Hoary Ragwort, Senecio erucifolius

This was a tentative ID, impossible to definitely confirm, on a plant on the path in the meadow on the path leading down to East Lock.

Pointed lobes on the stem leaves at least and quite cottony on the underside of the leaves suggested this ID.

Most importantly, the outer bracts are nearly half as long as the long inner bracts, not less than a quarter, so definitely Hoary Ragwort!

The flowers however seemed a golden yellow (at least when drying out) rather than a clear pale yellow, so PERHAPS this might indicate that it could be Common Ragwort yet again - I just don't believe that this is a good indicator.

Geranium species

I looked at the Geranium species along the Access trail which I think I had classified as G. dissectum in the past. I toyed today with this ID, thinking this plant to be G. columbinum, the long stalked cranesbill. However a quick use of the hand-lens indicated glandular hairs on the old style at least. The fruits are also hairy.

There is also plenty of G. dissectum around already - its extremely common as an arable field weed in the Oil Seed Rape fields on the Fairlawne Estate, where I feel it presents very differently.

Winter Cress, Barbarea

The Fairlawne field just before the Cricket Bat Willow plantation has thousands of a Barbarea plant on it, about 25 - 30 cm high.

The fruit \are curved initially but appear to straighten up and also become more appressed when mature.

The styles may lengthen slightly as the fruit mature, but the longest one I measured was still no more than 2 mm long. Equally the longest fruit I have measured so far was no more than 40 mm, (4 cm).The pedicel was stou, definitely not more slender than the fruits themselves.

The flowers were about 5 mm when measured across, with the petals about twice the length of the sepals,

The uppermost leaves were quite lobed at the base, so it is unlikely to be B. vulgaris or B. stricta.

The leaves tasted quite sour, so it is unlikely to be B. verna.

Crepis vesicaria var. taraxacifolia. The Beaked Hawkweed.

Ecology: A usually biennial herb, sometimes annual or perennial, of lightly mown or grazed grassland on roadsides, lawns, railway banks and in waste places. Lowland.

Status: Neophyte

Trends: In Britain, this species was first recorded in 1713 in Kent. It spread rapidly, reaching the west coast of Ireland in 1896. It is now the commonest yellow composite in flower on roadsides in S. Britain and S. Ireland in May. It has failed to spread far into N. England, and the first authentic record from Co. Durham was not made until 1951. There are many more records in W. England, Wales and Ireland than in the 1962 Atlas.

World Distribution: Native of the Mediterranean region and S.W. Asia.

Found on the A26 verge opposite the college entrance. Look for the basal purple flushing, the orange striping on the outside of the petals, and the general downiness of the plant.