Common Name(s) Dandelion
Text Box: Other Names: Piss in the bed, pissenlit….
Latin Name Taraxacum officinale
Family Compositae
Date Seen 18/05/2007
Flowering time/ months Jan - Dec (Main flowering in March)
Flower colour Rich Yellow
Flower arrangement One composite flower per stem
Number of petals One per floret
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? Yes
Habit of growth Perennial herb
Evergreen/ deciduous Evergreen
Height To 35 cm
Leaf description Lanceolate  lobed and toothed
Leaf arrangement Basal rosette
Stem description Hollow, pale, sticky white sap exudes when broken
Fruit One seed with fluffy parachute at top of slender stalk -- wind dispersed
Fruiting time April -- May  (& year-round)
Habitat Open grassy places
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Common
NOTES
Benefits from Suitable habitats, disturbed ground
Endangered by Weedkiller
Folklore The dandelion was born of the dust raised by the chariot of the sun. Rub yourself all over with dandelion juice, and you will always be welcome and be given what you want. The name comes from the French dent de lion - lion's tooth. To carry your thoughts to your sweetheart, blow the seeds of the puffball head, when the wind is in the right direction.
Medicinal Diuretic, tonic, benefits liver gallbladder, spleen, also good for rheumatism
Culinary Leaves can be used for salad, flowers for wine, roots roasted for coffee substitute.
Other Boil a handful of just-open flowers in water, use as a wash to get rid of freckles.
Wildlife benefits Early nectar and pollen for bees
Number 1
Common Name(s) Daisy
Text Box: Other Names: Herb Margaret, Bairnwort, Baiyan Flower, Banewort, Banwood, Bennergowan, Bessy Banwood, Billy Button, Bone Flower, Bruisewort, Cat Posy, Ewe gan, Eye of the Day, Flower of Spring, Golland, Gowan, Gracy Daisy, Little Star, Mary Gowan, Miss Modesty, Open Eye, Silver Pennies.
Latin Name Bellis perennis
Family Compositae
Date Seen 18/05/2007
Flowering time/ months Jan - Dec
Flower colour Outer ray florets white (tinged pink), inner disc florets yellow
Flower arrangement Single composite flower at top of strong, slender stalk
Number of petals Outer ray floret corolla tube elongates to one side to form a strap shaped petal. Yellow disc florets have a 5 lobed corolla tube.
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? Yes
Habit of growth Small clump-forming herbaceous perennial
Evergreen/ deciduous Evergreen
Height 5 to 15cm
Leaf description Spoon shaped with many small teeth on the edges, downy texture, bright green
Leaf arrangement From basal rosette
Stem description Round, solid, slender, yet strong
Fruit Seeds ripen on receptacle, small oval downy, pale brown, flattened ends
Fruiting time Feb - Jan
Habitat Short grassland, lawns, road verges, sand dunes
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc
NOTES
Benefits from Open, sunny areas
Endangered by Weedkiller
Folklore  The Romans said it originated when the meadow nymph Belides changed herself  into a daisy. Associated with purity, innocence, and loyal love. Christan legend tells that the daisy sprang from Mary's tears on the flight into Egypt. Once named 'measure of love', from the game of picking off the florets. Bellis means pretty.A German folk belief was that daisies picked between 12 noon and 1pm have magical powers and can bring good luck. In Christian Medieval art, the daisy was used to symbolise the Christ child.
Medicinal Leaves are eaten as a spring tonic, and the whole plant is used as for respiratory ailments, skin complaints and for bruises.
Culinary Leaves eaten in salads in spring, and coooked as a spring vegetable
Other Children play with daisies making posies, crowns and necklaces
Wildlife benefits Early nectar
Number 2
Common Name(s) Marram Grass
Text Box: Other Names: Bent, Mat Grass, Sea Reed.
Latin Name Ammophila arenaria
Family Graminaceae
Date Seen 18/05/2007 (not flowering yet)
Flowering time/ months June - Aug
Flower colour Dull pale green
Flower arrangement Tight panicles of spikelets on flowering stem
Number of petals None - in grasses the reproductive parts are surrounded by bracts
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Clump-forming herbaceous perennial with creeping stems.
Evergreen/ deciduous Evergreen
Height To 120cm
Leaf description Very long and thin dull green, sharp point at tip edges roll inwards to conserve water.
