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  • Sage-leaved Pear Pyrus salvifolia (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Small, much-branched tree. BARK Rough and scaly. BRANCHES Spreading and spiny with blackish, almost hairless old twigs. LEAVES To 5cm long, elliptical, smooth above and grey and woolly below. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White flowers open with the leaves, followed by pear-shaped fruit, to 8cm long. Pedicel and young fruit are woolly; bitter fruit ripens yellow; used to make Perry. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Occurs in the wild from France eastwards; planted here occasionally. COMMENT Possibly a hybrid between P. communis and P. nivalis.
    134685.jpg
  • Sage-leaved Pear Pyrus salvifolia (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Small, much-branched tree. BARK Rough and scaly. BRANCHES Spreading and spiny with blackish, almost hairless old twigs. LEAVES To 5cm long, elliptical, smooth above and grey and woolly below. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White flowers open with the leaves, followed by pear-shaped fruit, to 8cm long. Pedicel and young fruit are woolly; bitter fruit ripens yellow; used to make Perry. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Occurs in the wild from France eastwards; planted here occasionally. COMMENT Possibly a hybrid between P. communis and P. nivalis.
    132532.jpg
  • Sage-leaved Pear Pyrus salvifolia (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Small, much-branched tree. BARK Rough and scaly. BRANCHES Spreading and spiny with blackish, almost hairless old twigs. LEAVES To 5cm long, elliptical, smooth above and grey and woolly below. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White flowers open with the leaves, followed by pear-shaped fruit, to 8cm long. Pedicel and young fruit are woolly; bitter fruit ripens yellow; used to make Perry. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Occurs in the wild from France eastwards; planted here occasionally. COMMENT Possibly a hybrid between P. communis and P. nivalis.
    132528.jpg
  • COMMON COTTONGRASS Eriophorum angustifolium (Cyperaceae) Height to 75cm. Upright perennial, distinctive when in fruit. Grows in very boggy ground with peaty, acid soils. FLOWERS are in inflorescences of drooping, stalked spikelets (Apr-May). FRUITS are dark brown with cottony hairs; fruiting heads resemble balls of cotton wool. LEAVES are dark green and narrow. STATUS-Locally common throughout.
    153719.jpg
  • COMMON COTTONGRASS Eriophorum angustifolium (Cyperaceae) Height to 75cm. Upright perennial, distinctive when in fruit. Grows in very boggy ground with peaty, acid soils. FLOWERS are in inflorescences of drooping, stalked spikelets (Apr-May). FRUITS are dark brown with cottony hairs; fruiting heads resemble balls of cotton wool. LEAVES are dark green and narrow. STATUS-Locally common throughout.
    153720.jpg
  • COMMON COTTONGRASS Eriophorum angustifolium (Cyperaceae) Height to 75cm. Upright perennial, distinctive when in fruit. Grows in very boggy ground with peaty, acid soils. FLOWERS are in inflorescences of drooping, stalked spikelets (Apr-May). FRUITS are dark brown with cottony hairs; fruiting heads resemble balls of cotton wool. LEAVES are dark green and narrow. STATUS-Locally common throughout.
    131743.jpg
  • COMMON COTTONGRASS Eriophorum angustifolium (Cyperaceae) Height to 75cm. Upright perennial, distinctive when in fruit. Grows in very boggy ground with peaty, acid soils. FLOWERS are in inflorescences of drooping, stalked spikelets (Apr-May). FRUITS are dark brown with cottony hairs; fruiting heads resemble balls of cotton wool. LEAVES are dark green and narrow. STATUS-Locally common throughout.
    145300.jpg
  • Similar to Wild Crab M. sylvestris Malus ‘John Downie’ is a popular cultivar. It has rather narrow leaves and fruit that mature bright reddish orange. Unlike Wild Crab, the fruit and edible and delicious; they still make good jelly although without the same degree of sourness.
    134810.jpg
  • Service-tree Sorbus domestica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 20m<br />
Resembles Rowan but note subtle differences in bark, buds and fruit. BARK Rich brown bark, fissured, ridged and often peels in vertical shreds. BRANCHES Upright to spreading. Buds are smooth, rounded and green, unlike the purple, pointed buds of the Rowan. LEAVES Alternate and pinnate, composed of up to 8 pairs of oblong, toothed leaflets about 5cm long, and softly hairy on underside. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in May in rounded, branched clusters; each flower is about 1.5cm across and composed of 5 creamy-white petals. Small pear- or sometimes apple-shaped fruits are up to 2cm long and green or brown like a russet apple. They have a very sharp taste when ripe, but after a frost they become more palatable. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widespread in southern Europe and a rare British native; also planted occasionally.
    134646.jpg
  • fruit of Eucalyptus sp.
    133256.jpg
  • Strawberry Tree Arbutus unedo (Ericaceae) Height to 9m <br />
Small, spreading evergreen tree with a short bole and a dense, domed crown. BARK Reddish, peeling away in shreds that turn brown. BRANCHES Often ascending and twisted; twigs slightly hairy and reddish. LEAVES To 11cm long, with either sharply toothed or entire margins, and a prominent midrib. Dark glossy-green above, paler below; 1cm-long petiole is usually red and hairy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers borne in pendulous clusters late in year at same time as fruits from previous year; flowers white, to 9mm long, and sometimes tinged pink or green. Fruit is a round berry, to 2cm across; warty skin ripens from yellow through orange to deep red; flesh is acidic. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Main native range is SW Europe and Mediterranean; also occurs naturally in SW Ireland in open woods and thickets. Planted widely elsewhere.
    135450.jpg
  • Large-leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos (Tiliaceae) HEIGHT to 40m. Tall and often narrow deciduous tree. Bole is normally free of suckers and shoots, distinguishing this species from Lime. BARK Dark-grey with fine fissures in older trees, which can sometimes be ridged. BRANCHES Mostly ascending but with slightly pendent tips. Twigs are reddish-green and sometimes slightly downy at tip, and ovoid buds, to 6mm long, are dark red and sometimes slightly downy. LEAVES To 9cm long, sometimes to 15cm long, broadly ovate, with a short tapering point and irregularly heart-shaped base. Margins are sharply toothed, upper surface is soft and dark green and lower surface is paler and sometimes slightly hairy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Yellowish-white flowers are borne in clusters of up to 6 on whitish-green, slightly downy bracts, usually opening in June. Hard, woody fruit is up to 1.8cm long, almost rounded or slightly pear-shaped with 3–5 ridges; a few remain on lower branches in winter. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of lime-rich soils in Europe; in Britain it is native to central and S England and Wales, having been introduced elsewhere; it is often planted as a street tree.
