A Rotherhithe kaleidoscope

More photographs from Tuesday. One of the things that I really love about the plants in the parks is that they may not be rare or unusual, but that together they form an ever-changing kaleidoscope of colours, shapes and scents. The individual plants may not feature on endangered lists but, like pieces in a mosaic, the overall effect that they combine to make is truly impressive and enjoyable.

Common Toadflax
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Species: Linaria vulgaris
Perennial

Linaria comes from the Latin term for flax. Vulgaris simply means common.

Black Locust
Family: Leguminosae
Species: Robinia pseudoacacia
Deciduous

Robinia was named for the French herbalist and botanist Jean Robin (who worked for Henry IV of France) and his son Vespasian. The term pseudoacacia means false acacia.

Bramble
Family: Rosaceae
Species: Rubus fruticosus
Shushrub

The word Rubus is thought to derive from the Latin word for red, ruber. The term fruticosus means "shrubby"

Purple Loosestrife
Family: Lythracaeae
Species: Lythrum salicaria
Perennial

The Lythrum part of the species name comes from the Greek lythron, which means blood, and is a reference to the colour of the flowers. The second part of the name, which means willow-like, refers to the leaves.

Sundry members of the Scabious family
Family: Dipsacaceae