Leaf arrangement Tufts of leaves arise from basal nodes of creeping stem
Stem description Flower stem, stiff, upright, creeping stems light brown strong and hard
Fruit The grain ripens within the spikelets, protected by bracts
Fruiting time Sept - Oct
Habitat Sand dunes
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Threatened - a protected species
NOTES
Benefits from Perfect adaptation to habitat
Endangered by Over use of dune systems for recreation, etc..
Folklore ?
Medicinal ?
Culinary ?
Other Very important in the stabilising of sand in the dunes. The roots were once used for weaving, and the leaves for thatching.
Wildlife benefits Maintains the sand dune habitat for all the other species
Number 3
Common Name(s) Sea Holly
Latin Name Eryngium maritimum
Family Umbelliferae
Date Seen 18/05/2007 (not flowering yet)
Flowering time/ months July - Aug
Flower colour Blue
Flower arrangement The flower heads are globe shaped and contain many florets, each surrounded by spiny bracts.
Number of petals Corolla tube is lobed
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Upright rigid herbaceous perennial with very extensive root system
Evergreen/ deciduous Evergreen
Height to 90cm
Leaf description Blue-green covered with waxy cuticle, round, deeply toothed, spiny
Leaf arrangement Basal rosette, and spirally round flowering stems
Stem description Rigid sturdy, covered with blue-green waxy cuticle and spiny
Fruit Oval fruit ripens in flowerhead, oval, brown covered in small hooks
Fruiting time Sept - Oct
Habitat Sand dunes
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Threatened
NOTES
Benefits from Ability to withstand drought, salt, being buried by sand
Endangered by Over-use of dunes
Folklore ?
Medicinal ?
Culinary From the16th to the 19th century, the roots were candied, called 'eryngoes'
Other Assists in stabilising dunes, because of extensive root system.
Wildlife benefits Help to maintain ecosystem, burnet moths like their nectar.
Number 4
Common Name(s) Sea Spurge
Latin Name Euphorbia paralias
Family Euphorbiaceae
Date Seen 18/05/2007
Flowering time/ months May - June
Flower colour Green - Yellow green
Flower arrangement Umbels, 3 - 6 rayed, with oval lower and triangular upper bracts. I stalked female flower (3-celled ovary + 3 styles) surrounded by 4 male flowers, each with one stamen.
Number of petals None
Single sex or hermaphrodite Single-sex flowers both occur on the same plant
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Upright herbaceous perennial
Evergreen/ deciduous Deciduous
Height to 35 cm
Leaf description Oval, thick, fleshy, glaucous blue-green, smooth edged, broadest towards the base.
Leaf arrangement Closely set, alternately, on stem
Stem description Erect  branching, sturdy, round.
Fruit Capsule with 3 segments. Seeds smooth, grey-white
Fruiting time June - July
Habitat Sand dunes
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Threatened
NOTES
Benefits from Adaptations to withstand drought, salt, moving sand
Endangered by Over-use of dunes
Folklore ?
Medicinal Very poisonous genera with caustic, milky-looking sap.
Culinary None
Other ?
Wildlife benefits Helps to maintain the ecosystem, specialist pollinating insects
Number 5
Common Name(s) Sand Sedge
Text Box: Other Names : Red sedge
Latin Name Carex arenaria
Family Cyperaceae
Date Seen 18/05/2007
Flowering time/ months April - May
Flower colour Pale tan brown
Flower arrangement Tufted spikes at top of flowering stem
Number of petals None
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Creeping herbaceous perennial with rhizomes
Evergreen/ deciduous Evergreen
Height to 35cm
Leaf description The lower part of sedge leaves form a continuous cylinder around the stem, the upper part of the leaf is a wiry, tapering blade
Leaf arrangement In tufts from base 
Stem description The flowering stem is 3-sided, tough, and wiry. The rhizome is creeping, rooting at intervals.
Fruit Seeds ripen within flowering head
Fruiting time July - September
Habitat Coastal sand dunes, occasionally inland on sandy heaths
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Locally common
NOTES
Benefits from Ability to survive in nutrient-poor, dry habitats
Endangered by Over use of dunes
Folklore ?
Medicinal The rootstock and roots are used to stimulate stomach and intestinal glands, for treating catarrh, colic, chronic constipation. Used as a tisane for skin complaints. Do NOT use where there is inflammation of the kidneys.
Culinary ?
Other Important in binding sand in the dunes
Wildlife benefits Helps maintain the ecosystem
Number 6
Common Name(s) Sand Couch Grass
Text Box: Other Names: Jointed couch
Latin Name Agropyron junceforme
Family Graminaceae
Date Seen 18/05/2007  (not in flower yet)
Flowering time/ months June - Aug
Flower colour Pale green
Flower arrangement Two rows of stalkless spikelets alternating up the flowering stem
Number of petals None - glumes
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Herbaceous perennial with creeping underground rhizomes
Evergreen/ deciduous Evergreen
Height to 60cm
Leaf description Bluish grey, sheaths overlapping, narrow ribbed blades finely pointed, often rolled in.
Leaf arrangement In tufts from nodes in creeping rhizomes
Stem description Stiff, rather brittle
Fruit Grain minutely hairy at top
Fruiting time August - September
Habitat Dry sand dunes and near sea
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Common
NOTES
Benefits from Ability to grow closer to the sea than any other native dune grass.
Endangered by Very rapid erosion
Folklore ?
Medicinal ?
Culinary ?
Other Important in stabilising sand dunes
Wildlife benefits Helps maintain the ecosystem
Number 7
Common Name(s) Creeping thistle
Latin Name Circium arvense
Family Compositae
Date Seen 18/05/2007  (not in flower yet)
Flowering time/ months June - September
Flower colour Lilac, sometimes white
Flower arrangement Stalked composite flowerheads in axils of upper stem leaves, scented
Number of petals None , involucral bracts
Single sex or hermaphrodite Single sex plants
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Upright prennial spreading by creeping roots
Evergreen/ deciduous Evergreen
Height to 1 m
Leaf description Oblong deeply toothed, spiny, bases of upper leaves clasp the stem
Leaf arrangement Basal rosettes
Stem description Stout, hollow, spiny
Fruit Small seeds ripen in the faded flowerhead, and are dispersed by wind, with the help of a parachute of long, pale brown hairs.
Fruiting time July - October
Habitat A wide range of soils, moist or dry, acidic or basic
Native or introduced Probably NOT Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Common
NOTES
Benefits from Adaptabilty, robust nature
Endangered by Unpopularity, especially with farmers.
Folklore ?
Medicinal ?
Culinary The roots of first year plants can be boiled and eaten, though they are rather bland, and the young shoots, (after the prickles are removed), can be boiled and sauted as a vegetable.
Other Pollinated by butterflies, which feed on the nectar, so male and female plants need to be close enough together that the butterflies can transfer the pollen.
Wildlife benefits Food plant of the thistle gall fly
Number 8
Common Name(s) Sand Vetch
Latin Name Vicia sativa ssp nigra
Family Leguminoseae
Date Seen 18/05/2007
Flowering time/ months May - June
Flower colour Magenta purple, sometimes white
Flower arrangement 1 - 2 flowers in leaf axil near the tips of the scrambling stems
Number of petals One large upper petal, the 'standard', 2 side 'wings', 2 lower petals fused to form the 'keel'. 5 in total.
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Scrambling herbaceous annual or short-lived perennial.
Evergreen/ deciduous Not applicable
Height to 80cm - relies on foliage around it for support.
Leaf description Bipinnate with 4-8 pairs of linear to oval leaflets, branched tendril at the tip.
Leaf arrangement Alternate up stem, arrow shaped stipule and dark blotch at the base of leaf stem.
Stem description Stem wiry, angled, smooth
Fruit 4 to 12 small pea-like seeds in a pod which splits lengthwise when ripe.
Fruiting time June - October
Habitat Hedges, wood edges, dry sandy, grassy places
Native or introduced Native, but there are introduced forms
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Fairly common in South West.
NOTES
Benefits from Bacteria filled nodules on roots fix nitrogen from the air, and confer an advantage to the host plant. Symbiosis
Endangered by Loss of habitat
Folklore ?
Medicinal ?
Culinary ?
Other In the 18th Century, the seeds were used for pigeon food.
Wildlife benefits Nitrogen fixation in root nodules helps to enrich the soil.
