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  • Acer leaf  in autumn, showing the progessive removal of green chlorophyll from the leaf, allowing the remaining red pigments to prevail.
    132328.jpg
  • Hazel - Corylus avellana, spring leaf burst at Stoke Wood, Bicester, Oxfordshire
    162462.jpg
  • Pedunculate or English Oak - Quercus robur. Spring leaf burst in Stoke Wood, Bicester, Oxfordshire.
    162369.jpg
  • Butternut Juglans cinerea (Juglandaceae) HEIGHT to 26m <br />
Slender tree. BARK Grey. LEAVES Compound, to 70cm long, leaflets more widely spaced than in Black Walnut; central leaf stalk is densely hairy and leaflets near leaf base are smallest. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Edible fruits in clusters of up to 12. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of eastern N America, planted here for ornament.
    135008.jpg
  • Monkey-puzzle (Chile Pine) Araucaria araucana (Araucariaceae) HEIGHT to 30m. Evergreen, domed to conical tree with a tall cylindrical trunk. BARK Greyish, tough, heavily ridged and wrinkled, with numerous rings of old stem scars. BRANCHES Horizontal or slightly drooping, evenly distributed around trunk. LEAVES 3–5cm long, oval, bright glossy green and scale-like. Tip is triangular with a sharp brownish spine. Leaf base overlaps shoot and next leaf and leaves are arranged in a dense spiral on shoot. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones, up to 10cm long, in clusters at shoot-tips. Female cones rounded, up to 17cm long and green for first 2 years, growing on upper surface of shoots; large scales taper to a slender outwardly curved point, and conceal 4cm-long, edible brown seeds. Trees are either male or female. HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION Native of the mountains of Chile and Argentina, first brought to Europe in 1795. Now common as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. Grows well in towns, but prefers well-drained soils.
    133240.jpg
  • Monkey-puzzle (Chile Pine) Araucaria araucana (Araucariaceae) HEIGHT to 30m. Evergreen, domed to conical tree with a tall cylindrical trunk. BARK Greyish, tough, heavily ridged and wrinkled, with numerous rings of old stem scars. BRANCHES Horizontal or slightly drooping, evenly distributed around trunk. LEAVES 3–5cm long, oval, bright glossy green and scale-like. Tip is triangular with a sharp brownish spine. Leaf base overlaps shoot and next leaf and leaves are arranged in a dense spiral on shoot. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones, up to 10cm long, in clusters at shoot-tips. Female cones rounded, up to 17cm long and green for first 2 years, growing on upper surface of shoots; large scales taper to a slender outwardly curved point, and conceal 4cm-long, edible brown seeds. Trees are either male or female. HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION Native of the mountains of Chile and Argentina, first brought to Europe in 1795. Now common as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. Grows well in towns, but prefers well-drained soils.
    132940.jpg
  • European White Elm Ulmus laevis (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 20m. Broadly spreading tree with an open crown. BARK Grey and smooth when young, deeply furrowed with age. BRANCHES Twigs are reddish-brown and softly downy, but become smooth with age. LEAVES To 13cm long, with markedly unequal bases and toothed margins. Leaf veins are paired, and longer side has 2–3 more veins than the other. Upper leaf surface is usually smooth but underside is normally grey-downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in long-stalked clusters. Fruits are winged and papery, with a fringe of hairs; in pendulous clusters. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mainland Europe, possibly native in Britain in the past but now probably extinct.
    132508.jpg
  • Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos (Fabaceae) HEIGHT to 45m <br />
Tall deciduous tree with a high, domed crown; bole, branches and twigs are spiny. BARK Greyish purple. BRANCHES Mainly level, with curled twigs. LEAVES Alternate, either pinnate, with up to 18 pairs of 2–3cm-long leaflets, or bipinnate, with up to 14 leaflets no more than 2cm long. Leaf axes end in spines. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Tiny flowers open in June, are no more than 3mm long, may be male, female or both, and grow in compact clusters in leaf axils; greenish-white oval petals number from 3 to 5. Flattened pods with thickened edges, to 45cm long, are twisted or curved and become dark brown when ripe. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mississippi basin of N America, planted here for ornament.
    132305.jpg
  • Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos (Fabaceae) HEIGHT to 45m <br />
Tall deciduous tree with a high, domed crown; bole, branches and twigs are spiny. BARK Greyish purple. BRANCHES Mainly level, with curled twigs. LEAVES Alternate, either pinnate, with up to 18 pairs of 2–3cm-long leaflets, or bipinnate, with up to 14 leaflets no more than 2cm long. Leaf axes end in spines. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Tiny flowers open in June, are no more than 3mm long, may be male, female or both, and grow in compact clusters in leaf axils; greenish-white oval petals number from 3 to 5. Flattened pods with thickened edges, to 45cm long, are twisted or curved and become dark brown when ripe. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mississippi basin of N America, planted here for ornament.
    132304.jpg
  • Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos (Fabaceae) HEIGHT to 45m <br />
Tall deciduous tree with a high, domed crown; bole, branches and twigs are spiny. BARK Greyish purple. BRANCHES Mainly level, with curled twigs. LEAVES Alternate, either pinnate, with up to 18 pairs of 2–3cm-long leaflets, or bipinnate, with up to 14 leaflets no more than 2cm long. Leaf axes end in spines. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Tiny flowers open in June, are no more than 3mm long, may be male, female or both, and grow in compact clusters in leaf axils; greenish-white oval petals number from 3 to 5. Flattened pods with thickened edges, to 45cm long, are twisted or curved and become dark brown when ripe. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mississippi basin of N America, planted here for ornament.
    117601.jpg
  • GREY FIELD-SPEEDWELL Veronica polita (Scrophulariaceae) Prostrate. Straggling, hairy and branched perennial. Similar to Common Field-speedwell; note differences in flower and leaf colour. Grows in cultivated ground, often on chalky soil. FLOWERS are 8-12mm across, the corolla 4-lobed and entirely blue; solitary and borne on stalks arising from leaf axils (Mar-Nov). FRUITS are flattened and broad capsules with rounded lobes. LEAVES are grey-green, oval, deeply toothed and paired. STATUS-Widespread and fairly common throughout the region, least so in the N.
    132039.jpg
  • Hazel - Corylus avellana, spring leaf burst at Stoke Wood, Bicester, Oxfordshire
    162461.jpg
  • Pedunculate or English Oak - Quercus robur. Spring leaf burst in Stoke Wood, Bicester, Oxfordshire.
