Can anyone id this plant please?

[JennyS]

Hi, I've just joined the forum - delighted to find it as I keep coming across wildflowers that I can't reliably identify, and Staces New Flora has me completely stumped!
This one was growing beside a sea wall, they aren't great photos, but its hairless, though the lowest leaves are very, very slightly warty....suggestions very appreciated.....

[oceanroc]

It looks like a type of Yellow-cress to me, possibly Creeping Yellow-Cress Rorippa sylvestris. But I am probably wrong. I am sure someone who gets up later but know more will put you straight!!

[Lance Morgan]

Don't think the leaf is correct for yellow cress. Could it be oilseed rape or mustard.

[JennyS]

Thanks for your replies - leaf doesn't seem to be right for anything!
I'd wondered one of the mustards, but they don't look right for the leaf. The plant is more reddish/purple stemmed than the photo shows, and strongly horizontal-branched. Before the flowers opened they were very small buds, a bit like a wintercress, but the leaf isn't right.
The photograph was taken in West Cork, Ireland, but I've come across a few unlisted plant blow-ins in the area. This one has got me tearing my hair out!

[Paul mabbott]

There are so many crucifers used in agriculture and bird seed that it's quite likely to be something not in the books. Also, their leaves are fairly variable so you would be wanting, preferably, to look at several plants - not usually a problem in an agricultural field but an added difficulty for a one-off ....

Originally Posted by JennyS

Thanks for your replies - leaf doesn't seem to be right for anything!
I'd wondered one of the mustards, but they don't look right for the leaf. The plant is more reddish/purple stemmed than the photo shows, and strongly horizontal-branched. Before the flowers opened they were very small buds, a bit like a wintercress, but the leaf isn't right.
The photograph was taken in West Cork, Ireland, but I've come across a few unlisted plant blow-ins in the area. This one has got me tearing my hair out!

[AlanS]

Sigh.

I know this plant all too well. From being quite a rare plant, according to records made in the early 1800s, it has steadily spread to form a solid yellow line along large parts of the coastline in my vice-county (Wigtownshire). And in the past few years it has been appearing more often away from the coast too.

It is Sea Radish, Raphanus maritimus (that some like to claim is just a subspecies of the Wild Radish, Raphanus raphanistrum).

It is very variable, and indeed can be very puzzling before the distinctive seed pods appear.

Alan

[JennyS]

Thanks for that - I went back looking for other plants and found a lot of smaller seedlings that were 'bristly' and a bit further along there were some plants that were definitely sea radish - no seedpods yet, but will keep a lookout for final id.