Читать книгу British Wild Flowers: A photographic guide to every common species - Paul Sterry - Страница 10

WILD FLOWER IDENTIFICATION

SEASONED AND EXPERIENCED BOTANISTS are likely to approach the subject of identification by using definitive botanical works (floras) that rely on detailed keys, a thorough understanding of botanical terms, and a willingness to use descriptions rather than pictures to separate species. While this approach has scientific validity, in my experience it is not the way that the average floral enthusiast approaches the problem. Most tend to leaf through illustrated books to find suitable candidate species and then narrow down the field by scrutinising any closely related alternatives. This approach can succeed in most instances, especially if close care is paid to the detailed structure of the plant – leaves and fruits, as well as flowers – in addition to other factors such as flowering time, habitat preferences and distribution. I anticipate that this is how Complete British Wild Flowers will be used, initially at least, by most readers, although it will not take long for even the most inexperienced person to be able to detect similarities among plant family members, hence narrowing down the options at a stroke. Nevertheless, for absolute beginners, I felt it would be useful to provide a few pointers to lead in the right direction. I have concentrated on flower families where, in most species, there are sufficient similarities to justify generalisations. Strikingly unusual flowers, and species without large family ties, are not included in the following series of short cuts. I have used flower structure, such as the number of petals, as an initial guide. Note, however, that within several of the families identified, one or more rogue species may defy the family character and will not fall into the appropriate category. For example, although Tormentil is a member of the rose family (characterised by flowers with five petals), its flowers have just four petals.

SHORT CUTS TO FLOWER IDENTITY

3-PETALLED FLOWERS

WATER-PLANTAINS – equal-sized petals; white or pinkish petals; aquatic or marginal plants; see pp.

ORCHIDS – flowers comprising 3 petals plus 3 sepals, the latter often petal-like in colour and shape; the lower petal often takes the form of an enlarged or elaborate lip; see pp.

4-PETALLED FLOWERS

CABBAGE FAMILY MEMBERS – relatively small flowers; equal-sized petals; flowers often in groups; white, yellow or pinkish depending on species; see pp.

BEDSTRAWS – tiny flowers; equal-sized petals; flowers often in frothy heads; white or yellow depending on species; see pp.

SPEEDWELLS – relatively small flowers; unequal-sized petals; blue, purplish or white depending on species; see pp.

WILLOWHERBS – relatively small flowers in most species; equal-sized petals; flowers in open heads; pinkish, red or white depending on species; see pp.

POPPIES AND ALLIES – relatively large and crinkly, equal-sized petals; flowers usually solitary; red or yellow depending on species; see pp.

5-PETALLED FLOWERS

WATER-CROWFOOTS – equal-sized petals; flowers usually solitary; white petals; aquatic; see pp.

SUNDEWS – tiny flowers with equal petals; in spikes but usually only one flower opens at a time; bog plants with sticky, red leaves; white petals; see pp.

BUTTERCUPS – equal-sized, often shiny petals; flowers usually solitary; yellow; see pp.

ROCK-ROSES – equal-sized, crinkly petals; flowers usually solitary; yellow or white depending on species; see pp.

ST JOHN’S-WORTS – equal-sized petals; flowers in open heads in most species; yellow but marked with small black dots or streaks in some species; see pp.

ROSES AND ALLIES – equal-sized petals; flowers solitary or in open heads depending on species; white, pink or yellow depending on species; see pp.

SAXIFRAGES – equal-sized petals; flowers solitary or in open heads depending on species; white, pinkish or yellow depending on species; see pp.

MULLEINS – equal-sized or slightly unequal petals; flowers often in tall spikes; yellow or white depending on species; see pp.

LOOSESTRIFES AND PIMPERNELS – petals fused but 5 distinct and equal lobes present; yellow, red, purple or pink depending on species; see pp.

PRIMROSE – petals fused but 5 distinct and equal lobes present; yellow or pink depending on species; see pp.

MALLOWS – equal-sized petals; flowers solitary or in open heads; pink; see pp.

CENTAURIES – corolla fused but with 5 petal-like lobes; in clusters in most species; petals pink or yellow depending on species; see pp.

WOOD SORREL AND ALLIES – equalsized petals; yellow, pinkish or white depending on species; trifoliate leaves; see pp.

PINKS, CHICKWEEDS AND STITCHWORTS – equal-sized petals, often deeply divided; flowers usually solitary; white or pink depending on species; see pp.

PEA FAMILY MEMBERS – unequal petals arranged in a characteristic manner comprising a standard, a keel and wings; yellow, pinkish, purple or white depending on species; see pp.

CRANE’S-BILLS – equal-sized petals; flowers solitary or in open heads depending on species; pinkish, bluish or purple depending on species; see pp.

FLAXES – equal-sized petals; flowers usually solitary; bluish or white depending on species; see pp.

SEA-LAVENDERS – flowers funnelshaped; petals fused at the base; restricted to coastal habitats; bluish-lilac petals; see pp.

VIOLETS – unequal petals; spur present; blue, violet or white depending on species; see pp.

FORGET-ME-NOTS – petals fused but 5 petal-like lobes present; in open heads in most species; blue, pinkish or white depending on species; see pp.

TRUMPET-SHAPED FLOWERS

GENTIANS – trumpet relatively narrow; petals fused but with 4 or 5 pointed or rounded lobes; bluish, purple or pinkish depending on species; see pp.

BINDWEEDS – trumpet open and flared; white or pink depending on species; see pp.

BELL-SHAPED FLOWERS

BELLFLOWERS – flowers rather open with 5 lobes; blue or purplish depending on species; see pp.

HEATHERS – flowers typically small, rather tubular and usually pendent; pink or purple depending on species; see pp.

TUBULAR OR FUSED FLOWERS

EYEBRIGHTS – flowers 2-lipped; upper lip hooded, lower lip 3-lobed; white, marked with purple and yellow; see pp.

BORAGE AND ALLIES – 5 lobes present; flowers borne in spikes, curved in some species; yellow, pinkish, purple or white depending on species; see pp.

TOADFLAXES – flowers spurred and 2-lipped; upper lip 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed; yellow or purplish depending on species; see pp.

LOUSEWORTS AND COW-WHEATS – flowers 2-lipped; upper lip hooded, lower lip 3-lobed; borne in spike-like heads in most species; pinkish or purple depending on species; see pp.

FUMITORIES – flowers 2-lipped; pinkish or yellow depending on species; see pp.

FIGWORTS – flowers tiny, globular and 2-lipped; upper lip 2-lobed, lower lip 3-lobed; purplish or yellow depending on species; see pp.

LABIATES – flowers 2-lipped; lower lip often lobed, upper lip often hooded and toothed; borne in spikes in most species; whole plant often aromatic; wide range of colours seen in the different species; see pp.

BROOMRAPES – flowers 2-lipped; upper lip hooded, lower lip 3-lobed; flowers the same colour as rest of plant; borne in spikes; see pp.

MANY-FLOWERED HEADS OR FLOWERS IN CLUSTERED HEADS

UMBELLIFERS OR CARROT FAMILY MEMBERS – individual flowers comprising 5 tiny petals; flowers stalked and arranged in umbrella-shaped heads; white or yellow depending on species; see pp.

SCABIOUSES – individual flowers with 4 or 5 petals depending on species; borne in dense, domed heads; outer flowers often larger than inner ones; see pp.

DAISY FAMILY MEMBERS – numerous tiny flowers; arranged in dense heads in most species; inner disc florets appearing very different from outer ray florets in many species; wide range of colours seen in the different species; see pp.