| This series of picture cards is offered in the interests of education by Brooke Bond | PG Tips | British Wildlife Flowers Series 2


	01 LESSER CELANDINE (Ranunculus ficaria L) Weeks before Spring really arrives the yellow stars of the Celandine flowers grace the hedge banks and the waste ground braving the snows of February and the bitter winds of March to open at the first touch of sunlight. The first flowers usually appear about mid February and the blooming continues into May. In spite of its rather fragile appearance it is a virile plant storing food in its swollen and tuberous roots in readiness for its next flowering.
	02 WOOD ANEMONE (Anemone nemorosa L) This exquisite fragile plant often carpets the ground of deciduous woodlands. It blooms early in the year. The flowers grow on slender stems which look as though the slightest breeze would break them but they survive the roaring winds of late March and turning their faces away from the blast are none the worse; indeed the plant's other name is Wind flower. It is at its best in late April early May but will continue to bloom until early June.
	03 BUTTERBUR (Petasites hybridus L) A plant of the damp places and river banks. The flowers appear early and before the leaves and the club shaped flower heads are either male or female. They are rich in honey and the bees love to visit them. The leaves when they are fully grown are huge and resemble giant rhubarb leaves. They can attain a diameter of three feet and are borne on strong hollow stalks. Its flowering period is March to May.
	04 DAFFODIL (Narcissus pseudo narcissus L) The Daffodil is very local in its distribution. It favours damp woods and pastures in England and Wales and is a true native. In its chosen place it grows in great profusion and seen thus it is a beautiful and gladsome sight for at that time in mid March there are few other flowers in bloom. The true wild form has a periapt of pale yellow and a crown of deeper yellow 0
	05 PERIWINKLE (Vinca major L) A plant of the milder parts of Britain growing in hedgerows and rough copses It has long trailing stems from which grow the erect flower stalks and from which it puts down roots at every node. Its flowers may be seen in greatest numbers in April and May but blooms appear throughout the year. This painting was made from a flower in early. February. It retains its leaves all through the Winter. Not a native although it has grown in Britain at least since Chaucer's time
	06 WILD GARLIC (Allium ursinum L) This plant loves the damp places by rivers and in shady woods. It has a strong onion smell especially when bruised. It has a bulb and is related to the onion. Often the plant covers great areas and in May and June the umbels of white star like flowers rising above the broad leaves make a striking carpet below the trees. It is known also as Ramsons and Broad leaved Garlic.
	07 VERNal SQUILL (Scilla verna Buds) On dry grassy slopes and headlands by the sea especially on the western coasts of Britain this beautiful little plant may be found though it is not common. On favourable sites it will grow in great profusion and in Spring the blue of its flowers appears from a distance as a mist over the ground. The flower stems are rarely more than five inches high and in the more exposed situations are usually three to four inches.
	08 PURPLE SAXIFRAGE (Saxifrage oppositifolia L) This exquisite alpine plant grows on mountains in north Britain Its pink purple flowers each growing singly at the tip of an inch long stem are often so thickly packed that .they form a cushion of colour which almost conceals the tiny leaves. It blooms in Spring and early Summer and is usually found growing on damp rocks high on the mountains and often in the most inhospitable situations in patches which may reach twelve inches in diameter.
	09 EARLY PURPLE ORCHIS (Orchis mascula L) This is the commonest and one of the earliest of the many species of British Orchids. It blooms from April to June and may be found in pastures and meadows down land and sand dunes and in woods which are not too dark. In colour and size it is very variable and can range from deep purple red to almost white and from six inches to eighteen in height. Usually its leaves are spotted but not invariably so.
	10 YELLOW FLAG (Iris pseudacorus L) From May to July the conspicuous yellow flowers of this Iris guarded by their long blade like leaves adorn the margins of rivers ponds lakes and lowly ditches. The flowers ire of more than usual interest as all their parts are arranged in threes and the larger petal like forms are really sepals the true petals being quite narrow and in the centre of the flower The arched and re curved form on the sepal is the style.
