Coastal

'Beet' (BETA VULGARIS subsp. MARITIMA) - on the coast at Southend-on-Sea

Stems decumbent; leaves very varied in size, shape and colour, often dark green or reddish; this subspecies leaf lamina and stalks are usually coloured red by anthocyanin but there was no evidence on this specimen - perhaps it colours up later in the year

Hermaphrodite flowers in small cymes arranged in branched spike-like inflorescence

'Bithynian Vetch' (VICIA BITHYNICA) - a trailing or climbing tufted perennial 30-60cm typically on bushy cliffs and in hedges mainly near the coast; here at Southend-on-Sea; a local plant

The standard petals are purple, wings white

Flower-stalks are short; calyx teeth exceeding the tube

Leaflets 1-2 pairs, elliptic or ovate, sometimes, as above, linear-acuminate

Stipules large (1cm or more) ovate-acuminate, toothed; flowers solitary or in pairs

Here growing on slopes close to the Thames Estuary

'Sea Pearlwort' (SAGINA MARITIMA) at Southend-on-Sea

A local maritime plant of dune-slacks, rocks and cliffs and occasionally Scottish mountains; a very variable species, which took me a while to track down its identify

The 4 sepals are hooded, blunt, often with a purplish margin (not present here); half-spreading in fruit; leaves linear-laceolate, fleshy; petals white, minute or none!