Plantaginaceae
The flower and leaf shapes on some of this family can confuse amateur botanists (like me). One useful tip: members of the mint family have square sided stems, and Plantaginaceae species (USUALLY) have rounded stems.
Epsom & Ewell Flower Finder
Plantaginaceae: Foxglove, Speedwell & Toadflax Family
Snapdragon-like flowers, ground and wall creepers, spires of trumpet shaped flowers - this family has it all. Foxgloves are welcome in most gardens - but the pristine lawn enthusiast will curse the speedwell.
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Digitalis purpurea
Foxglove
Tall spires of pink, purple or white trumpet flowers. Hairy. Height up to 2 metres.
About
The larvae of the Foxglove Pug feed on the stamens and seeds of this plant. It is also loved by bees; I can while away a good hour watching them crawl in and out of the flower trumpets.
Dr Withering cleverly deduced that the cardiac glycocide in the plant was useful for treating heart failure. It is still prescribed today. PLEASE DON'T DOSE YOURSELF - DANGEROUS!
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Linaria purpurea
Purple Toadflax
Tall spires of small, snapdragon type flowers. Hairless. Height up to 1 metre.
About
Introduced from Italy and recorded in the wild around 1830. Attractive, does not need staking and bees love it. It throws up attractive "sports" in different shades, like this pink one I found in Auriol.
The attractive Toadflax Brocade moth caterpillars pupate after eating much of the plant. The moth is patterned brown and easily missed. Children love to watch these caterpillars and so do I.
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Veronica chamaedrys
Germander Speedwell, Bird's-eye
Creeping plant. Hairs along oposite sides of the stem. Height up to 0.5 metre.
About
Known as "Tea Speedwell" in Scandinavia, this drink is also popular with Austrian tea fans. Charles V of Spain swore by this herb as a gout relieving medicine. I found this plant on scrubland in Cuddington, Surrey.
"Micromoths" are often missed by wildlife enthusiasts. The Longhorned Moth, Cauchas fibulella, has an 8 - 11 mm wingspan! Germander Speedwell is her food plant; larvae eat the seeds, then build a case of plant fragments to protect them as they munch on leaves close to the ground.
HOMEMore information
SURREY'S WILDFLOWERING PROJECT is a community-led initiative, aiming to build a partnership that enables wildflowering in the county as well as promoting and celebrating the boroughs/districts diverse environments. Do take the time to find out more about the project and if you can get involved, even in a small way, you will make a difference.
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