On Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:44:48 -0700 (PDT), NT
wrote:

Hi

I'm new here, and I hope I can ask about the identity of 4 plants I've
found in garden, which might well turn out to be quite handy to keep,
depending what they are. Basically I'm looking for food bearing
species.

First things first: don't use sites with sex ads thrown in -- not to
be trusted.

pointy red berries, which I suspect are toxic:
http://tinypic.com/r/29g2693/7

Bittersweet, or Woody Nightshade. Solanum dulcamara. Toxic.

red berries with a roughish end, about quarter inch across - they
ripen red
http://tinypic.com/r/i3e2zb/7

The haws which give hawthorn its name. Not much to eat on them, as the
seed is relatively big, and the flesh is tasteless. I don't think
they're toxic, buit I did once read a suggestion that they were
suspect.

tree with winged seed:
http://tinypic.com/r/1j9u1t/7

One of the maples, I think. I found no evidence of toxicity, but I've
never heard of their seeds being eaten.

I suspect these may be some sort of gage, they have the crease on one
side only. I dont yet know what colour they ripen to. The small trees
are covered with them, not in bunches. Theyre about 3/4 - 1" long:
http://tinypic.com/r/4htf7b/7

Sloes, I suspect -- the fruit of the blackthorn. Good for sloe gin and
a sort of ketchup my mother sometimes made. Even when fully ripe, and
nearly black, very sour and bitter: I always eat a few every year for
the fun of it, but that's just me. May be another wild or naturalized
relative of the plum, though.

--
Mike.