In article ,
mel turner wrote:
In article ,
[Mark Sansom] wrote...

Hi,

I have placed a picture on my web site, showing a plant I am unable to
identify. Please see http://www.astrostitch.co.uk/plant.htm.

The plant was situated amongst Common Cleavers and Brambles by the edge of a
nature trail (disused rail track) in Nottinghamshire, England. The picture
was taken on 10th April 2004.

I have looked in 4 different wild flower books and been unable to identify
the plant, the closest being something in the Crucifers (or Brassicae). I
would be grateful if someone could assist me!!

Looks very much like the genus _Lunaria_ to me.

They later have interesting flat fruits.

http://www.4reference.net/encycloped...a/Lunaria.html
http://caliban.mpiz-koeln.mpg.de/~st...2000/01555.jpg
http://www.botany.utoronto.ca/course...D1lunaria.html
http://botany.cs.tamu.edu/FLORA/schoepke/lun_re_2.jpg
http://www.gut-im-bild.at/pages/Lunaria-annua.htm
http://www.plantimag.de/dat/0205078.html
http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/imaxxbra.htm

You're right, it is a member of the Brassicaceae.

Hope this helps.

cheers


Yes! I agree, good old "Honesty" - known in N. America as "The silver dollar
plant" and to botanists as Lunaria annua L. It's a garden escape having
been introduced from SE Europe according to Grey-Wilson in "The Illustrated
Flora of Britain & N. Europe". It escapes all over our garden here in
Newfoundland too, just as well it's good looking.

Howard Clase