    162370.jpg
  • European White Elm Ulmus laevis (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 20m. Broadly spreading tree with an open crown. BARK Grey and smooth when young, deeply furrowed with age. BRANCHES Twigs are reddish-brown and softly downy, but become smooth with age. LEAVES To 13cm long, with markedly unequal bases and toothed margins. Leaf veins are paired, and longer side has 2–3 more veins than the other. Upper leaf surface is usually smooth but underside is normally grey-downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in long-stalked clusters. Fruits are winged and papery, with a fringe of hairs; in pendulous clusters. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mainland Europe, possibly native in Britain in the past but now probably extinct.
    134899.jpg
  • Monkey-puzzle (Chile Pine) Araucaria araucana (Araucariaceae) HEIGHT to 30m. Evergreen, domed to conical tree with a tall cylindrical trunk. BARK Greyish, tough, heavily ridged and wrinkled, with numerous rings of old stem scars. BRANCHES Horizontal or slightly drooping, evenly distributed around trunk. LEAVES 3–5cm long, oval, bright glossy green and scale-like. Tip is triangular with a sharp brownish spine. Leaf base overlaps shoot and next leaf and leaves are arranged in a dense spiral on shoot. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male cones, up to 10cm long, in clusters at shoot-tips. Female cones rounded, up to 17cm long and green for first 2 years, growing on upper surface of shoots; large scales taper to a slender outwardly curved point, and conceal 4cm-long, edible brown seeds. Trees are either male or female. HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION Native of the mountains of Chile and Argentina, first brought to Europe in 1795. Now common as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. Grows well in towns, but prefers well-drained soils.
    133239.jpg
  • European White Elm Ulmus laevis (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 20m. Broadly spreading tree with an open crown. BARK Grey and smooth when young, deeply furrowed with age. BRANCHES Twigs are reddish-brown and softly downy, but become smooth with age. LEAVES To 13cm long, with markedly unequal bases and toothed margins. Leaf veins are paired, and longer side has 2–3 more veins than the other. Upper leaf surface is usually smooth but underside is normally grey-downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in long-stalked clusters. Fruits are winged and papery, with a fringe of hairs; in pendulous clusters. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mainland Europe, possibly native in Britain in the past but now probably extinct.
    132507.jpg
  • Honey Locust Gleditsia triacanthos (Fabaceae) HEIGHT to 45m <br />
Tall deciduous tree with a high, domed crown; bole, branches and twigs are spiny. BARK Greyish purple. BRANCHES Mainly level, with curled twigs. LEAVES Alternate, either pinnate, with up to 18 pairs of 2–3cm-long leaflets, or bipinnate, with up to 14 leaflets no more than 2cm long. Leaf axes end in spines. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Tiny flowers open in June, are no more than 3mm long, may be male, female or both, and grow in compact clusters in leaf axils; greenish-white oval petals number from 3 to 5. Flattened pods with thickened edges, to 45cm long, are twisted or curved and become dark brown when ripe. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Mississippi basin of N America, planted here for ornament.
    132286.jpg
  • PELLITORY-OF-THE-WALL Parietaria judaica (Urticacae) Height to 7cm. Spreading, downy perennial with reddish stems. Colonises walls, roadsides and rocky ground. FLOWERS appear in clusters at leaf bases (Jun-Oct). FRUITS are clustered at leaf bases. LEAVES are oval, up to 5cm long and long-stalked. STATUS-Widespread in England, Wales and Ireland; commonest in coastal areas and in the W.
    131492.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.
    133742.jpg
  • Mint Leaf Beetle - Chrysolina menthastri
    132779.jpg
  • Portugal Laurel Prunus lusitanica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 8m <br />
A small, spreading evergreen tree, or usually a shrub. BARK Smooth or occasionally flaking, and very dark grey to black. BRANCHES Widely spreading, with twigs that are reddish and smooth. LEAVES Dark-green, glossy and slightly leathery, and up to 13cm long. The leaves are lanceolate to elliptical and tapering at the tip, with a rounded base and a toothed margin. The reddish petiole is about 2cm long. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS The white flowers are borne in long tapering spikes, up to 26cm long and composed of about 100 strongly scented flowers. They grow out of the leaf axils and exceed the length of the leaves, and are usually pendent. The fruits are up to 1.3cm long, ovoid or rounded with a tapering tip, purplish-black when ripe and containing a smooth, rounded stone with a ridged margin. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of Portugal, Spain and SW France, but frequently planted elsewhere in the milder parts of W Europe, including Britain and Ireland.
    135446.jpg
  • Lilac Syringa vulgaris (Oleaceae) HEIGHT to 7m <br />
A small deciduous tree, but sometimes little more than a multi-stemmed shrub with a rounded crown and a short bole surrounded by suckers. BARK Greyish and spirally fissured in older trees. BRANCHES Usually a mass of ascending branches. The twigs are rounded and shiny greenish-brown. LEAVES Short-petioled and opposite, up to 10cm long, ovate or slightly heart-shaped with entire margins and a slightly leathery feel; they are usually yellowish-green with a smooth surface. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS The fragrant lilac flowers are borne in dense, paired conical spikes, up to 20cm long, arising from the apical leaf axils; the flowers are at their best in May and June. Individual flowers are up to 1.2cm long and 4-lobed. The fruit is a pointed ovoid capsule up to 1cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of rocky hillsides in the Balkans, growing in open thickets and scrub, but long cultivated in the rest of Europe for its attractive fragrant flowers. In Britain and Ireland, it is a popular garden plant and frequently naturalised as well, spreading by vegetative means (mainly suckers) rather than seed.
    133700.jpg
  • Dutch Elm Ulmus x hollandica (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 30m<br />
Tall and rather straggly hybrid tree.  BARK Brown, cracking into small, shallow plates. BRANCHES Higher branches are longer than ones lower down, and are spreading. LEAVES Oval, toothed, to 15cm long, sometimes buckled. Leaf base is only slightly unequal. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Papery fruits. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A naturally occurring hybrid, whose parents are presumed to include Wych Elm, Plot’s Elm and Ulmus minor. Has a scattered range across southern England and south-west Wales and is found in hedgerows in lowland districts.
    133644.jpg
  • Hybrid Elm Ulmus ‘Lobel’ (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 35m<br />
Narrowly columnar tree with rather dense foliage. BARK Brown, cracking into small, square plates. BRANCHES Upright, straight and spreading at shallow angles. LEAVES Ovate to elliptical, dark green and shiny with a pointed tip and toothed margins; base is almost equal and upper surface of leaf is smooth. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Papery fruits. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widely planted.
