Rosaceae . . . . Rose family

Note that many plants in the Rosaceae reproduce by 'apomixis' where seeds are produced without fertilisation, thus maintaining lineage identity, leading to the generation of what may be regarded as microspecies. Some also rarely hybridise giving rise to inter-generic hybrids

Choose closest flower colour:

Yellow

White

Pink

Greenish

White flowers - Choose: (a) Herbaceous . . . or . . . (b) Woody

White-flowered Herbaceous plants:

White Woody:

Rosaceae - pink or red flowers:

Rosaceae - yellow flowers

Agrimonies

Cinquefoils

Parsley pierts

Sibbaldia

Avens

Rosaceae - green or non-descript flowers

Aphanes australis

Alchemilla alpina

Alchemilla glabra

Alchemilla glaucescens

Cotoneaster cambrica

Acaena novae-zelandiae

Acaena anserinifolia

Poterium sanguisorba

Acaena . . . . . . Pirri-pirri bur

Acaena anserinifolia . . . . . . Bronze Pirri-pirri bur

Garden escape naturalised in a few places on bare ground

Acaena novae-zelandiae . . . . . . Pirri-pirri bur

Garden escape naturalised in a few places on bare ground

Agrimony

Agrimonies can be separated on the basis of the fruits as below:
- A. procera (L) has reflexed hooks with only shallow furrows
- A. eupatoria (R) has non-reflexed (patent) hooks and deep, full furrows in the fruit

A. procera

A. eupatoria

Agrimonia eupatoria . . . . Agrimony

Agrimonia procera . . . . Fragrant agrimony

Sometimes fragrant when crushed

Alchemilla . . . . . . Lady's mantles

These are apomictic and have been separated into many microspecies; A. vulgaris agg. covers all the non-alpine (non-silky) spp.. N.B. The apparent 'petals' are actually sepals, with the 'sepals' formed from an epicalyx

The common garden spp. A. mollis can be separated from other spp. by the two rows of 'petals/sepals' being equal length (right side in picture below)

Alchemilla alpina . . . . . . Alpine Lady's mantle

Generally found at higher altitudes in mountains; a rather similar sp A. conjuncta (Silver lady's mantle) is grown in gardens

Alchemilla vulgaris agg. . . . . . . Lady's mantles

Some examples include:

Alchemilla glabra . . . . . . Smooth lady's mantle

Hairless leaves; common in N and W and mountain areas, rarer in S & E En and S Ire

Alchemilla mollis . . . . . Garden lady's mantle

A robust plant with hairy leaves; note 'petals'/'sepals' equal length; widespread garden escape throughout BI

Some other spp. include:

A. glaucescens

Glaucous Lady's mantle

Amelanchier . . . . June berry

Amelanchier lamarckii . . . . June berry

Increasingly cultivated and becoming naturalised in places

Aphanes . . . . . . Parsley Piert

Aphanes australis . . . . . . Slender Parsley Piert

Widespread on more acid soils, leaf tapers to petiole

Aphanes arvensis . . . . . . Parsley Piert

Widely distributed esp. on base-rich soils; similar to the above, but with sepals reaching +/- to the end of the stipules (shorter in A. australis), lf base truncate

Aronia . . . . Chokeberry

Aronia melanocarpa . . . . Black chokeberry

Increasingly cultivated and becoming naturalised in places

Aruncus . . . . Buck's-beard, or Goat's Beard

Aruncus dioica . . . . Buck's-beard

Widely grown in gardens and naturalised in scattered, mostly wet places across Br

Comarum . . . . . Marsh cinquefoil

Comarum palustris . . . . Marsh cinquefoil (was Potentilla)

Marshes and bogs, esp. in N

Chaenomeles . . . . . Japanese quince, Japonica

Chaenomeles x superba . . . . Japonica or Japanese quince

The common garden plant is often the hybrid between C. speciosa (Chinese quince) and C. japonica (Japonica), though both parents occur; all are difficult to distinguish. Naturalised in places

Cotoneaster . . . . . Cotoneasters

There are many "spp.", mostly apomictic, mostly escapes from cultivation (Stace gives 93 spp. and hybrids ; the commonest are the small-leaved (deciduous) Wall cotoneaster (C. horizontalis) which has small leaves on horizontally spreading stems, and Waterer's cotoneaster (C. x watereri). Some others are illustrated below, but tend to be difficult to separate
The only native sp. is the rare (only found in the wild on Gt Orme's Head) Wild cotoneaster (C. cambricus)

Cotoneaster sp

Cotoneaster x watereri

Cotoneaster frigidus

Cotoneaster bullatus

Cotoneaster sp.

