While at the beach I saw a very pretty wild plant growing in the
shingle/pebbles just above high water mark. It grows in a low (6") clump
of sprawling stems, and has glaucus blue ovate leaves about an inch
long, all the way along the stems. The flowers are at the tip, very
tiny, pink or blue.

I've never seen this before and have no idea what it is. Any suggestions?

Janet.

Janet Baraclough.. wrote in message ...
While at the beach I saw a very pretty wild plant growing in the
shingle/pebbles just above high water mark. It grows in a low (6") clump
of sprawling stems, and has glaucus blue ovate leaves about an inch
long, all the way along the stems. The flowers are at the tip, very
tiny, pink or blue.

I've never seen this before and have no idea what it is. Any suggestions?

Janet.

Janet,

Could it be an oyster plant ?

There's a picture at
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/almara...es/page31.html and another
at http://www.caithness.org/nature/plan...wer/oyster.htm

Cheers,

Anne

The message
from (Anne Donnelly) contains these words:

Janet Baraclough.. wrote in
message ...
While at the beach I saw a very pretty wild plant growing in the
shingle/pebbles just above high water mark. It grows in a low (6") clump
of sprawling stems, and has glaucus blue ovate leaves about an inch
long, all the way along the stems. The flowers are at the tip, very
tiny, pink or blue.

I've never seen this before and have no idea what it is. Any
suggestions?

Janet.

Janet,

Could it be an oyster plant ?

There's a picture at
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/almara...es/page31.html and another
at http://www.caithness.org/nature/plan...wer/oyster.htm

Yes, that's it! Mertensia maritima. Many thanks.

Janet.

"Janet Baraclough.." wrote in message
...

While at the beach I saw a very pretty wild plant growing in the
shingle/pebbles just above high water mark. It grows in a low (6") clump
of sprawling stems, and has glaucus blue ovate leaves about an inch
long, all the way along the stems. The flowers are at the tip, very
tiny, pink or blue.

I've never seen this before and have no idea what it is. Any
suggestions?

Janet.
---------------------
I wouldn't dare make a guess. As you know, plants growing above
high water mark can look very different compared with the same plant 100yds.
inland.
Were the flowers Composite, Actinomorphic/ Zygomorphic? How many petals~~
pentamerous? The stems~ were they rounded or squared~~ Glossy or hairy?
Can you make a reasonable presumption of the family?
Sorry to of no better assistance. Would be nice if it can be identified.
As a last resort I have sent specimens to Kew and have, with one
exception, received polite responses. The exception was, again a plant I
should have known, found growing on the high water line! But looked so
different and had been a garden 'throw out' and hence not wild!.
Regards Brian.

Whilst this picture is recogniseable as Rose of Sharon in some parts of
the
world. In the UK Rose of Sharon is Hypericum calycinum - which is a yellow
flowering evergreen. Also known as Aaron's beard.

I'm pretty sure that the botanical name of the plant in the picture is
Hibiscus syriacus.

ok. thanks very much for the information Nick.