	11 WATER CROWFOOT (Ranunculus aquailis L) A plant of the still waters sometimes covering large areas its floating leaves often completely hiding the water surface. The leaves below the surface are quite different in form from the floating leaves being little more than thin branched filaments. The flowers are white tinged with yellow at the base of the petals and are carried singly on erect stems two to two and a half inches long. There are several very similar related species the differences being concerned with the shapes of the leaves.
	12 COWSLIP (Primula veris L) The Cowslip grows In open fields and down land and favours a clayey soil. Often it may be found in large colonies. It blooms in April and May. Like its relative the Primrose its flowers are of two kinds one having a long style and the other a short one The two forms are not found in the same flower head but are borne on separate plants A well grown plant is about SIX to seven inches high.
	13 GLOBE FLOWER (Trollius europaeus L) A plant very beautiful in both leaves and flowers growing in damp places in mountainous districts. Its ball like flower is composed chiefly of large petal like sepals which overlap and do not open. The real petals are enclosed in these and are quite small. It grows to a height of about two feet and blooms from May to July It is a true native wild flower but is not common.
	14 PASQUE FLOWER (Anemone pulsalilla L) A rare and beautiful flower found wild only on chalky pastures and downs in England though it is grown in many gardens Its stalks and leaves are covered with silver hair and even the flowers are hairy on their outer sides It flowers in May and at first the flowers are erect hut later they droop. The bright flowers attract many insects particularly bees which help to pollinate them.
	15 MARSH HELLEBORINE (Epipaclis palusilis L) As its name implies this Helleborine grows in damp places particularly where the soil contains lime. It likes the damp hollows. In sand dunes and the specimen depicted grew in such a place. It was fifteen inches high but taller plants are often found. It blooms in July. Its an Orchid and the flower stalk springs from a long creeping root stock or rhizome. Though nowhere common it is widely distributed throughout Britain
	16 WILD ARUM (Arum maculalum L) Sometimes called Lords and ladies and Cuckoo Pint. The glossy green leaves appear early in the Spring under trees and shady hedges; later in April the flower stalk appears bearing a large rolled up bract which subsequently uncurls to disclose a purple column. This uncurled bract is not the flower several of which are enclosed in the throat of the bract and cannot be seen. Pollination is effected by flies which become imprisoned in the throat until fertilisation is completed
	17 GRASS OF PARNASSUS (Parnassia palustris L) This flower is very localised in its distribution and requires bogs and swampy ground for a habitat. Where conditions are suitable it often flowers in profusion but it cannot be considered common. The blooms appear in August and are of an exquisite wax like quality which contrast strongly with their sometimes forbidding surroundings. It has a peculiar arrangement of stamens which ensures cross pollination between flowers. The only British species its nearest relatives being the Saxifrages.
	18 BEE ORCHID (Ophrys apifera Huds) On dry limestone or chalk soil you may find the Bee Orchid but there is nothing certain about its appearance. One year it will grow in great numbers and on the same site in the following year only one or two plants may appear. The flower does indeed resemble a bumble bee with its head in a pale flower but as a rule is self pollinated by means of a very ingenious mechanism It blooms in June and July
	19 HARSH GENTIAN (Genliana pneumonanlhe L) A rare and beautiful plant which is decreasing. It grows on boggy heathlands usually in hilly mountainous districts and is in bloom in August and September. The average height of the plant is about seven inches though it can attain twelve inches. In England and Wales it is a true wild native and no doubt one of the causes of its decrease is the reclamation of land on which the plant grows for grazing and ploughing.
	20 ARROW head (Sagitlaria sagillifolia L) Arrow head likes to have its feet in water and may be found by the edges of canals and ponds. The shape of the leaves gives it its name. Leaf and flower stem are three sided; the flowers have three sepals and three petals and they are arranged in groups of three up the stem. The upper flowers are usually male the lower ones female. It flowers from July to September.
