Plant ID. Tree ID. anything else ID.

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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,666
McBride, BC
Back in the day when I taught dendrology courses, one part was species ID.
Maybe 100 species of herbaceous plants, about 80 species of shrubs and trees, including some introduced species.
A contractor supplied fresh (to be frozen) specimens of everything.
Plus, we had a very thorough herbarium of pressed and identified plants.
Plants are like people in the variation so there must have been a dozen cards for each.

I suggest that bushcrafters owe it to themselves to make a plant collection, figure out the ID and note those details on the card.
Make a plant press or three. You will need more newspapers and cardboard than you ever imagined.
Make up something to use as a "vasculum." Press, vasculum, note cards = go for a walk and don't forget the attached roots, please.

Stop for a brew up on whatever clever little stove you have, empty the vasculum, load the press and move on.

Grouse hunting in the autumn, we're still plucking things we don't recognize or have had the luxury of forgetting.
 

awarner

Nomad
Apr 14, 2012
487
4
Southampton, Hampshire
I would presume a pinned topic ie one for plants, trees and wildlife? so the same as the current fungi topic.
With human nature and general user activity you will still get other posts outside of the topic thread, with the amount we get and quite often seasonal in nature is it really a problem? The section is not being populated with numerous new topics every day so personally I don't mind seeing a new thread start as it's easier to spot and hopefully help will be quicker for those posting.
 

woodstock

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Apr 7, 2007
3,568
68
67
off grid somewhere else
Woodstock, can you elaborate on this for me please, are you asking for a thread per plant etc...
I was thinking general ID thread with sub categories trees shrubs insects ect. but as the other poster said it may be easier to see a new topic what do you think.
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,508
2,923
W.Sussex
I'm not in all the time, but I have a look every day or so. The new posts will ping up a new enquiry as easily as a sticky or sub forum.

What can happen is we end up with a long thread of guesses and discussion, rather than a definite ident of whatever it is that would provide info for future reference. The fungi thread, spider threads, herpetologist threads work well because they're answered by experts in their fields. We've a fair few arborists and flora experts here who don't get it right everytime. Me included.

A set of criteria would be needed regarding pics, much of the guessing (the fun part) is due to poor pics, or lack of key features of the species. There would also be more mod work to remove the chaff to build up a decent and accurate document.

I like the informed guesses and rambling threads.
 
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nephilim

Settler
Jul 24, 2014
871
0
Bedfordshire
Any idea what these are? I've seen them growing recently in my area for the first time.
839eb68b37e0de9824d02b6bbf4931b6.jpg
 

nephilim

Settler
Jul 24, 2014
871
0
Bedfordshire
I've not seen them before so I was curious. I'll have a Google for ground elder.

Thanks

steam: nephilim460 | origin: netphlix_n_chill | twitch: nephilim_uk
 

Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,508
2,923
W.Sussex
This is kinda what I mean about these idents. They're fun. I've googled Ground Elder and some of the images are similar, but not like the stuff that grows here, ours is more stunted and closer to the ground. A good plant to eat if it is, brought over by the Romans.
 

Herbalist1

Settler
Jun 24, 2011
585
1
North Yorks
Definitely not Ground Elder. Not easy to tell what it is from that photo. From those emerging flower buds, looks like it could be a Geum - possibly Wood Avens. Wait and see if the flowers are yellow when they open.

Edit: slow worm got in first - I'd writen my message and then got chatting with wife before posting. I didn't notice slow worm had already replied but at least we came to the same conclusion!
 
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Nice65

Brilliant!
Apr 16, 2009
6,508
2,923
W.Sussex
Looks like a Geum, possibly wood avens.

Definitely not Ground Elder. Not easy to tell what it is from that photo. From those emerging flower buds, looks like it could be a Geum - possibly Wood Avens. Wait and see if the flowers are yellow when they open.

Edit: slow worm got in first - I'd writen my message and then got chatting with wife before posting. I didn't notice slow worm had already replied but at least we came to the same conclusion!

Thats what makes for an ident mate, agreement using people's knowledge over one picture, it's good.I see a lot of threads where much of what the detective needs is missing, like soil type, environment, leaf undersides, bark, buds, relative species etc. But it's a nice puzzler nonetheless. Would that fun get lost in a dedicated ident forum, and would that forum then be looked upon as a resource or library, or just things people have found and wondered about?
 
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