In message , Sacha
writes

With alternate foliage and 5-loculate capsular fruits it could be
Hibiscus syriacus. (H. syriacus doesn't usually fruit in my neck of the
woods, but there's a plant in the town centre with similar looking
fruits, that if I recall correctly is H. syriacus.)

You don't happen to remember what the foliage or flowers look like?

For a selection of pictures of H. syriacus see

http://www.malvaceae.info/Genera/Hibiscus/galleryH.html

We think the pods are too pointed for that and Ray suggests
Pseudocamellia stewartia in which the seed pod is very hard. If it's
Fremontodendron we'd expect it to have foliage on still but you never
know! Their seed pods are furry and quite soft.

I don't know Pseudocamellia stewartia. I'm interpreting the photo as
showing a capsule with 5 locules which have separated, so the capsule as
a whole is quite blunt. I would also interpret the capsule as being
chartaceous (parchment-like) rather than woody. A photograph of the
innards of the capsule might assist identification.

I'm sure that it's not Fremontodendron - there's no sign of the fuzz on
the fruit, and I think the OP would have noticed it elsewhere. I never
got seed out of a Fremontodendron, but the mature fruits of
Fremontodendron are quite hard. Also to describe the Fremontodendron as
furry might lead people astray - the seed hairs are quite stiff -
they're not as bad as cacti, at least not being hooked, but they're
quite capable of penetrating skin. The hairs on other parts of the plant
are irritant.

http://www.malvaceae.info/Genera/Fre.../CalGlory.html
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

hi well i remembered that i took some photo's to try and help me recognise some of the plants.
unfortunately i am such a novice that i don't know if i've got the right photo.
i took a few foliage shots from some of the plants, so if when you see this you think that it's obviously from another type of plant altogether, then you're probably right.
i seem to remember it having 'nut-tree' type leaves so i think this is the right photo.

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o...6/DSCN0482.jpg

hope that helps. i still don't recognise it by what's been said here so far, but i appreciate your help and the lichen thing sounds reassuring.
thanks

"lowlife" wrote in message
...

hi well i remembered that i took some photo's to try and help me
recognise some of the plants.
unfortunately i am such a novice that i don't know if i've got the
right photo.
i took a few foliage shots from some of the plants, so if when you see
this you think that it's obviously from another type of plant
altogether, then you're probably right.
i seem to remember it having 'nut-tree' type leaves so i think this is
the right photo.

http://tinyurl.com/25ue3q

hope that helps. i still don't recognise it by what's been said here so
far, but i appreciate your help and the lichen thing sounds reassuring.

thanks

lowlife

Those leaves look like Hazel (Corylus avellana ).I,ve lost the plot on this
one:-)

On 24/1/07 16:05, in article , "Rupert (W.Yorkshire)"
wrote:


"lowlife" wrote in message
...

hi well i remembered that i took some photo's to try and help me
recognise some of the plants.
unfortunately i am such a novice that i don't know if i've got the
right photo.
i took a few foliage shots from some of the plants, so if when you see
this you think that it's obviously from another type of plant
altogether, then you're probably right.
i seem to remember it having 'nut-tree' type leaves so i think this is
the right photo.

http://tinyurl.com/25ue3q

hope that helps. i still don't recognise it by what's been said here so
far, but i appreciate your help and the lichen thing sounds reassuring.

thanks

lowlife

Those leaves look like Hazel (Corylus avellana ).I,ve lost the plot on this
one:-)

Just what I thought. I'm beginning to think that the seed pods belong to
another plant altogether, possibly in front of the probable Hazel.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" writes

"lowlife" wrote in message
...

hi well i remembered that i took some photo's to try and help me
recognise some of the plants.
unfortunately i am such a novice that i don't know if i've got the
right photo.
i took a few foliage shots from some of the plants, so if when you see
this you think that it's obviously from another type of plant
altogether, then you're probably right.
i seem to remember it having 'nut-tree' type leaves so i think this is
the right photo.

http://tinyurl.com/25ue3q

hope that helps. i still don't recognise it by what's been said here so
far, but i appreciate your help and the lichen thing sounds reassuring.

thanks

lowlife

Those leaves look like Hazel (Corylus avellana ).I,ve lost the plot on this
one:-)

Not quite right for hazel (leaf not quite rounded enough) and he did say
he remembered the other bush having 'nut-tree' type leaves! But it's not
Hibiscus or Magnolia


--
Kay

"K" wrote in message
...
"Rupert (W.Yorkshire)" writes

"lowlife" wrote in message
...

hi well i remembered that i took some photo's to try and help me
recognise some of the plants.
unfortunately i am such a novice that i don't know if i've got the
right photo.
i took a few foliage shots from some of the plants, so if when you see
this you think that it's obviously from another type of plant
altogether, then you're probably right.
i seem to remember it having 'nut-tree' type leaves so i think this is
the right photo.

http://tinyurl.com/25ue3q

hope that helps. i still don't recognise it by what's been said here so
far, but i appreciate your help and the lichen thing sounds reassuring.

thanks

lowlife

Those leaves look like Hazel (Corylus avellana ).I,ve lost the plot on
this
one:-)

Not quite right for hazel (leaf not quite rounded enough) and he did say
he remembered the other bush having 'nut-tree' type leaves! But it's not
Hibiscus or Magnolia


Kay

Assuming those leaves do not belong to the tree then perhaps the tree/shrub
could be some form of Rhus--perhaps.