    132522.jpg
  • Turkey Oak Quercus cerris (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 38m <br />
Deciduous, broadly conical oak, becoming more spreading and domed with age. BARK Thick, grey-brown, becoming fissured and forming regular, squarish plates in older trees. BRANCHES Appear swollen near base and spread upwards. Buds are covered with long hairs. LEAVES To 10–12cm long, deeply lobed with up to 10 lobes or large teeth, on 1–2cm-long, slightly downy petioles. Upper leaf surface feels rough and is deep green, lower surface is downy when new and greyish. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Catkins appear in May–June. Acorns ripen in late summer and are partly encased in a deep cup covered in long outward-pointing scales. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of S Europe, introduced into Britain by J. Lucombe of Exeter in 1735; now widely planted in parks and gardens and sometimes occurring in woodlands.
    132203.jpg
  • Silver Birch  Betula pendula Betulaceae Height to 26m<br />
Acquires weeping habit with age. Bark Thick, fissured at base, forming rectangular plates; smooth silvery-white higher up trunk. Branches Ascending; twigs and shoots pendulous. Leaves To 7cm long, triangular, toothed; turn yellow in autumn. Reproductive parts Male catkins terminal, yellow, pendulous. Female catkins greenish, in leaf axils; produce winged seeds when mature. Status Common, especially on heaths.
    129706.jpg
  • Horse-chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum Hippocastanaceae <br />
Deciduous tree with domed crown. Bark Greyish-brown, flaking. Branches Snap easily. Winter buds shiny brown, sticky, with shield-shaped leaf scar. Leaves Long-stalked, palmate, with up to 7 leaflets, each 25cm long. Reproductive parts In panicles, to 30cm tall, comprising 40+ 5-petalled, pink-spotted white flowers. Fruits spiny-cased and rounded, containing round seed (‘conker’). Status Native of Balkans, long established here.
    129702.jpg
  • LESSER SPEARWORT Ranunculus flammula (Ranunculaceae) Height to 50cm. Upright or creeping perennial. Often roots where leaf nodes touch the ground. Favours damp ground, often beside rivers. FLOWERS are 5-15mm across and usually solitary; borne on furrowed stalks (Jun-Oct). FRUITS are beaked but not winged. LEAVES are oval (basal leaves); stem leaves are narrow. STATUS-Widespread, commonest in the N.
    132073.jpg
  • LADY’S-MANTLE Alchemilla vulgaris agg. (Rosaceae) Height to 30cm. Grassland perennial. Aggregate of several native species, and the familiar herbaceous border ornamental A.mollis. FLOWERS are yellowish green and borne in flat-topped clusters (May-Sep). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are rounded and palmately lobed; leaf shape variation used to separate aggregated species. STATUS-Widespread.
    131646.jpg
  • ROUND-LEAVED FLUELLEN Kickxia spuria (Scrophulariaceae) Prostrate. Creeping, softly-hairy and slightly sticky annual. Grows in cultivated soils, particularly around the margins of arable fields. FLOWERS are 8-15mm long, mainly yellow but with a purple upper lip and a curved spur; borne on slender stalks that arise from the leaf axils (Jul-Oct). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are oval or slightly rounded. STATUS-Locally common in S England but scarce or absent elsewhere.
    131480.jpg
  • SHARP-LEAVED FLUELLEN Kickxia elatine (Scrophulariaceae) Prostrate. Creeping, hairy and branching annual. Grows in cultivated soils and on disturbed ground. FLOWERS are 8-12mm long, yellow with a purple upper lip and a straight spur; borne on slender stalks arising from leaf axils (Jul-Oct). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are triangular to arrow-shaped. STATUS-Local, mainly S and E England.
    131451.jpg
  • MEADOW SAXIFRAGE Saxifraga granulata (Saxifragaceae) Height to 45cm. Attractive, hairy perennial of grassy meadows, mainly on neutral or basic soils. FLOWERS are 20-30mm across with 5 white petals; borne in open clusters (Apr-Jun). FRUITS are dry capsules. LEAVES are kidney-shaped with blunt teeth; bulbils are produced at leaf axils in autumn. STATUS-Local, commonest in E England.
    131037.jpg
  • SPIGNEL Meum athamanticum (Apiaceae) Height to 60cm<br />
Aromatic, hairless, hollow-stemmed perennial of upland grassland. Fibrous remains of previous year’s leaf stalks crown rootstock. FLOWERS are creamy white; in frothy-looking umbels, 3-6cm across (Jun-Jul). FRUITS are egg-shaped and ridged. LEAVES are 3- to 4-pinnate with bristle-like lobes. STATUS-Local, from N Wales to Scotland.
    130822.jpg
  • SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER Trifolium subterraneum (Fabaceae) Prostrate. Low-growing, hairy annual, found in short grassland on sand and gravel, usually near the coast. FLOWERS are 8-12mm long and creamy white; in clusters of 2-6 in leaf axils (May-Jun). FRUITS are pods that ‘burrow’ into the soil, pushed by elongating stalks. LEAVES are trifoliate with broadly oval, notched leaflets. STATUS-Local, mainly in S.
    130795.jpg
  • COMMON FIELD-SPEEDWELL Veronica persica (Scrophulariaceae) Prostrate. Straggling, hairy and branched annual with reddish stems. Grows on bare soil, cultivated arable fields and disturbed ground. FLOWERS are 6-8mm across, the corolla 4-lobed and mainly pale blue, but with white on the lower lip; solitary and borne on rather long, slender stalks that arise from the leaf axils (Jan-Dec). FRUITS are broad, flattened capsules, with keeled lobes. LEAVES are pale green, oval, toothed and borne in pairs. STATUS-Probably not native but now widespread and common.
    130743.jpg
  • PRIMROSE Primula vulgaris (Primulaceae) Height to 20cm<br />
Familiar herbaceous perennial, found in hedgerows, woodlands and shady meadows. FLOWERS are 2-3cm across, 5-lobed and pale yellow, usually with deep yellow centres; solitary and borne on long hairy stalks that arise from the centre of the leaf rosette (Feb-May). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are oval, tapering, crinkly and up to 12cm long; they form a basal rosette. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout.
