which scurvy grass?

diggleken · #1 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 06:58 PM

Hi all,
found this in Somerset, Brean Down, last week, growing in ruins next to the sea - quite sure its a scurvy grass, but any experts out there for which one please?
My usual meeting with scurvy grass is in scotland and they tend to be much shorter than this one, which was about 2ft or so high and flourishing - possibly cos it was hidden from extremes of weather.
There are lots of hybrids, many not recognized as separate species I gather, could it be english scurvy grass, C. Anglica though?
Or is it common SG!

Thanks a lot
Ken

KeenTeen17 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 07:05 PM

looks like its the Cochlearia anglica because its so tall .

great find

Tiggrx · #3 (**permalink**) 05-04-2009, 08:10 PM

It is Common Scurvy-grass (Cochlearia officinalis). C. anglica has differently shaped base to it's basal & lower leaves. Also C. anglica is usually found on mud in saltmarshes.

diggleken · #4 (**permalink**) 06-04-2009, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tiggrx

It is Common Scurvy-grass (Cochlearia officinalis). C. anglica has differently shaped base to it's basal & lower leaves. Also C. anglica is usually found on mud in saltmarshes.

Awwwhhhh!
After further research!
I agree (mostly) with you Tiggrx, thats a great call, - its clearly got cordate leaf joints, so officinalis is most very likely, rather than cuneate, which is anglica - but - I cant in my head rule out a hybrid, maybe hortii, which is quite larger and there are some slight cuneate joints I think(could be the pic!).
The petals were also quite large, bigger than officinalis - and Hepburn in New Naturalist, flowers of the coast, a great book, mentions that anglica is seen on cliffs and sand, so although normally saltmarshy, cant be ruled out on substrate alone.
This is a tough species to be absolutely certain on, but c. Officinalis will be as good as we get I think without pods.

thanks both.
Ken