Dear Readers, we only had one ‘team’ playing this week, the magnificent Fran and Bobby Freelove, who got a splendid 12 out of 12 on this rather difficult quiz. Well done Fran and Bobby! And let’s see what I can come up with tomorrow.
1) Spring crocus (Crocus vernus) I. Which plant is supposed to have arisen from the body of a young man accidentally slain by a discus?
2) Squill (Scilla siberica) J. The genus name for which plant means ‘to injure or to harm’, referring to the poisonous nature of some members of the genus?
3) Wood Sorrel (Oxalis acetosella) D. Which plant has leaves that fold up when it rains?
4) Oxlip (Primula elatior) K. Which plant was long thought to be a hybrid of the primrose and the cowslip, until this was disproved by Henry Doubleday, one of the pioneers of the organic movement?
5) Spring snowflake (Leucojum vernum) H. Which plant is also known as the Loddon Lily?
6) Winter aconite (Eranthis hyemalis) L. Which plant, also known as ‘choirboys’, is said to only grow where the blood of the ancient Romans has been spilled?
7) Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) A. Which of these spring ephemerals was Wordsworth’s favourite plant?
8) English Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) B. The species name of which plant means ‘unlettered’, to distinguish it from the hyacinth which is said to have the letters ‘AI’ inscribed on its petals?
9) Common Dog Violet (Viola riviniana) E. The name of which plant denotes an inferior species?
10) Cowslip (Primula veris) C. Which plant is said to spring from cowpats and to smell slightly of apricots?
11) Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) G. Avid collectors of which plant are known as galanthophiles?
12) Wood anemone (Anemone nemerosa) F. Which plant is called ‘The Flower of Death’ by the Chinese because of its pale, ghostly appearance?
Photo Credits
Photo One by Franz Xaver, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Two by Evelyn Simak from https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6419558
Photo Three By © Laila Remahl 2004. – Photographer, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=736786
Photo Four by Roger Jones from https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/3945580
Photo Five by Tony Alter, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Six by Martin Olsson (mnemo on en/sv wikipedia and commons, martin@minimum.se)., CC BY-SA 3.0 <http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/>, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Seven by Penny Mayes
Photo Eight by MichaelMaggs, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Nine by By Stu’s Images, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14948937
Photo Ten by Björn S…, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Photo Eleven by Antje Schultner at https://www.flickr.com/photos/momentsinthenature/
Photo Twelve by Eirian Evans