Hi, i must admit i thought it was a hazel at first, not that i know what i'm talking about.
I've also seen some pics of a hibiscus that have very similar leaves, assuming i showed you the right leaf pic lol. there are no other bushy shrubs around it, as you can see from the main pic, so i think i have the right one.

i've been looking at lots of leaves on the net and it does seem more like a shrub than a tree, there are too many variations to be certain though.
thanks

On 23/1/07 23:41, in article lid, "Stewart Robert
Hinsley" wrote:

snip

I don't know Pseudocamellia stewartia. I'm interpreting the photo as
showing a capsule with 5 locules which have separated, so the capsule as
a whole is quite blunt. I would also interpret the capsule as being
chartaceous (parchment-like) rather than woody. A photograph of the
innards of the capsule might assist identification.

I'm sure that it's not Fremontodendron - there's no sign of the fuzz on
the fruit, and I think the OP would have noticed it elsewhere. I never
got seed out of a Fremontodendron, but the mature fruits of
Fremontodendron are quite hard. Also to describe the Fremontodendron as
furry might lead people astray - the seed hairs are quite stiff -
they're not as bad as cacti, at least not being hooked, but they're
quite capable of penetrating skin. The hairs on other parts of the plant
are irritant.

http://www.malvaceae.info/Genera/Fre.../CalGlory.html

Fremontodendron pod:
http://tinyurl.com/2h9hcn
(as I said, we think that's unlikely, if only because of the lack of leaves
on the plant)

I can't find a pic of the seed pod of the Stewartia. The plant is unusual
but not rare. The OP didn't give any description of a flower, so I'm
assuming he hasn't seen one yet but obviously that would help a lot.
Perhaps a neighbour would know?

In the pic of the seed pods they look as if they've been hanging around for
a long time and so are rather dried out. It would be interesting to know
what they look like when fresh.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 23/1/07 23:41, in article lid, "Stewart
Robert
Hinsley" wrote:

snip

I don't know Pseudocamellia stewartia. I'm interpreting the photo as
showing a capsule with 5 locules which have separated, so the capsule as
a whole is quite blunt. I would also interpret the capsule as being
chartaceous (parchment-like) rather than woody. A photograph of the
innards of the capsule might assist identification.
I can't find a pic of the seed pod of the Stewartia. The plant is unusual
but not rare. The OP didn't give any description of a flower, so I'm
assuming he hasn't seen one yet but obviously that would help a lot.
Perhaps a neighbour would know?

In the pic of the seed pods they look as if they've been hanging around
for
a long time and so are rather dried out. It would be interesting to know
what they look like when fresh.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

Do they flower like that up the stems? I have never seen one in seed or
flower. The pods in the picture reminded me a little of Paulownia but not
quite right and they would be more in bunches, still it might be a relative!

--
Charlie, gardening in Cornwall.
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of National Plant Collections of Clematis viticella (cvs) and
Lapageria rosea

On 24/1/07 21:19, in article , "Charlie
Pridham" wrote:


"Sacha" wrote in message
. uk...
On 23/1/07 23:41, in article lid, "Stewart
Robert
Hinsley" wrote:

snip

I don't know Pseudocamellia stewartia. I'm interpreting the photo as
showing a capsule with 5 locules which have separated, so the capsule as
a whole is quite blunt. I would also interpret the capsule as being
chartaceous (parchment-like) rather than woody. A photograph of the
innards of the capsule might assist identification.
I can't find a pic of the seed pod of the Stewartia. The plant is unusual
but not rare. The OP didn't give any description of a flower, so I'm
assuming he hasn't seen one yet but obviously that would help a lot.
Perhaps a neighbour would know?

In the pic of the seed pods they look as if they've been hanging around
for
a long time and so are rather dried out. It would be interesting to know
what they look like when fresh.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)

Do they flower like that up the stems? I have never seen one in seed or
flower. The pods in the picture reminded me a little of Paulownia but not
quite right and they would be more in bunches, still it might be a relative!

Allowing for scale, they're much too big for Paulownia, I *think*.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)