"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message
from "Ian B" contains these words:

Ian B wrote:
Janet Baraclough wrote:
The message
from "Ian B" contains these
words: snip

it sounds as if it could be a euphorbia. Nice plants but sensitive
people can get a very unpleasant longterm contact skin rash.
So be careful/wear gloves for the next suggestion; break a stem or
leaf off and see if milky white sap ooozes out. Like cream.


Thanks, there were in fact some drips of something sappy looking on a
couple of the leaves. I don't want to snap anything off as I've just
looked at it and I don't think it appreciated being moved very much,
it's getting rather wilty


I realised I could overcome the picture problem, partially, by doing a
drawing, so here it is. It's a fairly close approximation; the leaves get
darker as they go down the stem.

http://img203.imagevenue.com/img.php..._122_461lo.jpg

Hey, you're good at drawing! It's caper spurge, euphorbia lathyris.

foliage at

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_rWksMjEBTQk/Sa...thyris-887.jpg

Gosh, we have one of those growing along side our service path!


better look at flowers at

http://www.english-nature.org.uk/Ima...web/5/5488.jpg

don't be misled by the common name, it's not the edible caper used in
sauces and you certainly wouldn't want one of its seeds in your mouth.

Janet, is this because it is poisonous, or just that it tastes foul? Would
like to know as one of the neighbours has a 5 year old and another has a 3
year old grand daughter who visits regularly.

--
Kathy