Alexanders
Smyrnium olusatrum

© Bob Ford/Nature Portfolio     Alexanders photographed on Monday February 11th 2008

This coastal plant is characteristic of Dorset and counties further west, but not that widespread in the country as a whole. It only stays green up to the end of May, after which you can see its thick dead stems and black seeds everywhere right through summer and autumn. These seeds are held at human waist height and are very tempting to grasp as you walk past, making excellent missiles to hurl at a friend. The stems are supposed to be edible, but that depends on whether you like eating perfumed rubber.