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  • Creeping Willow Salix repens Salicaceae Height to 1.5m<br />
Low-growing and creeping shrub. Shoots Sometimes downy and usually reddish brown. Leaves Ovate, usually untoothed, to 4cm long; hairless above when mature, with silky hairs below. Reproductive parts Catkins. Status Locally common on moors, heaths and coastal dune-slacks.
    133572.jpg
  • Creeping Willow Salix repens Salicaceae Height to 1.5m<br />
Low-growing and creeping shrub. Shoots Sometimes downy and usually reddish brown. Leaves Ovate, usually untoothed, to 4cm long; hairless above when mature, with silky hairs below. Reproductive parts Catkins. Status Locally common on moors, heaths and coastal dune-slacks.
    133882.jpg
  • Creeping Willow Salix repens Salicaceae Height to 1.5m<br />
Low-growing and creeping shrub. Shoots Sometimes downy and usually reddish brown. Leaves Ovate, usually untoothed, to 4cm long; hairless above when mature, with silky hairs below. Reproductive parts Catkins. Status Locally common on moors, heaths and coastal dune-slacks.
    133573.jpg
  • Creeping Willow Salix repens Salicaceae Height to 1.5m<br />
Low-growing and creeping shrub. Shoots Sometimes downy and usually reddish brown. Leaves Ovate, usually untoothed, to 4cm long; hairless above when mature, with silky hairs below. Reproductive parts Catkins. Status Locally common on moors, heaths and coastal dune-slacks.
    154626.jpg
  • CREEPING CINQUEFOIL Potentilla reptans (Rosaceae) Height to 20cm. Creeping perennial whose trailing stems root at the nodes (unlike Tormentil). Found in grassy places, including verges. FLOWERS are 7-11mm across with 4 yellow petals (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are long-stalked, hairless and divided into 5-7 leaflets. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout.
    132198.jpg
  • CREEPING THISTLE Cirsium arvense (Asteraceae) Height to 1m. Creeping perennial with upright, unwinged and mostly spineless flowering stems. Grows in disturbed ground and grassy areas. FLOWERS are borne in heads, 10-15mm across, with pinkish lilac florets and darker bracts; heads are carried in clusters (Jun-Sep). FRUITS have feathery pappus hairs. LEAVES are pinnately lobed and spiny, the upper leaves clasping. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region.
    131585.jpg
  • CREEPING THISTLE Cirsium arvense (Asteraceae) Height to 1m. Creeping perennial with upright, unwinged and mostly spineless flowering stems. Grows in disturbed ground and grassy areas. FLOWERS are borne in heads, 10-15mm across, with pinkish lilac florets and darker bracts; heads are carried in clusters (Jun-Sep). FRUITS have feathery pappus hairs. LEAVES are pinnately lobed and spiny, the upper leaves clasping. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region.
    131579.jpg
  • CREEPING THISTLE Cirsium arvense (Asteraceae) Height to 1m. Creeping perennial with upright, unwinged and mostly spineless flowering stems. Grows in disturbed ground and grassy areas. FLOWERS are borne in heads, 10-15mm across, with pinkish lilac florets and darker bracts; heads are carried in clusters (Jun-Sep). FRUITS have feathery pappus hairs. LEAVES are pinnately lobed and spiny, the upper leaves clasping. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region.
    131578.jpg
  • CREEPING CINQUEFOIL Potentilla reptans (Rosaceae) Height to 20cm. Creeping perennial whose trailing stems root at the nodes (unlike Tormentil). Found in grassy places, including verges. FLOWERS are 7-11mm across with 4 yellow petals (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are long-stalked, hairless and divided into 5-7 leaflets. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout.
    141409.jpg
  • CREEPING YELLOW-CRESS Rorippa sylvestris (Brassicaceae) Height to 50cm. Sprawling, sometimes creeping annual of damp, bare ground that has solid, not hollow, stems. FLOWERS are 5mm across with 4 yellow petals, twice as long as sepals; in terminal heads (Jun-Oct). FRUITS are elliptical pods, 8-15mm long. LEAVES are pinnately lobed. STATUS-Locally common in England and Wales; scarce elsewhere.
    132154.jpg
  • CREEPING YELLOW-CRESS Rorippa sylvestris (Brassicaceae) Height to 50cm. Sprawling, sometimes creeping annual of damp, bare ground that has solid, not hollow, stems. FLOWERS are 5mm across with 4 yellow petals, twice as long as sepals; in terminal heads (Jun-Oct). FRUITS are elliptical pods, 8-15mm long. LEAVES are pinnately lobed. STATUS-Locally common in England and Wales; scarce elsewhere.
