Another unidentified plant

anniep · #1 (**permalink**) 28-06-2009, 12:04 PM

Hi everyone, I'm new and really hoping someone can help with the identity of this plant. I found it growing in a plantpot that was in my garden and haven't got a clue where it came from. All I know is that I didn't plant it! I've searched in the books I have on both wild and cultivated flowers and can't find anything like it. I've also trawled the internet for hours with no luck. Does anyone have any idea what it is?

Thank you for looking.

anniep

Hedera · #2 (**permalink**) 28-06-2009, 12:16 PM

Very intriguing! I've never seen anything like it. How about sending the pics to Kew for ID? They are very helpful. Might it have some in birdseed?

anniep · #3 (**permalink**) 28-06-2009, 01:27 PM

Thanks for your reply Hedera and I've taken your advice and emailed Kew. I suppose it could have appeared through careless dropping of birdseed but as the pot was nowhere near the birdtable or feeders, I'm not sure how. As you say, very intriguing.

ceterach · #4 (**permalink**) 28-06-2009, 02:54 PM

Hi

Of the wall, it looks to me like a very abnormal Campanula persicifolia but like Hederta I have seen nothing like it. Has weedkiller been used in the vivnity?

anniep · #5 (**permalink**) 28-06-2009, 03:35 PM

Hi John,

No, no weedkiller used. You're obviously thinking it's a mutation of a more common plant and I can see where you're coming from. However, there are no Campanula Persicifolia in the vicinity. Having said that, the plant seed or bulb (not sure which) could have been hiding in the compost I suppose. Maybe I've got the beginnings of a completely new variety! How exciting.

jeremiah · #6 (**permalink**) 28-06-2009, 11:09 PM

It looks a bit like a tomato flower - some kind of exotic solanum, maybe?
Is it showing any signs of fruit?

anniep · #7 (**permalink**) 28-06-2009, 11:35 PM

No signs of any fruit so far and it's massively bigger than tomato flowers. It's a bit late to go out and meaure the diameter now but I would think that from tip to tip, the flower is about 7-10cm. I may be miles out but it is quite a sizeable flower head. I'll check the measurement tomorrow. I'm hoping that at some point seed-heads will appear because I'll definitely harvest them and see what appears next year. The plant obviously doesn't need much care because it's appeared with no assistance whatsoever! Thanks for the replies so far.

anniep · #8 (**permalink**) 30-06-2009, 05:07 PM

After Hedera's suggestion of trying Kew, I did try them buy they declined to help. They did, however, point me in the direction of the Botanical Gardens at Birmingham and same in Edinburgh. I have emailed them both and am now awaiting replies.

Incidentally, I measured the flowers and they are approx. 10cm from tip to tip. Still no ideas anyone?

anniep

Hedera · #9 (**permalink**) 30-06-2009, 10:38 PM

The puzzle gets more intriguing. I have searched all my books and still have no ideasIt's a big flower, and I have not seen one with hairy petals. Does it have a smell? How tall is it? My firs thought was a clematis type, but it has 5 petals. Good luck with B. and Ed. I expect Kewget inundated.

anniep · #10 (**permalink**) 30-06-2009, 10:47 PM

Thanks for searching Hedera. No, the flowers have no scent. There are quite a few more buds appearing now although still very small. On my photos, the cagelike outsides of the buds are what turn into the petals. It's a very weird plant indeed. I hope that I can get some seeds from it and it grows in the same form again next year because it seems that I have something quite unique.