    135445.jpg
  • Medlar Mespilus germanica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 9m <br />
Sometimes a small, rounded tree, or often a spreading and untidy shrub. BARK Greyish-brown, in old trees breaking into oblong plates with deep fissures. BRANCHES Young shoots are densely hairy. LEAVES To 15cm long, lanceolate to ovate with entire or sometimes very finely toothed margins and deep veins; often a yellowish-green colour and almost shiny above, with dense white hairs on the underside. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Solitary white flowers are up to 6cm across, with sepals longer than the petals and about 40 red anthers. The curious fruit is about 3cm long, divided into 5 carpels, with a brown russet-like skin and a sunken apex. It is edible, but not until it has started to rot, when it can be used in preserves. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of the woodlands of SE Europe and Asia Minor, but has been in cultivation elsewhere for a long time. Usually found in old gardens, but is also naturalised in some woodlands.
    129959.jpg
  • Quince Cydonia oblonga (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7.5m <br />
Small, irregularly spreading, deciduous tree with a flattened crown. BARK Greyish brown. BRANCHES Dense. The shoots are noticeably woolly at first, but lose this as they become older. LEAVES Up to 10cm long with entire margins; the upper surface is green and mostly smooth, and the lower surface is greyer and markedly downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Attractive pink-tinged white flowers, which are at their best in April–May, are up to 5cm in diameter and bowl-shaped, containing yellowish anthers and stigmas. Fruit is up to 3.5cm long, resembling a small pear, greenish at first and becoming golden-yellow when mature with a pleasing fragrance. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, but long cultivated elsewhere, including in our region, for its fruits.
    135127.jpg
  • Service-tree Sorbus domestica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 20m<br />
Resembles Rowan but note subtle differences in bark, buds and fruit. BARK Rich brown bark, fissured, ridged and often peels in vertical shreds. BRANCHES Upright to spreading. Buds are smooth, rounded and green, unlike the purple, pointed buds of the Rowan. LEAVES Alternate and pinnate, composed of up to 8 pairs of oblong, toothed leaflets about 5cm long, and softly hairy on underside. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in May in rounded, branched clusters; each flower is about 1.5cm across and composed of 5 creamy-white petals. Small pear- or sometimes apple-shaped fruits are up to 2cm long and green or brown like a russet apple. They have a very sharp taste when ripe, but after a frost they become more palatable. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widespread in southern Europe and a rare British native; also planted occasionally.
    134679.jpg
  • Apricot Prunus armeniaca (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m <br />
Small, rounded deciduous tree. BARK Greyish-brown with fine fissures. BRANCHES Twisted and dense with smooth reddish twigs. LEAVES Heart-shaped, reddish when first open, later becoming green above and yellowish beneath, on a red petiole with 2 glands near leaf base. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White or pale-pink short-stalked flowers, solitary paired, open before leaves. Fruit, to 8cm long, is rounded, the downy red-tinged skin surrounding a rather acid-tasting juicy flesh that becomes sweet only when fully ripe. Stone is flattened, elliptical and smooth, with 3 raised lines along one edge. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of central and E Asia, grown for its edible fruits; requires shelter in our region.
    134527.jpg
  • Similar to Wild Crab M. sylvestris Malus ‘John Downie’ is a popular cultivar. It has rather narrow leaves and fruit that mature bright reddish orange. Unlike Wild Crab, the fruit and edible and delicious; they still make good jelly although without the same degree of sourness.
    133790.jpg
  • Quince Cydonia oblonga (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7.5m <br />
Small, irregularly spreading, deciduous tree with a flattened crown. BARK Greyish brown. BRANCHES Dense. The shoots are noticeably woolly at first, but lose this as they become older. LEAVES Up to 10cm long with entire margins; the upper surface is green and mostly smooth, and the lower surface is greyer and markedly downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Attractive pink-tinged white flowers, which are at their best in April–May, are up to 5cm in diameter and bowl-shaped, containing yellowish anthers and stigmas. Fruit is up to 3.5cm long, resembling a small pear, greenish at first and becoming golden-yellow when mature with a pleasing fragrance. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, but long cultivated elsewhere, including in our region, for its fruits.
    133004.jpg
  • Lime Tilia x europaea Tiliaceae Height to 46m<br />
Hybrid between Small-leaved and Large-leaved Limes; suckers freely. Bark Grey-brown, ridged. Branches Ascending and arching; twigs green. Leaves To 10cm long, ovate with heart-shaped base; hairs in vein axils below. Reproductive parts Flowers yellowish, 5-petalled, clustered, with greenish bract. Fruit hard and rounded. Status Widely planted.
    135456.jpg
  • Small-leaved Lime Tilia cordata Tiliaceae Height to 32m<br />
Deciduous tree; dense crown, untidy with age. Bark Smooth, grey; darkens and flakes with age. Branches Ascending; twigs reddish above, olive below. Leaves To 9cm long, rounded with heart-shaped base; vein axils hairy below. Reproductive parts Flowers 5-petalled, pale with green bract; project in all directions. Fruit round, hard, 6mm across. Status Local.
    135444.jpg
  • Quince Cydonia oblonga (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7.5m <br />
Small, irregularly spreading, deciduous tree with a flattened crown. BARK Greyish brown. BRANCHES Dense. The shoots are noticeably woolly at first, but lose this as they become older. LEAVES Up to 10cm long with entire margins; the upper surface is green and mostly smooth, and the lower surface is greyer and markedly downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Attractive pink-tinged white flowers, which are at their best in April–May, are up to 5cm in diameter and bowl-shaped, containing yellowish anthers and stigmas. Fruit is up to 3.5cm long, resembling a small pear, greenish at first and becoming golden-yellow when mature with a pleasing fragrance. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, but long cultivated elsewhere, including in our region, for its fruits.
    135209.jpg
  • Quince Cydonia oblonga (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7.5m <br />
Small, irregularly spreading, deciduous tree with a flattened crown. BARK Greyish brown. BRANCHES Dense. The shoots are noticeably woolly at first, but lose this as they become older. LEAVES Up to 10cm long with entire margins; the upper surface is green and mostly smooth, and the lower surface is greyer and markedly downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Attractive pink-tinged white flowers, which are at their best in April–May, are up to 5cm in diameter and bowl-shaped, containing yellowish anthers and stigmas. Fruit is up to 3.5cm long, resembling a small pear, greenish at first and becoming golden-yellow when mature with a pleasing fragrance. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, but long cultivated elsewhere, including in our region, for its fruits.
    135129.jpg
  • Quince Cydonia oblonga (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7.5m <br />
Small, irregularly spreading, deciduous tree with a flattened crown. BARK Greyish brown. BRANCHES Dense. The shoots are noticeably woolly at first, but lose this as they become older. LEAVES Up to 10cm long with entire margins; the upper surface is green and mostly smooth, and the lower surface is greyer and markedly downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Attractive pink-tinged white flowers, which are at their best in April–May, are up to 5cm in diameter and bowl-shaped, containing yellowish anthers and stigmas. Fruit is up to 3.5cm long, resembling a small pear, greenish at first and becoming golden-yellow when mature with a pleasing fragrance. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, but long cultivated elsewhere, including in our region, for its fruits.