    132153.jpg
  • IVY-LEAVED CROWFOOT Ranunculus hederaceus (Ranunculaceae) Creeping. Creeping annual or biennial, associated with bare muddy places close to water. FLOWERS are 3-6mm across with 5 white petals, and sepals of similar length (May-Aug). FRUITS are borne in rounded heads. LEAVES are vaguely ivy-like, being rounded or kidney-shaped with lobed margins. STATUS-Widespread but local.
    130600.jpg
  • SILVERWEED Potentilla anserina (Rosaceae) Creeping<br />
Low-growing perennial with long, creeping stems. Found in damp, grassy places and on bare ground. FLOWERS are 15-20mm across with 5 yellow petals (May-Aug). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are divided into up to 12 pairs of leaflets (with tiny ones between them) that are covered in silvery, silky hairs. STATUS-Widespread and common.
    131028.jpg
  • SILVERWEED Potentilla anserina (Rosaceae) Creeping<br />
Low-growing perennial with long, creeping stems. Found in damp, grassy places and on bare ground. FLOWERS are 15-20mm across with 5 yellow petals (May-Aug). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are divided into up to 12 pairs of leaflets (with tiny ones between them) that are covered in silvery, silky hairs. STATUS-Widespread and common.
    132204.jpg
  • LESSER MARSHWORT Apium inundatum (Apiaceae) * Creeping. Creeping and prostrate, hairless perennial with smooth stems. Found in damp ground, often on the margins of ponds and marshes, and sometimes growing submerged. FLOWERS are white and borne in small stalked umbels with 2-4 rays (Jun-Jul). FRUITS are narrow ovoid. LEAVES are pinnate with narrow, hair-like leaflets, not unlike those of some water-crowfoot species. STATUS-Widespread but rather local.
    131344.jpg
  • IVY-LEAVED CROWFOOT Ranunculus hederaceus (Ranunculaceae) Creeping. Creeping annual or biennial, associated with bare muddy places close to water. FLOWERS are 3-6mm across with 5 white petals, and sepals of similar length (May-Aug). FRUITS are borne in rounded heads. LEAVES are vaguely ivy-like, being rounded or kidney-shaped with lobed margins. STATUS-Widespread but local.
    141337.jpg
  • PERENNIAL CENTAURY Centaurium scilloides (Gentianaceae) Height to 25cm. Perennial with creeping stems and upright flowering stalks. Found in short turf and restricted to coastal cliffs. FLOWERS are 15-20mm across, stalked and pink; borne in few-flowered clusters (Jul-Aug). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are rounded and stalked on the creeping stems but narrower and unstalked on upright stems. STATUS-Rare and restricted to cliffs in Pembrokeshire; it may have disappeared from N Cornwall.
    121985.jpg
  • MAY LILY Maianthemum bifolium (Liliaceae) Height to 20cm<br />
Attractive perennial with a creeping rhizome and upright stalks bearing a single pair of leaves and the flower spike. Grows in mature woodlands, often on acid soils. FLOWERS are 2-5mm across, white and 4-parted; borne in spikes, 3-4cm long (May-Jun). FRUITS are red berries although these are produced only rarely. LEAVES are heart-shaped and shiny, the lower one long-stalked. STATUS-Local, N England only.
    137926.jpg
  • WATERCRESS Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Brassicaceae) Height to 15cm. Usually creeping perennial of shallow streams and ditches. FLOWERS are 4-6mm across with 4 white petals; in terminal heads (May-Oct). FRUITS are narrow pods, 16-18mm long, containing 2 rows of seeds. LEAVES are dark green and pinnately divided; persist through winter. STATUS-Widespread and common; widely cultivated in S England.
    134550.jpg
  • DWARF CORNEL Cornus suecica (Cornaceae) Height to 15cm. Creeping perennial of upland moors. FLOWERS are small and purplish black; borne in dense umbels surrounded by 4 white bracts (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are red berries. LEAVES are ovate and pointed with 3 main veins on both sides of the midrib. STATUS-Scattered in N England and locally common in parts of Scotland; absent from Ireland.
    131714.jpg
  • MOUNTAIN AVENS Dryas octopetala (Rosaceae) Height to 6cm. Creeping, perennial undershrub. Found on basic rocks, in mountains and, locally, at to sea level. FLOWERS are 3-4cm across with 8 or more white petals and a mass of yellow stamens (Jun-Jul). FRUITS are dry and 1-seeded, with feathery plumes. LEAVES are dark green, oblong and toothed. STATUS-Locally common in Scotland and W Ireland.