    130403.jpg
  • Hybrid Cherry leaf. Many hybrid cherry cultivars have been developed. Many are favoured in municipal gardens and as street trees. The following are particularly popular cultivars: Prunus ‘Umineko’ with upright to spreading branches, ovate leaves that are toothed and long-tipped, and white flowers that appear just as the leaves are bursting; Prunus ‘Pandora’ with upright and spreading branches, oval and toothed leaves and dull pink flowers; Prunus ‘Spire’ with an extremely erect habit, broadly oval leaves with a slender tip and toothed margins, and dull pink flowers; Prunus ‘Accolade’ with a densely spreading habit, oval to elliptical leaves with toothed margins, and bright pink flowers.
    134821.jpg
  • ALPINE LADY’S-MANTLE Alchemilla alpina (Rosaceae) Height to 25cm. Tufted perennial of grassy upland sites. FLOWERS are tiny, yellowish green and borne in flat-topped clusters (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are palmately lobed, the lobes typically divided to the base or nearly so; undersurface of leaf is silky hairy. STATUS-Widespread but locally common in NW England and Scotland only.
    131645.jpg
  • EARLY DOG-VIOLET Viola reichenbachiana (Violaceae) Height to 12cm. Similar to Common Dog-violet but with subtle differences in the flower and leaf form. Found in woods and hedgerows, mostly on chalk. FLOWERS are 15-20mm across with pale violet, narrow petals and a spur that is darker than the petals and not notched (Mar-May). FRUITS are egg-shaped. LEAVES are narrow heart-shaped. STATUS-Locally common.
    130592.jpg
  • CLEAVERS Galium aparine (Rubiaceae) Height to 1.5m<br />
Sprawling annual of hedgerows and disturbed ground. Stems are square and rough; backward-pointing bristles on the edges help secure plant’s scrambling progress through vegetation. FLOWERS are 2mm across and greenish white, with 4 petals; in clusters arising from leaf axils (May-Sep). FRUITS are nutlets with hooked bristles. LEAVES have backward-pointing marginal bristles. STATUS-Common and widespread.
    130515.jpg
  • GROUND-IVY Glechoma hederacea (Lamiaceae) Height to 15cm. Softly hairy and strongly smelling perennial with creeping stems that root at regular intervals and upright flowering stems. Grows in woodlands, hedgerows and grassland, and on bare ground, tolerant of both shady and exposed locations. FLOWERS are 15-20mm long and bluish violet; borne in open whorls arising from leaf axils. FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are kidney-shaped to rounded, toothed and long-stalked. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the most of the region, except the far N.
    129918.jpg
  • Viburnum Leaf Beetle - Pyrrhalta viburni
    161255.jpg
  • Small-leaved Elm - Ulmus minor ssp. minor (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 32m. Domed and spreading tree. BARK Greyish brown, scaly and ridged. BRANCHES Usually ascending, often with pendulous masses of shoots. LEAVES Superficially hornbeam-like, leathery, to 15cm long, oval, pointed at tip, with toothed margins; unequal leaf bases, narrowly tapering on short side, and a short petiole. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits are papery. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native to S and SE England; once widespread but range and abundance badly affected by Dutch Elm Disease. The ssp. minor includes trees previously (and sometimes still) known as Smooth-leaved Elm.
    157529.jpg
  • Huntingdon Elm - Ulmus x vegeta (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 30m<br />
Widely spreading tree with a domed crown. BARK Greyish and broken into regular ridges. BRANCHES Main branches are long, straight and upright to spreading. LEAVES Ovate to elliptical with a pointed tip and toothed margins; base is markedly unequal and upper surface of leaf is smooth. Leaves are rather similar to those of Wych Elm but with a petiole more than 5mm long. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Papery fruit. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A naturally occurring hybrid between Wych Elm and Ulmus glabra, found in East Anglia and central England. However, the true native distribution is obscured because cultivars, raised from the same parents, are widely planted. COMMENTS The cultivar known as ‘Huntingdon Elm’ is popularly planted and has a degree of resistance to Dutch Elm Disease.
    157452.jpg
  • Turkey Oak Quercus cerris (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 38m <br />
Deciduous, broadly conical oak, becoming more spreading and domed with age. BARK Thick, grey-brown, becoming fissured and forming regular, squarish plates in older trees. BRANCHES Appear swollen near base and spread upwards. Buds are covered with long hairs. LEAVES To 10–12cm long, deeply lobed with up to 10 lobes or large teeth, on 1–2cm-long, slightly downy petioles. Upper leaf surface feels rough and is deep green, lower surface is downy when new and greyish. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Catkins appear in May–June. Acorns ripen in late summer and are partly encased in a deep cup covered in long outward-pointing scales. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of S Europe, introduced into Britain by J. Lucombe of Exeter in 1735; now widely planted in parks and gardens and sometimes occurring in woodlands.
    120952.jpg
  • Common Chickweed - Stellaria media. Height to 30cm<br />
Annual of disturbed ground. Sometimes prostrate. Stems hairy in lines on alternate sides between leaf nodes. FLOWERS are white, 5-petalled and 5-10mm across (Jan-Dec); 3-8 stamens. FRUITS are capsules on long, drooping stalks. LEAVES are oval, fresh green and in opposite pairs; upper ones unstalked.
    157346.jpg
  • Grey Poplar Populus x canescens (Salicaceae) HEIGHT to 37m. Stable hybrid between White Poplar and Aspen. When fully mature, grows into an impressively large tree with a good solid bole. In spring the tree has a whitish appearance when the wind displaces the leaves, but it is not as brilliantly white as the White Poplar. BARK Whitish with diamond-shaped fissures. LEAVES Rounded to oval and toothed with regular blunt, forward-pointing teeth; borne on long petioles. Leaf upper surface is glossy grey-green and lower surface is covered with a greyish-white felt. By mid- to late summer the leaves lose some of the white felt and the tree looks greyer. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female catkins are borne on separate trees. Fe¬male trees with green, pendulous catkins are rare. Male catkins are elongated and pendulous, giving whole tree a purplish col¬our when they swell before opening in spring. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of mainland Europe and introduced into Britain very early, probably with the White Poplar.
    133949.jpg
  • Katsura Tree Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Cercidiphyllaceae) HEIGHT to 25m. Conical-crowned deciduous tree, sometimes with a single bole, more often with several main stems. BARK vertically fissured and peeling. LEAVES In opposite pairs, to 8cm long, rounded, with pointed tips and heart-shaped bases. Pink at first, turning green in summer, then red in autumn. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in leaf nodes in April. Male flowers are small clusters of reddish stamens, female flowers are darker-red clusters of styles. Fruits are claw-like bunches of 5cm-long pods which change from grey, through green, to brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, grown in Britain and Ireland for ornament.
