categoryZClimbers Climbers List 

PURPLE RAMPING-FUMITORY

Fumaria purpurea

Poppy Family [Papaveraceae]

month8apr month8april month8may month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8aug month8sep month8sept month8oct

category
category8Climbers
status
statusZnative
flower
flower8lilac
flower
flower8pink
inner
inner8white
inner
inner8purple

morph
morph8zygo
 
petals
petalsZ4
 
type
typeZspiked
 
type
typeZtubular
 
type
typeZspurred
v. short
stem
stem8round
 
stem
stem8milkysap stem8milkylatex
 
toxicity
toxicityZmedium
 
rarity
rarityZscarce
 

28th Sept 2008, nr Foxfield Stn, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
A scandant plant which scrambles up through hedges to sunbathe on top.


6th June 2015, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Has pinkish petals with a deep red to black tip, but neither is a fool-proof identifying feature. The flowers, which are in a short spike, are on flower-stalks (petioles) which bend-over downwards for the flowers at the bottom of the spike and gradually point upwards for those near the top.


6th June 2015, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The two sepals each side of the flower (looking like shields) are white with a fairly wide and pale-green longitudinal strip. Flowers 10-13mm long.


28th Sept 2008, nr Foxfield Stn, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Top-view of flower-spike. Flowers haphazardly point in all directions.


28th Sept 2008, nr Foxfield Stn, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Leaves small, lobed and pale-green.


28th Sept 2008, nr Foxfield Stn, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The white sepals are longer than those of Common Ramping-fumitory with an almost rectangular section in the middle.


6th June 2015, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Sepals irregularly but roundly-toothed mostly at the more-rounded rear.


6th June 2015, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Sepals (4.5) 5 - 6.5mm long and 3-3mm wide, at least half as long as the corolla tube (which is the upper - and shorter - part of the flower which also bears the dark-red to black tip).


6th June 2015, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
The corolla tube has a fairly straight back.


6th June 2015, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Sepal.


6th June 2015, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Sepal is only attached to the flower at one point.


6th June 2015, Aughton, Ormskirk, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Looking straight up its 'nose' - nothing much to see here - move along now.


28th Sept 2008, nr Foxfield Stn, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Typical stance of leaves.


28th Sept 2008, nr Foxfield Stn, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Leaves lime-green and irregularly lobed with 3 lobes, some of which may be lobed themselves.


28th Sept 2008, nr Foxfield Stn, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Developing flower buds, the white sepals prominent.


28th Sept 2008, nr Foxfield Stn, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Felted hairs underside of leaves (top).


28th Sept 2008, nr Foxfield Stn, Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
Short glandular hairs on stems.


Not to be semantically confused with : Rampions such as Round-Headed Rampion (Phyteuma orbiculare) [plants with similar name belonging to the Bellflower Family (Campanulaceae)]

It is native and is the commonest Fumitory in Orkney. Found in waste and disturbed ground such as gardens, arable fields (the further North the more frequent), in hedgebanks, beside walls and in coastal areas.

If broken the stems ooze a white latex which is potentially poisonous and dangerous to get in the eyes.


  Fumaria purpurea  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Papaveraceae  

Distribution
 family8Poppy family8Papaveraceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Fumaria
Fumaria
(Fumitories)

PURPLE RAMPING-FUMITORY

Fumaria purpurea

Poppy Family [Papaveraceae]