Plant Families and species, recorded as plants
and/or suggested for planting, V.C. 60 records in
brackets, * Archaeophyte, underlined available
from Landlife – Araliaceae, Apiaceae,
Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae,
Campanulaceae, Caryophyllaceae,
Convolvulaceae, Dipsacaceae, Ericaceae,
Gentianaceae, Geraniaceae, Grossulariaceae,
Lamiaceae, Liliaceae, Malvaceae, Onagraceae,
Orobanchaceae, Papavaraceae, Primulaceae,
Ranunculaceae, Resedaceae, Rosaceae,
Saliaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Solanaceae,
Veronicaceae, Violaceae.
ARALIACEAE: Hedera helix Ivy (372)
APIACEAE: Angelica sylvestris Angelica (365),
Anthriscus sylvestris Cow parsey(386), Anthriscus
caucalis Bur chervil(1), Aethusa cynapium ssp
cynapium Fools parsley(162), Chaerophyllum
temulum Rough chervil (122), Conopodium
majus Pignut (261), Daucus carota Wild
carrot(90), Myrrhis odorata* Sweet cicely(163),
Pastinaca sativa ssp sativa Wild parsnip(55),
Pimpinella major Greater burnet saxifrage(86),
Smyrnium olusatrum* Alexanders(10),
Pimpinella saxifrage Burnet saxifrage(83).
ASTERACEAE: Achillea millefolium Yarrow (417),
Achillea ptarmica Sneezewort(314),Anthemis
arvensis* Corn chamomile(12), Carduus
tenuifloris Slender thistle(19), Carduus crispus
Welted thistle(91), Cirsium palustre Marsh
thistle(341), Centaurea calcitrapa*Red Star
thistle(0), Centaurea cyanus* Cornflower(7),
Centaurea nigra Black knapweed(399),
Centaurea scabiosa Greater knapweed(19),
Cichorium intybus* Chicory(26), Crepis capillaris
Hawksbeard(229,Crepis paludosa Marsh
hawskbeard(123),Glebionis segetum* Corn
marigold(96) ,Inula conyzae Ploughman’s
spikenard(23),Leontodon hispidus Rough
hawkbit(219), Leucanthemum vulgare Ox-eye
daisy(297),Pulicaria dysenterica
Fleabane(130),Sonchus arvensis Perennial sow
thistle(229), Tussilago farfara Coltsfoot(417).
BORAGINACEAE: Anchusa arvensis*Bugloss(19),
Cynoglossum officinale Hounds
tongue(4),Echium vulgare Vipers
bugloss(24),Myosotis arvenis* Field forget-menot(291), M.discolor Changing forget-menot(75), M. sylvatica Wood forget-me-not(174),
Symphytum officinale Comfrey(78), Symphytum
Any specific bee associated sps / associations
Colletes hedera on Ivy – an expanding southerly
sps (as far north as Cheltenham)
Hugely important for a number of sps as pollen,
nectar and the hollow tubes for nesting /
resting / overwintering
Hugely important – many sps oligolectic on
yellow or red flowered asters
Look at sandy / coastal sps for St. Helens /
Knowsley?
Quite important for a number – Viper’s bugloss
often used.
tubersosum Tuberous comfrey(8),
BRASSICACEAE: Cardamine pratensis Cuckoo
flower(422),Cochlearia danica Danish scurvy
grass (107), C. anglica agg. Common scurvy
grass(62), Lepidium heterophyllum Smith’s
pepperwort(10), Lepidium latifolium
Dittander(1), Sinapis arvensis*
Archaeophyte(203).
CAMPANULACEAE: Campanula glomerata
Clustered bellflower(1), C.latifolia Giant
bellflower(143), C.rotundifolia Harebell(244),
C.trachelium Nettle leaved bellflower(3),
Legousia hybrid Venus’s looking glass(1), Jasione
Montana Sheep’s bit(14), Wahlenbergia
hederacea Ivy leaved bellflower(0).
CARYOPHYLLACEAE: Agrostemma githago
Corncockle(4), Cerastium arvense Field mouse
ear(7), Silene dioica Red campion(373), S. floscuculi Ragged Robin(223), S.latifolia*White
campion(86), S.nutans Nottingham
catchfly(1),Stellaria graminea Lesser
stitchwort(307), S.holostea Greater
stictchwort(285), S. nemorum Wood
stitchwort(98).
CONVOLVULACEAE: Convolvulus arvenis Field
bindweed(129)
DIPSACACEAEA: Dipsacus fullonum Teasel(79),
Knautia arvensis Field scabious(65), Succisa
pratensis Devil’s bit scabious(191),Scabiosa
columbaria Small scabious(25).
