What is this please

[lezelle]

Hi Ya, I have this weed growing on my plot. Never had it before also creeping buttercup. Never had them before. They are both growing in amongst my spuds. Any help would be helpfull. Thanks.

[lezelle]

[lezelle]

Hi Ya, A little bit more research and what I thought was creeping buttercup is I belive called gallant soldier. It likes it hot and we have had that. I will photograph it later and post it for all to see. I think I will leave the other one to grow and see if I can identify it as there is one plant that looks similar and likes the edge next to paths where the ground is harder. Will do more research.

[lezelle]

Hi Ya. here is the gallant soldier plant I mentioned.

[JanG]

The last one is a it difficult to see amongst the potatoes but it does look like gallant soldier which I've also had from time to time.

[lezelle]

Hi Ya, You are right JanG it is gallant soldier. I wonder if the seeds arrived with the potato tubers that did have soil on them and I and some other allotment holders have never seen it on our site before. My book on weeds where I identified it. It comes from South America and escaped from the botanic gardens in Kew. I wonder, having read my book if the other one is pearlwort. It looks similar. I will keep an eye on it and see. The gallant soldier apparently seeds freely and can be hard to get rid of. Good luck

[Beersmith]

An interesting name.

I suppose it derives from the Latin genus name Galinsoga.  I like that!