Saturday 10 July 2021

Dene Park still muddy - Enchanter's Nightshade

The Enchanter's Nightshade, Circaea lutetiana, is in full flower along the tracksides at the moment. This is a very common woodland plant throughout the UK except the north of Scotland. There is also an Alpine species found in upland woodlands. 

Apparently a traditional wound treatment. The Latin name is after Circe the Goddess of Magic, known for her knowledge of herbal medicine, and lutetiana referring to Paris or the botanists of Paris.

The delicate two-petalled whitish flowers are well spaced within each raceme. The flower stalk and the sepals are covered in long hairs.

Spreads by long thin vegetative stolons, as well as the fruiting burrs. Here is a picture of one of the typical patches of heart-shaped leaves topped by the tiny groups of flowers.


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