MARSH WOUNDWORT

Stachys palustris

Mint / Dead-Nettle Family [Lamiaceae]  

month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8Aug month8sep month8sept

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8bicolour
flower
flower8purple
inner
inner8white
morph
morph8zygo
petals
petalsZ2
type
typeZtieredwhorls
type
typeZspiked
stem
stem8square

7th Aug 2007, Rufford Branch of Leeds & Liverpool canal. Photo: © RWD
Grows in damp places beside ditches, streams, canals and other fresh water.


30th July 2004, Portland Basin, Ashton Canal. Photo: © RWD
Stems erect, as for the similar Hedge Woundwort.


12th Aug 2005, Maghull, Leeds & Liverpool canal. Photo: © RWD
Spreads by underground rhizomes, as does Hedge Woundwort.


23rd July 2005, Nelson, Leeds & Liverpool Canal. Photo: © RWD
Leaves 5-10cm long, narrow spear-shaped in opposite pairs on square stem, alternately at right-angles.


2nd Aug 2005, Appley Bridge, Leeds & Liverpool Canal. Photo: © RWD
Leaves stalkless from middle of stem upwards only. Base of leaves anywhere between heart-shaped to rounded. [Lower leaves - not shown - with short stalks up to 7mm long].


30th July 2007, Linthwaite, Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Photo: © RWD
Flowers in single whorls about 6 at ever-closer separations between whorls the nearer the top of the stem. Flowers with petals in two parts: an upper cowl and a longer lower part with two shorter side-lobes.


20th Aug 2008, Furness Vale, Peak Forest Canal. Photo: © RWD
Sepal tubes have five long, cusped teeth which are often maroon in colour. Flower corolla 12-15mm long, pinkish-purple (much paler than the otherwise fairly similar dark reddish-purple Hedge Woundwort) with white markings on lower lips.


24th Sept 2014, Leeds & Liverpool canal, Parbold, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Four stamens tower into the pink hood with a single style.


24th Sept 2014, Leeds & Liverpool canal, Parbold, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Style is pink and forked at the tip. The four stamens a darker shade with 4 dark-red anthers atop. Normal and glandular white-hairs adorn most surfaces.


24th Sept 2014, Leeds & Liverpool canal, Parbold, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Pink forked style.


24th Sept 2014, Leeds & Liverpool canal, Parbold, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Four filaments of the stamens bearing four dark-red anthers.


24th Sept 2014, Leeds & Liverpool canal, Parbold, Lancs. Photo: © RWD
Anthers bearing pollen. Glandular hairs have a tiny clear bobble at the summit.


20th Aug 2008, Furness Vale, Peak Forest Canal. Photo: © RWD
Three or four fruits within sepal tubes aka calyx.


24th Sept 2014, Leeds & Liverpool canal, Maghull. Photo: © RWD
Most sepal tubes have 4 (2-4) green seeds deep. Short glandular hairs with a tiny pale mauve blobs on the tips populate the upper part of the plant only.


Easily confused with : Many other Woundworts especially with the darker reddish flowered Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica) but that has a strong and most unpleasant when crushed, whereas Marsh Woundwort has hardly any aroma at all. Hedge Woundwort grows in woods and alongside hedges in shady but moist areas, not near water as does Marsh Woundwort.

Hybridizes with : Hedge Woundwort (Stachys sylvatica) to produce Hybrid Woundwort (Stachys × ambigua) which is widespread and is often found with either one or with both parents absent. It is sterile (bears no pollen) and has shorter leaf stalks than the 4-12mm length of Hedge Woundwort.

Some similarities to : Wild Basil, Common Hemp-Nettle and Black Horehound.


  Stachys palustris  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Lamiaceae  

Distribution
family8mint family8Dead-Nettle family8Labiatea  family8Lamiaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Stachys
Stachys
(Woundworts)

MARSH WOUNDWORT

Stachys palustris

Mint / Dead-Nettle Family [Lamiaceae]  

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