GREAT WILLOWHERB

CODLINS-AND-CREAM

Epilobium hirsutum

Willowherb Family [Onagraceae]  

Flowers:
month8jul month8july month8Aug month8sep month8sept

Pappus: pappusZpossible (white, long, simple, within a 4-sided pod)
pappus8sep pappus8sept pappus8oct

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8purple
inner
inner8white
morph
morph8actino
petals
petalsZ4
stem
stem8round
sex
sexZbisexual

11th Aug 2018, L&L canal, Maghull, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
An upright plant with branches. Flowers in singles or very small groups.


11th Aug 2018, L&L canal, Maghull, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
This specimen has perhaps been cut down by CRT's towpath strimmers. It is right on the waters edge, but a very low plant, considering it grows up to 1.8m high and is flowering.


11th Aug 2018, L&L canal, Maghull, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
Leaves in opposite pairs which weakly clasp the stem. Both leaves and stems have simple and/or glandular hairs which stick out. Although the stem is not square (as it is for Square-stalked Willowherb) the leaves pairs are alternately at 90° to each other. It is a hairy plant.


11th Aug 2018, L&L canal, Maghull, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
The flowers are between 15 and 23mm across with four large pink recurved petals each with a notch in the centre. A long brown hairy seed-pod between 5 to 8cm long stands ready to peel open from the top like a banana, but with only four sides, in order to reveal all the parachuted seeds inside which are in 4 long rows.


11th Aug 2018, L&L canal, Maghull, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
Nominally 4 pale pink anthers which are open and have shed their white pollen. A taller 4-pronged stigma.


7th Aug 2008, Compstall Navigation, Etherow Valley, Gtr Mcr. Photo: © RWD
A large raft of Great Willowherb hogging the canal bank at waters edge. It is a good thing that there are no canal boats on this canal, for getting on or off here could prove problematic. Note the extremely tall specimen on the right!


30th July 2007, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
Contrasted well by the black waters of the canal here in the shade.


11th July 2005, Cumbria Coastal Way, near Cark. Photo: © RWD
Never far from water, this specimen is by a ditch.


27th July 2007, Hall Road, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD


14th Aug 2004, between Wilpshire and Sabden, witch country. Photo: © RWD
The long, square in cross-section, flower stalks which become the long seed pods when the flower drops off the top.


1st Aug 2008, near Croston, Preston. Photo: © RWD
4 petals, 4 sepals. As yet un-opened flowers bottom right.


11th July 2007, Gathurst, near Wigan. Photo: © RWD
The leaves have shallow teeth.


1st Aug 2008, near Croston, Preston. Photo: © RWD
Normal mauve type Great Willowherb is here growing with unusual all pink and all white forms.


1st Aug 2008, near Croston, Preston. Photo: © RWD
Pink form.


1st Aug 2008, near Croston, Preston. Photo: © RWD
White and pink forms together.


1st Aug 2008, near Croston, Preston. Photo: © RWD
Pink and white forms growing on same plant, side by side!


1st Aug 2008, near Croston, Preston. Photo: © RWD
Totally white-form plant.


1st Aug 2008, near Croston, Preston. Photo: © RWD
White form.


Photo: © Ann Collier
An anomalous specimen with five-star rather than 4-star style.


It is no doubt not inconceivable that some of these white and pink forms are some of the very many hybrids of willowherbs detailed, but your author will leave those identifications to experts.

Hybridizes with other Willowherbs, namely:

  • Short-fruited Willowherb (Epilobium obscurum) to produce Epilobium × anglicum (found in one hectad only nowhere near where the photos were taken).
  • Square-stemmed Willowherb (Epilobium tetragonum) [aka Square-stalked Willowherb] to produce Epilobium × brevipilum (found in several locations but not within 100 miles of Manchester where the photos were taken).
  • Broad-Leaved Willowherb (Epilobium montanum) to produce Epilobium × erroneum (is found in the Manchester area and several other areas).
  • American Willowherb (Epilobium ciliatum) to produce Epilobium × novae-civitatis (is found in the Manchester area and several other areas).
  • Pale Willowherb (Epilobium roseum) to produce Epilobium × goerzii (found in one hectad only near London).
  • Hoary Willowherb (Epilobium parviflorum) to produce Epilobium × subhirsutum (found in the UK in several hectads south of Lancaster including around Manchester).
  • Marsh Willowherb (Epilobium palustre) to produce Epilobium × waterfallii (found in very few hectads)
All one big happy family!

Distinguishing Feature : At up to 1.8m high it is by a good way the tallest Willowherb. Hoary Willowherb looks similar to Great Willowherb but is, at up to 75cm high, less than half the height.


  Epilobium hirsutum  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Onagraceae  

Distribution
family8Willowherb family8Onangraceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Epilobium
Epilobium
(Willowherbs)

GREAT WILLOWHERB

CODLINS-AND-CREAM

Epilobium hirsutum

Willowherb Family [Onagraceae]  

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