Flowers of the Elan Meadows

THE ELAN
FLOWERS OF
MEADOWS

This booklet has been produced to provide a concise guide to help farms
get to know the special flowers in their meadows. The meadows of the
Elan and Claerwen valleys are unique, given their location in the ‘uplandfringe’
and their protection over very many years due to both traditional
farming in the valley and the protected status of many of these grasslands.
It was not possible to include all species but you will find a good selection
of flowers in this guide. We’ve also limited the amount of text and provided
you with a good image of each different flower. We are sorry not to have
included any grasses, rushes or ferns! These will have to wait for the next
publication. We hope that you will enjoy exploring your meadows and
learning about both the rarities and common flowers on your farms.
The Elan Hay Meadows project under which the booklet was produced is
one of the 9 natural heritage projects run by the National Lottery Heritage
Fund Elan Links: People, Nature & Water landscape partnership. In total
there are 26 projects being delivered across four themes between 2018-
2023:
Celebrating heritage - Protecting and restoring historic sites and
archiving people’s histories and stories.
Enjoying Elan - Increasing access, recreation and learning
opportunities for visitors.
Experience and education - Providing opportunities to experience the
Elan Valley through volunteering, as well as education and training.
Enhancing nature and wildlife – Restoring and enhancing natural
environments.
If you would like more information on the scheme and its project please
go to www.elanvalley.org.uk/elanlinks
Fiona Gomersall, Elan Links Natural Heritage Officer

Betony
Betonica
officinalis
Betony is in the
Deadnettle family,
the Lamiaceae. The
neatly ‘frilled’
leaves are stalked.
The deep-pink and
clustered flowers
are held on almost
leafless, square
stems which
emerge from leafy
rosettes.
An indicator of
good-quality, acidic
meadows.
Fiona Gomersall

Fiona Gomersall
Bitter-vetch
Lathyrus linifolius
Bitter-vetch is a member of the Pea family, the
Fabaceae. The leaves are pinnate, with 2 to 4 pairs of
narrow, lanceolate leaflets. Tendrils are absent. The
inflorescence is long-stalked with 2 to 6 bright pink
flowers which turn blue or green with age.
An indicator of good quality, more acidic meadows.

Bulbous
Buttercup
Ranunculus
bulbosus
The bulbous
Buttercup is a
perennial in the
Ranunculaceae
family. The 3-lobed
leaves are deeply
divided. The petals
are bright yellow
and the sepals
point downwards
unlike other
buttercups.
An indicator
species of drier
grasslands.
Fiona Gomersall

Cat's-ear
Hypochaeris
radicata
One of the
dandelion-lookalikes,
Cat’s-ear is
in the Daisy family,
the Asteraceae.
The leaves are
oblong-lanceolate,
bristly, wavytoothed
and form a
basal rosette. The
stems, usually
hairless, have small
bracts or ‘ears’ with
dark tips along
their length, hence
the plant’s
common name.
Both the ‘ray’ and
‘disc’ florets are
golden-yellow.
Very common in
meadows.
Fiona Gomersall

Fiona Gomersall
Changing-forget-me-not
Myosotis discolor
Changing-forget-me-not is in the Borage family, the
Boriginaceae. An erect and slender plant and one of
the smaller forget-me-nots. The leaves are spoonshaped
and hairy. The flowers, only 2mm across, are
at first yellow, then pink and finally blue in colourhence
the name ‘changing’.
Found in drier meadows and also on arable land,
disturbed ground and on walls.

Fiona Gomersall
Common Bird's-foot-trefoil
Lotus corniculatus
Common Bird's-foot-trefoil is in the Pea family, the
Fabaceae. The name ‘bird’s-foot’, refers to the
appearance of the claw-like seed pods, whilst ‘trefoil’
refers to the 3 leaflets. These leaflets and the 2
stipules are hairless. The stems are solid. The bright
yellow petals and the orange deep-red buds explain
the colloquial name, ‘eggs and bacon’.
Common in meadows and other grasslands.

Sorcha Lewis
Common Knapweed
Centaurea nigra
Common Knapweed is the Daisy family, the
Asteraceae. This species has very distinctive blackishbrown
bracts. The barely-toothed, lanceolate leaves
are rough and hairy and the stem grooved. The
thistle-like, vibrant red-purple flowers, provide a
great deal of nectar for pollinators.
Common in meadows.

