Help with these flowers please

[cherrybee]

Having difficulty with these.One is definately a garden escape but I would love to know its name as I remember my mum having them when I was a child

2 Dandelion types they confuse me



Garden escape


Had this before but cannot remember what it was

[Paul mabbott]

I'm not leaping in to the yellow composites - shall consider them over lunch but the third, pink flower is the garden 'sorrel' that someone named in another recent thread - the leaves are typical of Oxalis spp - Oxalis incarnata I think.
The last, dock-like one is, confusingly, called sorrel although unrelated to the above. I would think this is 'common sorrel' Rumex acetosa but really need better pictures of the leaves and flowers to sort out Rumex spp.


I suspect, from the leaves, that the first composite is a sowthistle Sonchus or maybe hawkweed oxtongue (Picris hieracioides) - but I can't do these when I've got a specimen! Especially the second one not showing any foliage. Maybe nipplewort?

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

I'm not leaping in to the yellow composites - shall consider them over lunch but the third, pink flower is the garden 'sorrel' that someone named in another recent thread - the leaves are typical of Oxalis spp - Oxalis incarnata I think.
The last, dock-like one is, confusingly, called sorrel although unrelated to the above. I would think this is 'common sorrel' Rumex acetosa but really need better pictures of the leaves and flowers to sort out Rumex spp.


I suspect, from the leaves, that the first composite is a sowthistle Sonchus or maybe hawkweed oxtongue (Picris hieracioides) - but I can't do these when I've got a specimen! Especially the second one not showing any foliage. Maybe nipplewort?

Thanks Paul.As for the Garden one I have googled it and its name is Oxalis crassipes 'Rosea'.It is a wood sorrel.But what clinched it for me was this quote "Family:Oxalidaceae.
-Oxalis:From the Greek oxus for "sour," referring to the pleasantly sour taste of the leaves and stem. "

As kids my family and most of the neighbors used to chew the stems.Haven't a clue why but we loved the sour taste.I don't even remember why we did or how we knew it wasn't poisonous but we never had any ill effects through it

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by cherrybee

Thanks Paul.As for the Garden one I have googled it and its name is Oxalis crassipes 'Rosea'.It is a wood sorrel.But what clinched it for me was this quote "Family:Oxalidaceae.
-Oxalis:From the Greek oxus for "sour," referring to the pleasantly sour taste of the leaves and stem. "

As kids my family and most of the neighbors used to chew the stems.Haven't a clue why but we loved the sour taste.I don't even remember why we did or how we knew it wasn't poisonous but we never had any ill effects through it

I think it is poisonous but, I suppose, depends on the amount that you eat. I seem to recall that oxalic acid gots its name from the plant - this causes kidney stones ....

On the other hand, proper sorrel, Rumex spp are not poisonous!

[Tiggrx]

1. Smooth Sow-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
2. Probably Smooth Hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris)
3. Pink-sorrel (Oxalis articulata) - O. crassipes 'Rosea' in an invalid name for the same plant
4. Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by Tiggrx

1. Smooth Sow-thistle (Sonchus oleraceus)
2. Probably Smooth Hawk's-beard (Crepis capillaris)
3. Pink-sorrel (Oxalis articulata) - O. crassipes 'Rosea' in an invalid name for the same plant
4. Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa)

Thanks Tiggrx
The Pink-sorrel I am right in thinking it is a garden plant as I have seen it in some hedgerows too

[Paul mabbott]

Call me an old-fashioned pedant (and I've been called a lot worse!) but "wood sorrel" is Oxalis acetosella which is currently flowering nicely in a wood near most of us! I would link to a picture but it's off forum ....

Originally Posted by cherrybee

..................Oxalis crassipes 'Rosea'.It is a wood sorrel.But what clinched it for me was this quote "Family:Oxalidaceae.

[cherrybee]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Call me an old-fashioned pedant (and I've been called a lot worse!) but "wood sorrel" is Oxalis acetosella which is currently flowering nicely in a wood near most of us! I would link to a picture but it's off forum ....

I wouldnt dare call you anything Paul.Anyway I don't know what it means

As I said I did a search and the photo I found was exactly like mine and I just copied and pasted what it said.Not my fault that it was wrong

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by cherrybee

I wouldnt dare call you anything Paul.Anyway I don't know what it means

As I said I did a search and the photo I found was exactly like mine and I just copied and pasted what it said.Not my fault that it was wrong

No, no problem - I suppose I was just making the point that what we read on the net is maybe a little vague, and sometimes totally wrong? Quite likely this species is the American 'wood sorrel' or something like that? Anyway, they're pretty enough plants and no great problem! Unlike some US invaders ....

[Tiggrx]

Originally Posted by Paul mabbott

Quite likely this species is the American 'wood sorrel' or something like that? Anyway, they're pretty enough plants and no great problem! Unlike some US invaders ....

In fact this one is an invader in the US too. It is originally a native of South America - I have seen in growing wild in Argentina and have also seen it growing as a garden escape in various parts of Europe, N. America & Australia - seemingly a plant set on world domination