    131647.jpg
  • HEDGE WOUNDWORT Stachys sylvatica (Lamiaceae) Height to 75cm. Roughly hairy perennial with creeping stems, upright flowering stalks and an unpleasant smell to the whole plant when bruised. Grows in hedgerows, wayside ground and in verges, often on disturbed ground. FLOWERS are 12-18mm long and reddish purple with white markings on the lower lip; borne in open, terminal spikes (Jun-Oct). FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are ovate, toothed and long-stalked, the lower ones being rather heart-shaped. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout much of the region.
    131319.jpg
  • SWINE-CRESS Coronopus squamatus (Brassicaceae) Prostrate. Creeping annual or biennial of disturbed and waste ground, often near the sea. FLOWERS are 2-3mm across and white; in compact clusters (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are knobbly and flattened. LEAVES are pinnately divided and toothed, sometimes forming a dense mat on the ground. STATUS-Common in S and E England but scarce elsewhere.
    131188.jpg
  • ALPINE WILLOWHERB Epilobium anagallidifolium (Onograceae) Height to 5cm. Creeping, hairless perennial and slender stems. Restricted to damp ground in upland areas. FLOWERS are 4-5mm across, pink and seldom open fully; borne on drooping stems (Jul-Aug). FRUITS are long, erect, red pods with cottony seeds. LEAVES are ovate, barely toothed and short-stalked. STATUS-Local; mountains, from N England northwards.
    130210.jpg
  • BOGBEAN Menyanthes trifoliata (Menyanthaceae) Height to 15cm. Distinctive, creeping aquatic perennial that is found in shallow water as well as damp peaty soil in marshes, fens and bogs. FLOWERS are 15mm across, star-shaped, pinkish white with 5, fringed petal lobes; borne in spikes up to 25cm long (Mar-Jun). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are trifoliate; emergent ones have the texture and appearance of Broad Bean leaves. STATUS-Widespread and locally common throughout.
    144453.jpg
  • Thyme growing on Lundy Island, Devon. Wild Thyme - Thymus polytrichus (Lamiaceae) Height to 5cm<br />
Creeping and mat-forming perennial with slender, woody runners. The whole plant is faintly aromatic, smelling of culinary thyme. Grows on dry grassland and heaths, and coastal cliffs and dunes. FLOWERS are 3-4mm long and pinkish purple; borne in dense, terminal heads with dark, purplish calyx tubes, on 4-angled stems that are hairy on 2 opposite sides (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are ovate, short-stalked and borne in opposite pairs. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region.
    156517.jpg
  • Round-leaved Crowfoot - Ranunculus omiophyllus (Ranunculaceae) Floating. Creeping annual or biennial. Favours damp, muddy places, often water seepages. FLOWERS are 8-12mm across and comprise 5 white petals, twice as long as sepals (May-Aug). FRUITS are borne in rounded heads. LEAVES are lobed and rounded. STATUS-Rather local and restricted mainly to S and W England and Wales, and S Ireland.
    155452.jpg
  • WILD THYME Thymus polytrichus (Lamiaceae) Height to 5cm<br />
Creeping and mat-forming perennial with slender, woody runners. The whole plant is faintly aromatic, smelling of culinary thyme. Grows on dry grassland and heaths, and coastal cliffs and dunes. FLOWERS are 3-4mm long and pinkish purple; borne in dense, terminal heads with dark, purplish calyx tubes, on 4-angled stems that are hairy on 2 opposite sides (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are ovate, short-stalked and borne in opposite pairs. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region.
    141594.jpg
  • WOOD SORREL Oxalis acetosella (Oxalidaceae) (Fabaceae) Height to 10cm. Charming, creeping perennial. An indicator of ancient, undisturbed woodlands and hedges. FLOWERS are 1cm across, bell-shaped and white or pale pink with lilac veins; borne on stalks (Apr-Jun). FRUITS are hairless capsules. LEAVES are trefoil, fold down at night, and are borne on long stalks. STATUS-Widespread and locally common.
    132200.jpg
  • SIBBALDIA Sibbaldia procumbens (Rosaceae) Prostrate<br />
Creeping, tufted perennial of bare ground, short grassland and rocky places in mountains. FLOWERS are 5mm across with yellow petals that are sometimes absent (Jul-Aug). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are bluish green, trifoliate, the leaflets ovate with 3 terminal teeth. STATUS-Local in Scottish Highlands, rare in N England.