	21 SUNDEW (Drosera rotund folia L) This interesting plant grows in bogs and damp hollows. It is insectivorous its round leaves having a ring of red filaments which exude a sticky substance. Flies touching this are held. Their struggles cause the leaf margins to curl up and the flies are imprisoned and then absorbed by the leaf juices. The tiny white flowers on their slender stem appear in July and August. Sometimes the flower stem divides into two sprays of flowers.
	22 BUTTERWORT (Pinguicula vulgaris L) Like the Sundew the Butterwort grows in boggy and damp places and it too is insectivorous. The fleshy leaves are sticky and when small insects adhere to them the edges of the leaves curl inwards and the leaf juice eventually absorbs the insects. The bluish purple flowers are borne singly on slender stems three to six inches high which spring from the centre of the rosette of leaves. It flowers from May to July.
	23 SWEET VIOLET (Viola odorata L) The painting was made from a plant in bloom in mid February It was growing on a sheltered bank side below a limestone wall in Anglesey Its usual flowering period is March to May. After the flowering has finished the heart shaped leaves increase in size and with them the plant produces flower buds which never open but which provide seeds The sweet perfume is peculiar only to this member of the order Viola
	24 YELLOW. OR BITING STONECROP (Sedum acre L) Sometimes called Wall pepper this plant seems to require the minimum of soil to sustain it for it may be found on old stone roofs stone walls rocks sand dunes and chalk downs. In June the patches of small fleshy leaved stems gradually become yellow when the flowers at their tips open. In full bloom the plant makes fine solid patches of colour. The names "Biting" and "Pepper" refer to the bitter flavour of its leaves.
	25 BURNET ROSE (Rosa spinosissimai L) A dwarf of the Rose family for it rarely attains a height of more than nine inches. It prefers to grow laterally spreading by suckers and often covering large areas. It is fond of sand dunes and rough turf near the sea but is also found on dry hills and heaths It begins to bloom in May and will continue through the Summer. The stems are armed with numerous prickles and hairs.
	26 AMPHIBIOUS PERSICARIA (Polygonum amphibium L) The painting depicts the aquatic form of this plant with its floating leaves and stems. It requires the still waters of ditches ponds and lakes in which to grow. The terrestrial form grows in the mud by the water side and has ascending or erect stems. It flowers in July and August. Whether growing in water or on land it is capable of covering large areas.
	27 WHITE WATER LILY (Nympnaea alba L) This fine and decorative plant likes the still water of ponds and lakes. It is widespread throughout. Britain and I have seen it blooming on a lochan in the high hills of Sutherland. When young the leaves are folded and are red but they soon uncurl and flatten on to the water surface. The wax like flowers are very exquisite. They first appear enclosed in their four sepals in June and the flowering continues until August
	28 YELLOW WATER LILY (Nuphar lulea L) Sometimes called "Brandybottle" because of the flagon shaped fruit. This Water lily bears its flowers above the water surface. The conspicuous outer cup is made up of five sepals. The true petals are almost concealed between the numerous stamens and the sepals The leaves differ from those of the White Water lily for whereas the veins in this form radiate from the centre those of the Yellow Water Lily are parallel and spring from a mid rib. It flowers from June to August;
	29 CENTAURY (Centaurium umbellatum Gilib) This is a plant which varies much in size according to its situation. On sand dunes and open sites it remains small two to four inches but by the edges of woods and other sheltered positions up to ten inches. It has a long flowering period June to September and on the sand dunes it is one of the most beautiful flowers. The painting depicts a dune specimen.
	30 ROCK SAMPHIRE (Crithmum maritimum L) On the west and south coasts of Britain this plant may be found growing from crevices in the rocks and cliffs sometimes in great masses. It flowers in mid Summer and in spite of the peculiar fleshy appearance of its leaves and stems it belongs to that large family the Umbelliferae. In the old days housewives used Samphire for pickling and it was regularly harvested.
