Some woodland plants for ID please

[lemuriens]

Hello all,

After a very long Sunday walk (for Londonfolk, I went from Putney Heath to Wimbledon Common, then through Richmond Park) I have a few photos of plants whose identities elude me still, in spite of the wonders of my flower book and google image search! As follows:

1 - was about 50cm, but looked like it would grow a lot bigger:


2 - purple flower of some sort:


3 - this one had two lines of hairs down part of the stem:


4 - a very small plant with white flower, had hair on the lower part of the stem:


Aaand finally, I think this one is a tormentil, but I'm not 100% sure, and also, my flower book said that they flower later in the year:


Thanks!

[leifus]

2) greater periwinkle
3) germander speedwell
4) hairy bittercress
5) tormentil

[Lancashire Lad]

No1. looks like the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb to me.

Regards
Mike.

[lemuriens]

I just had a look on the wikipedia page about rosebay willowherb, and noticed what it says about the leaf veins joining up together in a close-up I took of one of the leaves, so I guess that confirms it

thanks!

[KeenTeen17]

Originally Posted by leifus

2) greater periwinkle
3) germander speedwell
4) hairy bittercress
5) tormentil

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

No1. looks like the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb to me.

Regards
Mike.

agreed with these posts

[Paul in Dawlish]

Qn. How exactly do you tell the difference between the greater periwinkle and the lesser periwinkle?

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Paul in Dawlish

Qn. How exactly do you tell the difference between the greater periwinkle and the lesser periwinkle?

The main differences are that greater periwinkle has oval leaves with tiny hairs at the margin, while the lesser has elliptical leaves which are shiny, and have no hairs. having said that, it confirms that the plant in this thread's photo is a lesser periwinkle, and not a greater, as has been suggested.

Also, the greater periwinkle has calyx teeth (seldom visible as an identifier in photo's though), along with larger flowers (40-50mm across, as opposed to 25-30mm for the lesser).

Regards
Mike.

[Paul in Dawlish]

Thanks Mike. After your advice, I'll look more closely at the periwinkle I found growing up a local hedge today. I thought it was a lesser periwinkle, but now I'm not so sure!