Photographs Of The Hurst Water Meadow Flora

All the photographs shown were taken in the Hurst Water Meadow. All species have been identified using the new flora Wild flowers of Britain & Ireland by Marjorie Blamey, Richard Fitter and Alastair Fitter, published by A & C Black 2003.

See a list of species recorded in The Hurst Water Meadow Site Management Plan 1996-2000, produced by Isabel Jones, Mark Stevenson and Steve Gregory for the Northmoor Trust (Director Dr Steve Head)

Blackthorn

Flowers in March, before the leaves come out. The sharp thorns have made this a favourite plant for hedging. The fruit, sloes, are a commonly made up into sloe gin.

Blackthorn, Prunus spinosa

Cocksfoot

So-called because the flower head resembles a cock's foot. The best grass for chewing, very sweet - pull a nice clean length of the stem out of the leaf-base.

Cocksfoot, Dactylis glomerata

Common Comfrey

Flowers May to July. Still used as a healing poultice for sprains, bruises and abrasions.

Common comfrey, Symphytum officinale

Cowslip

Flowers March to April. Cowslips used to be strewn on bridal paths and worn as a head-wreath on May Day. Specimens in the Hurst have been re-introduced from the Sinodun Hills.

Cowslip, Primula veris

Dogwood

Flowers June to July, fruits a black berry. Used to be used for butchers' skewers.

Dogwood, Cornus sanguinea

Germander Speedwell

Flowers April to July. Said to speed you on your journey, the flowers sometimes being sewn into a traveler's clothes for good luck.

Germander speedwell, Veronica chamaedrys

Goat's Beard

Flowers May to August, but the dandelion-like flowers open only in the morning. The seed 'clock' is as elaborate as an astrolabe.

Goat’s beard, Tragopogon pratensis

Hogweed

The commonest tall wayside umbellifer of the summer and autumn. Children used to make pea-shooters out of the large, hollow seeding stems.

Hogweed, Heraleum sphondylium

Meadow Crane's-bill

Flowers June to September. A very striking flower, and a distinctive seed case shaped like a bird's bill.

Meadow Crane’s-bill, Geranium pratense

Meadow Foxtail

A perennial grass that flowers from April until June

Meadow foxtail, Alopecurus pratensis

Ox-eye Daisy

Flowers May to September. One of the first meadow flowers to colonise unsprayed grassland.

Ox-eye daisy, Leucanthemum vulgare

Red Clover

Flowers May to November. Cultivated varieties of this species are used as fodder crops and frequently become naturalised.

Red clover, Trifolium pratense

Ribwort Plantain

Flowers April to October. Used by children in the game of soldiers or as a substitute for conkers.

Ribwort plantain, Plantago lanceolata

Silverweed

Flowers April to October. Used by children in the game of soldiers or as a substitute for conkers.

Silverweed, Potentilla anserina

Snake's-head Fritillary

Flowers April to May. Introduced into the Hurst in 2000 from the Iffley Meadows, near Oxford, and flowering for the first time in 2003. Used to be so common in Oxfordshire that the flowers would be picked in return for money for charity on Fritillary Sunday.

Snake’s-head fritillary, Fritillaria meleagris

Tall Fescue

Flowers May to July.

Tall fescue, Festuca arundinacea

Water Plantain

Flowers June to August. Found in the wet ditches.

Water-plantain, Alisma plantago-aquatica

Wintercress

Flowers May to July. Leaves have been eaten as a vegetable but are very bitter.

Wintercress, Barbarea vulgaris