The Meadow Makers' Network Forum

Can anyone identify these plants...the first is a very delicate, quite small plant. The second I feel like I should know, as they were everywhere when I was a kid, covered in black and yellow striped caterpillars. Here I have one solitary plant, the first time I've seen one in 7 years and it just seemed to appear from nowhere. Any ideas?

Groundsel Senecio vulgaris and possibly Toadflax Linaria vulgaris.

Cinnabar moth caterpillars are more commonly found on the related species Common Ragwort Jacobea vulgaris but are sometimes found on Groundsel.

Thanks Richard , that's really helpful. The toadflax (possibly) I'll keep watching and see if I can catch it in flower. I've just looked up Cinnabar moths. I haven't noticed any here, despite plenty of Ragwort. But there is some similarity to Burnet moths by the look of it, of which there are many, so they may be hiding in amongst them, I'll have to look a bit closer this summer.

I think the second looks good for Pale flax Linum bienne

Interesting, thanks Alex. I have just looked it up, and I have seen some small blue flowers rather like those of pale flax in another field last year, so maybe that's it. I'll watch carefully for flowers this year.

Just wanted to post a couple of photos of one of the plants I couldn't identify in the spring, now that its in flower. Judging by the flower I think you got this right Alex!
These flowers are now standing in stems about 70cm tall. I think that each flower only lives for a day as they seem to disappear overnight.