Common
Sedge
Carex nigra
Common Sedge is
a perennial in the
Sedge family, the
Cyperaceae. The
leaves are grasslike
but ‘plicate’ or
corrugated. The
flower-heads,
contrasting with
the yellow anthers,
are distinctively
black when they
emerge, hence the
name ‘nigra’.
A good indicator of
more acidic
meadows, also
found in mires.
Fiona Gomersall

Cowslip
Primula veris
The Cowslip is in
the Primrose family
or Primulaceae.
The leaves are
crinkled and have a
‘lollipop-like’ shape.
The pale-yellow
flowers are apricotscented.
Although
the flowers are
spreading and
drooping, they are
not turned to one
side like the oxlip.
Though common,
Cowslips can be an
indicator of a good
quality meadow.
Fiona Gomersall

Cuckooflower
Cardamine
pratensis
Cuckooflower, also
known as Lady’s
Smock is in the
Cabbage family or
Brassicaceae. The
lower pinnate
leaves are much
larger than the
upper ones which
have narrow
leaflets. The fourpetalled
flowers
are are a pale rosepink.
Common in damp
meadows and
pastures.
Fiona Gomersall

Devil's-bit
Scabious
Succisa pratensis
Devil's-bit Scabious
is in the Teasel
family, the
Caprifoliaceae. The
leaves are
lanceolate and untoothed
whilst the
flowers are purpleblue
and often
arranged in a ‘fork’
of 3 heads. The
roots were
allegedly ‘bitten by
the devil’ who was
jealous of the
plant’s many
medicinal uses.
An indicator of
good quality
meadows and
pastures.
Sorcha Lewis

Fiona Gomersall
Eyebright
Euphrasia officinalis
The eyebrights are hemi-parasitic annuals of the
Broomrape or Orobanchaceae family. The leaves are
conspicuously toothed and the flowers pale-pink or
white with yellow spots in their centre and purple
guidelines. The name ‘eyebright’ refers to the plant’s
use in treating eye infections and the term ‘officinalis’
refers to a genus which includes a large number of
species.
Indicators of good quality meadows and pastures.

Germander
Speedwell
Veronica
chamaedrys
The numerous
different
speedwells are in
the Veronicaceae
family. The leaves
are always serrated
or at least finely
toothed and the
flowers 4-petalled.
In this species the
stems have a
double row of hairs
like ‘cowboy
trousers’ and the
flowers are a
bright, deep-blue.
Very common in
grasslands.
Fiona Gomersall

Sorcha Lewis
Globeflower
Trollius europaeus
Globeflower is in the family of Buttercups, the
Ranunculaceae. The leaves are palmate, like a hand
with toothed edges. The numerous petal-like sepals
form a sphere enclosing the strap-shaped and deepyellow
petals, explaining the flower’s name.
Rare in upland wet meadows.

Great
Burnet
Sanguisorba
officinalis
Great Burnet is in
the Rose family, the
Rosaceae. The
leaves are pinnate
and the leaflets
oblong with
cordate or heartshaped
bases. The
deep crimson
flower heads are
striking with their
dense, oval spikes.
May be frequent in
good quality, damp
meadows.
Fiona Gomersall

Greater
Butterflyorchid
Platanthera
chlorantha
Greater Butterflyorchid
is in the
Orchidaceae
family. The blunt
leaves are ellipticaloblong
in shape
and arise at an
angle near the
base of the stem.
The sweetlyscented
flowers
are creamcoloured
with a
long ‘spur’ at the
back.
Indicators of very
high quality
meadows on more
basic soils.
Sorcha Lewis

Fiona Gomersall
Hairy Lady's-mantle
Alchemilla filicaulis
Hairy Lady's-mantle is in the Rose family, the
Rosaceae. The plants are tufted with mostly basal,
hairy leaves which are pleated and shallowly lobed.
The flowers are small, numerous and yellow-green
with 4 fused sepals and no petals.
An indicator of good pastures and meadows.

Sorcha Lewis
Harebell
Campanula rotundifolia
Harebell is in the Bellflower family, the
Campanulaceae. The ‘orbicular’ basal leaves are very
different from the linear stem leaves. This is a
smooth and slender plant with blue, bell-like corollas.
Found more often on dry grassy hillside pastures
and hedge banks than meadows.

Heath
Milkwort
Polygala
serpyllifolia
Found in the
Milkwort or
Polygalaceae
family, Heath
Milkwort has
mostly alternate
leaves but the
lower ones are
paired. The
irregular flowers
have 2 inner sepals
larger than 3 outer
ones. The 3 petals
are fused, the
lower one deeply
divided into narrow
lobes. Flowers are
usually deep blue,
but occasionally
pink or white.
An indicator of
good, acidic
meadows.
Fiona Gomersall

Heath
Spottedorchid
Dactylorhiza
maculata
Found in the
Orchidaceae
family, Heathspotted
orchid has
circular spots on its
leaves and palepink
flowers. As
with all orchids,
there are 3 sepals
and 3 petals and
the lower petal or
‘lip’ in this species
forms a broad
‘skirt’, with a
shallow, central
‘tongue’.
An indicator of
more acidic
meadows and rush
pastures.
Fiona Gomersall

Fiona Gomersall
Lady's Bedstraw
Galium verum
Lady’s Bedstraw, found in the Bedstraw or Rubiaceae
family was used as a stuffing for mattresses in the
middle ages to make them sweet-smelling. The
leaves are dark green, narrow, pointed and arranged
in whorls of 8 to 12. Formed in dense clusters, the
small flowers are bright yellow.
Common in good quality meadows.