    135128.jpg
  • Service-tree Sorbus domestica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 20m<br />
Resembles Rowan but note subtle differences in bark, buds and fruit. BARK Rich brown bark, fissured, ridged and often peels in vertical shreds. BRANCHES Upright to spreading. Buds are smooth, rounded and green, unlike the purple, pointed buds of the Rowan. LEAVES Alternate and pinnate, composed of up to 8 pairs of oblong, toothed leaflets about 5cm long, and softly hairy on underside. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in May in rounded, branched clusters; each flower is about 1.5cm across and composed of 5 creamy-white petals. Small pear- or sometimes apple-shaped fruits are up to 2cm long and green or brown like a russet apple. They have a very sharp taste when ripe, but after a frost they become more palatable. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widespread in southern Europe and a rare British native; also planted occasionally.
    134863.jpg
  • Dwarf Cherry (Sour Cherry) Prunus cerasus (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 8m. A small deciduous tree with a very short, branching bole and a rounded shrubby outline, often surrounded by suckers. BARK Reddish-brown and twigs are smooth. LEAVES To 8cm long, oval to elliptic and sharply pointed at tip, with a tapering base and toothed margin; on 1–3cm-long petioles. Young leaves are slightly downy below, and upper surface is always smooth and shiny. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Long-stalked white flowers usually open just before leaves in April–May, and grow in clusters of 2–6. Fruits, to 1.8cm long are rounded with a slightly depressed apex, usually bright red or blackish-red. Flesh is soft and tastes acidic, and stone is rounded and smooth. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, but widely cultivated for its fruit, which is used mainly in preserves when it loses much of its acidity.
    134805.jpg
  • Cornelian-cherry Cornus mas (Cornaceae) HEIGHT to 8m <br />
Small, spreading deciduous tree with an untidy crown. BARK Reddish brown. BRANCHES Mostly level, ending in numerous greenish-yellow, slightly downy twigs. LEAVES Opposite, short-stalked, ovate and pointed, to 10cm long and 4cm wide with rounded bases; dull green above and slightly downy with entire margins. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers in small stalked heads, about 2cm across, consist of up to 25 small yellow flowers, each about 4mm across. Flowers open early in year, well before leaves. Fruit is a short-stalked, pendulous, bright-red, fleshy berry, to 2cm long, with pitted apex and acid taste. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of scrub and open woodlands in central and SE Europe, grown here for its winter flowers and edible fruits. Naturalised occasionally.
    134571.jpg
  • Service-tree Sorbus domestica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 20m<br />
Resembles Rowan but note subtle differences in bark, buds and fruit. BARK Rich brown bark, fissured, ridged and often peels in vertical shreds. BRANCHES Upright to spreading. Buds are smooth, rounded and green, unlike the purple, pointed buds of the Rowan. LEAVES Alternate and pinnate, composed of up to 8 pairs of oblong, toothed leaflets about 5cm long, and softly hairy on underside. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in May in rounded, branched clusters; each flower is about 1.5cm across and composed of 5 creamy-white petals. Small pear- or sometimes apple-shaped fruits are up to 2cm long and green or brown like a russet apple. They have a very sharp taste when ripe, but after a frost they become more palatable. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widespread in southern Europe and a rare British native; also planted occasionally.
    134558.jpg
  • Apricot Prunus armeniaca (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m <br />
Small, rounded deciduous tree. BARK Greyish-brown with fine fissures. BRANCHES Twisted and dense with smooth reddish twigs. LEAVES Heart-shaped, reddish when first open, later becoming green above and yellowish beneath, on a red petiole with 2 glands near leaf base. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White or pale-pink short-stalked flowers, solitary paired, open before leaves. Fruit, to 8cm long, is rounded, the downy red-tinged skin surrounding a rather acid-tasting juicy flesh that becomes sweet only when fully ripe. Stone is flattened, elliptical and smooth, with 3 raised lines along one edge. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of central and E Asia, grown for its edible fruits; requires shelter in our region.
    134534.jpg
  • Quince Cydonia oblonga (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7.5m <br />
Small, irregularly spreading, deciduous tree with a flattened crown. BARK Greyish brown. BRANCHES Dense. The shoots are noticeably woolly at first, but lose this as they become older. LEAVES Up to 10cm long with entire margins; the upper surface is green and mostly smooth, and the lower surface is greyer and markedly downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Attractive pink-tinged white flowers, which are at their best in April–May, are up to 5cm in diameter and bowl-shaped, containing yellowish anthers and stigmas. Fruit is up to 3.5cm long, resembling a small pear, greenish at first and becoming golden-yellow when mature with a pleasing fragrance. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, but long cultivated elsewhere, including in our region, for its fruits.
    133875.jpg
  • Quince Cydonia oblonga (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7.5m <br />
Small, irregularly spreading, deciduous tree with a flattened crown. BARK Greyish brown. BRANCHES Dense. The shoots are noticeably woolly at first, but lose this as they become older. LEAVES Up to 10cm long with entire margins; the upper surface is green and mostly smooth, and the lower surface is greyer and markedly downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Attractive pink-tinged white flowers, which are at their best in April–May, are up to 5cm in diameter and bowl-shaped, containing yellowish anthers and stigmas. Fruit is up to 3.5cm long, resembling a small pear, greenish at first and becoming golden-yellow when mature with a pleasing fragrance. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, but long cultivated elsewhere, including in our region, for its fruits.
    133873.jpg
  • Similar to Wild Crab M. sylvestris Malus ‘John Downie’ is a popular cultivar. It has rather narrow leaves and fruit that mature bright reddish orange. Unlike Wild Crab, the fruit and edible and delicious; they still make good jelly although without the same degree of sourness.
    133816.jpg
  • Similar to Wild Crab M. sylvestris Malus ‘John Downie’ is a popular cultivar. It has rather narrow leaves and fruit that mature bright reddish orange. Unlike Wild Crab, the fruit and edible and delicious; they still make good jelly although without the same degree of sourness.
    132753.jpg
  • Apricot Prunus armeniaca (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m <br />
Small, rounded deciduous tree. BARK Greyish-brown with fine fissures. BRANCHES Twisted and dense with smooth reddish twigs. LEAVES Heart-shaped, reddish when first open, later becoming green above and yellowish beneath, on a red petiole with 2 glands near leaf base. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White or pale-pink short-stalked flowers, solitary paired, open before leaves. Fruit, to 8cm long, is rounded, the downy red-tinged skin surrounding a rather acid-tasting juicy flesh that becomes sweet only when fully ripe. Stone is flattened, elliptical and smooth, with 3 raised lines along one edge. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of central and E Asia, grown for its edible fruits; requires shelter in our region.
    134528.jpg
  • Similar to Wild Crab M. sylvestris Malus ‘John Downie’ is a popular cultivar. It has rather narrow leaves and fruit that mature bright reddish orange. Unlike Wild Crab, the fruit and edible and delicious; they still make good jelly although without the same degree of sourness.