    131744.jpg
  • MARSH PENNYWORT Hydrocotyle vulgaris (Apiaceae) Creeping. Low-growing perennial and an atypical umbellifer. Found in short, grassy vegetation on damp, mostly acid ground. FLOWERS are tiny, pinkish and hidden by the leaves; borne in small umbels (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are rounded and ridged. LEAVES are round and dimpled with broad, blunt teeth. STATUS-Widespread but commonest in the W of region.
    131408.jpg
  • JOINTED RUSH Juncus articulatus (Juncaceae) Height to 60cm. Creeping or tufted and upright perennial that grows in marshes and on damp heaths, moors and dune-slacks. FLOWERS are brown and borne in open, branched clusters (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are brown, egg-shaped and abruptly pointed at the tip. LEAVES are curved, narrow and flattened with a transverse joint. STATUS-Locally common.
    131387.jpg
  • WILD THYME Thymus polytrichus (Lamiaceae) Height to 5cm<br />
Creeping and mat-forming perennial with slender, woody runners. The whole plant is faintly aromatic, smelling of culinary thyme. Grows on dry grassland and heaths, and coastal cliffs and dunes. FLOWERS are 3-4mm long and pinkish purple; borne in dense, terminal heads with dark, purplish calyx tubes, on 4-angled stems that are hairy on 2 opposite sides (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are ovate, short-stalked and borne in opposite pairs. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region.
    131135.jpg
  • WATERCRESS Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Brassicaceae) Height to 15cm. Usually creeping perennial of shallow streams and ditches. FLOWERS are 4-6mm across with 4 white petals; in terminal heads (May-Oct). FRUITS are narrow pods, 16-18mm long, containing 2 rows of seeds. LEAVES are dark green and pinnately divided; persist through winter. STATUS-Widespread and common; widely cultivated in S England.
    130987.jpg
  • BRECKLAND THYME Thymus serpyllum. Creeping. Similar to Wild Thyme but the rounded flower stems are coated in whitish hairs all over. Flowers are similar to those of its relative (May-Sep). Restricted to Breckland heaths.
    130062.jpg
  • BOGBEAN Menyanthes trifoliata (Menyanthaceae) Height to 15cm. Distinctive, creeping aquatic perennial that is found in shallow water as well as damp peaty soil in marshes, fens and bogs. FLOWERS are 15mm across, star-shaped, pinkish white with 5, fringed petal lobes; borne in spikes up to 25cm long (Mar-Jun). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are trifoliate; emergent ones have the texture and appearance of Broad Bean leaves. STATUS-Widespread and locally common throughout.
    127854.jpg
  • BOGBEAN Menyanthes trifoliata (Menyanthaceae) Height to 15cm. Distinctive, creeping aquatic perennial that is found in shallow water as well as damp peaty soil in marshes, fens and bogs. FLOWERS are 15mm across, star-shaped, pinkish white with 5, fringed petal lobes; borne in spikes up to 25cm long (Mar-Jun). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are trifoliate; emergent ones have the texture and appearance of Broad Bean leaves. STATUS-Widespread and locally common throughout.
    144455.jpg
  • SEA BINDWEED Calystegia soldanella (Convolvulaceae) Creeping. Prostrate perennial that grows on sand dunes, and occasionally on stabilised shingle. FLOWERS are 3-5cm across, funnel-shaped and pink with 5 white stripes; on slender stalks (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are kidney-shaped, fleshy, up to 4cm long and long-stalked. STATUS-Widespread on coasts but locally common only in S.
    153684.jpg
  • MAY LILY Maianthemum bifolium (Liliaceae) Height to 20cm<br />
Attractive perennial with a creeping rhizome and upright stalks bearing a single pair of leaves and the flower spike. Grows in mature woodlands, often on acid soils. FLOWERS are 2-5mm across, white and 4-parted; borne in spikes, 3-4cm long (May-Jun). FRUITS are red berries although these are produced only rarely. LEAVES are heart-shaped and shiny, the lower one long-stalked. STATUS-Local, N England only.
    137923.jpg
  • LIMESTONE WOUNDWORT Stachys alpina (Lamiaceae) Height to 80cm. Creeping and patch-forming, softly hairy perennial with upright flowering stems. Superficially similar to Hedge Woundwort but the plant is not scented when bruised. Grows in open woodland and on rocky ground on limestone. FLOWERS are 15-22mm long, often with creamy yellow markings; borne in whorls in open, leafy spikes (Jun-Aug).  FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are stalked and heart-shaped with rounded teeth. STATUS-Rare and restricted to protected sites in Gloucestshire and N Wales.
