Primrose Family [Primulaceae] |
status
flower
inner
morph
petals
(5)type
stem
smell
sweetsex
15th May 2008, Warton Crag, Near Carnforth, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Cowslip prefers limestone or chalk areas. Here, limestone. |
2nd May 2008, Greenfield, Greater Manchester. | Photo: © RWD |
A carpet of Cowslip |
13th May 2005, (disused) Lancaster Canal, Sedgewick. | Photo: © RWD |
The (basal only) leaves, similar to Primrose, taper suddenly towards the ground |
2nd May 2008, Greenfield, Greater Manchester. | Photo: © RWD |
9th May 2008, disused Lancaster to Morecambe railway 'line'. | Photo: © RWD |
The flowers droop preferentially to one side, emerging on drooping stalks from an umbel atop the single stem. |
22nd May 2015, Alt Rifle Range, Hightown, Sefton Coast | Photo: © RWD |
The 5 small anthers lurking within the flower tube. The topmost one with only 4 anthers. |
9th May 2008, disused Lancaster to Morecambe railway 'line'. | Photo: © RWD |
The flowers are cup-shaped at the extremities. |
19th May 2011, Blackleach Country Pk, Walkden, Gtr M/cr. | Photo: © RWD |
After flowering they erect themselves from the stooped flowering posture as they go to seed/fruit looking like a different plant (but their leaves always give them away). |
22nd May 2015, Alt Rifle Range, Hightown, Sefton Coast | Photo: © RWD |
Some of the flowers are spent; so the plant starts to point skywards. |
8th June 2007, Glenridding, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Spent Cowslips tip the sepals skywards after flowering, stigma protruding further as the ovary turns to fruit. |
22nd May 2015, Alt Rifle Range, Hightown, Sefton Coast | Photo: © RWD |
The round stems have very short but straight hairs. |
Hybridizes with : Primrose to produce False
Lookee-Likees : Confusable with: Polyanthus: a garden variety with much larger flowers with a pinkish or purplish hue. Distinguishing Feature:
No familial relation to : Anything else with 'cow' in the name. Cowslip, unlike Oxlip, has a tendency to spread and carpet grassland with a swathe. Standing less that a foot in height, it prefers to grow in alkaline soils such as limestone or chalk. The flowers are a deep yellow, orange near the base; being numerous at the top of a single leafless and downy stem, most drooping downwards and (unlike Oxlip) preferring to droop to one side or other of the stem. The leaves are Primrose-like: crinkly and forming a basal rosette, but smaller. The leaves become abruptly narrower near the base, forming a wing. The flowers are fragrant. Cowslip is the County Flower of Northamptonshire, Surrey and Worcestershire.
|
Primula | veris | ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ | Primulaceae |
Primula (Primroses) |
Primrose Family [Primulaceae] |