Blue Woodruff and unknown - identification help please

[Monkey Orchid]

Hi, folks.

A couple of plants I would appreciate confirmation/help with identification for:

1. Photographed growing in a beetle bank in a market garden at Englefield, near Reading. I think it's Blue Woodruff Asperula arvensis.



2. Photographed in my parents' back garden, south Buckinghamshire: a plant which has sprouted underneath one of their bird feeding areas, presumably from spilled seed.


Thanks for any help.

[aeshna5]

2 is Ragweed, Ambrosia artemisifolia. Bad for some people with hay fever. I saw a lot of this recently in disturbed areas in Hungary. Also had 1 in my garden a few years back- maybe from bird seed.

[Dorts]

I am happy with Blue Woodruff- Asperula arvensis and agree with aeshna5 on Ragweed - Ambrosia artemisifolia.
Dorts.

[Tiggrx]

1. looks more like Asperula orientalis to me. A. arvensis has a shorter flower tube. I notice on Google Images searching for A. arvensis brings up many pictures of A. orientalis.

[Dorts]

From my experience A. arvensis usually has very dense clusters of flowers; usually fewer in A. orientalis. Also A. arvensis should be glabrous which this plant clearly is not. Though I must admit that these two species are somewhat similar and can cause confusion.
Both are rare casuals in the wild.
Dorts.