Lanarkshire Botany

Agrimonia eupatoria – Agrimony

erectupright., pubescentdense, short, fine hairs, downy., sparsely branched perennialplant living several to many years. to 100cm. Leaves hairy, 3-6 pairs, bluntly serrateToothed like a saw, with regular, acute and angled teeth, po….

Geum urbanum – Wood Avens, Herb Bennet

Erectupright., pubescentdense, short, fine hairs, downy. perennialplant living several to many years. to 60cms. Basalat of near the base leaves with 2-3 pairs of lateral leafletsOne part of a compound leaf, the ultimate part of a pinnate … , terminal leaflet large. Stipules are large and leaf-like. Petalsa single part of the second part of a flower (see sepal and … as long as sepalsa single part of the outer most (first) whorl of a flower, t… 5-9mm and not notched and the flower is held erectupright.. The ripe achenes are ±sessileAttached directly to a stem or other supporting structure wi… at the flower base. See below for differences with Geum macrophyllum.

Geum macrophyllum – Large-leaved Avens

This is a neophytea newly introduced plant which is common in urban areas, especially parks. The terminal lobe is larger and more rounder, the sepalsa single part of the outer most (first) whorl of a flower, t… are strongly relfected and the receptaclethe enlarged tip of the stem that bears the flower parts. Co… head is glabroushairless. Glabrescent is becoming glabrous or nearly so.. Here are the main differences:

Geum urbanum	Geum macrophyllum
Calyxoutermost (first) part of a flower, can be divided into sepa… patentspreading, held at 90 degrees to the axis or weakly reflexedcurved backward or downwards at a sharp angle. Reflexed sepa…	Calyxoutermost (first) part of a flower, can be divided into sepa… fully reflexedcurved backward or downwards at a sharp angle. Reflexed sepa…
Petalsa single part of the second part of a flower (see sepal and …, narrowing from half way and bluntly pointed	Petala single part of the second part of a flower (see sepal and … broader, tips incurved giving a notched appearance
Flowering stems thin, 1 – 1.5mm	Flowering stems thicker, 2 – 4mm
Sparse cymeinflorescence which ends in a terminal flower, so the oldest… with few 2 – 4 flowers	Crowded cymeinflorescence which ends in a terminal flower, so the oldest… with 8 – 15 flowers
Pedunclesthe lower unbranched part of a flower stalk. Above the first… long >10cm and thin	Pedunclesthe lower unbranched part of a flower stalk. Above the first… short 2 – 7 cm and thicker
Glands and long hairs on pedunclethe lower unbranched part of a flower stalk. Above the first…, shaggy	No glands, short hairs on pedunclethe lower unbranched part of a flower stalk. Above the first…, velvety
Foliage dark green	Foliage light yellow-green
Leaf lobes ellipticalbroadest at the middle, with two equal rounded ends.	Leaf lobes roundedsmoothly rounded and no notch. This can refer to the base or…
Receptaclethe enlarged tip of the stem that bears the flower parts. Co… hairs long, up to 2.5mm or half the length of ripe achenes	Receptaclethe enlarged tip of the stem that bears the flower parts. Co… hairs absent or microscopically short

There is a hybrid Geum macrophyllum x urbanum = G. x convallis which has not been recorded in Lanarkshire. It is intermediate, but notably with a pubescentdense, short, fine hairs, downy. receptaclethe enlarged tip of the stem that bears the flower parts. Co… and is sterile.

Geum rivale – Water Avens

Stem to 60cms. basalat of near the base leaves with 3-6 pairs of lateral leafletsOne part of a compound leaf, the ultimate part of a pinnate … and a large roundedsmoothly rounded and no notch. This can refer to the base or… terminal leaflet. Stipules are small. Flowers pendanthanging downwards, petala single part of the second part of a flower (see sepal and … with a significant clawthe narrow, proximal part of a flat organ, typically a petal…. The ripe achenes are carried up frpom the flower centre on a stalk > 5mm.

