Using a Flora

The plant kingdom is hugely varied and it can be very difficult and daunting to start to identify specimens, especially for families and species that you have never seen before. Most botanists and ecologists start out identifying plants by comparing their specimens to photographs or illustrations in books. This course is aimed at professional and amateur botanists that want to progress from comparing images in books onwards to ‘Floras’. By using simple techniques and field guides you will identify a wide range of plant families and species and gain an understanding of the terminology found within Floras. You will conduct field visits to practice your newfound botanical skills and using keys, benefiting from the rich range of habitats surrounding the Preston Montford Centre where your course will take place.

Your course will start with a revision of basic botanical structures and terminology, moving on to detailed study of a range of individual species, their characteristics and key features, and how they fit into their families. During this course you will have the opportunity to practice your plant identification skills using a range of identification resources, particularly Stace’s New Flora (3rd / 4th editions). A great part of the course will therefore be spent working through keys, which involves looking closely at the intricate and often amazingly beautiful structure of plants.

This course is a good progression for those who have experience of botanical identification but want to make their identifications more robust and reliable; equally, it will suit the complete beginner who has little or no practical experience (other than picture recognition). A systematic, flora-based approach will lead to greater success, accuracy and confidence – familiarity with using a flora certainly turns a somewhat daunting prospect into an irresistible pastime.

This course complements the BSBI Identiplant course (either for current students or alumni), helping with the more practical elements of the course.

The course relates to FISC (Field Identification Skills Certificate) levels 2-4. Click here to see more information about the BSBI FISC and the BSBI Botanical Skills Ladder.

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Distinguish the flowering and vegetative parts of a range of taxa and identify a range of common plants to genus/species level using a botanical key, including members of the ten major plant families.
• Recognise and name the major parts of a plant; with reference to how they can be used in practical botanical identification (naming of parts and botanical glossary).
• Understand how floral formulae can help you to make accurate identifications, breaking down recognition into Families, Genus and eventually species (Particular reference on this course will be to the major plant families).
• Utilise a standard flora (e.g. Stace 2010/2019), with an understanding of how to use these keys more effectively.
• Understand that the need for accurate species identification is essential in identifying and classifying habitats.

Who Should Attend? General interest (amateur/professional), Local Authority ecologists, ecological consultants, conservation officers and staff within SNCOs and NGOs, students, environmental managers, land managers, wardens
and rangers.

Prior Knowledge No existing knowledge or experience is essential, but attendees will gain the most from this course if they have some prior understanding of the parts of a plants and associated terminology, have used a key (not necessarily botanical) and have some prior knowledge of UK flora.  FISC Levels 2+. Students with higher level FISC e.g. 4+ who want to develop confidence in keys may also find this course useful, although they will likely not see any ‘new’ species.

Knowledge Level – Beginner to Intermediate. Level descriptors can be found on the following web-page: Framework and Course Level Descriptors

Please Note: If we are unable to reach viable numbers for this course, we will inform you of the course cancellation 4-5 weeks prior to the course run. Please see the ‘What’s Included’ section for information on accommodation and meals options.

Bookings will close if course capacity is reached. 

Please email [email protected] if you have any questions.

Mark Duffell

Mark Duffell has had a lifetime interest in plants, gaining the RHS Diploma in Horticulture and completing an MSc in Biological Recording. He now runs Arvensis Ecology, splitting his time between conducting botanical surveys and teaching botanical identification and survey techniques to undergraduate and postgraduate students, consultancies and environmental organisations.

Provisional timetable

 Starting on Friday at 10:00, finishing on Sunday at 16:00 

Mornings and evenings will generally be spent in the classroom studying plant specimens with the aid of the Centre’s equipment, especially books and microscopes. Site visits will take place in the afternoons. None of the visits will involve much walking but we will see a range of habitats in the beautiful setting of the Shropshire hills.
There will be plentiful opportunities for breaks during the days as appropriate.