    134291.jpg
  • DEWBERRY Rubus caesius (Rosaceae) Height to 10cm<br />
Creeping perennial whose biennial stems bear weak prickles. Found in dry, grassy places but also in fens and dune slacks. FLOWERS are 2-2.5cm across with 5 white petals (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are bluish black, the large segments covered in a plum-like bloom. LEAVES are trifoliate and toothed. STATUS-Widespread and locally common.
    131993.jpg
  • STIFF SEDGE Carex bigelowii (Cyperaceae) Height to 30cm<br />
Creeping perennial with stiff, sharply 3-sided stems. Grows on mountains and upland moors. FLOWERS are in inflorescences comprising 1 male spike above 2-3 female spikes (Jun-Jul). FRUITS are short-beaked and green grading to brown. LEAVES are ridged and curved with inrolled margins. STATUS-Locally common only in Scotland.
    131753.jpg
  • HEDGE WOUNDWORT Stachys sylvatica (Lamiaceae) Height to 75cm. Roughly hairy perennial with creeping stems, upright flowering stalks and an unpleasant smell to the whole plant when bruised. Grows in hedgerows, wayside ground and in verges, often on disturbed ground. FLOWERS are 12-18mm long and reddish purple with white markings on the lower lip; borne in open, terminal spikes (Jun-Oct). FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are ovate, toothed and long-stalked, the lower ones being rather heart-shaped. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout much of the region.
    131320.jpg
  • FOOL’S WATERCRESS Apium nodiflorum (Apiaceae) Height to 20cm. Creeping perennial whose leaves bear a passing resemblance to Watercress. Could also be confused with Lesser Water Parsnip. Roots at nodes of lower stems; upright stems are hollow. Found in ditches and wet hollows. FLOWERS are white; borne in open umbels (Jul-Aug). FRUITS are egg-shaped and ridged. LEAVES are shiny and pinnate with oval, toothed leaflets STATUS-Widespread and locally common.
    131291.jpg
  • WHITE CLOVER Trifolium repens (Fabaceae) Height to 40cm<br />
Creeping, hairless perennial that roots at the nodes. Found in grassy places on a wide range of soil types. FLOWERS are creamy white, becoming brown with age; borne in long-stalked rounded heads, 2cm across (May-Oct). FRUITS are concealed by the calyx. LEAVES are trifoliate, the rounded leaflets often bearing white mark and translucent lateral veins. STATUS-Widespread and often extremely common throughout the region.
    131178.jpg
  • NEW ZEALAND WILLOWHERB Epilobium brunnescens (Onograceae) Prostrate. Creeping, mat-forming perennial that roots at the nodes. Found in damp ground in mountains. FLOWERS are 6-7mm across with deeply notched pink or white petals; borne on long, erect stalks (Jul-Aug). FRUITS are slender pods. LEAVES are circular and opposite. STATUS-Introduced but now widespread in many mountain regions.
    125113.jpg
  • PROCUMBENT YELLOW-SORREL Oxalis corniculata (Fabaceae) Prostrate. Creeping, downy perennial of dry, bare ground. FLOWERS are 6-10mm across and bright yellow; borne on stalks (May-Sep). FRUITS are capsules, borne on reflexed stalks. LEAVES are trefoil, with notched leaflets. STATUS-Garden escape, naturalised locally.
    143654.jpg
  • TWINFLOWER Linnaea borealis (Caprifoliaceae) Height to 7cm. Charming, delicate, creeping and evergreen perennial. Sometimes mat-forming. Grows on the woodland floor in mature and undisturbed Scottish pine forests. FLOWERS are 5-9mm long, the corolla pink and bell-shaped; borne in pairs on upright, slender stalks (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are oval to rounded and borne in pairs on wiry stems. STATUS-Rare and restricted to a few locations in NE Scotland.
    144603.jpg
  • Wild Thyme - Thymus polytrichus (Lamiaceae) Height to 5cm<br />
Creeping and mat-forming perennial with slender, woody runners. The whole plant is faintly aromatic, smelling of culinary thyme. Grows on dry grassland and heaths, and coastal cliffs and dunes. FLOWERS are 3-4mm long and pinkish purple; borne in dense, terminal heads with dark, purplish calyx tubes, on 4-angled stems that are hairy on 2 opposite sides (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are ovate, short-stalked and borne in opposite pairs. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region.
