How Polluted?!: Plant ID guide

Use this guide to help you identify the plants you find during Activity C.

Gorse

Rosebay willowherbHeath bedstraw Tormentil

© Roger Key © Roger Key © Roger Key

Common heather Bell heather

© Roger Key © Roger Key© Peter Crittenden

Lichen Moss Bracken

© Roger Key © Peter Crittenden© Lauren Gough

Use this guide to help you identify the plants you find during Activity C.

Common heather• Flowers 3 – 5 mm long.

• Petals separate and lilac in colour.

• Leaves very small, 1 – 2 mm long.

Bell heather• Flowers bell-shaped, 4–7mm long.

• Petals fused together and purple in colour.

• Leaves in whorls of three.

Gorse• Yellow flowers.

• Stems have long spines.

Lichen• Made of a fungus and an alga.

• Many different species.

• Occur in range of shapes and colours.

Moss• Small, simple leaves.

• Grow close to ground.

• Lack roots.

Bracken• Fern with triangular fronds.

• Does not flower, produces spores.

• Can reach over 1.5 m in height.

Heath bedstraw• Small, white flowers.

• 6 – 8 leaves appearing in whorls around stem.

Rosebay willowherb• Flowers magenta, 4 petals, 2 -3 cm wide.

• Reddish stems.

• Long and narrow leaves.

• Grows to 1.5 m.

Tormentil• Creeps along ground surface.

• Yellow flowers with 4 petals.

• Leaves divided into 5 leaflets.

How Polluted?!: Plant ID guide

Use the pictures/descriptions on the following 2 pages to amend your plant ID guide if required.

Scarlet pimpernel Wood sage Harebell

Common broom Cross-leaved heath Bramble

BilberrySheep’s sorrelHeathmilkwort

How Polluted?!: Plant ID guide

© Roger Key© Roger Key

© Roger Key© Roger Key© Roger Key

© Roger Key © Roger Key © Roger Key

© Gordon Maclean

Common broom

• Yellow flowers.

• Stems lack spines.

• Can grow up to 2 m tall.

• Has a 5-angled stem.

Cross-leaved heath• Similar to but shorter

than bell heather.

• Leaves in whorls of 4 around stem.

• Leaf surface is downy.

Bramble• Flowers white or pink with 5 petals.

• Prickly stems.

• Produces blackberries!

Bilberry• Grows to 30 cm.

• Flowers greenish pink, petals fused.

• 4-angled stem.

• Small blueish-black berries.

Sheep’s sorrel• Small, slender plant to 20 cm in height.

• Flowers small, red, and arranged in leafless spikes.

Heath milkwort• Dark blue flowers but can be white, pink or pale blue.

• 5 – 20 cm tall.

• Scrambling growth form.

Scarlet pimpernel• Distinctive scarlet flowers.

• Flowers have 5 petals.

• Leaves are oval with a black dot on the underside.

Wood sage• Flowers pale greenish, yellow.

• Up to 50 cm.

• Often found in light shade.

• Leaves pointed, bluntly toothed.

Harebell• 15 – 40 cm tall.

• Pale blue, bell-shaped flowers.

How Polluted?!: Plant ID guide