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| Silverweed: one of the
commonest verge plants, with leaves covered in silver down. In the past
the root was eaten and the herb has been used to remove freckles.
Flowers June to August. |
'The beauty among the Plantains.'
In place of the dirty brown of the Ribwort, Hoary Plantain has a
delicate, baby-pink fluff of anthers and silver haired leaves and stem.
Frequent on lime grasslands.
Flowers May to August. |
So rare that it is unknown outside Cornwall and Scilly,
Western Fumitory can nevertheless be found just growing by the (right)
roadside!
Flowers May to October. |
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| An indelicate flower which
can not be ignored. Lords-and- Ladies has dozens of local names,
mostly to do with its venereal nature. The tubers made starch: altogether
a 'stiffening' plant.
Flowers April and May. |
'Bunny-rabbits' is a prettier,
Somerset, name for Toadflax, seeing the rabbit's mouth in the Snapdragon-type
flower. The yellow flower suggested use as a diuretic in the past.
Flowers July to October. |
Rare plants have a certain glamour: those which are
only infrequent may nonetheless have more interest. Alexanders was
introduced, the 'parsley of Alexandria', in the Middle Ages, and is still
infrequent away from the coast.
Flowers April to June. |