July Wildflowers

Tue 17th Jul, 2012

On the chalk grassland cliff-tops of East Yorkshire, Kidney Vetch is a common sight, the dull yellow flowers sitting over their cottony white calyx tubes. Other members of the Pea family which are abundant now are Bird’s-foot Trefoil, sometimes called ‘eggs and bacon’ because the yolk-yellow flowers frequently have a touch of red or orange, and Tufted Vetch, with its cascade of drooping purple flowers.

Members of the Daisy family can be extremely varied. One example currently in flower is Common or Black Knapweed, which has thistle-like purple flowers. The leaves of the very common Perennial Sow-thistle are also superficially thistle-like, but are shiny and bear no spines. The flower is yellow. Yarrow can look at first glance like one of the many umbellifers in the Carrot family, but has bright white flowers and dark green feathery leaves. Cat’s-ear is one of many Dandelion look-alikes. The flower-stalks of Cat’s-ear are leafless; instead they have small dark leaf-like bracts.

Yellow Rattle is a distinctive plant with long, serrated leaves growing in pairs up the stem. The seeds can be rattled inside the pods, hence the name. Lady’s Bedstraw is another distinctive grassland flower, forming eye-catching clumps of bright yellow. It is a springy plant with a pleasant aroma, and was once gathered to use as bedding.