Sunday 29 January 2017

Hybrid Woundwort

Its that time of year when I need to delve back into the archives to keep the blog ticking over. Here is a nice find from back in July at Clumpcliffe (VC63). If only all hybrids were so satisfyingly intermediate.

Hybrid Woundwort (Stachys x ambigua) is the cross between Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica) and Marsh Woundwort (Stachys palustris) and can maintain itself through vegetative spread. This clone has the flowers of the former, and the foliage of the latter BUT with petioles of intermediate length. The foliage has some of the pungency of Hedge Woundwort, but this trait is much reduced,



It is a widespread hybrid (see BSBI Distribution Database) so is worth keeping an eye out for in damp places.

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