CAUCASIAN COMFREY

Symphytum caucasicum

Borage Family [Boraginaceae]

month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug

status
statusZneophyte
 		 flower
flower8blue
 		 flower
flower8mauve
 		 flower
flower8purple
 		 inner
inner8mauve
 

morph
morph8actino
 		 petals
petalsZ5
 		 type
typeZclustered
 		 type
typeZbell
 		 stem
stem8angular
near-top		 stem
stem8round
lowerdown		 stem
stem8ribbed
partially		 toxicity
toxicityZmedium
 		 sex
sexZbisexual
 

28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
Caucasian Comfrey grows upright and up to 60cm tall.


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
Apparently the roots are said to be thick and branched but is your Author expected to uproot it to confirm this fact?


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
The upper stem leaves are without stalks and also decurrent (extending downwards along the stem a short way with either wings or short lines).
Whereas the lowest leaves gradually narrow as they approach the leaf stalk (the best examples of this are to be found near the top of this photo).


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
The stem leaves are said to be sessile (attached directly without a stalk). Well, some are in this specimen, but others do seem to have a stalk which does not have the leaf-edge all the way to the main stem...


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
The main stem is squarish or angular.


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
The bristles are softer than those on the more bristly Rough Comfrey.


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
The calyx (aka sepal cup) is divided between 1/4 to 1/2 way to the base.


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
The calyx lobes are short.


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
The flowers are usually end up blue but start off smaller and red.


28th April 2011, towpath, Bridgewater Canal, north of Swing Bridge. Photo: © RWD
It is a hairy plant with long protruding styles which are slightly pinkish here.
The calyx lobes are short and with blunt isosceles triangular lobes

Not to be semantically confused with : several other comfreys with blue flowers such as Russian Comfrey (Symphytum × uplandicum), Hidcote Blue aka Hidcote Comfrey (Symphytum × hidcotense), Rough Comfrey (Symphytum asperum), Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) (which is usually white but there are colour forms such as pink or pale-blue-red).

A neonative which was introduced from the Caucasus as a garden ornamental plant.

  Symphytum caucasicum  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Boraginaceae  

Distribution
family8Borage family8Boraginaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Symphytum
Symphytum
(Comfreys)

CAUCASIAN COMFREY

Symphytum caucasicum

Borage Family [Boraginaceae]