a single seed, and the fruits persist into late summer or early autumn, gradually releasing their contents to assis... Leaves: The leaves of Marsh Arrowgrass are long, slender, and grass-like, arising from the base of the plant. They are linear, fleshy, and grooved, typically 10–30 cm long, with a blunt tip and no visible midrib. Unlike true grasses, they are hairless and often emit a slightly aromatic or salty scent when c...

[view all information]

Bog Asphodel

Flower: Bog Asphodel displays striking star-shaped yellow flowers arranged in a dense, upright spike. Blooming from July to August, each flower has six pointed tepals with prominent orange stamens that give the inflorescence a fiery appearance. The flowers are highly visible in acidic bog habitats, standing... Fruit: The fruit of Bog Asphodel is a small, dry capsule that splits open when mature to release numerous fine seeds. These capsules form after flowering and persist into autumn, gradually turning brown as the plant completes its reproductive cycle. The seeds are light and adapted for wind dispersal across... Leaves: The leaves are narrow, grass-like, and arranged in a basal tuft. They are somewhat leathery with a channelled upper surface and may appear slightly bluish-green. A few smaller leaves may be found along the stem. The foliage is adapted to waterlogged, acidic soils and often grows among sphagnum mosse...

[view all information]

Scottish Asphodel

Flower: Scottish Asphodel produces small, star-like, pale yellowish-white flowers in dense, upright spikes typically about 2–5 cm tall. Flowering occurs from June to August. Each flower has six pointed tepals, usually around 3–5 mm long, and is tipped with tiny yellowish anthers. The flower spikes arise on ... Fruit: The plant produces tiny capsules, each containing a few minute seeds. The capsules are oval and measure about 2–3 mm in length. Once mature (late summer), they split open to release the seeds, which are dispersed by wind or water, often settling into wet peaty soils or mossy hollows. The fruits are ... Leaves: Leaves are narrow, grass-like, and linear, forming a basal rosette. They are typically 5–10 cm long, 1–2 mm wide, and have smooth margins with a faint midrib. The leaves are bright green to slightly bluish-green, and their tufted appearance helps identify the plant among mosses and sedges in its dam...

[view all information]

Alpine Bartsia

Flower: Alpine Bartsia produces striking dark purple to violet flowers, about 15–20 mm long, arranged in dense terminal spikes. Each flower is two-lipped, with a hooded upper lip and a three-lobed lower lip, typical of the figwort family (Orobanchaceae). The flowers appear from June to August, providing a b... Fruit: After flowering, the plant develops small, oblong capsules, each containing numerous tiny seeds. These capsules remain enclosed by the persistent calyx. Seeds are dispersed by wind and gravity, often falling near the parent plant — contributing to its patchy and restricted distribution in upland hab... Leaves: Leaves are opposite, dark green to purplish, and coarsely toothed, with a slightly glossy surface. They are ovate to lance-shaped and often have a reddish tinge, especially in upland light conditions. The lower leaves are stalked, while upper ones are often sessile (without stalks) and can sometimes...

[view all information]

White Beak-sedge

Flower: White Beak-sedge (Rhynchospora alba) features small, inconspicuous flowers with pale to creamy-colored petals, typically arranged in compact clusters or spikelets at the tips of its slender, grass-like stems. The flowers are delicate and often go unnoticed due to their subtle appearance, but they ad... Fruit: The fruit of White Beak-sedge consists of small, nut-like achenes. These achenes are typically dark brown or black and are attached to the plant's stem in clusters. They have a hard, seed-like shell and are dispersed by wind or water, contributing to the plant's reproductive cycle. Leaves: The leaves of White Beak-sedge are long, slender, and grass-like in appearance. They are typically dark green and have a linear shape. These leaves grow in dense tufts and arise from the base of the plant, forming an attractive clump. The leaves are typically smooth and narrow, adding to the overall...

[view all information]

Fen Bedstraw

Flower: Fen Bedstraw bears small, white, four-petalled flowers arranged in loose, open clusters. Flowering from June to September, each flower is typically 2–3 mm across and shaped like a cross, similar to Marsh Bedstraw (Galium palustre), but often with a slightly creamier or duller white tone. The flowers... Fruit: Its fruits are a pair of small, smooth nutlets—distinctively hairless, which helps distinguish it from the rough, bristly fruits of G. palustre. The nutlets are not sticky or hooked, so they are less likely to cling to animals. They are dispersed mainly by water movement in the fen and wet meadow en... Leaves: Leaves are narrow, pointed, and arranged in whorls of six to eight along the stems. They are dark green with tiny hairs along the edges and midrib, helping separate it from similar species. The stems are square in cross-section and weak, often sprawling among surrounding vegetation. Unlike the sligh...

[view all information]

Marsh Bedstraw

Flower: Marsh Bedstraw produces small, star-like white flowers from June to September. Each flower has four narrow petals arranged in a cross shape, giving a delicate, open appearance. The flowers grow in loose, branched clusters at the tips of stems and leaf axils. Though individually tiny—only 2–3 mm acro... Fruit: The fruit consists of a pair of tiny round nutlets, each with a rough surface and covered in hooked bristles that help them cling to passing animals or float in water. These ripen in late summer and autumn. This method of dispersal aids the plant’s spread through marshes, ditches, and boggy areas. Leaves: Leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, and arranged in whorls of four to six around the stem. They are smooth-edged, with a slightly glossy green surface, and lack the backward-pointing hooks seen in some other Galium species. The stems are weak and square in cross-section, often sprawling or scrambling o...