Geum rivale x urbanum = G. x intermedium – Hybrid Avens

This hybrid occurs whereever both parents are present and is fully intermediate. It is fertile and back-crosses so it is a matter of judgement as the whole spectrum between the two species can be found.

Geum quellyon – Scarlet Avens, Chiloé Avens

There are many garden Geum and cultivars. This is the most common one either as a relic of throw-out often in rough grassland. It is often flore pleno‘double’ flower with many more petals than normal, usually d….

Sorbaria sorbifolia – Sorbaria

Erectupright. shrub to 2.5m with pinnatedivided into a central axis and several lateral leaflets (or… leaves, more than 11 pais of lanceolateLance shaped with the broadest part in the lower half and a …, acuminatetapering to a long tip., biserratetoothed, but with alternating teeth of two different sizes; … leafletsOne part of a compound leaf, the ultimate part of a pinnate …. Paniclean inflorescence in which the main axis has several lateral … is dense . Neophytea newly introduced plant, naturalised.

Spiraea douglasii x salicifolia = S. x pseudosalicifolia – Confused Bridewort

This is probably the commonest Bridewort in Lanarkshire. More text needed

Spiraea douglasii – Steeple-bush

Strongly suckering shrub to 2m. The oblonglonger than broad, with the margins parallel for most of the… leaves are sharply serrated in the distal half and entirenot divided. Of edges – smooth, no teeth. Of a whole leaf – … proximally. Pictures awaited, more text needed

Spiraea alba x salicifolia = S. x rosalba – Intermediate Bridewort

More text needed

Spiraea japonica – Japanese Spiraea

Erectupright. shrub to 1.5m. Leaves coarsely serrateToothed like a saw, with regular, acute and angled teeth, po… and glabroushairless. Glabrescent is becoming glabrous or nearly so. except ±hairy on veinsthe arrangement of the veins of a leaf.. Paniclean inflorescence in which the main axis has several lateral … is ±flat-topped.

Aruncus dioicus – Buck’s-beard

Up to 2m erectupright., very readily escapes and persists.

Kerria japonica – Kerria

Photo and text needed

Prunus avium – Wild Cherry, Gean

Bark, horizontally fissured, then craggily fissured, leaves come in whorls, with blunt, irregular, simple(of leaves) not divided into leaflets. Opposite is compound…. forward-pointing teeth 2 – 4 mm and crimson glands at end of the stalks. Leaves are finely hairy under main veinsthe arrangement of the veins of a leaf.. Flowers 15-30mm wide, in clusters of 2-6 on long stalks appearing at the same time as the leaves.

Prunus cerasifera – Cherry Plum

It is thornless and is used for hedging, but does not sucker readily and will grow into a tree if not pruned. This flowers earlier than P. spinosa. The flowers tend to be single, borne on longer flower stalks and appear more spaced out. The sepalsa single part of the outer most (first) whorl of a flower, t… are reflexedcurved backward or downwards at a sharp angle. Reflexed sepa….. The stems of Cherry Plum are distinctly green-tinged, hairless and shiny. In sunny positions, the stems may become purple above, but will usually by green on the shadier underside. Note, however, that pink-flowered cultivars have dark purple stems. The larger fruits are yellow or dark red and very edible. There are several commonly planted cultivars.

Prunus spinosa – Blackthorn

This is a suckering shrub which naturally forms impenetrable thickets and is used a lot in hedging. Even the suckers will produce flowers, close to the ground and there are a lot of flowers along the stems with short flower stalks. The flowers are smaller, with narrower petalsa single part of the second part of a flower (see sepal and … and longer stamensthe male part of a flower, made up of the filament and anthe… than P. cerasifera and the sepalsa single part of the outer most (first) whorl of a flower, t… are erectupright.. The stems of Blackthorn typically have very short, downydense, short, fine hairs, downy. hairs on them. They are only a little shiny (perhaps because of the hairs) and they are grey-brown or purplish-grey in colour. The sloes are blue-black and covered with a whitish bloomcovered with a waxy, frost-like powder or bloom as in a plum….