Waterer's c.

Tree cotoneaster

Cotoneaster cambricus

Cotoneaster simonsii

Cotoneaster sp. (evergreen)

Great Orme cotoneaster

Cotoneaster simonsii

Cotoneaster sp. (evergreen)

Cotoneaster horizontalis (deciduous)

Cotoneaster vilmorinianus

Crataegus . . . . . Hawthorn

>11 spp. recognised by Stace; here treated as one sp., though note that most plants with red/pink fls would be C. laevigata (Midland hawthorn - see below), the main other native sp.

Crataegus monogyna . . . . Hawthorn or May

Common in hedgerows

Crataegus laevigata . . . . Midland Hawthorn or May

In hedgerows esp. from C to SE En; shown on R cf. C. monogyna on L

Dasiphora . . . . . Shrubby cinquefoil

Dasiphora fruticosa (=Potentilla fruticosa). . . . . . Shrubby cinquefoil

Rare in the wild except in W Ire and Teesdale (though an Asiatic variety is widely grown and commonly escapes)

Dryas . . . . . Mountain avens

Dryas octopetala . . . . Mountain avens

An arctic sp. reaching S limit in UK; very local (mostly in Sc) on base-rich mountain ledges, but down to sea level in the very far N

Filipendula . . . . . .Meadowsweet and Dropwort

Filipendula vulgaris . . . . Dropwort

Calcareous grassland mostly in the S and C Br and W Ire; 8-20 leaflet pairs

Filipendula ulmaria . . . . Meadowsweet

Damp places throughout BI; honey-scented

Fragaria . . . . . . Wild strawberry

Fragaria vesca . . . . . . Wild strawberry

Common in woods and scrub

The garden strawberry (F. ananassa) is larger in all parts than the wild strawberry and has many stolons

Geum . . . . . Avens

Geum urbanum

Geum macrophyllum

Geum rivale

Geum rivale x urbanum = intermedium

Wood avens

Hybrid avens

Water avens

Water avens variant

Geum rivale - mutant

Geum rivale . . . . . . Water avens

Throughout BI exc. SE, common in N

Odd mutant of G. rivale

Geum urbanum . . . . . . Wood avens

Common in woodland exc. N tip of Sc

Note that G. urbanum leaves (on R below) are similar to Goldilocks buttercup (on L below)

Geum macrophyllum . . . . Large leaved Avens

Scattered in woodland; distinguished by large, apparently roundish (actually pinnate) lvs; 3rd pic compares with smaller G. urbanum

Geum rivale x urbanum = intermedium . . . . . . Wood x water avens

A reasonably common hybrid, esp. in WA, N En and Sc

Malus . . . . . .Apple

Malus domestica . . . . . . Apple

Mespilus . . . . . Medlar

Mespilus germanica . . . . . . Medlar

Local in CI and S

Photinia . . . . . Stranvaesia

Photinia davidiana . . . . . . Stranvaesia

Local in CI and S

Physocarpus . . . . Ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolia . . . . Ninebark

A scattered relic of cultivation

Can be confused with Viburnum

Potentilla . . . . . . Cinquefoils

Select from:

P. erecta (4 petals)

P. anserina

P. argentea

P. crantzii

P. norvegica

Dasiphora fruticosa

P. sterilis

P. rupestris

Potentilla anglica . . . . . . Trailing tormentil

Scattered throughout BI; leaf stalks <2cm, eventually rooting at nodes

Potentilla anserina . . . . . . Silverweed

Pastures and waysides, but particularly common by the sea; pinnate lvs with silver underside

Potentilla argentea . . . . . . Hoary cinquefoil

Local and decreasing in CI to C Sc

Potentilla crantzii . . . . . . Alpine cinquefoil

Very local on basic rocks/grassland on mountains, mostly in Sc highlands

Potentilla erecta . . . . . . Tormentil

Common and widespread on heaths and mountains esp. on acid soils; unstalked lvs

Other plants with mostly 4-petalled fls include P. anglica (>20 carpels, and lower lvs with stalks >1cm) P. x Mixta (with sterile fls).

