Welcome to this collection of photographs designed to help with the identification of basal and juvenile leaves of plants in the wild in Britain and Ireland. It is intended as a guide only, as plant leaf shapes and sizes vary.
HOW TO USE THIS WEBSITE
Use the search bar if you want to go directly to species, genus or family, using partial or full common or scientific names. The Plant Families tab will take you to a list of families. If you are unsure of the plant family, use the Family Key tab to narrow down from over 100 families to much smaller groups. When you think you have an ID from a photo, you can download (below) the Excel Species Info Sheet to check on more details than may be visible in the photo
Both common and scientific names have been taken from the New Flora of the British Isles, edition 4 (2019) by Clive Stace, published by C&M Floristics
As of March 2025, there are 110 plant families containing 1249 species. The intention is for this to grow with the help of all who wish to contribute
If you would like to offer a photo for a species, whether a new species, a variation of a species' shape, size or colour, or a better photo than already here, please do so. I will of course credit you by adding your name as the contributor of the image. Many thanks to the people that have contributed so far. Microspecies, some hybrids, grasses, sedges, rushes, ferns, some rare trees and submerged aquatics are not included, as currently I deem them too difficult to ID as juvenile plants, but may add them at a later date. If you have a query or would like to offer photographs to add to the project, please email me at: richardmabbutt@aol.com
The requests for photos are: Wild plants only, and if there isn't a rosette, then juvenile leaves are just as welcome. Something in the photo for size is good, but not essential
DOWNLOADS updated every time new species are added. Last updated 30 MAR 2025
Click here for an Excel sheet of plant lists with a search facility by scientific name (a common name convertor is included)
Click here for the Excel Species Info Sheet. When you think you have an ID from a photo, you can check here for features that may not be visible in that photo
Many thanks to all my botanical friends for help with this project, with advice, locations and identifications. You are all a part of this, and I am extremely grateful. In particular, I would like to thank Tim Rich, who threw down the botanical gauntlet to me when I bemoaned the lack of a resource like this in 2018. Special thanks to Mark Cooper for building this website, and Sally Peacock for making the Plant Lists Excel sheet