	31 SEA PINK (Armeria maritima Will L) On cliffs and rocks on saltings and salt marshes around Britain the Sea pink enlivens the scene with its patches and drifts of pink flowers. The grass like leaves pack close and form cushions from which the flower stalks spring. The Sea pink has a long flowering period April to September and even when the blooms have lost their colour they still retain their form often into late Autumn and the beginning of Winter.
	32 SEA LAVENDER (Limonium binervosum GE Sm) As its name indicates this plant may be found on rocks by the sea. Essentially the rocks must be above the high tide mark. It grows also on cliffs and pebble banks not affected by the tides. It is an elegant plant with flowering stems six to ten inches high which are in bloom from July to September The leaves are very variable in shape.
	33 HORNED POPPY (Glaueium flavum Crantz) This striking plant with its large yellow flowers three to four inches across and its bold bluish leaves grows on the sandy shores and shingle banks of our coasts. Its name "Horned" refers to the seed pods which after the plant has flowered may reach a length of from six to twelve inches. The plant may attain a height of two feet It has a long flowering period from June to October.
	34 SEA HOLLY (Eryngium maritimum L) Like many other plants which grow near the sea this plant has blue or glaucous foliage. It is called Holly and looks like a Thistle but actually it is a member of the Umbelliferae. The plant from one to two feet high flowers in July and August. It grows on sandy shores and shingle around the coasts of Britain and as far north as the Shetlands.
	35 FOXGLOVE (Digilalis pulpuied L) On hanks and by hedges In rough heath and in woods and copses the foxglove grows and thrives. Its tall spike of rosy purple flowers springs from a rosette of large downy leaves. The flower sprays may reach a height of from two to four feet It often grows ill large colonies which when in full bloom can provide a wonderful mass of colour. It flowers from July to September .
	36 GREATER BINDWEED (Calystegia sepium L) A common plant of the southern part of Britain found in hedges woods and gardens. It is a climbing plant the stems extending many feet and gardeners abhor it. However it bears a fine flower pure waxy white and bell shaped and where it does no harm is very beautiful. The flowers open in the daytime and close at night. It blooms from June to August.
	37 SOAPWORT (Saponaria officinalis L) There seems to be some doubt as to whether this plant is a true native or an introduced species Certain it is that it is often found near villages on waste ground and by the roadside It often grows in colonies when the large heads of pink flowers make a pleasing patch of colour. The flower stems are from one to two feet high It is beloved by hawk moths the flower being visited both by day and night
	38 COLUMBINE (Aquilegia vulgaris L) Only one Columbine found in Britain is truly wild. Others have been introduced or are garden escapees. The typical wild plant grows in copses and open woods. It is a tall plant two feet on more high and elegant in all its parts. The curved hollow tubes which terminate the five petals give the flower a unique shape. The leaves too are beautiful for they are divided and subdivided in forms of three.
	39 HERB ROBERT (eranium roberlianum L) Herb Robert is a cheerful little plant its fern like leaves red stems and pink flowers gracing many an old drystone wall and dry bank. Autumn when the plant may still be in flower it becomes increasingly attractive for some of the leaves turn bright red especially in those which grow on stone walls. It blooms from May to September. It is a Cranes bill and has the beaked seed heads characteristic of the family.
	40 CHICORY (Ciehorium inlybus L) This plant sometimes called Succory grows on the dry roadsides in waste ground and by the edges of fields particularly in chalky soil Its stiffly upright flowering stems are from one to three feet high these growing from a rosette of leaves upon the ground It flowers from July to October On the Continent the roots of this flower are roasted and ground this serving as a substitute for coffee.