    156543.jpg
  • WHITE CLOVER Trifolium repens (Fabaceae) Height to 40cm<br />
Creeping, hairless perennial that roots at the nodes. Found in grassy places on a wide range of soil types. FLOWERS are creamy white, becoming brown with age; borne in long-stalked rounded heads, 2cm across (May-Oct). FRUITS are concealed by the calyx. LEAVES are trifoliate, the rounded leaflets often bearing white mark and translucent lateral veins. STATUS-Widespread and often extremely common throughout the region.
    156508.jpg
  • LESSER SPEARWORT Ranunculus flammula (Ranunculaceae) Height to 50cm. Upright or creeping perennial. Often roots where leaf nodes touch the ground. Favours damp ground, often beside rivers. FLOWERS are 5-15mm across and usually solitary; borne on furrowed stalks (Jun-Oct). FRUITS are beaked but not winged. LEAVES are oval (basal leaves); stem leaves are narrow. STATUS-Widespread, commonest in the N.
    140181.jpg
  • MARSH VIOLET Viola palustris (Violaceae) Height to 15cm<br />
Distinctive, hairless perennial with creeping runners. Found in bogs and marshy places on acid soils. FLOWERS are 10-15mm across with rounded, dark-veined, pale lilac petals and a blunt, pale spur (Apr-Jul). FRUITS are egg-shaped. LEAVES are kidney-shaped and long-stalked. STATUS-Widespread but local; commonest in N and W.
    137703.jpg
  • LIMESTONE WOUNDWORT Stachys alpina (Lamiaceae) Height to 80cm. Creeping and patch-forming, softly hairy perennial with upright flowering stems. Superficially similar to Hedge Woundwort but the plant is not scented when bruised. Grows in open woodland and on rocky ground on limestone. FLOWERS are 15-22mm long, often with creamy yellow markings; borne in whorls in open, leafy spikes (Jun-Aug).  FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are stalked and heart-shaped with rounded teeth. STATUS-Rare and restricted to protected sites in Gloucestshire and N Wales.
    134289.jpg
  • STONE BRAMBLE Rubus saxatilis (Rosaceae) Height to 40cm<br />
Creeping perennial with slender stems that either bear weak prickles, or none at all. Favours rocky ground. FLOWERS are 5-10mm across with 5 narrow, white petals (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are shiny and red with 2-6 segments. LEAVES are trifoliate with toothed leaflets that are downy below. STATUS-Locally common, but mainly in W and N.
    132097.jpg
  • LESSER WATER-PLANTAIN Baldellia ranunculoides (Alismataceae) Height to 25cm. Creeping, spreading perennial that thrives best in still, calcareous waters. FLOWERS are 12-16mm across, pale pink, 3-petalled and usually solitary (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are greenish, nut-like and borne in clusters. LEAVES are narrow and long-stalked. STATUS-Locally common in S and W; scarce or absent elsewhere.
    132071.jpg
  • COMMON RESTHARROW Ononis repens (Fabaceae) Height to 70cm. Robust, creeping and woody perennial with hairy, spineless stems. Restricted to calcareous soils. FLOWERS are 10-15mm long and pink, the wings and keel similar in length; in clusters (Jul-Sep). FRUITS are pods that are shorter than the calyx. LEAVES are stickily hairy and trifoliate with oval leaflets. STATUS-Locally common.
    132005.jpg
  • COMMON FLEABANE Pulicaria dysenterica (Asteraceae) Height to 50cm. Creeping perennial with upright, branched and woolly flowering stems. Grows in damp meadows and ditches on heavy soils. FLOWERS in heads, 15-30mm across, with spreading yellow ray florets and deeper yellow, central disc florets; arranged in open clusters (Jul-Sep). FRUITS are achenes with a hairy pappus. LEAVES are heart-shaped and clasping on the stem; basal leaves soon wither. STATUS-Common, except in Scotland.
    131861.jpg
  • SHARP-LEAVED FLUELLEN Kickxia elatine (Scrophulariaceae) Prostrate. Creeping, hairy and branching annual. Grows in cultivated soils and on disturbed ground. FLOWERS are 8-12mm long, yellow with a purple upper lip and a straight spur; borne on slender stalks arising from leaf axils (Jul-Oct). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are triangular to arrow-shaped. STATUS-Local, mainly S and E England.
