Paul Sterry - British Wild Flowers - A photographic guide to every common species

Ivy-leaved Crowfoot Ranunculus hederaceus CREEPING

Creeping annual or biennial, associated with bare muddy places close to water. FLOWERS3–6mm across with 5 white petals, and sepals of similar length (May–Aug). FRUITSIn rounded heads. LEAVESVaguely ivy-like, being rounded or kidney-shaped with lobed margins . STATUSWidespread but local.

Cleave, Andrew

Pond Water-crowfoot

Pond Water-crowfoot Ranunculus peltatus FLOATING

Annual or perennial of ponds, lakes and other areas of still water. FLOWERS15–30mm across with 5 white petals (May–Aug). FRUITSIn rounded, long-stalked heads. LEAVES Lobed, rounded floating leaves and short, rigid, thread-like submerged ones . STATUSWidespread and common throughout.

Brackish Water-crowfoot

Brackish Water-crowfoot Ranunculus baudotii FLOATING

Annual or perennial of brackish pools, ditches and channels near the coast. FLOWERS12–18mm across with 5 white petals (Apr–Aug). FRUITSIn rounded, long-stalked heads. LEAVES Deeply lobed floating leaves and thread-like submerged ones that do not collapse out of water . STATUSLocal around the coast.

Cleave, Andrew

Round-leaved Crowfoot

Round-leaved Crowfoot Ranunculus omiophyllus FLOATING

Creeping annual or biennial. Favours damp, muddy places, often water seepages. FLOWERS8–12mm across, with 5 white petals twice as long as sepals (May–Aug). FRUITSIn rounded heads. LEAVES Lobed and rounded . STATUSRather local and restricted mainly to S and W England and Wales, and S Ireland.

Burbidge, Brinsley

River Water-crowfoot

River Water-crowfoot Ranunculus fluitans FLOATING

Robust perennial. Forms extensive carpets in suitable fast-flowing streams and rivers. FLOWERS20–30mm across with 5 white, overlapping petals (May–Aug). FRUITSIn rounded heads. LEAVESDivided into narrow, thread-like segments; submerged leaves only . STATUSWidespread in England but scarce elsewhere.

Columbine

Columbine

Columbine Aquilegia vulgaris HEIGHTto 1m

Familiar garden perennial but also a native plant, favouring open woods on calcareous soils. FLOWERSNodding, purple, 30–40mm long, the petals with hook-tipped spurs (May–July). FRUITSDry, many seeded. LEAVESGrey-green and comprising 3-lobed leaflets. STATUSWidespread but extremely local as a native species.

Wood Anemone

Wood Anemone Anemone nemorosa HEIGHTto 30cm

Perennial that sometimes forms large carpets on suitable woodland floors. FLOWERSSolitary, comprising 5–10 white or pinkish petal-like sepals (Mar–May). FRUITSBeaked, in rounded clusters. LEAVESOn stems, long-stalked and divided into 3 lobes, each being further divided. STATUSWidespread and locally common.

Pasqueflower

Pasqueflower Pulsatilla vulgaris HEIGHTto 25cm

Silkily-hairy perennial of dry, calcareous grassland. FLOWERSPurple, bell-shaped with 6 petal-like sepals; upright at first, then nodding (Apr–May). FRUITSComprising seeds with long silky hairs. LEAVESDivided 2 or 3 times and comprising narrow leaflets. STATUSRare and restricted to a few sites in S and E England.

Traveller’s-joy

Flowers

Fruits

Traveller’s-joy Clematis vitalba LENGTHto 20m

Scrambling hedgerow perennial of chalky soils. FLOWERSCreamy, with prominent stamens; in clusters (July–Aug). FRUITSComprising clusters of seeds with woolly, whitish plumes, hence plant’s alternative name of Old Man’s Beard. LEAVESDivided into 3–5 leaflets. STATUSLocally common in central and S England, and Wales.

Common Meadow-rue

Common Meadow-rue Thalictrum flavum HEIGHTto 1m

Upright perennial of damp meadows, ditches and fens; favours basic soils. FLOWERSWith small petals that drop, but showy, yellow anthers; in dense clusters (June–Aug). FRUITSDry, papery. LEAVESFern-like and pinnately divided 2 or 3 times into toothed lobes. STATUSWidespread but local, common only in the south and east.