BROAD-LEAVED WILLOWHERB

Epilobium montanum

Willowherb Family [Onagraceae]

Flowers:

Pappus:

(white, long, simple, within a 4-sided pod)

4th June 2008, East Lancs Rd, Walkden, Gtr M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

In a hedgerow, it likes shady woods.

4th June 2008, East Lancs Rd, Walkden, Gtr M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

A native perennial from 20 to 70cm tall.

23rd June 2015, Moore Nature reserve, Warrington.

Photo: © RWD

Leaves lanceolate, broad near the stem on very short stalks.

31st July 2011, Moses Gate Country Pk, Bolton, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Leaves nicely rounded to the stalk.

31st July 2011, Moses Gate Country Pk, Bolton, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Petals 8-10mm long. Bears several lilac-pink flowers on long 'stalks' which will later become the housing for the many seeds with pappii.

4th June 2008, East Lancs Rd, Walkden, Gtr M/cr.

Photo: © RWD

The latent seed housings are long, narrow and square in all Willowherbs.

31st July 2011, Moses Gate Country Pk, Bolton, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Petals cleft to short of half-way as for most Willowherbs. The Style is a '+' shape (as are several other Willowherbs, whilst others have a club aka matchstick-head shaped stigma). It is surrounded by 8 stamens (the same for all Epiloboim Willowherbs). All willowherbs have 4 petals, but the colour, and size may differ.

23rd June 2015, Moore Nature reserve, Warrington.

Photo: © RWD

The 8 stamens with cream-coloured pollen grains are in there somewhere, but that is not useful in differentiating Willowherbs.

23rd June 2015, Moore Nature reserve, Warrington.

Photo: © RWD

Cross-shaped style and pollen-grain splattered stamens.

31st July 2011, Moses Gate Country Pk, Bolton, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

Main stem only slightly hairy. Many seed pods at the top have split open to release their pappus-borne seeds. Leaves have many short forwardly-directed teeth, seemingly often double-toothed (with two differing sizes of teeth).

31st July 2011, Moses Gate Country Pk, Bolton, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

As in all Willowherbs, the long square seed pods split open like peeling back a banana to reveal the rows and layers of seeds with their simple pappii attached at the top.

31st July 2011, Moses Gate Country Pk, Bolton, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

The leaves which are distinctive of Broad-leaved Willowherb which are broad-lanceolate, tapering to a blunt tip being well-rounded at the base on short stalks.

23rd June 2015, Moore Nature reserve, Warrington.

Photo: © RWD

Not visible here but all leaves have very short hairs appressed to the surface.

31st July 2011, Moses Gate Country Pk, Bolton, Lancs.

Photo: © RWD

The upper part of the plant is covered in very short hairs, some glandular, some not.

Hybridizes with other Willowherbs, namely:

Short-Fruited Willowherb (Epilobium obscurum) to produce Epilobium × aggregatum
New-Zealand Willowherb (Epilobium brunnescens) to produce Epilobium × confusilobum
Great Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum) to produce Epilobium × erroneum
Square-stalked Willowherb (Epilobium tetragonum) to produce Epilobium × haussknechtianum
American Willowherb (Epilobium ciliatum) to produce Epilobium × interjectum
Rockery Willowherb (Epilobium pedunculare) to produce Epilobium × kitcheneri
Hoary Willowherb (Epilobium parviflorum) to produce Epilobium × limosum
Pale Willowherb (Epilobium roseum) to produce Epilobium × heterocaule
Spear-leaved Willowherb (Epilobium lanceolatum) to produce Epilobium × neogradense

All one big happy family!

Tall specimens with intermediate characteristics are likely to be hybrids of one sort or another but only if both parents are nearby.

Lookee-Likees : Many other Willowherbs!

It likes shady places such as woods, hedgerows, gardens, walls and waste ground, usually in the shade but possible too in streets, preferring moist but well-drained soils.

Epilobium

montanum

⇐ Global Aspect ⇒

Onagraceae

Distribution
family8Willowherb family8Onangraceae
BSBI maps

Epilobium
(Willowherbs)