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

long silky hairs. LEAVES Divided 2 or 3 times and comprising narrow leaflets. STATUS Rare and restricted to a few sites in S and E England.

      Traveller’s-joy

      Flowers

      Fruits

      Traveller’s-joy Clematis vitalba LENGTH to 20m

      Scrambling hedgerow perennial of chalky soils. FLOWERS Creamy, with prominent stamens; in clusters (July–Aug). FRUITS Comprising clusters of seeds with woolly, whitish plumes, hence plant’s alternative name of Old Man’s Beard. LEAVES Divided into 3–5 leaflets. STATUS Locally common in central and S England, and Wales.

      Common Meadow-rue

      Common Meadow-rue Thalictrum flavum HEIGHT to 1m

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

      Lesser Meadow-rue

      Lesser Meadow-rue

      Lesser Meadow-rue Thalictrum minus HEIGHT to 1m

      Variable, often short perennial of dunes, dry grassland and rocky slopes; mainly on basic soils. FLOWERS Yellowish, tinged purple, with prominent dangling stamens; in open clusters, flowers drooping at first then erect (June–Aug). FRUITS Dry, papery. LEAVES Pinnately divided 3 or 4 times. STATUS Widespread but local.

      Alpine Meadow-rue

      Alpine Meadow-rue Thalictrum alpinum HEIGHT to 15cm

      Short, easily overlooked perennial of upland grassland and mountain ledges. FLOWERS With purplish sepals and stamens and yellow anthers; in terminal clusters on slender stems (May–July). FRUITS Dry, papery. LEAVES Twice trifoliate with dark green, rounded leaflets. STATUS Local from N Wales to Scotland; scarce in W Ireland.

Fumitory and Poppy Families

      Common Fumitory

      Common Fumitory Fumaria officinalis (Fumariaceae) HEIGHT to 10cm

      Scrambling annual of well-drained arable soils. FLOWERS 6–7mm long, pink with crimson tips, spurred and 2-lipped, the lower petal paddle-shaped; in elongating spikes (Apr–Oct). FRUITS Globular, 1-seeded. LEAVES Grey-green, much divided; lobes all in one plane. STATUS Widespread and common.

      Common Ramping-fumitory

      Common Ramping-fumitory

      Common Ramping-fumitory Fumaria muralis (Fumariaceae) HEIGHT to 10cm

      Spreading or upright annual of arable land, banks and walls. FLOWERS 9–11mm long, pinkish purple with dark tips, the lower petal almost parallel-sided (not paddle-shaped) with erect margins; in spikes of 12–15 flowers (Apr–Oct). FRUITS Globular, 1-seeded. LEAVES Much divided. STATUS Widespread and fairly common.

      Tall Ramping-fumitory

      Tall Ramping-fumitory Fumaria bastardii (Fumariaceae) HEIGHT to 15cm

      Robust upright annual of arable fields and waste ground. FLOWERS 9–11mm long, pink with a purple tip, the lower petal parallel-sided (not paddle-shaped); in spikes of 15–25 flowers (Apr–Oct). FRUITS Globular, 1-seeded. LEAVES Much divided. STATUS Widespread and fairly common only in W.

      Climbing Corydalis

      Climbing Corydalis Ceratocapnos claviculata (Fumariaceae) HEIGHT to 70cm

      Delicate, climbing annual of woodland and scrub, mainly on acid soils. FLOWERS Creamy white, 5–6mm long; in clusters (June–Sep). FRUITS 2-to 3-seeded capsules. LEAVES Much divided, ending in tendrils that assist climbing. STATUS Widespread and common in W Britain but rare in Ireland.

      Yellow Corydalis

      Yellow Corydalis Pseudofumaria lutea (Fumariaceae) HEIGHT to 30cm

      Tufted, hairless perennial found on rocky ground and old walls. FLOWERS 12–18mm long, bright yellow, 2-lipped; in clusters opposite