Prunus padus – Bird Cherry

Has a dark grey bark – roughened but without horizontal fissures. Twigs are finely dark brown. Buds, egg-shaped to conical with a sharp tip. Light-green eaves with finer, saw-toothed serration 1mm deep. Flowers up to 40 on long racemesstalked flowers on stem, along a central axis, youngest at t… erectupright. or dependent. Fruit is a black berrysimple fruit with fleshy pulp containing one to many seeds. ….

Prunus laurocerasus – Cherry Laurel

Shrub or sometimes a tree to 14m Brown-grey lenticelledCorky eruptions on bark that allow gas exchange Prunus avium… bark, pale green shoot, alternateinserted at different levels on the stem or axis, as opposed… leaves, large 20x6cm, obovate-lanceolate, glossy, bright yellowish-green, obscurely toothed on a stout 2 cm petiolehas a leaf stalk, not sessile.. Fragrant white flowers in erectupright. short spikes emerge in mild weather from January. but do not open until April. The racemesstalked flowers on stem, along a central axis, youngest at t… are shorter than the leaves. Fruit a large purple-black berrysimple fruit with fleshy pulp containing one to many seeds. … 2cm.

Prunus lusitanica – Portugal Laurel

Black and smooth bark, shoot dark red-purple above and pale green beneath. Bud narrowly conic, acutesharp, or sharply pointed, the margins near the tip making a…, bright deep red. Leaf evergreen ovate-oblong, roundedsmoothly rounded and no notch. This can refer to the base or… base and acutesharp, or sharply pointed, the margins near the tip making a…. With Coarsely forward serrateToothed like a saw, with regular, acute and angled teeth, po…, thick leathery leaves, deep glossy green above and very yellow-green below 8=12 x 3.5-5 petio;le 2cm grooved, dark red. Flowers creamy white, fragrant in dense spikes 15-25cm long in mid June, longer than the leaves. Fruit small berries, red turning black.

Prunus domestica – Wild Plum

Leaves 3-8 cm obovateegg-shaped with the broadest part nearest the apex, to ellipticbroadest at the middle, with two equal rounded ends. and appear with the flowers which have 2-3 petalsa single part of the second part of a flower (see sepal and … and white. The fruit is >2cm in diameter with a weak or strong bloomcovered with a waxy, frost-like powder or bloom as in a plum…. There are subspecies and many cultivars.

Chaenomeles sp. – Japanese Quinces

These are throny open shrubs with glabroushairless. Glabrescent is becoming glabrous or nearly so. twigs, small simple(of leaves) not divided into leaflets. Opposite is compound…. leaves ovateegg-shaped with the wider part below the middle. to obovateegg-shaped with the broadest part nearest the apex,. They have strinking clusters of flowers. The are all neophytea newly introduced plant and don’t spread, but often perist as relics. There are two species, a hybrid and many cultivars.

Pyrus communis – Common Pear

Bark deep brown or blackish but deeply cracked into small squares. Sheeot brown ±pubescentdense, short, fine hairs, downy. sometimes with thorns. Leaf orbicular-ovate to ellipticbroadest at the middle, with two equal rounded ends. 5-8cm finely crenateof margins, notched with regular, rounded, symmetrical teeth… on slender 2-5cm petioles, leaves glossy dark or yellowish green. The mid rib has now regained glands underneath compare to an apple.

Malus domestica – Apple

Leaves are hairy on the lower side and calyxoutermost (first) part of a flower, can be divided into sepa… when mature

Malus sylvestris – Crab Apple

Leaves and calyxoutermost (first) part of a flower, can be divided into sepa… are glabroushairless. Glabrescent is becoming glabrous or nearly so. when mature. Crab Apple and Apple can be hard to separate.