    133817.jpg
  • Small-leaved Lime Tilia cordata Tiliaceae Height to 32m<br />
Deciduous tree; dense crown, untidy with age. Bark Smooth, grey; darkens and flakes with age. Branches Ascending; twigs reddish above, olive below. Leaves To 9cm long, rounded with heart-shaped base; vein axils hairy below. Reproductive parts Flowers 5-petalled, pale with green bract; project in all directions. Fruit round, hard, 6mm across. Status Local.
    118384.jpg
  • Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica Rhamnaceae Height to 10m<br />
Spreading deciduous shrub or small tree. Bark Dark orange-brown, fissured with age. Branches With slender, slightly spiny shoots. Leaves Ovate to rounded, to 6cm long, finely toothed; veins converge towards leaf tip. Reproductive parts Flowers fragrant, with 4 green petals. Fruit is black, shiny and 8mm across. Status Local native, mainly on chalky soils.
    134430.jpg
  • Date-plum Diospyros lotus (Ebenaceae) HEIGHT to 14m <br />
Small, deciduous tree. BARK Grey or pink-tinged, broken by fissures into small plates. BRANCHES Spreading. LEAVES Ovate or lanceolate with pointed tips and untoothed margins, dark glossy green above and greyer below; young leaves are downy above. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers bell-shaped and salmon-pink or orange-yellow. Male and female flowers on separate trees, males clustered and smaller than single females, which are about 5mm long. Fruit is a 2cm-long, edible berry; ripens from green, through yellow-brown to blue-black. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, planted here occasionally.
    132888.jpg
  • Cabbage Palm Cordyline australis (Agavaceae) HEIGHT to 13m <br />
A superficially palm-like evergreen. Trees that have flowered have a forked trunk with a crown of foliage on top of each fork. BARK Pale brownish-grey, ridged and furrowed. LEAVES Tall, bare trunks are crowned with dense masses of long, spear-like, parallel-veined leaves, to 90cm long and 8cm wide. Upper leaves are mostly erect, but lower leaves hang down to cover top of trunk. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in midsummer in large spikes, to 1.2m long comprising numerous small, fragrant, creamy-white flowers, each about 1cm across, with 6 lobes and 6 stamens. Fruit is a small rounded bluish-white berry about 6mm across containing several black seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of New Zealand, planted here for ornament. It survives quite far north, as long as there is some protection from severe cold, and tolerates a range of soil types. Often used to create the illusion of sub-tropical conditions in coastal resorts.
    132768.jpg
  • Karo Pittosporum crassifolium (Pittosporaceae)HEIGHT to 10m. Small evergreen tree or large shrub. BARK Blackish. BRANCHES Congested. LEAVES Leathery, to 8cm long and 3cm wide, ovate to lanceolate and blunt-tipped; dark green above, paler and woolly below with slightly inrolled margin. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers, in lax clusters, have 5 deep red petals and yellow anthers. Fruit is an ovoid capsule, to 3cm long, matt and light green, with shiny seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of New Zealand, tolerant of salt spray so planted for coastal hedging and naturalised in parts of SW England.
    132402.jpg
  • Guelder-rose Viburnum opulus Caprifoliaceae Height to 4m<br />
Spreading deciduous tree. Bark Reddish brown. Branches Sinuous; twigs smooth, angular and greyish. Leaves Opposite, to 8cm long, with 3–5 irregularly toothed lobes. Reproductive parts Flowers white, in flat heads with showy, outer flowers and smaller, inner ones. Fruit is rounded, translucent red berry, in clusters. Status Favours calcareous soils.
    129864.jpg
  • Almond Prunus dulcis (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 8m <br />
Small, open-crowned tree whose blossom appears early in spring. BARK Blackish, breaking into small oblong plates. BRANCHES Ascending, usually rather spiny with numerous thin twigs but many cultivars are regularly branched and lack spines. LEAVES Alternate, to 13cm long, finely toothed and folded lengthways. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Pink or white flowers are paired and almost sessile; open before leaves. 5 petals each to 2.5cm long, form cup-shaped flowers. Fruit is about 6cm long, flattened ovoid, covered with velvety green down with a tough fleshy layer below, inside which is ridged and pitted ‘stone’ that when cracked reveals edible almond seed. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Probably native to central and SW Asia and N Africa, but long cultivated for seeds and flowers. In our region, it needs protection from harsh winter weather.
    119887.jpg
  • Copper Beech - Fagus sylvatica'Atropunicea' (Purpurea) - beech mast/fruit
    157458.jpg
  • Almond Nut Prunus dulcis (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 8m <br />
Small, open-crowned tree whose blossom appears early in spring. BARK Blackish, breaking into small oblong plates. BRANCHES Ascending, usually rather spiny with numerous thin twigs but many cultivars are regularly branched and lack spines. LEAVES Alternate, to 13cm long, finely toothed and folded lengthways. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Pink or white flowers are paired and almost sessile; open before leaves. 5 petals each to 2.5cm long, form cup-shaped flowers. Fruit is about 6cm long, flattened ovoid, covered with velvety green down with a tough fleshy layer below, inside which is ridged and pitted ‘stone’ that when cracked reveals edible almond seed. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Probably native to central and SW Asia and N Africa, but long cultivated for seeds and flowers. In our region, it needs protection from harsh winter weather.
    133117.jpg
  • Sea-kale in fruit (Crambe maritima) on Hurst Spit, Hampshire
    153756.jpg
  • Medlar Mespilus germanica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 9m <br />
Sometimes a small, rounded tree, or often a spreading and untidy shrub. BARK Greyish-brown, in old trees breaking into oblong plates with deep fissures. BRANCHES Young shoots are densely hairy. LEAVES To 15cm long, lanceolate to ovate with entire or sometimes very finely toothed margins and deep veins; often a yellowish-green colour and almost shiny above, with dense white hairs on the underside. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Solitary white flowers are up to 6cm across, with sepals longer than the petals and about 40 red anthers. The curious fruit is about 3cm long, divided into 5 carpels, with a brown russet-like skin and a sunken apex. It is edible, but not until it has started to rot, when it can be used in preserves. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of the woodlands of SE Europe and Asia Minor, but has been in cultivation elsewhere for a long time. Usually found in old gardens, but is also naturalised in some woodlands.
    135433.jpg
  • Black Mulberry Morus nigra (Moraceae) HEIGHT to 13m<br />
Gnarled bole and dense, twisting branches and twigs make even a young tree look ancient. Crown may be broader than tree is tall. BARK Dark orange-brown, fissured and peeling. Downy shoots release milky juice if snapped. LEAVES To 20cm long, oval with heart-shaped base, toothed margin and pointed tip. Petiole hairy, to 2.5cm long. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flower spikes are produced on short downy stalks in May; yellowish-green male flowers are about 2.5cm long, females are about 1–1.25cm long and give rise to a hard raspberry-like fruit, acidic until fully ripened, when wine-red or purple. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Asia, long cultivated elsewhere. In Britain, found mainly in south, in sheltered gardens.