Friday: (10:00-13:00; 14:00-18:00; 19:30-21:00)

• Introduction to botanical identification, using keys to make accurate identifications, and getting familiar with some common plant families.
• Visit the grounds, to put into practice botanical skills and using keys.
• Evening spent looking at different types of fruits and seeds and how these can be used in botanical identification.

Saturday: (09:30-13:00; 14:00-18:00; 19:30-21:00)

• Introduction to vegetative features used in botanical identification.
• After lunch out to Snailbeach and concentrating on the Daisy family including a range of yellow Dandelion look-a-likes.
• Return to base for dinner, followed by further plant families.

Sunday: (09:30-13:00; 14:00-16:00)  

• Continuing with more practical plant identification and further plant families, building on experience gained the previous days.
• After lunch out to Llanymynech Rocks, a fantastic calcareous grassland.
• Finish back at centre for 4pm.

• 
  Expert Tuition
• 
  In Course Transport

The course has been carefully created by expert tutors and educators to help you build your knowledge and apply it within the field surrounded by like-minded individuals.

The course includes:

• Classroom learning covering the theory of the species
• Field excursions to apply new knowledge
• Expert tuition for which the Field Studies Council is renowned
• Clear objectives and progression
• Refreshments (tea/coffee)

You can rest assured that the absolute best content from an expert in environmental education will be provided. In choosing a Field Studies Council course, you will be joining thousands of people who learn with us each year.

Accommodation and meals

If accommodation is available, there will be two booking options:

• Non-Resident
• Resident (Sole Occupancy)

If you choose a Non-Resident booking, this includes course tuition and refreshments (tea and coffee), as well as an evening meal on the Friday and Saturday before the evening sessions. Please bring your own packed lunch for each day.

If you choose a Resident (Sole Occupancy) booking, this includes accommodation with your own bedroom for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights and meals throughout the course from an evening meal on the Thursday through to packed lunch on the Sunday. You can check in from 4 pm on the Thursday.

If your booking has more than one person and you would like a shared room, please email [email protected] to inquire.

Please be aware that you are visiting a Field Centre that caters in the main for school parties; the accommodation is basic and dormitory style, but warm and comfortable. Please also note that bathrooms may be shared.

Student Discount

This course is eligible for a student discount. If you are a current student, please use discount code BioStudent20 at checkout for 20% off all Biodiversity courses.

Natural History Bursaries

There are a number of natural history bursaries available to help with the cost of your course. To find out if you and your chosen course are eligible, read more here.

There will be a member of staff with first aid training and access to a first aid kit on site. If you have special medical or access requirements, please let us know as soon as possible so we can make any necessary adjustments.

What to Bring

We should have plenty of books within the classroom, but please feel free to bring along your own copies (see below for suggested books). Likewise see below for course-specific equipment to bring. If you have any specimens you don’t know, then bring them along and we can tackle them together.

• Stout walking shoes or boots
• Outdoor clothing suitable for all potential weather conditions
• Sandwich box, vacuum flask / drinks container with packed lunch if you have not booked an accommodation option.
• Small rucksack or bag
• Field notebook and pencil
• Dissecting kit (scalpel and forceps) – if you have a set*
• x10 or x20 hand lens if you possess one*
  

* you will be able to borrow these pieces of equipment or books for the course, but if you have your own it avoids sharing. 

Recommended Literature

• Blamey, Fitter and Fitter. 2003. Wild Flowers of Britain and Ireland.
• Poland & Clement. 2010. The Vegetative Key to the British Flora*
• Rose & O’Reilly. 2006. The Wildflower Key*
• Stace. 2019. New Flora of the British Isles by Stace (4th ed.)
• Stace. 2010. New Flora of the British Isles by Stace (3rd ed.)*
• Streeter. 2009. Collins Wild Flower Guide.
• Describing Flowers – A Guide to the structure of flowers and to their identification features. 1996. Bebbington, A. & Bebbington, J. FSC Fold-out Guide
• And/or any other books you are accustomed to using.