[view all information]

Great Marsh Bedstraw

Flower: Great Marsh Bedstraw bears small, delicate white flowers arranged in loose, branched clusters known as cymes. Each flower typically has four narrow, pointed petals, giving a star-like appearance. Blooming from June to August, the flowers are modest but numerous, contributing to the plant’s overall f... Fruit: The fruits are tiny, paired nutlets that mature in late summer. They are generally hairless or minutely roughened and inconspicuous, blending in with the plant’s thin stems. These nutlets do not have hooks or barbs, so they are primarily dispersed by gravity and water movement in the damp habitats w... Leaves: Leaves are narrow, lance-shaped, and arranged in whorls of 4 to 6 along the slender, sprawling stems. The leaves are typically smooth-edged and often slightly recurved. G. palustre subsp. elongatum is characterised by longer, more spreading stems than the typical species, often reaching well over a ...

[view all information]

Velvet Bent

Flower: Agrostis canina produces fine, delicate flower heads in the form of a narrow, open panicle, usually 4–12 cm long. The tiny spikelets (each about 2 mm long) are one-flowered, and unlike some other Agrostis species, the florets may or may not have an awn (bristle). The overall effect is a light, feath... Fruit: The fruit is a minute, dry grain (caryopsis), like in most grasses. It is dispersed via wind or surface movement, though reproduction is often more successful by rhizomes and stolons, which allow the plant to form dense, spreading mats. Fruiting typically follows flowering in late summer. Leaves: Leaves are very fine, narrow, and soft-textured, usually flat or slightly rolled. The leaf blades are up to 10 cm long, with a smooth upper surface and often a silky sheen. The ligule is long and pointed (up to 5 mm)—a key ID feature. Unlike some bent grasses, A. canina spreads via stolons and rhizo...

[view all information]

Bilberry

Flower: Bilberry produces small, urn-shaped flowers that are typically pale pink or greenish-pink, often with a hint of red. Each flower is about 4–6 mm long and hangs singly from the leaf axils. Flowering occurs from April to June, depending on elevation and location. The blooms are pollinated by bees, esp... Fruit: The fruit of Bilberry is a soft, round, dark blue to black berry with a purplish bloom, typically around 5–8 mm in diameter. Ripening from July to September, the berries are juicy and have a rich, tart flavour. They are edible and highly nutritious, packed with antioxidants. The berries stain finger... Leaves: Bilberry leaves are small, oval to lance-shaped, and finely toothed, with a fresh green colour that often turns red or bronze in autumn. The leaves are thin and slightly papery, arranged alternately along the green, angular stems. This low-growing shrub typically reaches 15–50 cm in height and is co...

[view all information]

Hedge Bindweed

Flower: Hedge Bindweed displays large, elegant trumpet-shaped flowers that are typically pure white, though occasionally tinged with pink. Each bloom is around 5–7 cm in diameter and opens in the morning, closing by late afternoon. These striking flowers are a common sight on hedgerows, fences, and other pl... Fruit: The fruit is a small, spherical capsule that develops after flowering. It contains a few dull brown to black seeds, though seed production is often limited. The plant primarily spreads through underground rhizomes, which can form dense mats and make Hedge Bindweed difficult to remove once establishe... Leaves: Leaves are large, arrow-shaped, and alternate along the long, twining stems. They are usually 5–10 cm in length, with pointed tips and basal lobes that give them a distinct spear-like outline. The foliage can quickly smother neighbouring vegetation, making it a vigorous climber in both wild and cult...

[view all information]

Downy Birch

Flower: Downy Birch produces early spring catkins before the leaves appear. The male catkins are slender, pendulous, and release pollen to the wind, while the female catkins are shorter and erect. These catkins are essential for wind pollination and mark the start of the birch’s reproductive cycle. Fruit: The fruit of Downy Birch consists of numerous small, winged seeds contained within woody, cone-like female catkins. Once mature, these catkins disintegrate, releasing the seeds to be dispersed by wind, allowing the tree to spread widely in moist and acidic soils. Leaves: The leaves of Downy Birch are broadly ovate with a rounded base and finely serrated margins. They are distinctive for their soft, downy hairs on the underside, giving the species its name. Leaves are bright green in summer, turning golden yellow in autumn.

[view all information]

Silver Birch

Flower: Silver Birch produces catkins that appear in early spring before the leaves. The male catkins are long and pendulous, releasing clouds of yellow pollen, while the female catkins are smaller and upright, developing into seed-bearing structures after pollination. Fruit: The fruit of Silver Birch consists of tiny winged seeds contained within small, cone-like clusters formed by the mature female catkins. These seeds are dispersed by the wind in late spring to early summer, allowing the tree to colonize open or disturbed areas rapidly. Leaves: Silver Birch leaves are triangular to diamond-shaped with serrated edges and a pointed tip. They are bright green and turn golden-yellow in autumn, providing striking seasonal colour. The leaves are arranged alternately on slender, often slightly drooping branches.

[view all information]

Dwarf Birch

Flower: Dwarf Birch (Betula nana) produces small, wind-pollinated catkins in early spring, typically from April to May. Male catkins are cylindrical and yellowish, releasing pollen into the air, while female catkins are shorter, upright, and green, later turning brown as seeds develop. Unlike the showy flow... Fruit: The fruit consists of tiny winged seeds packed into the mature female catkins, which break apart in late summer to early autumn. These seeds are dispersed by wind and can travel long distances across open landscapes. The fruit is not edible and has no known foraging uses, though it plays a vital rol... Leaves: The leaves of Betula nana are small, rounded to oval, and usually less than 2 cm across. They have a coarsely toothed margin and are borne alternately on slender, reddish-brown twigs. The upper surface is green and glossy, while the underside may be slightly paler and lightly hairy. In autumn, the l...

[view all information]