Category Archives: Brassicaceae

Ideal home or revolting distortion?

Posted on 2014/10/07 by Fay Newbery

If you need a safe place to live, why not get a home built to your own specifications? That’s what the larvae of Dasineura sisymbrii, a kind of gall midge do. The presence of the larvae amongst the developing flower buds … Continue reading →

Posted in Brassicaceae, Flowering Plants, Galls, Insects, Plant Pathology Research Group, Plants | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Smothered in white

Posted on 2014/04/03 by Fay Newbery

White blister rust is a disease that is mis-named as it is not actually caused by a rust fungus. The perpetrator is an oomycete. This group have traditionally been included in the fungi and have long been studied by mycologists … Continue reading →

Posted in Brassicaceae, Flowering Plants, Galls, Plant Pathology Research Group, Plants | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Dr M and his students go on a New Year Plant Hunt!

Posted on 2014/01/20 by drmgoeswild

Dr M’s New Year Plant Hunt (borrowed from the idea by BSBI) took place on Tuesday 14th January 2014. Three groups of MSc Plant Diversity and MSc SISS students walked the University of Reading Whiteknights campus for 1 hour each in the chilly sunshine … Continue reading →

Posted in Amaranthaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Betulaceae, Brassicaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Flowering Plants, Geraniaceae, Lamiaceae, Legumes, Phenology, Plants, Poaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Surveys, Urticaceae, Veronicaceae | Leave a comment

Interesting plants near Earley Gate

Posted on 2013/05/04 by Fay Newbery

There are some interesting plants appearing around the old buildings near Earley Gate. A particularly interesting piece of ground is the site of an old greenhouse adjoining the lawn to the north-east of the Agriculture Building. This looks like a … Continue reading →

Posted in Brassicaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Flowering Plants, Geraniaceae, Plants, Ranunculaceae, Violaceae | 5 Comments

One of the first botanical signs of Spring is the aptly named Spring Whitlow Grass  (Erophila verna) (except it is NOT a grass, not even remotely!).  It’s a very common plant in urban habitats and there’s lots of it in … Continue reading →

Posted on 2013/04/21 by drmgoeswild | 1 Comment

Garlic Mustard Anyone?

Posted on 2012/08/01 by Justin Anthony Groves

Garlic Mustard or Jack-By-The-Hedge (Alliaria petiolata), see image 1, is the food plant for a charming butterfly, the Orange Tip (Anthocharis cardamines), what I feel is a quintessential sign of spring. The butterfly is seen from early April-early June, having … Continue reading →

Posted in Animals, Brassicaceae, Butterflies, Flowering Plants, Insects, Lepidoptera, Plants | Leave a comment

Wild Radish on Campus

Posted on 2011/11/07 by Jessica Brooks

The wild radish Raphanus raphanistrum is an annual herbaceous plant in the cabbage family Brassicaceae. Many members of this family have been selectively bred as food plants (including cabbage, broccoli and rapeseed) and R. raphanistrum is the wild relative or ancestor … Continue reading →

Posted in Brassicaceae, Flowering Plants | Tagged | 1 Comment