    135416.jpg
  • Medlar Mespilus germanica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 9m <br />
Sometimes a small, rounded tree, or often a spreading and untidy shrub. BARK Greyish-brown, in old trees breaking into oblong plates with deep fissures. BRANCHES Young shoots are densely hairy. LEAVES To 15cm long, lanceolate to ovate with entire or sometimes very finely toothed margins and deep veins; often a yellowish-green colour and almost shiny above, with dense white hairs on the underside. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Solitary white flowers are up to 6cm across, with sepals longer than the petals and about 40 red anthers. The curious fruit is about 3cm long, divided into 5 carpels, with a brown russet-like skin and a sunken apex. It is edible, but not until it has started to rot, when it can be used in preserves. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of the woodlands of SE Europe and Asia Minor, but has been in cultivation elsewhere for a long time. Usually found in old gardens, but is also naturalised in some woodlands.
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  • Large-leaved Lime Tilia platyphyllos (Tiliaceae) HEIGHT to 40m. Tall and often narrow deciduous tree. Bole is normally free of suckers and shoots, distinguishing this species from Lime. BARK Dark-grey with fine fissures in older trees, which can sometimes be ridged. BRANCHES Mostly ascending but with slightly pendent tips. Twigs are reddish-green and sometimes slightly downy at tip, and ovoid buds, to 6mm long, are dark red and sometimes slightly downy. LEAVES To 9cm long, sometimes to 15cm long, broadly ovate, with a short tapering point and irregularly heart-shaped base. Margins are sharply toothed, upper surface is soft and dark green and lower surface is paler and sometimes slightly hairy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Yellowish-white flowers are borne in clusters of up to 6 on whitish-green, slightly downy bracts, usually opening in June. Hard, woody fruit is up to 1.8cm long, almost rounded or slightly pear-shaped with 3–5 ridges; a few remain on lower branches in winter. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of lime-rich soils in Europe; in Britain it is native to central and S England and Wales, having been introduced elsewhere; it is often planted as a street tree.
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  • Plymouth Pear Pyrus cordata (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 8m <br />
A small, slender or slightly spreading deciduous tree. BARK Dark-brown and breaking up into small square plates. BRANCHES With spiny branches and purplish twigs. LEAVES Alternate, oval and up to 5cm long, although they are usually much smaller. The margin is finely toothed and the leaf is downy when young, becoming a dull green when older. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers open at the same time as the leaves in May and the tree is often covered with white blossom. The fruit is up to 1.8cm long, resembling a tiny pear on a long stalk, and is golden-brown at first, ripening later to red and marked by numerous brown lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A scarce native of SW Britain (also found in W France and the Iberian peninsula). Here, it is usually found in hedgerows and copses.
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  • Plymouth Pear Pyrus cordata (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 8m <br />
A small, slender or slightly spreading deciduous tree. BARK Dark-brown and breaking up into small square plates. BRANCHES With spiny branches and purplish twigs. LEAVES Alternate, oval and up to 5cm long, although they are usually much smaller. The margin is finely toothed and the leaf is downy when young, becoming a dull green when older. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers open at the same time as the leaves in May and the tree is often covered with white blossom. The fruit is up to 1.8cm long, resembling a tiny pear on a long stalk, and is golden-brown at first, ripening later to red and marked by numerous brown lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A scarce native of SW Britain (also found in W France and the Iberian peninsula). Here, it is usually found in hedgerows and copses.
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  • Indian Bean Tree (Southern Catalpa) Catalpa bignonioides (Bignoniaceae) HEIGHT to 20m. Medium-sized deciduous tree with a short bole. BARK Greyish-brown and scaly. BRANCHES Mostly spreading with smooth, stout twigs tipped with very small orange-brown buds. LEAVES Long-stalked, large and broadly ovate, to 25cm long and 20cm across, with heart-shaped bases and short-pointed tips; margins are untoothed, upper surface is smooth and lower surface is downy. Leaves are tinged with purple and downy when young, becoming a lighter, almost transparent green when mature. Usually late to open and early to fall. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS 5cm-long flowers are an open bell shape with 2 lips; petals are white with purple and yellow spots; in large showy panicles in midsummer. Fruit is a long, slender bean-like pod, to 40cm long, that hangs from branches long after leaves have fallen; contains many inedible flat, papery seeds, to 2.5cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SE USA, planted here and quite common in many large cities, including London.
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  • Plymouth Pear Pyrus cordata (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 8m <br />
A small, slender or slightly spreading deciduous tree. BARK Dark-brown and breaking up into small square plates. BRANCHES With spiny branches and purplish twigs. LEAVES Alternate, oval and up to 5cm long, although they are usually much smaller. The margin is finely toothed and the leaf is downy when young, becoming a dull green when older. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers open at the same time as the leaves in May and the tree is often covered with white blossom. The fruit is up to 1.8cm long, resembling a tiny pear on a long stalk, and is golden-brown at first, ripening later to red and marked by numerous brown lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A scarce native of SW Britain (also found in W France and the Iberian peninsula). Here, it is usually found in hedgerows and copses.
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  • Siberian Crab Malus baccata (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 15m <br />
A domed and rather spreading tree. BARK Brownish and regularly cracking. BRANCHES Much-divided and dense. LEAVES Rather slender and matt rather than shiny, REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Compact flower heads of white blossom make this a popular garden tree. The fruit is green at first but ripens to bright red and remains on the tree long after the leaves have fallen, providing a late feed for winter migrant birds. STATUs AND DISTRIBUTION A native of China, planted in Britain and Ireland in parks and gardens.
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  • Siberian Crab Malus baccata (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 15m <br />
A domed and rather spreading tree. BARK Brownish and regularly cracking. BRANCHES Much-divided and dense. LEAVES Rather slender and matt rather than shiny, REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Compact flower heads of white blossom make this a popular garden tree. The fruit is green at first but ripens to bright red and remains on the tree long after the leaves have fallen, providing a late feed for winter migrant birds. STATUs AND DISTRIBUTION A native of China, planted in Britain and Ireland in parks and gardens.
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  • Black Mulberry Morus nigra (Moraceae) HEIGHT to 13m<br />
Gnarled bole and dense, twisting branches and twigs make even a young tree look ancient. Crown may be broader than tree is tall. BARK Dark orange-brown, fissured and peeling. Downy shoots release milky juice if snapped. LEAVES To 20cm long, oval with heart-shaped base, toothed margin and pointed tip. Petiole hairy, to 2.5cm long. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flower spikes are produced on short downy stalks in May; yellowish-green male flowers are about 2.5cm long, females are about 1–1.25cm long and give rise to a hard raspberry-like fruit, acidic until fully ripened, when wine-red or purple. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Asia, long cultivated elsewhere. In Britain, found mainly in south, in sheltered gardens.
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  • Oriental Hornbeam Carpinus orientalis (Betulaceae) HEIGHT to 11m. Similar to Hornbeam but separable with care; overall the tree is normally smaller and neater. BARK Similar to Hornbeam. BRANCHES With thinner shoots than Hornbeam, covered with long silky hairs. LEAVES Resemble those of Hornbeam but smaller, always looking slightly folded. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Similar to Hornbeam but fruit bracts are unlobed (3-lobed in Hornbeam). STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SE Europe and Asia Minor, occasionally seen in Britain as a specimen tree.
