'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! Sea Campion (SILENE MARITIMA) Sea Campion amongst pebbles Lady's Fingers or Kidney-vetch (ANTHYLLIS VULNERARIA) Extensive patches of Thrift or Sea Pink amongst bird's-foot trefoil near Aberystwyth Thrift (ARMERIA MARITIMA) on low maritime cliffs - with rose-pink to white flowers Sea Sandwort (HONKENYA PEPLOIDES) amongst pebbles English Stonecrop (SEDUM ANGLICUM) amongst coastal boulders Sea Mayweed (TRIPLEUROSPERMUM MARITIMUM) - locally common by the sea on shingle and cliffs |