    134336.jpg
  • Goat Willow (Sallow) Salix caprea (Salicaceae) HEIGHT to 12m. Depending on its situation this may be a multi-branched, dense, shrubby tree, or a taller tree with a straight, ridged stem and sparsely domed crown. SHOOTS Thick, stiff twigs are hairy at first, but become smoother and yellowish-brown with age. If the twigs have the bark peeled off they are smooth. (Compare with Grey Willow.) LEAVES Large, up to 12cm long and oval, with a short twisted point at the tip. The upper surface is dull green and slightly hairy, the lower surface is noticeably grey and woolly. The leaf margins have small, irregular teeth, and the short petiole sometimes has 2 ear-like sinuous stipules at its base. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female catkins, on separate trees, appear before the leaves, often very early in the spring in sheltered places. Measuring up to 2.5cm long, they are ovoid and covered with greyish silky hairs before opening; at this time, Goat Willow is often called ‘Pussy Willow’ because the silky-grey buds bear a fanciful resemblance to cats’ paws. When they open, the male catkins become bright yellow. Female catkins are greener and produce numerous silky-haired seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A widespread and common native species in Britain and Ireland, occurring in woods, hedgerows and scrub, and often in drier places than other similar species.
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  • Cornish Elm Ulmus minor ssp. angustifolia (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 36m  Narrowly conical and rather open crown. BARK Grey-brown and scaly. BRANCHES Relatively few branches, lowest ones ascending steeply. LEAVES Oval, toothed and relatively small (to 6cm); smooth and leathery above, downy on the midrib below. Leaf is narrow and almost equatl at the base, sometimes concave and with a straight midrib. Petiole is 1cm long and downy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Papery fruits. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Restricted to Cornwall, W Devon; more local elsewhere in West Country and introduce to SW Ireland. Much reduced because of Dutch Elm Disease.
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  • Evarca arcuata - Two males sparring over female spun up in leaf. Salticidae. A species of lowland wet heath.
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  • Rosemary Leaf Beetle - Chrysolina americana
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  • Green Oak Tortrix Tortrix viridana Wingspan 18-22mm. A distinctive and unmistakable moth. Adult has bright green forewings; at rest these are held flat creating a shield-like outline. Flies May-June. Larva feeds inside a rolled-up oak leaf. Widespread and common throughout much of the region.
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  • BLACK-BINDWEED Fallopia convolvulus (Polygonaceae) Height to 1m. Extremely common, clockwise-twining annual that both trails on the ground and climbs among wayside plants. FLOWERS are greenish and rather dock-like; they are borne in loose spikes that arise from leaf axils (Jul-Oct). FRUITS are nut-like and blackish. LEAVES are arrow-shaped and borne on angular stems. STATUS-Widespread and common.
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  • Holly Ilex aquifolium Aquifoliaceae Height to 15m <br />
Distinctive evergreen. Bark Silver-grey, fissured with age. Branches Sweep downwards but tips turn up. Leaves To 12cm long, leathery, variably wavy with spiny margins. Reproductive parts White flowers, 6mm across, 4-petalled, clustered in leaf axils; males and females grow on different trees. Fruits are red berries. Status Common native in woods and hedgerows.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • French Hales Sorbus devoniensis (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7m <br />
A medium-sized tree, or sometimes a large hedgerow shrub. LEAVES Broadly oval and leathery with shallow-toothed, sharp lobes on distal two-thirds of leaf; dark glossy green above and white below, with 7-9 pairs of veins. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits are brownish orange, to 15mm long, with numerous lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Local, on neutral to slightly acid, rocky ground; the main range is Devon and E Cornwall, but it also occurs in SE Ireland. These days it is mainly a hedgerow species but it is also found in coastal woodland too.
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  • Nail Galls On Lime leaf - caused by the tiny mite Eriophyes tiliae
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  • Pendent Silver-lime Tilia ‘Petiolaris’ (Height to 30m) is similar to Silver-lime Tilia tomentosa, but branches have pendulous tips. Leaf underside is very white and downy, as is the long petiole.
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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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  • Prickly Juniper or Cade Juniperus oxycedrus (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 14m. Spreading evergreen shrub or small untidy tree. BARK Brown, sometimes tinged with purple; peels away in vertical strips. LEAVES Sharply pointed needles arranged in whorls of 3; upper leaf surface has 2 pale bands separated by slightly raised midrib, and lower surface has pronounced midrib. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Female cones are rounded or pear-shaped, and mature to a reddish colour. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of S Europe, generally preferring dry habitats.
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  • Prickly Juniper or Cade Juniperus oxycedrus (Cupressaceae) HEIGHT to 14m. Spreading evergreen shrub or small untidy tree. BARK Brown, sometimes tinged with purple; peels away in vertical strips. LEAVES Sharply pointed needles arranged in whorls of 3; upper leaf surface has 2 pale bands separated by slightly raised midrib, and lower surface has pronounced midrib. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Female cones are rounded or pear-shaped, and mature to a reddish colour. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of S Europe, generally preferring dry habitats.
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  • Western Hemlock-spruce Tsuga heterophylla (Pinaceae) HEIGHT to 45m.  Large, narrowly conical evergreen with dense foliage; crown spire-like with drooping leading shoot. LEAVES Needles, dark glossy green above with 2 pale bands below, in 2 flattened rows on either side of shoot. Note, 2 leaf sizes (hence heterophylla): some 6mm long, others to 2cm long, both with rounded tips and toothed margins. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male flowers reddish at first, but yellowing with pollen. Female cones solitary, ovoid and pendent, to 3cm long; scales blunt. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of W North America. Widely planted here and reaches a great size.
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  • Rauli Nothofagus procera (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 28m <br />
Attractive, conical tree with a stout bole and striking autumn foliage. BARK Grey, with vertical plates. BRANCHES Lower branches are usually level, upper branches are more ascending. Thick, green twigs, which darken with age, bear pointed and reddish-brown buds, about 1cm long. LEAVES Alternate, to 8cm long and rather pointed at tip. Margin is wavy, minutely toothed and, on underside, the 15–22 pairs of veins are covered with fine silky hairs. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female flowers occur on same tree. Males solitary and grow in leaf axils, female flowers are also usually solitary and give rise to 4-lobed hairy capsules containing 3 shiny brown nuts. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Chile, introduced here early in 20th century and found in parks, gardens and commercial plantations.