	41 RAGGED ROBIN (Lychnis flos cuculi L) A lover of damp places. Marshy fields swamps boggy waste land and the like are its habitats and in summer its fragile pink flowers enliven many an otherwise dreary corner. Each of its five petals are divided into four strap like forms which are the reason for the name "Ragged". The flowering stem rises to a height of two feet and it is in bloom from May to August. It is a near relative of the Red Campion.
	42 HENBANE (Byoscyamus niger L) This is a strange sinister plant. It is poisonous and has an evil smell. Its flowers with their dark purple centres and veinings are distinctive and quite beautiful. They appear from June to August. The plant may grow to a height of two feet. Stems and leaves are covered with glandulan hairs and the plant is sticky. It grows in sandy places near the sea on waste ground and chalky soils.
	43 TUFTED VETCH (Vicia cracca L) From June to August the long bright flower sprays of the Tufted Vetch create gay spots of colour on many a bank and in thickets. It is a rambling scrambling Vetch with stems often four feet long and with tendrils at the ends of the leaves which enable it to cling to branches and twigs for support. It is a native and common throughout the British Isles.
	44 HOUSE LEEK (Sempervivum tectorum L) The native homes of this plant are the great mountains of central and southern Europe but it was introduced into Britain centuries ago and was planted on cottage roofs and stone walls and it is in these situations we find it. Around the parent plant small rosettes of fleshy leaves grow and these in their turn throw out more rosettes so that quite large areas may be covered. Sempervivum means "live for ever".
	45 WalL PENNYWORT (Umbilicus rupeslris Dandy) The name Pennywort refers to the circular leaves which resemble coins with a depression in the centre. On rocks and oldstone walls and on stony banks it may be found the new leaves appearing in the early Spring. The flowers appear from May to August and the flowering spike varies from six to eighteen inches in height. Its distribution is mainly along the western side of Britain.
	46 TANSY (Tanacelum vulgare L) A common plant of the roadsides waste places and hedge banks throughout Britain growing to a height of two feet or more. It flowers from July to September. Each flower head cupped in green leathery bracts is a close packed mass of florets so close that they appear like felt. The plant has a strongly aromatic smell and in olden days it was used as an ingredient of certain dishes as well as a medicine.
	47 ROSE BAY WILLOW HERB (Chamaenerion augustifolium Scop) This fine plant often grows in large colonies. Waste ground woodlands particularly in the areas where timber has been felled embankments and bombed sites are its favourite situations and when a large colony is in flower it is a brilliant sea of colour The shape of the four petalled flower is interesting for the petals are arranged in the upper part of the disc. Its seeds are borne by the wind by means of a tuft of long slender white hairs at one end and the plant rapidly spreads if not interfered with.
	48 CARLINE thISTLE (Carlina vulgaris L) A Thistle of the chalk and limestone country and of sand dunes. Its single flower stem armed with prickly leaves rises from a rosette of dead leaves those of the previous year for this plant is a biennial and flowers in the second year from July to October. Even after the flowering season the flower retains its form in a dry state through the Winter. The name is supposed to commemorate Charlemagne who used the plant to cure his army of plague.
	49 PURPLE ILOSSEtrIFE (Lythrum salicaria L) This fine plant is found near water 800 often in great quantities. By river banks and pond margins its tall spires of flowers make vivid patches of colour in late Summer. The plant may be from three to five feet in height. It has three forms of flowers on different plants long medium. and is short styled and with each six differing lengths of stamens. Three different sizes of pollen grains are found in the three types.
	50 MEADOW SAFFRON (Colchicum autumnale L) In the Autumn months the delicate blooms of the Meadow Saffron may be found growing in damp pastures and meadows and in woods; its flowers quite unprotected by leaves of any kind. Its broad leaves and fruits appear in Spring and by the time the flowers appear are no longer to be seen. Though it may be found in England and Wales it is very local in its distribution and cannot be considered common.
	Illustrated and described by C F Tunnicliffe

"Scorchio"
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