Unidentified - Herefordshire, UK (1 Viewer)

Hi all

Despite my best efforts at checking and cross-checking the field guides, I cannot put a name to the attached three plants.

One appears to be a Euphorbia and was common in several of the woods I visited yesterday (4th April). The red colour has me baffled. It was quite a large plant, about 30-40cm high.

The sedge/grass was small, about 3-5cm high with distinctive black seeds/flowers

The other has me baffled completely - I can't really put it in a family. It was also small, about 5cm high

Sorry if these are really dudey, common things - as I say, I have checked the field guides before posting but am still stuck.

Thanks in advance

Sean

Is this Euphorbia amygdaloides maybe v. rubra?

Hi Sean the first seems to be Euphorbia amygdaloides spp amygdaloides or spp robbiae
need to be in the field to ID, 2nd looks like one of the Luzula's Wood Rushes family. 3rd again looks like one of the Symphytum tribe maybe grandiflorum Creeping Comfrey but there are 3 or 4 Comfreys with pale yellow flowers

just had another look at the second one it could also be Wood Melick Melica uniflora very tricky to ID from photos hope it helps you though

The first is going to be Euphorbia amygdaloides spp. amygdaloides, which is very common in the woods here in Herefordshire.

The second I think is Luzula pilosa, also very common. The leaves should be hairy, although that doesn't seem to be visible on the photo. Melica uniflora is much more delicate, whereas this is a tough, wiry plant. Looking at the BSBI distribution maps, Luzula forsteri also seems to be common in this area and is worth looking out for. The flowers on that species are held more upright in a V-shape, rather than spreading out sideways as in your photo.

Not sure about the third, but birdbot's suggestion of Symphytum grandiflorum sounds very likely - it looks like a small creeping plant, not big enough for one of the large Comfrey species.

Thanks all - isn't it funny how when suggestions are made they become obvious in the books?

Sean