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  • Rauli Nothofagus procera (Fagaceae) HEIGHT to 28m <br />
Attractive, conical tree with a stout bole and striking autumn foliage. BARK Grey, with vertical plates. BRANCHES Lower branches are usually level, upper branches are more ascending. Thick, green twigs, which darken with age, bear pointed and reddish-brown buds, about 1cm long. LEAVES Alternate, to 8cm long and rather pointed at tip. Margin is wavy, minutely toothed and, on underside, the 15–22 pairs of veins are covered with fine silky hairs. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male and female flowers occur on same tree. Males solitary and grow in leaf axils, female flowers are also usually solitary and give rise to 4-lobed hairy capsules containing 3 shiny brown nuts. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Chile, introduced here early in 20th century and found in parks, gardens and commercial plantations.
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  • Pink Siris Albizia julibrissin (Fabaceae) HEIGHT to 13m <br />
Small tree. BARK Smooth and grey. BRANCHES Spreading. LEAVES Pinnate, to 40cm long; each leaf has up to 25 pinnae, each pinna with about 35–50 curved, ovate leaflets, to 1.5cm long, green above, white below. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Pinkish-orange plume-like flowers borne on branched hairy stalks; pods brown, to 15cm long, constricted between seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Asia, planted here occasionally.
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  • Swedish Service-tree Sorbus hybrida (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 14m. Medium-sized tree. LEAVES To 10cm long, basal portion almost pinnate, apex more shallowly lobed. Lobe margins toothed near tips and leaf is grey-green above and woolly-white below. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits, to 1.2cm across, are rounded, bright red with small lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native to Scandinavia, planted here for ornament.
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  • Grey Alder Alnus incana (Betulaceae) HEIGHT to 25m <br />
A fast-growing alder more at home on dry soils than most other alders. Shoots and new leaves are covered with a dense layer of soft greyish hairs (hence incana). BARK Smooth and grey. LEAVES Triangular and toothed, terminating in a point, and the margins do not roll inwards. Hairs persist on the underside of the leaf as it matures. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS The catkins and fruits are very similar to those of other alders, although the green fruits are more globose before ripening to the typical dark, woody alder cone. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of Europe, introduced into Britain but not often planted. A good species for wasteland and reclamation schemes.
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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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  • Oriental Plane Platanus orientalis (Platanaceae) HEIGHT to 30m. Large deciduous tree with a broad, domed crown.  The main trunk is frequently covered with large tuberous burrs. BARK Mostly smooth and pale brown, flaking away to reveal rounded yellow patches. BRANCHES Often spreading. In older specimens branches droop down to the ground. Young shoots are yellow-brown and hairy, while older twigs are greyer. LEAVES Large, up to 18cm in length and width; deeply divided into 5–7 lobes which are themselves notched; central lobe is longest, and the leaf is borne on a 5cm-long petiole that has a swollen base enclosing a bud. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male flowers, up to 6cm long, are composed of 2–7 rounded, yellowish flower heads. Female flowers, up to 8cm long, comprise up to 6 rounded, dark-red flower heads; the flowers open in May–June. As they ripen into fruits the catkins reach a length of 15cm and the ball-like heads grow to 3cm across; they contain many 1-seeded carpels with long hairs attached to bases. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of the Balkans, eastwards into Asia.
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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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  • 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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  • Montpelier Maple Acer monspessulanum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 15m. Small deciduous tree with a neatly domed crown. BARK Blackish or grey and fissured. BRANCHES With smooth, thin and brown twigs terminating in small, ovoid orange-brown buds. LEAVES Leathery, to 8cm long, with 3 spreading lobes, entire margins, shiny dark-green above and bluish below with a few tufts of hairs in axils of lower veins; petiole is similar length as leaf and orange-tinted. Leaves are fresh green in spring, but dark in summer, and remain on tree until well into autumn. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Yellowish-green flowers after leaves, in small clusters on long, slender pedicels; upright at first but pendent later. Red-tinged fruits are about 1.2cm long, with parallel or overlapping wings. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of S Europe, planted here for ornament.
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  • Huntingdon Elm Ulmus x vegeta (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 30m<br />
Widely spreading tree with a domed crown. BARK Greyish and broken into regular ridges. BRANCHES Main branches are long, straight and upright to spreading. LEAVES Ovate to elliptical with a pointed tip and toothed margins; base is markedly unequal and upper surface of leaf is smooth. Leaves are rather similar to those of Wych Elm but with a petiole more than 5mm long. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Papery fruit. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A naturally occurring hybrid between Wych Elm and Ulmus glabra, found in East Anglia and central England. However, the true native distribution is obscured because cultivars, raised from the same parents, are widely planted. COMMENTS The cultivar known as ‘Huntingdon Elm’ is popularly planted and has a degree of resistance to Dutch Elm Disease.
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  • Horse-chestnut Aesculus hippocastanum Hippocastanaceae <br />
Deciduous tree with domed crown. Bark Greyish-brown, flaking. Branches Snap easily. Winter buds shiny brown, sticky, with shield-shaped leaf scar. Leaves Long-stalked, palmate, with up to 7 leaflets, each 25cm long. Reproductive parts In panicles, to 30cm tall, comprising 40+ 5-petalled, pink-spotted white flowers. Fruits spiny-cased and rounded, containing round seed (‘conker’). Status Native of Balkans, long established here.
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  • Eared willow Salix aurita (Salicaceae) HEIGHT to 2m<br />
Shrubby and much-branched willow. SHOOTS Downy at first, becoming shiny and brown with age. LEAVES Broadly ovate, to 4cm long, with wavy margins and a twisted tip; note the large, leafy stipules (‘ears’) at the leaf base. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male catkins ovoid and yellow, female catkins greener. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Favours damp, acid soils and common beside moorland and upland streams, and on damp heaths.
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  • Red Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Oleaceae) HEIGHT to 25m <br />
Similar to Common Ash but generally smaller. BARK Deeply furrowed, reddish-brown. BRANCHES Stout with hairy twigs and brown winter buds. LEAVES Opposite, pinnate, to 22cm long with 7, rarely 9, oval, pointed leaflets. Each leaflet to 15cm long, toothed and pointed, 2 sides of blade not matching on petiole; undersides are usually hairy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers open before leaves in hairy clusters in leaf axils; sexes usually on separate trees. Male flowers are red and female flowers are greenish. Both sexes of flowers lack petals, but female flowers have 4 sepals. Single-winged fruits are up to 6cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America, introduced into Britain and Ireland as an ornamental tree, but nowhere very common.