    131442.jpg
  • COMMON COUCH Elymus repens Height to 1.2m<br />
Tough, creeping perennial that grows in cultivated and disturbed ground. FLOWERS are borne in a stiff, unbranched inflorescence with many-flowered, yellowish green spikelets arranged alternately (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are small, dry nutlets. LEAVES are flat, green and downy above. STATUS-Widespread and common.
    131383.jpg
  • COMMON SEDGE Carex nigra (Cyperaceae) Height to 50cm<br />
Variable, creeping sedge of damp grassland and marshes. Stems are 3-angled and rough at the top. FLOWERS in inflorescences of 1-2 thin male spikes above 1-4 female spikes with black glumes (May-Jun). FRUITS are short-beaked and green grading to blackish. LEAVES are long, narrow and appear in tufts. STATUS-Widespread and common.
    130888.jpg
  • LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY Convallaria majalis (Liliaceae) Height to 20cm. Creeping perennial of dry woodland, usually on calcareous soils. FLOWERS are bell-shaped and white; borne in 1-sided spikes, the flowers stalked and nodding (May-Jun). FRUITS are red berries. LEAVES are oval and basal; 2 or 3 per plant. STATUS-Occurs locally in England and Wales; sometimes naturalised as a garden escape.
    130825.jpg
  • GERMANDER SPEEDWELL Veronica chamaedrys (Scrophulariaceae) Height to 20cm. Delicate and attractive perennial with creeping stems that root at the nodes, and upright flowering stems that have 2 lines of hairs. Grows in grassy places, in meadows and open woodlands, and on verges. FLOWERS are 10-12mm across, the corolla 4-lobed and blue with a white centre; borne on slender stalks in open, terminal spikes (Apr-Jun). FRUITS are flattened, hairy and heart-shaped capsules. LEAVES are oval, toothed, hairy and short-stalked. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout.
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  • WATER-PURSLANE Lythrum portula (Lythraceae) Prostrate<br />
Low-growing, creeping and hairless annual. Found on damp, bare ground and also in shallow water, mainly on acid soils. FLOWERS are 1-2mm across, with 6 pinkish petals that are often absent or fallen; borne in leaf axils (Jun-Oct). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are oval and borne in opposite pairs. STATUS-Locally common throughout.
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  • NEW ZEALAND PIGMYWEED Crassula helmsii (Crassulaceae) Prostrate on land. Unwelcome, creeping perennial that colonises ponds and their margins, eventually excluding all native species. FLOWERS are tiny with 5 white or pink petals (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are dry and splitting. LEAVES are narrow, fleshy and 5-10mm long. STATUS-Introduced, spreading and a major threat to native aquatic plants.
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  • JOINTED RUSH Juncus articulatus (Juncaceae) Height to 60cm. Creeping or tufted and upright perennial that grows in marshes and on damp heaths, moors and dune-slacks. FLOWERS are brown and borne in open, branched clusters (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are brown, egg-shaped and abruptly pointed at the tip. LEAVES are curved, narrow and flattened with a transverse joint. STATUS-Locally common.
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  • CORNFLOWER Centaurea cyanus (Asteraceae) Height to 90cm. Creeping perennial with upright flowering stems that are winged below leaf stalks and swollen beneath flower heads. Grows in arable fields and on disturbed ground. FLOWERS in heads, 15-30mm across, with bluish outer florets and reddish purple inner florets (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are hairless. LEAVES are narrow; basal ones may be lobed. STATUS-Formerly a common arable ‘weed’ prior to the use of modern agricultural herbicides; now virtually extinct on farmland, seen mainly where seed is deliberately scattered.
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  • WILD THYME Thymus polytrichus (Lamiaceae) Height to 5cm<br />
Creeping and mat-forming perennial with slender, woody runners. The whole plant is faintly aromatic, smelling of culinary thyme. Grows on dry grassland and heaths, and coastal cliffs and dunes. FLOWERS are 3-4mm long and pinkish purple; borne in dense, terminal heads with dark, purplish calyx tubes, on 4-angled stems that are hairy on 2 opposite sides (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are ovate, short-stalked and borne in opposite pairs. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region.
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  • ANGULAR SOLOMON’S SEAL Polygonatum odoratum (Liliaceae) Height to 50cm. Creeping perennial with angled, arching stems. Grows on rocky ground, mainly on limestone, sometimes in limestone pavements. FLOWERS are bell-shaped, not waisted, and white; in clusters of 1-2, arising from leaf axils (May-Jun). FRUITS are blackish berries. LEAVES are ovate and alternate. STATUS-Local, mainly in N and NW England.
