Does anyone recognise this flower?

Airehead · #1 (**permalink**) 23-07-2006, 09:53 AM

I am annoyed because I got a postive ID on this years ago but have forgotten. I think it is a gentian but can not pinpoint it. It is not G. lutea.
It grows in clumps on roadside verges scattered over a wide area and I think is the result of the tipping of garden waste - on the other hand it is not a common garden plant.

ian_g · #2 (**permalink**) 23-07-2006, 10:05 AM

Hi Airehead, I would say that that is a Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris)

Ian G

Airehead · #3 (**permalink**) 23-07-2006, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian_g

Yellow Loosestrife (Lysimachia vulgaris)

Ian G

Well, there is a similarity to my book illustration but the form of the plant is rather different. The loosestrife flowers are on are on stalks forming a loose spike at the top of the plant whereas these are tight against the stem and in whorls at each leaf node.

Alan · #4 (**permalink**) 23-07-2006, 10:57 AM

Dotted Loosestrife - Lysimachi punctata?

Airehead · #5 (**permalink**) 23-07-2006, 06:16 PM

Having looked at all the pics I can find on the internet, I think it might be L. punctata, although it might be L. vulgaris - I was put off this ID earlier by the fact that the illustration in my book has a different form (even the photo) but the pics I have found today show flowers much closer to the stem. Also, both these species are advised as growing in wet places, which is not the case for all these hillside verges on which I find it.
In order to find out which species, I shall have to make a more careful study of the leaves.