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  • Red Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Oleaceae) HEIGHT to 25m <br />
Similar to Common Ash but generally smaller. BARK Deeply furrowed, reddish-brown. BRANCHES Stout with hairy twigs and brown winter buds. LEAVES Opposite, pinnate, to 22cm long with 7, rarely 9, oval, pointed leaflets. Each leaflet to 15cm long, toothed and pointed, 2 sides of blade not matching on petiole; undersides are usually hairy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers open before leaves in hairy clusters in leaf axils; sexes usually on separate trees. Male flowers are red and female flowers are greenish. Both sexes of flowers lack petals, but female flowers have 4 sepals. Single-winged fruits are up to 6cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America, introduced into Britain and Ireland as an ornamental tree, but nowhere very common.
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  • Red Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Oleaceae) HEIGHT to 25m <br />
Similar to Common Ash but generally smaller. BARK Deeply furrowed, reddish-brown. BRANCHES Stout with hairy twigs and brown winter buds. LEAVES Opposite, pinnate, to 22cm long with 7, rarely 9, oval, pointed leaflets. Each leaflet to 15cm long, toothed and pointed, 2 sides of blade not matching on petiole; undersides are usually hairy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers open before leaves in hairy clusters in leaf axils; sexes usually on separate trees. Male flowers are red and female flowers are greenish. Both sexes of flowers lack petals, but female flowers have 4 sepals. Single-winged fruits are up to 6cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America, introduced into Britain and Ireland as an ornamental tree, but nowhere very common.
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  • Red Ash Fraxinus pennsylvanica (Oleaceae) HEIGHT to 25m <br />
Similar to Common Ash but generally smaller. BARK Deeply furrowed, reddish-brown. BRANCHES Stout with hairy twigs and brown winter buds. LEAVES Opposite, pinnate, to 22cm long with 7, rarely 9, oval, pointed leaflets. Each leaflet to 15cm long, toothed and pointed, 2 sides of blade not matching on petiole; undersides are usually hairy. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers open before leaves in hairy clusters in leaf axils; sexes usually on separate trees. Male flowers are red and female flowers are greenish. Both sexes of flowers lack petals, but female flowers have 4 sepals. Single-winged fruits are up to 6cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America, introduced into Britain and Ireland as an ornamental tree, but nowhere very common.
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  • Peach Prunus persica (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 6m <br />
Small, bushy and rounded deciduous tree. BARK Dark brown. BRANCHES Straight, with smooth, reddish, angular twigs. LEAVES Alternate, lanceolate, finely toothed, often creased into V-shape. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Pink flowers, to 4cm across, are usually solitary; open at same time as leaf buds; yellow-tipped anthers. Fruits is familiar peach, to 8cm long, rounded and downy, flushed pink; sweet, juicy flesh when ripe. Seed contained inside a woody, thickly ridged ‘stone’. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Probably native to China but long cultivated elsewhere. Here, it does best in a walled garden.
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  • Dutch Elm Ulmus x hollandica (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 30m<br />
Tall and rather straggly hybrid tree.  BARK Brown, cracking into small, shallow plates. BRANCHES Higher branches are longer than ones lower down, and are spreading. LEAVES Oval, toothed, to 15cm long, sometimes buckled. Leaf base is only slightly unequal. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Papery fruits. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A naturally occurring hybrid, whose parents are presumed to include Wych Elm, Plot’s Elm and Ulmus minor. Has a scattered range across southern England and south-west Wales and is found in hedgerows in lowland districts.
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  • Lilac Syringa vulgaris (Oleaceae) HEIGHT to 7m <br />
A small deciduous tree, but sometimes little more than a multi-stemmed shrub with a rounded crown and a short bole surrounded by suckers. BARK Greyish and spirally fissured in older trees. BRANCHES Usually a mass of ascending branches. The twigs are rounded and shiny greenish-brown. LEAVES Short-petioled and opposite, up to 10cm long, ovate or slightly heart-shaped with entire margins and a slightly leathery feel; they are usually yellowish-green with a smooth surface. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS The fragrant lilac flowers are borne in dense, paired conical spikes, up to 20cm long, arising from the apical leaf axils; the flowers are at their best in May and June. Individual flowers are up to 1.2cm long and 4-lobed. The fruit is a pointed ovoid capsule up to 1cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of rocky hillsides in the Balkans, growing in open thickets and scrub, but long cultivated in the rest of Europe for its attractive fragrant flowers. In Britain and Ireland, it is a popular garden plant and frequently naturalised as well, spreading by vegetative means (mainly suckers) rather than seed.
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  • Lilac Syringa vulgaris (Oleaceae) HEIGHT to 7m <br />
A small deciduous tree, but sometimes little more than a multi-stemmed shrub with a rounded crown and a short bole surrounded by suckers. BARK Greyish and spirally fissured in older trees. BRANCHES Usually a mass of ascending branches. The twigs are rounded and shiny greenish-brown. LEAVES Short-petioled and opposite, up to 10cm long, ovate or slightly heart-shaped with entire margins and a slightly leathery feel; they are usually yellowish-green with a smooth surface. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS The fragrant lilac flowers are borne in dense, paired conical spikes, up to 20cm long, arising from the apical leaf axils; the flowers are at their best in May and June. Individual flowers are up to 1.2cm long and 4-lobed. The fruit is a pointed ovoid capsule up to 1cm long. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A native of rocky hillsides in the Balkans, growing in open thickets and scrub, but long cultivated in the rest of Europe for its attractive fragrant flowers. In Britain and Ireland, it is a popular garden plant and frequently naturalised as well, spreading by vegetative means (mainly suckers) rather than seed.
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  • Dutch Elm Ulmus x hollandica (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 30m<br />
Tall and rather straggly hybrid tree.  BARK Brown, cracking into small, shallow plates. BRANCHES Higher branches are longer than ones lower down, and are spreading. LEAVES Oval, toothed, to 15cm long, sometimes buckled. Leaf base is only slightly unequal. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Papery fruits. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION A naturally occurring hybrid, whose parents are presumed to include Wych Elm, Plot’s Elm and Ulmus minor. Has a scattered range across southern England and south-west Wales and is found in hedgerows in lowland districts.
