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Old 22-07-2009, 10:27 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Stewart Robert Hinsley Stewart Robert Hinsley is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
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Default OTish: 20 most widespread "weeds"

In message ,
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In article ,
mark wrote:

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" wrote in message
...
I've been making notes about the local flora. Should this be of mild
interest, these are the 20 most widespread (not necessarily the commonest)
species - the figures in brackets are the number of "sites" in which they
are present, where a site averages about a square kilometre. No grasses,
as I can't tell them apart. There are also biases against late-flowering
plants, and arable weeds, so take the figures with a pinch of salt.



Wot! No ground elder?


It's rather more sensitive to conditions than most people realise;
it needs part shade and either short grass or very little ground
cover. As that is precisely what most gardens provide, it is a
major pest there, but it isn't all that universal in the wild.

However, I am extremely surprised at the lack of field bindweed,
but it is extremely easy to overlook unless it is flowering.

There was a field bindweed by a footpath along the edge of a field about
a mile away, but that seems to have disappeared. The other two sites I
know are both about 5 miles away. (Perhaps I do overlook it when not
flowering, but Convolvulaceae collectively wouldn't make the top 20.)

I have 3 sites for black bindweed, which may also be easily overlooked.

Regards,
Nick Maclaren.


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Stewart Robert Hinsley