Potentilla indica . . . . . . Yellow-flowered strawberry

Scattered in CI, C & S Br and elsewhere

Potentilla norvegica . . . . . . Rough or Ternate-leaved Cinquefoil

A scattered casual, N to C Sc; characterised by upright habit and three leaflets

Potentilla reptans . . . . . . Creeping cinquefoil

Common in Br N to C Sc, local further N; long-stalked lvs, clearly rooting at nodes

Potentilla rupestris . . . . . . Rock cinquefoil

V rare in the wild with recent records mostly confined to Radnorshire and E Sutherland

Potentilla sterilis . . . . . . Barren strawberry

Note the wide gap between petals in this sp.; also top tooth of terminal leaflet is shorter than neighbours

Compare: Fragaria vesca which has closer petals and long terminal leaflet

Potentilla verna . . . . . . Spring cinquefoil

Local on dry basic grassland (was P. neumanniana or P. tabernaemontani)

Poterium . . . . . Salad burnet

Poterium sanguisorba . . . . . Salad burnet

Esp. on chalk and limestone

Prunus . . . . . Cherries and plums

Choose from: Flowers, Fruit, or Leaves

Flowers:

Prunus spinosa

Prunus cerasifera

Prunus avium

Prunus domestica

Blackthorn

Myrobalan

Wild cherry

Plum

Prunus padus

Prunus lusitanica

Prunus laurocerasus

Laurus nobilis (Lauraceae)

Bird cherry

Portuguese laurel

Laurel

Bay

In addition there are many cultivated cherry spp. (Prunus serratula with sharp teeth on lvs) and cv. e.g.:

P. x subhirtella

P. 'Kanzan'

P. 'Shirofugen'

Winter fl. cherry

'Kanzan' Cherry

'Shirofugen' Cherry

Some fruits:

Leaves:

Prunus avium . . . . . . Wild cherry

Has been widely planted but also seeds naturally; note constriction below petals and fine teeth on retained bud scales

Prunus cerasifera . . . . . . Myrobalan cherry-plum

Early flowering (early Mar.) very variable including yellow-fruited (Mirabelle) and red-fruited cvs.; new shoots green; sepals blunt, reflexed, with fine projections (pic1); petals c.10 mm

Prunus domestica subsp insititia . . . . . . Damson or wild plum

Widespread in hedgerows

Prunus laurocerasus . . . . . . Cherry laurel

Widely planted, commonly naturalised in woodland

Widely planted in landscaping is the dwarf form cv. 'Otto Luyken', uncommonly naturalised (esp. around London)

Prunus lusitanica . . . . . . Portugal (or Portuguese) laurel

Young shoots often deep red; less common than P. laurocerasus but scattered in shrubberies etc across BI (less so N Sc and W Ire)

N.B. Compare also:

Laurus nobilis

Aucuba japonica

Prunus padus . . . . . . Bird cherry

Most common in the N; petals >6mm, fruit <8mm

Similar is Rum cherry (Prunus serotina) with petals <5mm, fruit >8mm retaining sepals and invasively spreading esp. across C & S En

Prunus spinosa . . . . . . Blackthorn or Sloe

Common in hedges or scrub; flowers c.April (Blackthorn winter); sepals not reflexed, triangular; petals c.6 mm; new shoots brownish, hairy

Prunus x subhirtella 'Autumnalis'. . . . . . Winter flowering cherry

Commonly planted across UK and Ire - flowers from Nov to Mar

Pyracantha . . . . . . Firethorn

V. spiny garden escapes, with P. coccinea being the more common, distinguished by hairy fl stalks & petioles

P. rogersiana

P. coccinea

Pyrus . . . . . . Pear

Pyrus communis . . . . . . Pear

Garden origin; NB is non-spiny tree with inedible fruits >5cm (c.f. P. pyraster, the wild pear, which occurs mainly in CI and S to C Br)

Pyrus calleryana . . . . . . Callery pear

'Chanticleer' is widely planted

Pyrus pyraster . . . . . . Wild Pear

Fruits roundish, inedible, <4cm; occurs mainly in CI and S to C Br or as rootstock from cultivated plants; sometimes only distinguished from P. communis in fruit

Rosa . . . . . . . . Roses

There are a large number of rose species or hybrids that may be found in the wild; some are shown below:

