In message , Sacha
writes
On 11/9/08 17:09, in article
, "Cat(h)"
wrote:

On Sep 11, 9:16*am, Sacha wrote:
On 10/9/08 21:02, in article
, "Cat(h)"

wrote:
I took these pics in early August in NW Ireland.
Those plants (about 3 or 4 of them) were growing amids lots of weeds
on piles of topsoil disturbed on a building site. *I looked around,
but could not find anything similar nearby, in gardens or in the
surrounding countryside.
I would say they were approx 50 to 80cm tall. *The flowers themselves
were relatively large, maybe 8 to 10cm in diametre.
Can anyone help?
TIA!
http://i38.tinypic.com/2jcwt2h.jpg
http://i33.tinypic.com/o6k9p4.jpg

I think it could be Inula magnifica. *We have two types in the garden and
that's one of them but I'm not sure if yours is tall enough. *I am dredging
my memory for the other at the moment but will have to ask Ray and report
back!

--
Sachahttp://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

From the colour/structure of the foliage and sheer size, I think
helenium is a closer match.
Either way, I am delighted to have learned about a new plant.
Thank you all!
Cat(h)

I. magnifica goes up to 6' to 8' so that should help clinch it! I. Helenium
is the shorter one we have, something between 2' and 3' tall.

The other plant I considered was common fleabane, Pulicaria dysenterica
(which I've seen in 3 localities), but the flower size is enough to
distinguish it. (The capitulum of Inula helenium is also more "ragged",
and there are differences in the involucre.)

(Actually my line of thought was "that looks like Pulicaria dysenterica,
but it's not quite right - lets look up Inuleae in the book.)
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley