Solved Crosswort, Cruciata laevipes

This delicate little wildflower appears every year in one of the fields at work. There's just the one patch in a large grassland field, sitting in a fairly exposed location, on quite dry, sandy soil.

It doesn't seem to spread or seed itself around the field, just this one patch in the same spot every year.

Any ideas?

 

Don't know what it is but it's lovely....
Jenny

 

I saw loads of that in Yorkshire this week. I thought it was a lady's mantle until I looked more carefully. @Zigs will know.

 

I is lashed, but i'll have a wild stab at Melliot, or did I dream that one?

 

Close-ish.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melilotus_officinalis

Some drink to remember, some drink to forget the dingy Travelodge in Harlow?

 

Looks like Lady's Bedstraw.

 

It's Lady's Bedstraw Ziggy,
Jenny

 

I is sober now, leaves are wrong for Lady's Bedstraw, reckon it might be Crosswort, Cruciata laevipes

 

I'm inclined to agree with you Zigs. A pretty plant nonetheless,
a Google image :

Jenny

 

It is pretty Jen

Not found it in the wild meself, have to keep an eye out

What do you reckon @Trunky ? Is that the one?

 

I think Zigs and Jenny have it right, it looks like Crosswort.

The habitat description matches, it's described as preferring well drained calcareous grassland, which fits the location where I found it (sandy grassland slope, with underlying chalk) and the flowering time is a better match too.

So Crosswort it is. Thanks for solving that one folks.

 

Jenny and Ziggy