Photos ©2004–
Click any photo for a larger image
Photos ©2004–
Click any photo for a larger image
Hedge / Wood Woundwort - Stachys sylvatica
Family - Lamiaceae
A hairy perennial plant of shady spots in woodland, forests, roadsides, alpine meadows and grasslands growing to 90cm (3ft) growing from a green rhizome, found over Europe and Asia. Flowers in whorls of five or six at the base of leaf–like bracts, 13–15mm (0.5–0.75in) long, claret or dark red colouration with whitish markings, upper lip hooded and the lower lip subdivided into three lobes, the middle being the largest and and un–notched. Calyx with five near–equal teeth.
Leaves 4–9cm (1.6–3.5in) long, narrow on stalks 2–6cm (0.8–2.3in). Reputed to have a rather unpleasant smell when crushed. Differing from Marsh Woundwort – S. palustris in habitats, they can nevertheless hybridise where possible. It was used as a medicinal herb from where it gets the "woundwort" part of its name, and a dye plant producing a yellow tint. Food plant for the Small Rivulet moth.
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