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  • Date-plum Diospyros lotus (Ebenaceae) HEIGHT to 14m <br />
Small, deciduous tree. BARK Grey or pink-tinged, broken by fissures into small plates. BRANCHES Spreading. LEAVES Ovate or lanceolate with pointed tips and untoothed margins, dark glossy green above and greyer below; young leaves are downy above. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers bell-shaped and salmon-pink or orange-yellow. Male and female flowers on separate trees, males clustered and smaller than single females, which are about 5mm long. Fruit is a 2cm-long, edible berry; ripens from green, through yellow-brown to blue-black. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, planted here occasionally.
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  • Oriental Hornbeam Carpinus orientalis (Betulaceae) HEIGHT to 11m. Similar to Hornbeam but separable with care; overall the tree is normally smaller and neater. BARK Similar to Hornbeam. BRANCHES With thinner shoots than Hornbeam, covered with long silky hairs. LEAVES Resemble those of Hornbeam but smaller, always looking slightly folded. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Similar to Hornbeam but fruit bracts are unlobed (3-lobed in Hornbeam). STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SE Europe and Asia Minor, occasionally seen in Britain as a specimen tree.
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  • Willow-leaved Pear Pyrus salicifolia (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Small deciduous tree with a rounded crown. BARK Rough, scaly and usually dark brown. BRANCHES Mostly level with pendulous, very downy twigs. LEAVES Narrow, to 9cm long, like willow leaves: silvery-grey on both surfaces at first, but greener on upper surface later in season. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White flowers, to 2cm across, usually open at same time as leaves. Fruit is about 3cm long, pear-shaped or sometimes more pointed, and brown when ripe, on a downy pedicel. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of central Asia. Grown here for ornament.
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  • Saint Lucie Cherry Prunus mahaleb (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 12m. Often little more than a spreading shrub, but sometimes a small tree. BARK Greyish-brown and ringed with brown lenticels. BRANCHES Spreading, the young twigs covered with short greyish hairs and often slightly weeping at the tips. LEAVES Alternate, up to 7cm long and almost rounded, with a short point at the tip and a rounded or nearly heart-shaped base. The margin is finely toothed, the upper surface is glossy and the lower surface finely downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS The white, scented flowers, which open in April–May, grow in clusters of 3–10 in groups of racemes at the end of leafy shoots. The 5 petals are about 8mm long and surround the yellowish anthers. The fruit is a 0.6–1cm-long ovate or rounded black berry with bitter-tasting flesh surrounding a smooth rounded stone. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of central and S Europe, growing in woodland glades and thickets. Planted in our region for ornament and naturalised occasionally.
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  • Snowbell Tree Styrax japonica (Styracaceae) HEIGHT to 12m. Spreading deciduous tree or large shrub. BARK Smooth, dark greyish-brown, fissured with age. BRANCHES Mostly ascending with zigzag slender shoots and purple-tinged buds. LEAVES Elliptical to ovate, to 10cm long with narrow bases, pointed tips, and finely toothed margin; deep glossy green above, turning yellow or red in autumn. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White, lightly scented, 5-petalled flowers, to 1.5cm long, hang singly or in small clusters from branches; open in midsummer. Fruit is an egg-shaped berry, to 1.5cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E Asia, planted here for ornament.
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  • Snowbell Tree Styrax japonica (Styracaceae) HEIGHT to 12m. Spreading deciduous tree or large shrub. BARK Smooth, dark greyish-brown, fissured with age. BRANCHES Mostly ascending with zigzag slender shoots and purple-tinged buds. LEAVES Elliptical to ovate, to 10cm long with narrow bases, pointed tips, and finely toothed margin; deep glossy green above, turning yellow or red in autumn. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White, lightly scented, 5-petalled flowers, to 1.5cm long, hang singly or in small clusters from branches; open in midsummer. Fruit is an egg-shaped berry, to 1.5cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E Asia, planted here for ornament.
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  • White Mulberry Morus alba (Moraceae) HEIGHT to 15m<br />
Deciduous tree with a narrow rounded crown on a broad bole, to 2m across. BARK Heavily ridged and grey, sometimes tinged pinkish. BRANCHES Shoots are thin, with fine hairs at first; buds are minute, brown and pointed. LEAVES To 18cm long, oval to rounded with a heart-shaped base and a hairy, grooved petiole up to 2.5cm long. Feel thin and smooth, and have a toothed margin, with downy hairs on veins on underside.  REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Female flowers stalked, spike-like and yellowish. Male flowers on slightly longer spikes; whitish with prominent anthers. Fruit comprises a cluster of drupes; white or pink at first, ripening purple. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E Asia, grown here occasionally. COMMENT The leaves are the foodplant for silkworms.
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  • Foxglove Tree Paulownia tomentosa (Scrophulariaceae) HEIGHT to 15m. Small deciduous tree with an upright habit. BARK Smooth and grey. BRANCHES Mostly level. LEAVES Opposite and very broadly ovate with heart-shaped bases and tapering tips, often with forward-pointing side lobes. The upper surface is light green and hairy and the lower surface is grey-green and much more hairy. The petiole is about 15cm long, but may be as much as 45cm long, and is very downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS The flowers are borne in lax upright spikes about 30cm long; each flower is brown and downy in bud, but opens to become violet, with a yellowish tinge inside the corolla tube. There are 5 spreading lobes and the flower is about 6cm long. The fruit is a short-stalked, ovoid capsule about 5cm long with a tapering tip and glossy-green outer skin; it splits open to release many small, whitish, winged seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of the mountains of China, brought as an ornamental tree to Britain and Ireland, where it is often seen in large gardens and sometimes as a street tree.
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  • Date-plum Diospyros lotus (Ebenaceae) HEIGHT to 14m <br />
Small, deciduous tree. BARK Grey or pink-tinged, broken by fissures into small plates. BRANCHES Spreading. LEAVES Ovate or lanceolate with pointed tips and untoothed margins, dark glossy green above and greyer below; young leaves are downy above. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers bell-shaped and salmon-pink or orange-yellow. Male and female flowers on separate trees, males clustered and smaller than single females, which are about 5mm long. Fruit is a 2cm-long, edible berry; ripens from green, through yellow-brown to blue-black. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of SW Asia, planted here occasionally.
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  • Evergreen shrub or small tree. Sometimes known as Japanese Holy. Hieight to 5m. Leaves are dark green, glossy and oval with a toothed margin. Flowers are white. Fruit is a black, berry-like drupe.
