MARSH WILLOWHERB

Epilobium palustre

Willowherb Family [Onagraceae]

Flowers:

Pappus:

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

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

The flowers as well as their long 'flower stalks' flop over a bit. Found in wettish places usually on acid soils, growing amidst what is probably Jointed Rush (Juncus articulatis).

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

The very long flopped-over flower stalk will eventually become the even longer seed pods, like the two now bolt upright on the left. That happens when the flowers have dropped off the ends of their 'long stalks'. A short plant: grows only from 15 to 60cm high.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

The flowers have 4 pinkish or lilac petals, with a notch in the middle of each. Leaves are all dull-green and strap shaped; lower leaves just bigger.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

The seed pods are square and slightly fluted.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

Leaves dull-green (only occasionally purplish) and strap-shaped; lower just larger. Between 4 to 10mm wide, blunt-tipped, and either stalkless or only with short stalk (up to 4mm on uppermost leaves - as on this leaf). The leaves taper to the base and usually join directly and around the stem.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

Lower leaves. All are more or less hairless. The leaves are either untoothed, or only indistinctively toothed.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

Here leaves are opposite; but that may be an exception. The lower stem is only occasionally purplish (the seed pods are usually dark purple) and has far fewer hairs. Mostly the stems lack raised ridges (as here), but some do have two raised lines.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

Here leaves not opposite. A new flower bud with smaller leaves is branching off from just above the leaf-axil.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

There are four long sepals behind the flower. The middle flower has not yet opened and is still in bud. Hairs on stem and on seed pods are very short, but numerous.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

The petals are violet-veined and 4-7mm long. There are 8 stamens on all Willowherbs, but the single style has either a cross shape or a club shape at the end. Marsh Willowherb has club-shaped stigmas.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

An un-opened flower bud. Both latent seed-pod and sepals are mostly covered in short hairs, the leaves with fewer short hairs.

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

18th July 2014, mine track, Glenridding Hut, Cumbria.

Photo: © RWD

The upper stem has few and flattened non-glandular hairs and scattered but erect hairs with glands at the tip. The same two types of hair are also present on young seed capsules and on the flowers. If your imagination is wild enough you can see the glandular hairs on this photo or on the one above. (Lower parts of stems have far fewer hairs)

Hybridizes with other Willowherbs, namely :

New-Zealand Willowherb (Epilobium brunnescens) to produce Epilobium ×chateri
Alpine Willowherb (Epilobium anagallidifolium) to produce Epilobium × dasycarpum
Chickweed Willowherb (Epilobium alsinifolium) to produce Epilobium × haynaldianum
Pale Willowherb (Epilobium roseum) to produce Epilobium × purpureum
Great Willowherb (Epilobium hirsutum) to produce Epilobium × waterfallii
Short-fruited Willowherb (Epilobium obscurum) to produce Epilobium × schmidtianum

All one big happy family!

Lookee-Likees : Many other Willowherbs!

Epilobium

palustre

⇐ Global Aspect ⇒

Onagraceae

Distribution
family8Willowherb family8Onangraceae
BSBI maps

Epilobium
(Willowherbs)