Wildflower ID on Barra

rmenmuir · #1 (**permalink**) 13-06-2007, 12:16 PM

Can anyone please help with identifying a flower I found on the lower slopes of Sheabhal on Barra in the Western Isles in Scotland?

It was in boggy ground and had a lot of very wet smooth small green leaves around it at ground level. The actual flowers were pale yellow in the centre with pinky coloured tendrils growing from them like a sea anemone. At the end of each tendril was a dark pink blob. It seemed like it could be some sort of carnivorous plant maybe as the flower was in 2 halves which opened and closed like a Venus fly trap(I know VERY little about wildflowers!). The whole plant was only about 4 cm across and lay fairly flat.

I'd be really grateful for any suggestions.

Thanks. Richard

Andy Warne · #2 (**permalink**) 13-06-2007, 01:10 PM

Could be a sundew, if you do a search of the Gallery there are plenty of pictures of them.

JennyS · #3 (**permalink**) 13-06-2007, 01:22 PM

Hi rmenmuir - do either of these leaves look like what you saw, left is Sundew and right is Butterwort

rmenmuir · #4 (**permalink**) 13-06-2007, 01:30 PM

Thanks Andy and Jenny.
It was a Sundew and also thanks for the Butterwort pic as it was the other flower I hadn't identified - it had a yellow 4 petal flower on a thin stem.

What a great site this!

solus · #5 (**permalink**) 13-06-2007, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmenmuir

Thanks Andy and Jenny.
It was a Sundew and also thanks for the Butterwort pic as it was the other flower I hadn't identified - it had a yellow 4 petal flower on a thin stem.

What a great site this!

Erm... Common Butterwort has purple flowers....

JennyS · #6 (**permalink**) 13-06-2007, 05:37 PM

Sounds like Pale Butterwort, pinguicula lusitanica. Smaller, slightly rolled up at the edges olive-green leaf and small pink flowers on thin stalk.

Sorry, hadn't read your post properly....missed the bit about 'yellow' flower, which isn't right for Pale Butterwort, think I'd better go get a cup of tea!

rmenmuir · #7 (**permalink**) 14-06-2007, 08:32 AM

The leaves at the bottom of the flower are exactly like those in the photo above. However, it definitely has a 4 petal yellow flower. I have a photo of it and tried to upload it to the Gallery but it is over the maximum size and I haven't got a clue how to reduce it!

I'll find out and post it.