Thread: Plant identify
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Old 21-06-2007, 03:52 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Jim Scott Jim Scott is offline
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Default Plant identify

Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote in
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In message . de, Jim
Scott writes
Dave Hill wrote in
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On 20 Jun, 10:50, Stewart Robert Hinsley {$new...


wrote:
In message Xns99556A3E1458Djim.jimXscott.co...

, Jim
Scott writes

Stewart Robert Hinsley wrote in
:

In message , Charlie

Pridham
writes

"Jim Scott" wrote in message

temas.de...
Stewart Robert Hinsley

wrote in
:

In message
. de,
Jim Scott writes
Stewart Robert Hinsley

wrote in
:

In message
Xns99548F405594Ejim.jimXscott.co...

, Jim
Scott writes
I am trying to identify a perrenial.
It has most of the characteristics of a hardy

geranium, but
having checked specialist growers I do not recognise

it
there. The flowers are blue/purple, the plant ~ 6"

tall x
~9-12" wide initially, and the flowers are not of

the
cranesbill type. I have seen it growing wild on the

coast.
Any suggestions?

It's a bit on the small size, but is it a Common

Mallow
(Malva sylvestris)? The native(ish) form has pale

red to
rose to lilac flowers, but the Mediterranean form

has
magenta flowers, and might be found as an escape.

The leaves of mallows and geraniums can look very

similar;
it took me a few years to train myself to tell them

apart,
and that's assuming I don't come across anything

exotic. The
distinguishing mark of mallows (including

hibiscuses,
abutilons and the like) is the fusion of the

filaments of
the stamens into a column enclosing the style,

generally
with the free portion of the filaments and the

anthers
clustered at the top of the column.

Possibly.
I saw a blue geranium on the banks of The Tyne today,

so
perhaps it was that after all.

The wild blue-flowered species are Geranium pratense

(Meadow
Cranesbill) and Geranium sylvaticum (Wood Cranesbill).

But you
would have found these in Keble-Martin. (I

photographed one of
these as Allenback back in 2000.) There are other

Well there you go. I drove 60 miles to get these and yes it is a
geranium. ?
http://www.jimscot.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Geranium.htm
Now one of you can have the satisfaction of telling me which
one?

Bloody Cranesbill, Geranium sanguineum, known for its coastal
distribution ("dry rocks and sea cliffs", fide Keble-Martin).


Thanks all. I swear it looked bluer than this (before I had me cataracts
done)

This one is blue - identify please and then I'll go away.
http://www.jimscot.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Geranium_2.htm
--
Jim S
Tyneside UK
http://www.jimscott.co.uk