R. canina agg.

R. spinosissima

R. rugosa

R. luciae

Dog rose

Burnet rose

Japanese rose

Memorial rose

R. micrantha

R. virginiana

R. multiflora

Small sweet-briar

Virginian rose

Many-fld rose

Rubus . . . . . Berries

Again these are apomictic generating large numbers of variants. A few of the main spp. are shown below - choose the nearest:

Rubus fruticosus

Rubus caesius

Rubus idaeus

Rubus spectabilis

Blackberry

Dewberry

Raspberry

Salmonberry

Rubus chamaemorus

Rubus arcticus

Rubus saxatilis

Rubus laciniatus

Cloudberry

Arctic bramble

Stone bramble

Cut-lvd Bramble

R. tricolor

R. cockburnianus

R. phoenicolasius

R. deliciosus

Creeping chinese bramble

White-stemmed bramble

Japanese wineberry

Rocky-mt raspberry

Rubus arcticus . . . . . . Arctic bramble

Extinct in the wild in Br

Rubus caesius . . . . . . Dew berry

Throughout BI, has few drupes to each berry; fruits earlier than most blackberries

Rubus chamaemorus . . . . . . Cloud berry

Peaty moors and bogs on mountains

Rubus cockburnianus . . . . . . White-stemmed bramble

Garden escape across En and Sc

Rubus delicicosus . . . . . . Rocky-mountain Raspberry

Simple palmately-lobed lvs, large (c.5 cm) single fls and red berries; rarely planted/escaping

Rubus fruticosus agg. . . . . . . Blackberry or Bramble

Many variants have been recognised; widespread in hedgerows and scrub

Rubus idaeus . . . . . . Raspberry

Widespread

Rubus laciniatus . . . . . Cut-leaved Bramble

In introduced plant that can become invasive

Rubus phoenicolasius . . . . . . Japanese wineberry

Planted and infrequently naturalised

Rubus saxatilis . . . . . . Stone bramble

Rather scattered esp. on basic mountain slopes

Rubus spectabilis . . . . . . Salmonberry

Naturalised esp. in the NW and islands where it can be a serious invasive sp.

Rubus tricolor . . . . . . Creeping chinese bramble

Grown as ground cover but spreading

Burnets (Sanguisorba and Poterium)

Choose from the below:

Poterium sanguisorba

Sanguisorba officinalis

Salad burnet

Greater burnet

Sanguisorba . . . . . Burnet

Sanguisorba officinalis . . . . . Greater burnet

Locally frequent - esp. in C Br

Sibbaldia

Sibbaldia procumbens . . . . Sibbaldia

Local on grassy/rocky mountains above c500m in Sc

Sorbus - Rowan and whitebeams

Many species and apomictic variants, or microspecies, have been recognised, only some of the best-known ones are shown here. In addition the 'species' mentioned below include some that are thought to be intergeneric crosses, and thus should probably be given different generic names as indicated below

Whitebeam

Rowan

Wild Service tree

Other whitebeams

Sorbus aria agg. . . . . Common Whitebeam

An apomictic sp. for which many variants have been idd, native in the S but widely planted (see below for other examples)

Sorbus aucuparia . . . . Rowan

Throughout Br and Ire, extends to high altitudes on mountains

Sorbus torminalis . . . . Wild service tree, Checker tree

Local in woods on clay or limestone in S & C Br, N to Westmoreland

A number of other Sorbus "spp." are shown below (most very rare in the wild):

Note that some of these, notably Sorbus pseudofennica and Sorbus arranensis are thought to be intergeneric crosses and possibly properly named Hedlundia pseudofennica and Hedlundia arranensis

S. pseudofennica

S. rupicola

S. arranensis

S. lancastrensis

Arran service tree

Rock whitebeam

Arran whitebeam

Lancastrian whitebeam

S. intermedia

S. devoniensis

Swedish whitebeam

Devon whitebeam

Spiraea . . . . . Brideworts

Many varieties/spp. have been naturalised as garden escapes; some of the more common are illustrated

Spiraea alba . . . . Bridewort

Spiraea japonica . . . . Japanese Spiraea

Spiraea x arguta . . . . Bridal spray

Much planted and occurs scattered in Br

Spiraea x pseudosalicifolia . . . . Confused bridewort

The most common variety