Can anyone help identify?

[Ludd]

this plant grows in the shade of our woods.
Been trying to identify it for 2 years. Hope any of you experts can help.

It is about knee high, has inconspicuous green flowers and hardy/woody seeds the size of coriander seeds.



Ludd

[Deer Stalker]

Hi Ludd. Welcome to WAB

Have a look at these video guides:

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/wi...images_gallery

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/wi...es_forum_posts

[ceterach]

At a quick glance! Looks like Dog's Mercury to me (Mercurialis perennis). Does it flower very early in the year?
All the best

[Deer Stalker]

Looks like Dog's Mercury Mercurialis perennis.

[ChrisJB]

Dogs Mercury,

regards, Chris

[Ludd]

Thank you very much guy's!

It flowered in april this year. (we're on the west coast of Scotland)

Dog's mercury was once my thoughts too. There is dog's mercury growing closeby on the roadside and in the farmers field (indeed, lousy farmer). But it is not entirely the same. Which made me doubt.
The plant in the picture is larger and the leaves are bigger compared to the dogs mercury growing nearby. My books say that dogs mercury can grow up to 40cm high. But the ones in the picture are taller. Up to 60 cm.

Would that be a different kind of dog's mercury then?

Anyway, I am pretty much convinced you guy's are right. Many thanks for your help. Congrats to the creators of the forum!

Ludd

[AlanS]

Originally Posted by Ludd

Thank you very much guy's!

It flowered in april this year. (we're on the west coast of Scotland)

Dog's mercury was once my thoughts too. There is dog's mercury growing closeby on the roadside and in the farmers field (indeed, lousy farmer). But it is not entirely the same. Which made me doubt.
The plant in the picture is larger and the leaves are bigger compared to the dogs mercury growing nearby. My books say that dogs mercury can grow up to 40cm high. But the ones in the picture are taller. Up to 60 cm.

Would that be a different kind of dog's mercury then?

Anyway, I am pretty much convinced you guy's are right. Many thanks for your help. Congrats to the creators of the forum!

Ludd

There is only one Dog's Mercury, and this is it. (There is also Annual Mercury, an annual weed.)

Dog's Mercury does reach 60 cm when it is growing well (and, yes, especially up here in Scotland!). When fungal recording I always look into Dog's Mercury patches (sometimes very good for small and rare toadstools) and I find myself searching in pretty tall stuff sometimes.

Alan