Mystery wildflowers

[Dave]

I don't know much about wildflowers, but I do enjoy learning to identify them.

If I spot something new while I'm out walking, I will often take a photo and try to find it in books or online later. Sometimes I get nowhere, so I hope to use this topic to see if anyone can help.

I first noticed the plants in this photo growing close to foxgloves near a river in North Wales. Then later I saw lots of them growing very successfully on dry stone walls - as they are here. They have small, bell-shaped creamy flowers and the largest spikes were about 3ft high, but look as though they will grow much taller.

This one has defeated me... any ideas?

[Dave]

I found it... it's called Navelwort!

https://wildflowerfinder.org.uk/Flowers/N/Navelwort/Navelwort.htm

NAVELWORT, WALL PENNYWORT, PENNYWORT, KIDNEYWORT, WALL PENNYROYAL

Distinguishing Feature : Grows in walls or cliff faces and has roundish shiny leaves at the base and a long thin spike of flowers up the wall. The leaves have a dimple in the middle reminiscent of a navel, which is how it acquired its name.

[Camela]

Good! I did try my own searches!

[rdw123]

Hi Dave. Thought the leaves looked like pennywort but I thought they were smaller and yellow. Apparently you can peel the back off pennywort leaves and use it as a plaster. We once went on a walk with a botanist in Madeira and he showed us how to do it. Not tried it myself! Not seen this one before. Ruth

[Gillzajoker]

Glad you found the name, Dave. The leaves looked familiar, but never seen the
flower spike growing so tall before.

[Dave]

Not wildflowers, but definitely flora - and a real puzzle.

I saw this pair of mushrooms on my walk this morning:



Better angle, but slightly blurred:



I've looked them up and I'm almost certain they're called Magpie Ink Caps. The habitat is a match (beech woodland and chalky soil), but they're supposed to appear from Sept to Dec. I couldn't see any others nearby. Apparently they're poisonous.

[rdw123]

Well done Dave. My knowledge of mushrooms is zero. They have obviously got their timing wrong.

[Gillzajoker]

Also called Shaggy Ink Cap (Coprinus comatus). They change colour during their 'lifespan' and
are supposed to be edible when young, but once they start turning black they become poisonous.

[Dave]

Wow, you people sure know some obscure stuff.