ERICACEAE: Calluna vulgaris Ling(211), Erica
cinerea Bell heather(54), Vaccinium myrtillus
Bilberry(189)
FABACEAE: Anthyllis vulneria Kidney
vetch(51),Cytisus scoparius Broom(100), Genista
anglica Petty whin(0), G. tinctoria Dyer’s
greenweed(30), Hippocrepis comosa Horseshoe
vetch(6), Lathyrus linifolius(72), L.nissolia Grass
vetchling(5), L.pratensis Meadow
vetchling(384),Lotus corniculatus Bird’s foot
trefoil(375), L.pedunculatus Greater bird’s foot
trefoil(370),Trifolium sp(-), Medicago lupulina
Black medick (226),Melilotus altissimus* Tall
melilot(42), Ononis repens Restharrow(87),
O.spinosa Spiny restharrow (14),Ulex europaeus
Gorse(319), U.gallii Western gorse(33), Vicia
cracca Tufted vetch(363), V. hirsuta Hairy
tare(81), V. lutea Yellow vetch Yellow vetch(1),
V.sativa ssp. nigra Common vetch(87), V. sepium
Crop up frequently – possibly the native cliff /
drift line coastal natives Crambe, Brassica
oleracea, Cakile are favoured by coastal sps -
Important for many mono / oligolectics
Good nectar
The scabious’s seem particularly favoured.
Heathy areas – lowland heath one of the best
habitats particularly for mining bees = insolation
and easy diggings – Some sps restricted to heath
i.e. Bombus monticola, or often on – Andrena
lapponica
Much popular with many sps – huge range of sps
to choose from – many are robust and can
compete with other sps.
Lotus and Vetch/ Vetchling sps V Important
Bush vetch(381)
GENTIANACEAE: Centaurium erythraea
Centaury(109) Cicendia filiformis Yellow
centaury(0),Blackstonia perfoliata Yellow wort(9)
GERIANACEAE: Erodium cicutarium
Storksbill(43), E.moschatum*Musk storksbill(1),
Geranium dissectum*Cut leaved cranesbill(164),
G. molle Dove’s foot cranesbill(138), G.pusillum
Small flowered cranesbill(9), G.robertanium Herb
robert(377), Geranium pratense Meadow
cranesbill(188),
GROSSULARIACEAE: Ribes rubrum Red
currant(125)
LAMIACEAE: Ajuga reptans Bugle(235), Ballota
nigra*Black horehound(11), Betonica officinalis
Betony(154), Clinopdodium ascendens Common
calamint(2), C. acinos Basil thyme(5), Galeopsis
speciosa*Large flowered hemp nettle(61),
G.angustifolia Red hemp nettle(0-1), G. bifida
Bifid emp nettle(80), G.tetrahit Common hemp
nettle(113), Glechoma hederacea Ground
Ivy(312), Lycopus europaeus Gypsywort(107),
Marrubium vulgare White horehound(1),
Mentha arvensis Corn mint(100), M. aquatica
Water mint(305), M. pulegium Pennyroyal(1), M.
suaveolens (0),Nepeta cataria* Catmint(7),
Origanum vulgare Wild marjoram(30) ,
Scutellaria galericulata Skullcap(80), Stachys (-),
Teucrium scorodonia Wood sage(163), Thymus
pulegoides Large thyme(0), T. polytrichus
Thyme(63).
LILIACEAE: Gagea lutea Yellow star of
bethlehem(6)
MALVACEAE: Malva arborea Tree mallow(4), M.
moschata Musk mallow(67), M. neglecta*Dwarf
mallow(6), M. sylvestris*Common mallow(97),
Tilia cordata Small leaved lime(28).
ONAGRACEAE: Chamerion angustifolium
Rosebay Willowherb(419), Circaea lutetiana
Enchanters Nightshade(224),
EpilobiumWillowherb sp’s(-).
OROBANCHACEAE: Euphrasia sp? Eyebright(-),
Melampyrum arvense Common cow wheat(31),
Odontites vernus Red bartsia(182), Parentucellia
viscosa Yellow bartsia(6), Rhinanthus minor ssp
stenophyllus – R.minor ssp minor Yellow
rattle(187 - combined),
Mentioned - nectar
Mentioned - nectar
Often mentioned – Red Currant R. alpinum and
R.spicatum probably the only natives
Ballota, Thymus often particularly noted as
useful
Other than other genus (v.v.v.rare)members
Early Star of Bethlehem and Snowdon Lily then
only native occurring member – That said as a
family very well utilised by a number of sps inc.
Anthophora,Colletes, Eucera, Halictus, Hyaleus,
Lasioglossum, Megachile, Osmia.