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  • Katsura Tree Cercidiphyllum japonicum (Cercidiphyllaceae) HEIGHT to 25m. Conical-crowned deciduous tree, sometimes with a single bole, more often with several main stems. BARK vertically fissured and peeling. LEAVES In opposite pairs, to 8cm long, rounded, with pointed tips and heart-shaped bases. Pink at first, turning green in summer, then red in autumn. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Flowers are produced in leaf nodes in April. Male flowers are small clusters of reddish stamens, female flowers are darker-red clusters of styles. Fruits are claw-like bunches of 5cm-long pods which change from grey, through green, to brown. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, grown in Britain and Ireland for ornament.
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  • Shagbark Hickory  Carya ovata (Juglandaceae) HEIGHT to 20m. Upright or slightly spreading tree with a broad, flattened crown. BARK Grey, splits into long scaly flakes. BRANCHES In winter, sparse branches support reddish twigs tipped with scaly buds. LEAVES Compound, 5 (sometimes 3 or 7) leaflets, to 20cm long, longer near tip of leaf. Each leaflet is oval to oblong, toothed, with tufts of short white hairs between teeth. Terminal leaflet is short-stalked. Leaves leathery, sometimes oily. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male catkins green, to 15cm long, in spreading clusters. Female flowers small, yellowish, in terminal clusters. Fruits round, to 6cm long, on short stalks; contain white seeds. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America, planted here occasionally.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Smooth Japanese Maple Acer palmatum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 16m. Small deciduous tree with a short, usually twisted bole, and domed crown. BARK Smooth brown bark with paler patches in young trees. BRANCHES Numerous and spreading, ending in thin reddish twigs with green undersides. LEAVES To 9cm long, with 5–7, sometimes 11, toothed lobes divided at least half-way to the base of leaf. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Dark purple-red flowers, in upright clusters of 12–15 on thin green or red 4cm-long pedicels, usually opening in April–May. Reddish fruits usually hang in clusters, each fruit about 2cm across, the wings diverging widely. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of Japan, planted here for its compact shape, interesting foliage and fine autumn colours.
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  • Lawson’s Cypress Chamaecyparis lawsoniana Cupressaceae Height to 40m. Dense conical evergreen. Trunk often forked. Bark Cracks into vertical greyish plates. Branches Numerous. Leaves Scale-like, to 2mm long, flattened along shoot, in opposite pairs; parsley-scented. Reproductive parts Male flowers are cones, to 4mm long. Female cones, to 8mm across, have 4 pairs of scales. Status Native of western USA, widely planted here. Numerous cultivars exist with different with leaf colours.
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  • Red Maple Acer rubrum (Aceraceae) HEIGHT to 23m <br />
Fast-growing, spreading tree with an irregular crown.BARK Grey and smooth. BRANCHES Mostly ascending, but arch outwards. LEAVES To 10cm long and almost as wide, with 3–5 toothed lobes less than half the leaf width; red-tinged above at first, greener later, and silvery below, with a red petiole. Turn various shades of red and yellow in autumn. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS small red flowers in dense clusters on thin pedicels, open in spring before leaves. Males and females are separate. Bright-red winged fruits are about 1cm long, the wings diverging at a narrow angle. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of E North America, usually growing in damp habitats, grown here for its autumn foliage.
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  • French Hales Sorbus devoniensis (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7m <br />
A medium-sized tree, or sometimes a large hedgerow shrub. LEAVES Broadly oval and leathery with shallow-toothed, sharp lobes on distal two-thirds of leaf; dark glossy green above and white below, with 7-9 pairs of veins. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits are brownish orange, to 15mm long, with numerous lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Local, on neutral to slightly acid, rocky ground; the main range is Devon and E Cornwall, but it also occurs in SE Ireland. These days it is mainly a hedgerow species but it is also found in coastal woodland too.
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  • French Hales Sorbus devoniensis (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7m <br />
A medium-sized tree, or sometimes a large hedgerow shrub. LEAVES Broadly oval and leathery with shallow-toothed, sharp lobes on distal two-thirds of leaf; dark glossy green above and white below, with 7-9 pairs of veins. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits are brownish orange, to 15mm long, with numerous lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Local, on neutral to slightly acid, rocky ground; the main range is Devon and E Cornwall, but it also occurs in SE Ireland. These days it is mainly a hedgerow species but it is also found in coastal woodland too.
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  • French Hales Sorbus devoniensis (Rosaceae) HEIGHT to 7m <br />
A medium-sized tree, or sometimes a large hedgerow shrub. LEAVES Broadly oval and leathery with shallow-toothed, sharp lobes on distal two-thirds of leaf; dark glossy green above and white below, with 7-9 pairs of veins. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Fruits are brownish orange, to 15mm long, with numerous lenticels. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Local, on neutral to slightly acid, rocky ground; the main range is Devon and E Cornwall, but it also occurs in SE Ireland. These days it is mainly a hedgerow species but it is also found in coastal woodland too.
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  • Oriental Plane Platanus orientalis (Platanaceae) HEIGHT to 30m. Large deciduous tree with a broad, domed crown.  The main trunk is frequently covered with large tuberous burrs. BARK Mostly smooth and pale brown, flaking away to reveal rounded yellow patches. BRANCHES Often spreading. In older specimens branches droop down to the ground. Young shoots are yellow-brown and hairy, while older twigs are greyer. LEAVES Large, up to 18cm in length and width; deeply divided into 5–7 lobes which are themselves notched; central lobe is longest, and the leaf is borne on a 5cm-long petiole that has a swollen base enclosing a bud. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Male flowers, up to 6cm long, are composed of 2–7 rounded, yellowish flower heads. Female flowers, up to 8cm long, comprise up to 6 rounded, dark-red flower heads; the flowers open in May–June. As they ripen into fruits the catkins reach a length of 15cm and the ball-like heads grow to 3cm across; they contain many 1-seeded carpels with long hairs attached to bases. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Native of the Balkans, eastwards into Asia.
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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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  • Hybrid Elm Ulmus ‘Lobel’ (Ulmaceae) HEIGHT to 35m<br />
Narrowly columnar tree with rather dense foliage. BARK Brown, cracking into small, square plates. BRANCHES Upright, straight and spreading at shallow angles. LEAVES Ovate to elliptical, dark green and shiny with a pointed tip and toothed margins; base is almost equal and upper surface of leaf is smooth. REPRODUCTIVE PARTS Papery fruits. STATUS AND DISTRIBUTION Widely planted. COMMENTS An artificial hybrid with a complex parentage that includes U. x hollandica.
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