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  • Black Mulberry Morus nigra (Moraceae) HEIGHT to 13m<br />
Gnarled bole and dense, twisting branches and twigs make even a young tree look ancient. Crown may be broader than tree is tall. BARK Dark orange-brown, fissured and peeling. Downy shoots release milky juice if snapped. LEAVES To 20cm long, oval with heart-shaped base, toothed margin and pointed tip. Petiole hairy, to 2.5cm long. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flower spikes are produced on short downy stalks in May; yellowish-green male flowers are about 2.5cm long, females are about 1–1.25cm long and give rise to a hard raspberry-like fruit, acidic until fully ripened, when wine-red or purple. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Asia, long cultivated elsewhere. In Britain, found mainly in south, in sheltered gardens.
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  • Snowbell Tree Styrax japonica (Styracaceae) HEIGHT to 12m. Spreading deciduous tree or large shrub. BARK Smooth, dark greyish-brown, fissured with age. BRANCHES Mostly ascending with zigzag slender shoots and purple-tinged buds. LEAVES Elliptical to ovate, to 10cm long with narrow bases, pointed tips, and finely toothed margin; deep glossy green above, turning yellow or red in autumn. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White, lightly scented, 5-petalled flowers, to 1.5cm long, hang singly or in small clusters from branches; open in midsummer. Fruit is an egg-shaped berry, to 1.5cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E Asia, planted here for ornament.
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  • Plymouth Pear Pyrus cordata (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 8m <br />
A small, slender or slightly spreading deciduous tree. BARK Dark-brown and breaking up into small square plates. BRANCHES With spiny branches and purplish twigs. LEAVES Alternate, oval and up to 5cm long, although they are usually much smaller. The margin is finely toothed and the leaf is downy when young, becoming a dull green when older. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers open at the same time as the leaves in May and the tree is often covered with white blossom. The fruit is up to 1.8cm long, resembling a tiny pear on a long stalk, and is golden-brown at first, ripening later to red and marked by numerous brown lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A scarce native of SW Britain (also found in W France and the Iberian peninsula). Here, it is usually found in hedgerows and copses.
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  • Karo Pittosporum crassifolium (Pittosporaceae)HEIGHT to 10m. Small evergreen tree or large shrub. BARK Blackish. BRANCHES Congested. LEAVES Leathery, to 8cm long and 3cm wide, ovate to lanceolate and blunt-tipped; dark green above, paler and woolly below with slightly inrolled margin. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers, in lax clusters, have 5 deep red petals and yellow anthers. Fruit is an ovoid capsule, to 3cm long, matt and light green, with shiny seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of New Zealand, tolerant of salt spray so planted for coastal hedging and naturalised in parts of SW England.
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  • Small-leaved Lime Tilia cordata Tiliaceae Height to 32m<br />
Deciduous tree; dense crown, untidy with age. Bark Smooth, grey; darkens and flakes with age. Branches Ascending; twigs reddish above, olive below. Leaves To 9cm long, rounded with heart-shaped base; vein axils hairy below. Reproductive parts Flowers 5-petalled, pale with green bract; project in all directions. Fruit round, hard, 6mm across. Status Local.
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  • Karo Pittosporum crassifolium (Pittosporaceae)HEIGHT to 10m. Small evergreen tree or large shrub. BARK Blackish. BRANCHES Congested. LEAVES Leathery, to 8cm long and 3cm wide, ovate to lanceolate and blunt-tipped; dark green above, paler and woolly below with slightly inrolled margin. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers, in lax clusters, have 5 deep red petals and yellow anthers. Fruit is an ovoid capsule, to 3cm long, matt and light green, with shiny seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of New Zealand, tolerant of salt spray so planted for coastal hedging and naturalised in parts of SW England.
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  • Black Mulberry Morus nigra (Moraceae) HEIGHT to 13m<br />
Gnarled bole and dense, twisting branches and twigs make even a young tree look ancient. Crown may be broader than tree is tall. BARK Dark orange-brown, fissured and peeling. Downy shoots release milky juice if snapped. LEAVES To 20cm long, oval with heart-shaped base, toothed margin and pointed tip. Petiole hairy, to 2.5cm long. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flower spikes are produced on short downy stalks in May; yellowish-green male flowers are about 2.5cm long, females are about 1–1.25cm long and give rise to a hard raspberry-like fruit, acidic until fully ripened, when wine-red or purple. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Asia, long cultivated elsewhere. In Britain, found mainly in south, in sheltered gardens.
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  • Buckthorn Rhamnus cathartica Rhamnaceae Height to 10m<br />
Spreading deciduous shrub or small tree. Bark Dark orange-brown, fissured with age. Branches With slender, slightly spiny shoots. Leaves Ovate to rounded, to 6cm long, finely toothed; veins converge towards leaf tip. Reproductive parts Flowers fragrant, with 4 green petals. Fruit is black, shiny and 8mm across. Status Local native, mainly on chalky soils.
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  • Grey Willow - Salix cinerea - in fruit
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  • Grey Willow - Salix cinerea - in fruit
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  • Apricot Prunus armeniaca (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m <br />
Small, rounded deciduous tree. BARK Greyish-brown with fine fissures. BRANCHES Twisted and dense with smooth reddish twigs. LEAVES Heart-shaped, reddish when first open, later becoming green above and yellowish beneath, on a red petiole with 2 glands near leaf base. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White or pale-pink short-stalked flowers, solitary paired, open before leaves. Fruit, to 8cm long, is rounded, the downy red-tinged skin surrounding a rather acid-tasting juicy flesh that becomes sweet only when fully ripe. Stone is flattened, elliptical and smooth, with 3 raised lines along one edge. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of central and E Asia, grown for its edible fruits; requires shelter in our region.
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  • Apricot Prunus armeniaca (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m <br />
Small, rounded deciduous tree. BARK Greyish-brown with fine fissures. BRANCHES Twisted and dense with smooth reddish twigs. LEAVES Heart-shaped, reddish when first open, later becoming green above and yellowish beneath, on a red petiole with 2 glands near leaf base. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS White or pale-pink short-stalked flowers, solitary paired, open before leaves. Fruit, to 8cm long, is rounded, the downy red-tinged skin surrounding a rather acid-tasting juicy flesh that becomes sweet only when fully ripe. Stone is flattened, elliptical and smooth, with 3 raised lines along one edge. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of central and E Asia, grown for its edible fruits; requires shelter in our region.
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  • Golden Dock - Rumex maritimus - Fruit
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  • Goat Willow - Salix capraea - in fruit
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  • Sorbus lancastriensis (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 5m<br />
A shrub or small tree. LEAVES Ovate, the margin with short, sharp teeth; 8-10 pairs of veins and leaves are downy below. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers and fruits are borne on slightly downy stalks. Fruits are red, to 1.5cm long, with prominent lenticels when ripe. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Mainly confined to limestone rocks in NW England.
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  • Cliff Whitebeam Sorbus rupicola (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 6m<br />
A small tree, and often little more than a shrub (lumped within S. aria agg. by some authors). LEAVES Narrowly obovate with shallow, sharply-toothed lobes conspicuous only on distal third of leaf; teeth curve on the outer edge and are all directed towards the apex. Leaves are densely woolly underneath and there are 7-9 pairs of veins. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits ripen bright red, to 15mm long with many lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Scattered across north and west Britain, found mainly on limestone.
