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

Stock

      Sea Stock Matthiola sinuata HEIGHT to 80cm

      Downy, grey-green perennial, the base of which is not woody. Associated with coastal dunes and sea cliffs. FLOWERS Fragrant, 25–30mm across, with 4 pinkish petals (June–Aug). FRUITS Narrow, elongated pods. LEAVES Narrow, with toothed or lobed margins. STATUS Rare; SW England, S Wales, S Ireland and Channel Islands only.

      Winter-cress

      Winter-cress

      Winter-cress Barbarea vulgaris HEIGHT to 80cm

      Upright, hairless perennial of damp ground. FLOWERS 7–9mm across with 4 yellow petals; in terminal heads (May–Aug). FRUITS Long, narrow, 4-sided pods. LEAVES Dark green, shiny; lower ones divided, the end lobe large and oval; upper stem leaves entire. STATUS Widespread but commonest in the south.

      Medium-flowered Winter-cress

      Medium-flowered Winter-cress

      Medium-flowered Winter-cress Barbarea intermedia HEIGHT to 80cm

      Upright, hairless perennial of waste ground. FLOWERS 5–6mm across with 4 yellow petals; in terminal heads (Mar–Aug). FRUITS Long, narrow, 4-sided pods. LEAVES Dark green, shiny; all lobed. STATUS Introduced, occasional but seemingly increasing.

      Marsh Yellow-cress

      Marsh Yellow-cress

      Marsh Yellow-cress Rorippa palustris HEIGHT to 50cm

      Annual of damp, marshy hollows, sometimes growing in shallow water. Stems upright, angular, hollow. FLOWERS 3mm across with 4 yellow petals equal in length to sepals; in terminal heads (June–Oct). FRUITS Elliptical pods, 4–6mm long. LEAVES Pinnately lobed. STATUS Locally common throughout, except in the north.

      Creeping Yellow-cress

      Creeping Yellow-cress

      Creeping Yellow-cress Rorippa sylvestris HEIGHT to 50cm

      Sprawling annual of damp, bare ground, with solid, not hollow, stems. FLOWERS 5mm across with 4 yellow petals twice as long as sepals; in terminal heads (June–Oct). FRUITS Elliptical pods, 8–15mm long. LEAVES Pinnately lobed. STATUS Locally common in England and Wales; scarce elsewhere.

       Great Yellow-cress

      Great Yellow-cress

      Great Yellow-cress Rorippa amphibia HEIGHT to 1.2m

      Robust, hairless perennial with stout, hollow stems. Favours damp ground and the margins of freshwater habitats. FLOWERS 5–7mm across with 4 yellow petals twice as long as sepals; in terminal heads (June–Sep). FRUITS Elliptical pods, 3–6mm long. LEAVES Shallowly lobed. STATUS Locally common in south but absent from north.

      Water-cress

      Water-cress Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum HEIGHT to 15cm

      Usually creeping perennial of shallow streams and ditches. FLOWERS 4–6mm across with 4 white petals; in terminal heads (May–Oct). FRUITS Narrow pods, 16–18mm long, containing 2 rows of seeds. LEAVES Dark green and pinnately divided; persisting through winter. STATUS Widespread and common; widely cultivated in S England.

      Hairy Bitter-cress

      Hairy Bitter-cress

      Hairy Bitter-cress Cardamine hirsuta HEIGHT to 30cm

      Upright annual with hairless stems. Found on damp, disturbed ground. FLOWERS 2–3mm across (petals sometimes absent) and terminal (Feb–Nov). FRUITS Curved, up to 2.5cm long, overtopping flowers. LEAVES Pinnately divided with rounded lobes; seen mainly as a basal rosette plus 1–4 stem leaves. STATUS Widespread and common.

      Wavy Bitter-cress

      Wavy Bitter-cress

      Wavy Bitter-cress Cardamine flexuosa HEIGHT to 50cm

      Similar to Hairy Bitter-cress but taller and with wavy, hairy stems. Favours damp and disturbed ground. FLOWERS 3–4mm across with 4 white petals (Mar–Sep). FRUITS Curved, barely overtopping flowers. LEAVES Pinnately divided with rounded lobes; seen as a basal