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Quiz about British Flowers General Facts

British Flowers: General Facts Quiz

First quiz of my three quiz set on the wild flowers of the British Isles. How much do you know about the uses and nicknames, past and present, of our native flora?

A multiple-choice quiz by Flapjack44. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
Flapjack44

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
78,771

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
9 / 15

Plays
598

Last 3 plays: Guest 193 (0/15), 1nn1 (15/15), Coachpete1 (15/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Which flower gets its name from the smell given off when it is uprooted? Hint

Common Fumitory

Tormentil

Sainfoin

Kidney Vetch

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Question 2 of 15

2. What plant is part of a trick played by schoolchildren where the punchline is 'You broke your Mother's heart!'? Hint

Shepherd's Purse

Spotted Medick

Common Scurvygrass

Lucerne

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Question 3 of 15

3. Which of these plants is one of the ancient trio used as dyes? Hint

Chickweed

Common Milkwort

Weld

Fritillary

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Question 4 of 15

4. When bruised and boiled in water, Soapwort produces a lather suitable for cleaning: True or False?

True

False

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Question 5 of 15

5. To which fruit does the folklore refer, when it warns against eating it after Michaelmas (29 September) because the Devil spits on it? Hint

Blackberry

Wild Strawberry

Raspberry

Herb Bennet

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Question 6 of 15

6. Which bold pink flower was quick to colonise bomb sites during World War One? Hint

Cheddar Pink

Rosebay Willowherb

Foxglove

Orpine

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Question 7 of 15

7. Which of these plants can sometimes be known by the name 'Queen Anne's Lace'? Hint

Ox-Eye Daisy

Cow Parsley

Bur Chervil

Hemlock

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Question 8 of 15

8. Giant Hogweed can reach hights of 10 metres and its flower heads can be up to 1m wide.

True

False

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Question 9 of 15

9. Which plant was referred to by Sir Percy Blakeney and also comes in pink, white, lilac and blue colours? Hint

Sweet Violet

Creeping Buttercup

Scarlet Pimpernel

Pale Poppy

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Question 10 of 15

10. Which five petalled blue-purple flower was worn as a crown on the heads of people about to be executed? Hint

Lesser Periwinkle

Cross Gentian

Jacob's Ladder

Dovesfoot Cranesbill

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Question 11 of 15

11. What parasitic plant climbs up a host plant and all but overwhelms it? Hint

Toothwort

Mistletoe

Common Dodder

Common Helleborine

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Question 12 of 15

12. Which nightshade has bold blue-purple flowers? Hint

Deadly

Enchanter's

Black

Woody

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Question 13 of 15

13. Lousewort may be linked to the spread of the liver fluke parasite in sheep: True or False?

True

False

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Question 14 of 15

14. This plant contains no chlorophyll and as a consequence the stems, flower and fruits are all coloured yellow. Hint

Yellow Rattle

Marsh Yellow Cress

Buttercup

Yellow Birdsnest

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Question 15 of 15

15. The Common Butterwort eats insects: True or False?

True

False

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which flower gets its name from the smell given off when it is uprooted?

Answer: Common Fumitory

'Fumitory' comes from the medieval Latin word meaning 'smoke of the earth'. Also, if the sap of the plant gets into the eyes they will water as though affected by smoke.

2. What plant is part of a trick played by schoolchildren where the punchline is 'You broke your Mother's heart!'?

Answer: Shepherd's Purse

The child would first be asked to pick the seed pod off of the stem (which is heart shaped) and then when it bursts open, the punchline is shouted. The name of Shepherd's Purse came from the shape of the seed pod which resembles the wallets used by shepherds to carry their lunches.

3. Which of these plants is one of the ancient trio used as dyes?

Answer: Weld

Weld was used as a yellow dye. The remaining members of the trio were Woad (blue) and Madder (red).

4. When bruised and boiled in water, Soapwort produces a lather suitable for cleaning: True or False?

Answer: True

It was particularly effective at cleaning wool, hence the planting of Soapwort near woollen mills.

5. To which fruit does the folklore refer, when it warns against eating it after Michaelmas (29 September) because the Devil spits on it?

Answer: Blackberry

The folklore is not wholly without foundation. The spit comes from the flesh fly which is around at that time, and dribbles on the berries in order to suck up the juices.

6. Which bold pink flower was quick to colonise bomb sites during World War One?

Answer: Rosebay Willowherb

It thrives on any wasteland but particularly those that have been cleared by fire... hence one of its alternative names is 'Fireweed'.

7. Which of these plants can sometimes be known by the name 'Queen Anne's Lace'?

Answer: Cow Parsley

The nickname comes from the frothy appearance of the white flower heads.

8. Giant Hogweed can reach hights of 10 metres and its flower heads can be up to 1m wide.

Answer: False

They don't tend to grow that big! Heights tend to be more in the region of 4 metres with flowers heads reaching 60cm. Still pretty huge by native flower standards!

9. Which plant was referred to by Sir Percy Blakeney and also comes in pink, white, lilac and blue colours?

Answer: Scarlet Pimpernel

Sir Percy Blakeney was of course, the hero in the novel The Scarlet Pimpernel written by Baroness Orczy. He described the plant as a 'humble English wayside flower'.

10. Which five petalled blue-purple flower was worn as a crown on the heads of people about to be executed?

Answer: Lesser Periwinkle

This evergreen plant was considered to be a symbol of immortality. Culpeper even recommended it as a fertility aid!

11. What parasitic plant climbs up a host plant and all but overwhelms it?

Answer: Common Dodder

After the seed germinates and grows up around the host plant, the shoots produce suckers that penetrate the host's stems. This is how the Dodder obtains water and nutrients and when enough suckers have plumbed into the free food, the Dodder's root system dies away completely.

12. Which nightshade has bold blue-purple flowers?

Answer: Woody

All of the nightshades contain the poison solanine, with Deadly Nightshade being the most poisonous of the group. Any person having eaten Deadly Nightshade should be taken to hospital immediately as just two berries could kill a child. Enchanter's Nightshade is not actually a nightshade at all, but a member of the willowherb family.

13. Lousewort may be linked to the spread of the liver fluke parasite in sheep: True or False?

Answer: True

Albeit indirectly! The worm thrives in damp places and lives on the back of snails (which provide a sort of bus service), the snails cling to the Lousewort for food etc and when the sheep grazes over the land, the liver fluke disembarks from the bus to the sheep. Poor sheep.

14. This plant contains no chlorophyll and as a consequence the stems, flower and fruits are all coloured yellow.

Answer: Yellow Birdsnest

The Yellow Birdsnest is a saprophyte and lives off decaying material on the woodland floor. It is commonly found in areas of the woodland with very poor light.

15. The Common Butterwort eats insects: True or False?

Answer: True

The sticky leaves of this pretty flower curl up lengthways around the insect. Historically the plant is thought to have been used to curdle milk for butter, hence its name... it was also supposed to protect people from witches and fairies.

Source: Author Flapjack44

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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