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  • Wild Pear Pyrus pyraster Rosaceae Height to 15m <br />
Deciduous spreading shrub or small tree. Bark Grey-brown, breaking into square plates. Branches Spreading and spiny; twigs smooth and greyish brown. Leaves To 7cm long, elliptical with toothed margin. Reproductive parts Flowers white, 5-petalled, long-stalked; produced in quantity. Fruits rounded, hard, to 3.5cm across, yellowish brown. Status Local native.
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  • Swedish Whitebeam Sorbus intermedia (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 15m. Medium-sized tree. LEAVES To 12cm long, oval and deeply lobed. Glossy green above, yellowish and downy below. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits oval, to 1.5cm long, scarlet with many lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Scandinavia; tolerates air pollution so popular here.
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  • Domed tree. Sometimes called Hubei Rowan S. glabrescens.<br />
LEAVES Pinnate with 11-17 pairs of leaflets. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits pink-tinged white. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China, popular here in gardens.
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  • Domed tree. Sometimes called Hubei Rowan S. glabrescens.<br />
LEAVES Pinnate with 11-17 pairs of leaflets. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits pink-tinged white. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China, popular here in gardens.
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  • London Plane Platanus x hispanica Platanaceae Height to 44m. Deciduous tree with tall trunk and spreading crown. Bark Grey-brown, flaking in patches. Branches Tangled and twisted. Leaves To 24cm long, 5-lobed, palmate. Reproductive parts Flowers rounded, in clusters. Greenish, spherical fruits have spiky hairs. Status Widely planted hybrid in towns and cities.
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  • SWEET-BRIAR Rosa rubiginosa (Rosaceae) Height to 3m<br />
Compact shrub with upright stems that bear short, curved thorns, bristles and glands. Found in hedgerows and scrub. FLOWERS are 2-3cm across and pink; in clusters of up to 3 flowers (Jun-Jul). FRUITS are ovoid, red hips with persisting sepals. LEAVES have 5-7 oval, toothed and sweet-smelling leaflets. STATUS-Locally common in S.
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  • GREEN FIELD-SPEEDWELL Veronica agrestis. Prostrate. Similar to both Common and Field-speedwells, but separable with care. Favours bare and disturbed ground, often on acid soils. Flowers 3-5mm across, the corolla 4-lobed and extremely pale with a white lower lip (Jan-Dec). Fruits with rounded lobes. Leaves fresh green, oval, toothed and in pairs. Status widespread but rather scarce and declining.
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  • GREAT LETTUCE Lactuca virosa (Asteraceae) Height to 2m<br />
Similar to Prickly Lettuce but taller; note differences in leaves. Stems often tinged purple and exude a milky sap when broken. FLOWERS are borne in heads, 9-11mm across, with yellow florets; carried in open, branched inflorescences (Jul-Sep). FRUITS are maroon with unbanched pappus hairs. LEAVES are dark green and spreading with rounded, clasping bases; lower leaves may have broad lobes. STATUS-Common only in S.
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  • WATER FIGWORT Scrophularia auriculata (Scrophulariaceae) Height to 70cm. Upright, hairless perennial with stems that are square with prominent wings. Grows in damp ground, in woodlands and beside fresh water. FLOWERS are 1cm long and greenish with a maroon upper lip, and broad white borders to the sepal lobes; borne in open spikes (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are greenish capsules, like miniature figs. LEAVES are oval but blunt tipped, with rounded teeth; on winged stalks. STATUS-Widespread and common.
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  • BULBOUS BUTTERCUP Ranunculus bulbosus (Ranunculaceae) Height to 40cm. Hairy perennial of dry grassland, including chalk downs. Note the swollen stem base. FLOWERS are 20-30mm across with 5 bright yellow petals and reflexed sepals; borne on furrowed stalks (Mar-Jul). FRUITS are smooth. LEAVES are divided into 3 lobes, each of which is stalked. STATUS-Widespread and often abundant.
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  • Spindle - Euonymus europaeus Celastraceae. Height to 6m <br />
Twiggy deciduous tree. Bark Smooth,grey, fissured and pink-tinged with age. Branches Numerous; young green twigs are angular. Leaves Ovate, to 10cm long, toothed. Reproductive parts Flowers yellowish, 4-petalled, in clusters. Fruits are pink capsules, 1.5cm across with 4 chambers. Status Local native of hedgerows and copses, especially on lime-rich soils.
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  • Spindle - Euonymus europaeus Celastraceae. Height to 6m <br />
Twiggy deciduous tree. Bark Smooth,grey, fissured and pink-tinged with age. Branches Numerous; young green twigs are angular. Leaves Ovate, to 10cm long, toothed. Reproductive parts Flowers yellowish, 4-petalled, in clusters. Fruits are pink capsules, 1.5cm across with 4 chambers. Status Local native of hedgerows and copses, especially on lime-rich soils.
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  • SPINDLE Euonymus europaeus (Celastraceae) Height to 6m<br />
Deciduous shrub or small tree. Found in scrub and hedgerows, mostly on calcareous soils. FLOWERS are 7-9mm across and greenish; borne in leaf axils (May-Jun). FRUITS are pinkish and 4-lobed. LEAVES are narrow-oval and pointed, with toothed margins; green in summer but turning reddish in autumn. STATUS-Locally common in England only.
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  • Hupeh Rowan Sorbus hupehensis (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 18m <br />
Domed tree. Sometimes called Hubei Rowan S. glabrescens.<br />
LEAVES Pinnate with 11-17 pairs of leaflets. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits pink-tinged white. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of China, popular here in gardens.
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  • Hupeh Rowan Sorbus hupehensis (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 18m <br />
Domed tree. Sometimes called Hubei Rowan S. glabrescens.<br />
LEAVES Pinnate with 11-17 pairs of leaflets. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits pink-tinged white. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Natie of China, popular here in gardens.
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  • Sorbus anglica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 3m. Small shrub. LEAVES Ovate to obovate, lobed and toothed towards distal half; shiny above, whitish and downy below, 8-10 pairs of veins. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits crimson, to 12mm long, with small lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Restricted to hillsides in Wales, SW England and Ireland, mostly limestone.
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  • Exmoor Service Sorbus subcuneata (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 10m. Modest tree (lumped within Sorbus latifolia agg. by some authors). LEAVES Ovate to elliptical with shallow-toothed lobes extending less than ¼ to midrib; 8-9 pairs of veins. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits are brownish, to 12mm long, with numerous lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Scarce and local, confined to Sessile Oak Quercus petraea woodland on Old Red Sandstone, mainly in the valley of the East Lyn, around Watersmeet in N Devon.
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  • Bastard Service Sorbus x thuringiaca (Rosaceae) (Height to 16m) a naturally occurring hybrid between Common Whitebeam and Rowan. Leaves have 2-3 pairs of free lobes and fruits are brown.
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