West Dorset mystery

bob bradley · #1 (**permalink**) 24-09-2011, 11:53 AM

Photographed 10th August 2011 in West Dorset. Any ID ideas ?

gobbiner · #2 (**permalink**) 24-09-2011, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob bradley

Photographed 10th August 2011 in West Dorset. Any ID ideas ?

Could it be Coltsfoot

poschiavanus · #3 (**permalink**) 24-09-2011, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gobbiner

Could it be Coltsfoot

No. Colt's-foot is an early spring flowerer. The flowers are borne on stout stalks with many scales, and are entirely ligulate. At this time of year all one sees of Colt's-foot are the prominent leaves.

gobbiner · #4 (**permalink**) 24-09-2011, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poschiavanus

No. Colt's-foot is an early spring flowerer. The flowers are borne on stout stalks with many scales, and are entirely ligulate. At this time of year all one sees of Colt's-foot are the prominent leaves.

Ah right

what is it then

Hedera · #5 (**permalink**) 24-09-2011, 03:09 PM

Senecio sylvaticus - Heath groundsel?

gobbiner · #6 (**permalink**) 24-09-2011, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedera

Senecio sylvaticus - Heath groundsel?

Your word is good enough for me Hedera, but it doesnt look like that in the book its just showing unopened buds

bob bradley · #7 (**permalink**) 24-09-2011, 05:13 PM

No .........flowers about 1" to 1.25" diameter. Couldn't find leaves amongst grass.

Dorts · #8 (**permalink**) 24-09-2011, 07:37 PM

Not Coltsfoot or Heath Groundsel. It's a pity we can't see a leaf as that would certainly have helped.
I think it is Autumn Hawkbit - Scorzoneroides (Leontodon) autumnalis. The flowers usually lay on the ground and the petals are normally quite thin, though this is a paticularly fine-petaled plant.
Dorts.

bob bradley · #9 (**permalink**) 25-09-2011, 08:45 AM

Dorts.
Thanks. I must search more carefully for the leaves when holidaying there next year !

Dorts · #10 (**permalink**) 25-09-2011, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bob bradley

Dorts.
Thanks. I must search more carefully for the leaves when holidaying there next year !

Welcome to WAB by the way Bob, look forward to many more post's. There are a couple of other possibilities for your plant, and this is where a leaf or two will help.

Unfortunately we do regularly get requests for plant ID's where all that is shown is the flower.
In many cases that's fine, but with the difficult groups, such as for example the Hawkweeds/Hawkbits/Hawksbeards, St. John's-wort etc. the more parts of the plant photographed, the better, as in such groups the flowers can be very similar.

Dorts.