Fiona Gomersall
Meadow Vetchling
Lathyrus pratensis
Meadow Vetchling is in the Pea or Fabaceae family.
The arrow-shaped leaves are in pairs of grey-green
leaflets and tendrils are present in this species.
Clusters of 5 to 12 yellow flowers sit on long stems.
These flowers have 5 sepals and petals with the
petals forming the typical ‘pea’ flower shape. The
flattened fruit pods are black when ripe.
A common indicator species of meadows.

Meadowsweet
Filipendula
ulmaria
Meadowsweet is in
the Rose family, the
Rosaceae. The
pinnate leaves are
on a long, red stalk
with paired larger
leaves alternating
with tiny paired
leaflets. The
stamens protrude
from many small
cream-coloured
flowers giving the
plant its fluffy
appearance. When
crushed the plant
gives off the scent
of Germolene.
Common
perennials in wet
meadows.
Fiona Gomersall

Sorcha Lewis
Mountain Pansy
Viola lutea
Mountain Pansy is in the Violet or Violaceae family.
This is a low growing plant with aerial stems. The
leaves are palmately-lobed, resembling a hand and
the flowers generally yellow but may be a deeppurple
or a combination of the two. Like all violets
and pansies, the flowers are ‘irregular’ and solitary
with 5 petals; the lower petal having a backwardpointing
‘spur’.
Found in good quality, more acidic meadows and
pastures in short turf.

Fiona Gomersall
Ox-eye Daisy
Leucanthemum vulgare
Ox-eye Daisies are widespread flowering plants of
the Daisy family, the Asteraceae. The dark-green,
spoon-shaped leaves are deeply-toothed. The longstalked
inflorescence is often found in 3s and
resembles a large daisy. Each flower head has
between 5 and 40 white ‘ray’ florets and brightyellow
central disc florets.
A common indicator of neutral meadows.

Pignut
Conopodium
majus
Pignut is in the
Carrot family, the
Apiaceae. The
twice-pinnate
leaves have deeplycut
leaflets with
linear segments.
The tiny, white
flowers are
numerous and
displayed in manyrayed
terminal
‘umbels’. The plant
name refers to its
edible tubers.
Common in
meadows and
pastures and an
indicator of longestablished
grasslands.
Fiona Gomersall

Fiona Gomersall
Ragged-Robin
Silene flos-cuculi
Ragged-Robin is in the Campion family, the
Caryophyllaceae. The leaves are lanceolate and
paired with the lower ones, spoon-shaped and
stalked. The deep-pink flowers have five narrow
petals which are each deeply divided into four lobes
giving the plant an untidy, ragged appearance, hence
its common name.
A common indicator of both old and semi-improved
wet meadows and pastures.

Rough
Hawkbit
Leontodon
hispidus
Known for their
high nectar
productivity, this
species is a
member of the
Daisy family, the
Asteraceae. The
leaves are wavytoothed
in shape
and have forked
hairs like ‘splitends’
whilst the
stems are bristly
along their whole
length. The goldenyellow
flower heads are
dandelion-like in
appearance.
An indicator of
good, neutral to
basic meadows.
Fiona Gomersall

Saw-wort
Serratula
tinctoria
Saw-wort is
another member
of the Daisy family,
the Asteraceae,
and one of the
‘thistles’. Although
hairless and spineless,
the leaves are
bristle-tipped. This
is a notably slender
plant with pink,
thistle-like flowers
and lobed to
pinnate leaves.
An indicator of very
good hay
meadows, this
flower is also found
in heathy
grassland.
Sorcha Lewis

Sorcha Lewis
Tormentil
Potentilla erecta
Tormentil is the Rose family, the Rosaceae and is a
low-growing, creeping herb. The leaves have 3
leaflets (and 2 stipules) which are sharply toothed.
Bright yellow, the flowers are almost always fourpetalled.
Common in the more acidic meadows and pastures.

Sorcha Lewis
Wood Bitter-vetch
Vicia orobus
Wood Bitter-vetch is a tufted and downy plant in the
Pea family, the Fabaceae. Its pinnate leaves have 12
pairs of elliptical leaflets which terminate in a minute
point. Tendrils are absent. The one-sided
inflorescence has 6 or more flowers in each spike
which are lilac-white with purple veins.
Although rare this vetch can be found in good quality
upland meadows, on heaths and at the edge of
woods.

Fiona Gomersall
Yellow-rattle
Rhinanthus minor
Yellow-rattle is a hemi-parasitic annual in the
Broomrape family, the Orobanchaceae. The coarselytoothed
leaves are neatly arranged in opposite pairs
on black-spotted stems. The flowers are yellow and
the ‘calyx’ inflated and bladder-like, ‘rattling’ when
dry, an indication that the meadow is ready for
mowing.
Common in good meadows and known as the
‘meadow-maker’, this species supresses the growth
of grasses, thereby ‘opening-up’ the grass sward.