Can be useful – listed is all the native /
archaeophytes.
Seem to be good maybe due to ubiquity –
Enchanters Nightshade? – Oenothera may exist
in sandy areas or be expected?
Other restricted south sps of Cow wheat?
Red Bartsia hugely important plant – sole pollen
plant for Melitta tricincta
Look at sandy sps for verges / St. Helens
PAPAVERACEAE: Chelidonium majus Greater
celandine(129), Fumaria sps Fumitories(-),
Glaucium flavum Yellow horned poppy(17),
Papaver rhoeas* Poppy(54),
P.dubium*Poppy(89), P. Lecoqii*Poppy(13),
P.hybridum Poppy(0), P.argemone* Poppy(2).
PRIMULACEAE: Anagallis arvensis ( only ssp
arvensis?) Scarlet pimpernel (141) Anagallis
tenella Bog pimpernel(33), Hottonia palustris
Water violet(5), Primula veris Cowslip(88),
Primula vulgaris Primrose(254).
RANUNCULACEAE: Aquileiga vulgaris
Columbine(53), Clematis vitalba Traveller’s
joy(19), Helleborus viridus Green hellebore(8),
Ranunculus bulbosus Bulbous buttercup(234), R.
sardous Hairy buttercup (13)
RESEDACEAE: Reseda luteola* Weld(102),
R.lutea Wild mignonette(48)
ROSACEAE: Agrimonia eupatoria Agrimony(81),
Comarum palustre Marsh
cinquefoil(84),Crataegus monogyna
Hawthorn(427), Filipendula ulmaria
Meadowsweet(395),Filipendula vulgaris
Dropwort(19) Fragaria vesca Wild
strawberry(220), Geum urbanumWood avens
(324), Malus sylvestris Crab apple(272),
Potentilla sterilis Barren strawberry(249),
Poterium sanguisorba Salad burnet(44),Prunus
spinosa – P.domestica Blackthorn-damson
agg(351), Pyrus communis* Pear(20), Rosa(-),
Rubus idaeus Raspberry(272)
SALIACEAE: Salix repens Creeping willow(47),
Salix cinerea ssp.oleifolia Grey willow(375),
S.caprea Goat willow(282)
SCROPHULARIACEAE: Scrophularia auriculata
Water figwort(65), S. nodosa Common
figwort(285) , Verbascum nigrum Dark
mullein(5), V. lychnitis White mullein(0), V.
thaspus Great mullein(88), V. virgatum Twiggy
mullein(8).
SOLANACEAE: Solanum nigrum Black
nightshade(70), S.dulcamara Bittersweet(302).
VERONICACEAE: Digitalis purpurea
Foxglove(388),Kickxia elatine* Fluellen(1), K.
Spuria Fluellen(1), Linaria vulgaris Toadflax(76),
L. repens*Pale toadflax(9) , Misopates
orontium*Weasel’s snout(1), Veronica arvensis
Pollen seen to be collected from Greater
celandine in early morning (7.00 – 9.00) even in
presence of abundant Lamium album. All listed
Papaver sps are archaeophytes.
Bog pimpernel used by four sps – Epeolus
variegatus, Colletes fodiens, Hylaeus brevicornis,
Megachile leachella
Only Chelostoma florisonme is oligolectic on
Buttercups but many sps do visit for nectar -
Both Weld and Wild mignonette widely used by
many sps in south
Blackthorn a critical early flowering sps, much
used – overall a v. popular family
Rubus critical for overwintering – often in stems
S. repens vital pollen source for Colletes
cunicularius ssp. celticus – this endemic (Dafour
gland?) sps also exclusively pollinates sexually
deceptive Ophrys sps (on the continent?).
Useful for Bombus hortorum, B.humilis,
B.ruderarius, B. ruderatus,Colletes floralis,
Eucera nigrescens.
Not noted for pollen gathering so presumably
only a nectar source – probably of low priority,
not of the importance of Dioscoridae –
T.communis or the Cucurbitaceae’s Bryonia
dioica
Bombus hortorum, B.pascuorum and B.ruderatus
are the three sps that will visit very deep
corolla’s such as Digitalis and Lonicera
Wall speedwell(177), V. chamaedrys Germander
speedwell(369), Veronica montana Wood
speedwell (211), V. officianalis Heath speedwell
(135),V. agrestis Grey field speedwell(85)
V.serpyllifolia Thyme leaved speedwell(333).
VIOLACEAE: Viola Violet sps including Viola
arvensis(91),V. hirta(8), V. riviniana(332),
V.tricolor(64).
No oligo / monolects but said to be useful