Tormentil?

[rscott74]

The first image has been ID'd here as Common Tormentil. The second image,28th July, is of a very similar flower but is it tormentil?

[RobSutton]

I'd say yes - I'm not sure any of the other Potentillas will grow amongst Sphagnum. In some respects it's an odd plant in that it can tolerate soils with a big pH range. We get them on calcareous grassland and acid bogs.

[rscott74]

Thanks RS. What puzzled me were the leaves on the second image which are not toothed as is the case in the first.

[RobSutton]

Originally Posted by rscott74

Thanks RS. What puzzled me were the leaves on the second image which are not toothed as is the case in the first.

There does seem to be some difference between the older leaves and young growth - all in all it's a quite variable plant and can cause some confusion.

[JennyS]

Hi rscott74
Don't know if its any help but there are ilustrations of Tormentil and Trailing Tormentil in this thread
http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/fo...lp-please.html

[rscott74]

JS looked at your thread. It appears that in respect of my first image it seems the same as your No. 1. Mine was ID'd as Tormentil on a WAB thread. In your thread Tiggrx appears to agree but Aeshna suggests creeping cinquefoil. I rate the oppion of both those contributors.

My post was to seek an ID for the flower in my 2nd image which still, in my view, looks to have a leaf and general structure different from the Tormentil (?) in the first image. Perhaps we might get a comment from our two colleagues.

By the way we seem to have other shared problems - like indentifying yellow flowers of all kinds, paticularly if they look a bit like Dandelions. Although my confusion also extends to most others!

[JennyS]

Hi rscott74

JS looked at your thread. It appears that in respect of my first image it seems the same as your No. 1. Mine was ID'd as Tormentil on a WAB thread. In your thread Tiggrx appears to agree but Aeshna suggests creeping cinquefoil. I rate the oppion of both those contributors.

Quick clarification of names for that one - the plant is named by both Tiggrx and Aeshna as Potentilla anglica.

Both of your pictures look like the last one of mine in that thread that was id-ed as Tormentil, Potentilla erecta. Its the range of variability that gets me with wild plants!

[rscott74]

Thanks again JS. Tormentil is aptly named as IDing yellow flowers does torment me. The worst are still the Hawkweed type plants. When I consult my little book or go online here or other wildflwer sites I come away more, not less, confused. Perhaps I should just file all the images as Hawkweed-like!