Lithospermum officinale 小花紫草

Common name: Common Gromwell
Scientific name: Lithospermum officinale 小花紫草
Genus: Lithospermum 紫草屬
Family: Boraginaceae 紫草科, borage or forget-me-not family

Origin: native

Date: 11st May

[247] An erect, much-branched, pubescent perennial, can reach to 80 cm.

[242]

[241] Leaves to 7 cm.

[238_1] Underside of the leaves.

[238_2] Note the conspicuous lateral nerves beneath the leaf and the pubescent petiole and stem.      

[245]

[239]

[236]

[248]

[233]

[233_1] Flower bud with 5 green sepals outside and 5 yellowish closed petals in the center.

[239_1] Lateral view of a flower bud.

[236_1] Lateral view of the flowers. Flower stalks could also be seen above.

[248_1] Closer lateral view of a flower.

[233_1] Yellowish corolla 3-6 mm across. 5 anthers and 1 style could be seen above.

Echium vulgare 藍薊

Common name: Viper's-bugloss
Scientific name: Echium vulgare 藍薊
Genus: Echium 藍薊屬
Family: Boraginaceae 紫草科, borage or forget-me-not family

Remarks*: 

Origin: native

Date: 28th July

409 An erect, very hispid (with stout, rigid or bristly, erect hairs 有剛毛的) biennial, can reach up to 90cm.

412 An usual prostrate appearance of another individual.

407 Basal leaves already withered, they were up to 15cm, stalked, with prominent midrib and no apparent lateral veins.

411_1 Flower bud pink.

408 The inflorescence with only the terminal flowers still blooming, the others are withered or fruiting now.

406

406_1 Corolla lobes uniformly pubescent on outside. 5 stamens unequal, 4 longer than corolla. Very hispid of the inflorescence.

404_1 Flower 10-18mm, bright blue; corolla lobes unequal (could not be seen from this angle); 5 stamens, 2-lobed stigma.

Cynoglossum officinale 紅花琉璃草

Common name: Hound's-tongue
Scientific name: Cynoglossum officinale 紅花琉璃草
Genus: Cynoglossum 琉璃草屬
Family: Boraginaceae 紫草科, borage or forget-me-not family

Remarks*: 

Origin: native

Date: 21st May (fruiting) & 16th July (1 flower left)

468 An erect, softly pubescent grey-green biennial, can reach to 90cm.

471 Stem.

469 Base of the stem.

470 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The following three photos were taken at different locations on 16th July.

192 Basal leaves softly silky on both surfaces, lanceolate-ovate, to about 30cm.

195

194

Corolla 6-10mm across.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

478

568

574 Calyx divided almost to base. Pedicels about 5mm.

477 Elongated, spirally, branched inflorescence. 

475 Fruits: large nutlet covered by hooked bristles, with distinct thickened border.

Anchusa arvensis

Common name: Bugloss
Scientific name: Anchusa arvensis
Genus: Anchusa 舌草屬
Family: Boraginaceae 紫草科, borage or forget-me-not family

Remarks*: 

Origin: Archaeophyte (established before 1500 AD.) It has a Eurosiberian Temperate distribution.

Date: 21st May

597 An erect, hispid annual, can reach up to 50cm.

596

601 Leaves to about 15 cm, linear-oblong, margins undulate, toothed.

602

604

600 Flowers more or less sessile; calyx deeply divided; corolla tube curved.

599 Corolla lobes slightly unequal.

Symphytum x uplandicum

Common name: Russian Comfrey
Scientific name: Symphytum x uplandicum 
Genus: Symphytum 聚合草屬
Family: Boraginaceae 紫草科, borage or forget-me-not family

Remarks*: 

Origin: A cultivated hybrid (alien x alien). The hybrid parents are Symphytum officinale 聚合草、康復草、康復力, common comfrey and Symphytum asperum 糙葉聚合草, rough comfrey. This hybrid is known from the Caucasus. It was introduced in 1790s from the palace gardens of St Petersburg as an ornamental, then promoted as a forage plant in the mid-19th century. It was first recorded in the wild in 1861.

Date: 8th June

283 A tall, erect, branched perennial, can reach up to 140 cm.

266

269 The lowest leaves.

270 Lower stem leaves shortly decurrent.

271 Another lower stem leaves, shortly decurrent, wings not extending more than halfway to leaf below.

274 Upper stem leaf showing the junction between the petiole and the stem.

275 Upper stem leaves sessile and shortly decurrent.

276 Upper stem leaves sessile, shortly decurrent or clasping stem.

278 Upper stem leaves sessile, shortly decurrent or clasping stem.

281 Underside of the leaf.

282 Upper stem leaves sessile, shortly decurrent or clasping stem.

277 The inflorescence. Calyx divided more than or equal to 2/3 way to base. Corolla pinkish blue, purplish or violet.

Calyx-hairs a mixture of broad-based bristles and finer and smaller hairs and all intermediates.

273