Number 9
Common Name(s) Bird's foot Trefoil
Text Box: Other Names: Crows toes, Ladies shoes and stocking, Bacon and eggs, Tom thumb, God's almighty thumb and finger
Latin Name Lotus corniculatus
Family Leguminoseae
Date Seen 18/05/2007
Flowering time/ months April - September
Flower colour Rich yellow - sometimes orange
Flower arrangement 2 - 8 flowers in axil of the top leaves
Number of petals 5
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Clump forming herbaceous perennial
Evergreen/ deciduous Evergreen
Height to 35cm, relying on support from neighbouring plants
Leaf description The leaf shape is pinnate but appears to be trifoliate, the lowest leaflets are fused at the base of the leaf stalk.
Leaf arrangement Alternate up the stem
Stem description Round, pale smooth, lax
Fruit Round smooth 'peas' ripen in a long pods, which twists to open lengthways and release the seeds.
Fruiting time June - September, October
Habitat Grassy places, most soils
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Common
NOTES
Benefits from Nitrogen fixing bacteria in the root nodules gives the host plant the advantage of nutrients 'on tap', and the extensive root system helps to avoid drought. In very dry places the plant is extremely compact. 
Endangered by Pollution, persecution as a weed
Folklore The flowers can be seen as tiny shoes, and the pods as toes or claws
Medicinal ?
Culinary ?
Other The common or early Bird's foot trefoil, L. corniculatus, starts to flower earlier (from late April), and stems and leaves are hairless and glaucous. Large bird's foot trefoil, L. pedunculatus, is bigger, the leaves and stems are softly hairy, and the stems are hollow. it only starts flowering in mid June.
Wildlife benefits Food plant for Common blue, the Green hairstreak, and Dingy skipper (found in parts of Ireland) butterflies and the Burnet moths.
Number 10
Common Name(s) Stiff sand grass
Latin Name Catapodium marinum
Family Graminaceae
Date Seen 18/05/2007
Flowering time/ months April - August
Flower colour Green
Flower arrangement Neat panicle at the top of short strong stem
Number of petals None
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Annual - often tiny
Evergreen/ deciduous Not applicable
Height to 10cm
Leaf description Short narrow blade
Leaf arrangement From base of plant
Stem description Slender wiry strong
Fruit Grains develop within the spike
Fruiting time June - October
Habitat Sand, shingle, rocky places near shore
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Locally common
NOTES
Benefits from Suitable habitat
Endangered by Too much trampling
Folklore ?
Medicinal ?
Culinary ?
Other ?
Wildlife benefits ?
Number 11
Common Name(s) Heath milkwort
Latin Name Polygala serpyllifolia
Family Polygalaceae
Date Seen 18/05/2007
Flowering time/ months May - August
Flower colour Bright blue, sometimes purple or pink
Flower arrangement Flowers arranged alternately on top part of flowering stem
Number of petals 3 tiny outer sepals, 2 large coloured inner sepals. The petals are fused into a short corolla tube, the lowest lobe being fringed, paler, with 8 stamens.
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No
Habit of growth Small spreading herbaceous perennial
Evergreen/ deciduous Deciduous
Height to 35cm, usually smaller
Leaf description Oval to linear pointed hairless
Leaf arrangement Alternate, lower leaves in opposite pairs sometimes
Stem description Often branched
Fruit A very flattened capsule where seeds ripen
Fruiting time July - September
Habitat Dry acid soils
Native or introduced Native
Status - common, rare, threatened, etc Locally common
NOTES
Benefits from Suitable habitats
Endangered by Heavy trampling
Folklore People said it was soap for fairies
The closely related P vulgaris was called the 'Four sister' because of the possible flower colours: blue, pink, purple or white. Heath milkwort is very rarely white, and the 2 coloured inner sepals are longer than the petals.
Medicinal P. vulgaris (2 inner sepals shorter than petals, leaves all alternate) was used to treat respiratory disorders, and as a bitter herb, to stimulate the appetite.
Culinary ?
Other ?
Wildlife benefits ?
Number 12
Common Name(s) Western white clover
Latin Name Trifolium occidentale
Family Leguminoseae
Date Seen 18/05/2007
Flowering time/ months April - September
Flower colour White, sometimes tinted pink, buds in centre of flower head very dark
Flower arrangement Small flowers in rounded compact heads at the top of the flowering stem, scentless; this distinguishes this species from T. repens
Number of petals Petals partly fused to form corolla tube
Single sex or hermaphrodite Hermaphrodite
Flower closes at night/ in rain? No, but the leaflets tilt and fold to minimise damage by raindrops
Habit of growth Low growing herbaceous perennial with creeping stems
Evergreen/ deciduous Evergreen