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  • IVY-LEAVED BELLFLOWER Wahlenbergia hederacea (Campanulaceae) Creeping. Charming and delicate, hairless perennial with trailing stems. Grows on damp, shady ground on moors and heaths, typically on acid soils. FLOWERS are 5-10mm long, the corolla pale blue and narrowly bell-shaped with flared, triangular lobes at the mouth; borne on long, slender stalks (Jul-Aug). FRUITS are dry capsules. LEAVES are 5-10mm across, pale green and rounded to kidney-shaped with lobes, sometimes like tiny ivy leaves; on slender stalks. STATUS-Locally common in SW England and Wales.
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  • SPOTTED MEDICK Medicago arabica (Fabaceae) Prostrate<br />
Creeping annual of dry, grass places, often near the sea. FLOWERS are small and yellow; borne in heads (5-7mm across) of 1-6 flowers (Apr-Sep). FRUITS are spirally coiled and spiny pods. LEAVES are trifoliate, the heart-shaped leaflets bearing a dark central spot. STATUS-Local in S and E England, and mainly coastal.
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  • Creeping Thistle - Cirsium arvense
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  • Wild Thyme - Thymus polytrichus (Lamiaceae) Height to 5cm<br />
Creeping and mat-forming perennial with slender, woody runners. The whole plant is faintly aromatic, smelling of culinary thyme. Grows on dry grassland and heaths, and coastal cliffs and dunes. FLOWERS are 3-4mm long and pinkish purple; borne in dense, terminal heads with dark, purplish calyx tubes, on 4-angled stems that are hairy on 2 opposite sides (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are nutlets. LEAVES are ovate, short-stalked and borne in opposite pairs. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region.
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  • COLT’S-FOOT Tussilago farfara (Asteraceae) Height to 15cm<br />
Creeping perennial with runners and upright flowering stalks that are leafless, purplish and woolly, with overlapping, fleshy bracts. Grows in bare and disturbed ground, particularly on clay. FLOWERS are borne in heads, 15-35mm across, with orange-yellow disc florets and yellow ray florets; heads are solitary and terminal (Feb-Apr). FRUITS comprise a ‘clock’ of hairy seeds. LEAVES are rounded, heart-shaped and 10-20cm across, appearing after flowering. STATUS-Widespread and common.
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  • SEA CLUB-RUSH Bolboschoenus maritimus (Cyperaceae) Height to 1.25m. Creeping, robust perennial that grows at the margins of brackish water near the sea. The stems are rough and triangular in cross-section. FLOWERS comprise a tight, terminal cluster of egg-shaped spiklets, flanked by a long, leafy bract (Jul-Aug). FRUITS are dark brown. LEAVES are rough and keeled. STATUS-Locally common.
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  • TWINFLOWER Linnaea borealis (Caprifoliaceae) Height to 7cm. Charming, delicate, creeping and evergreen perennial. Sometimes mat-forming. Grows on the woodland floor in mature and undisturbed Scottish pine forests. FLOWERS are 5-9mm long, the corolla pink and bell-shaped; borne in pairs on upright, slender stalks (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are oval to rounded and borne in pairs on wiry stems. STATUS-Rare and restricted to a few locations in NE Scotland.
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  • COLT’S-FOOT Tussilago farfara (Asteraceae) Height to 15cm<br />
Creeping perennial with runners and upright flowering stalks that are leafless, purplish and woolly, with overlapping, fleshy bracts. Grows in bare and disturbed ground, particularly on clay. FLOWERS are borne in heads, 15-35mm across, with orange-yellow disc florets and yellow ray florets; heads are solitary and terminal (Feb-Apr). FRUITS comprise a ‘clock’ of hairy seeds. LEAVES are rounded, heart-shaped and 10-20cm across, appearing after flowering. STATUS-Widespread and common.
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  • BOG PIMPERNEL Anagallis tenella (Primulaceae) * Creeping<br />
Delicate and attractive hairless perennial; has trailing stems and sometimes forms mats. Found on damp ground, such as bogs and dune slacks, and mainly on acid soils. FLOWERS are up to 1cm long, pink and funnel-shaped with 5 lobes; borne on slender, upright stalks (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are rounded, short-stalked and borne in opposite pairs. STATUS-Widespread and locally common in W but scarce in E.
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  • MEADOW THISTLE Cirsium dissectum (Asteraceae) Height to 75cm. Creeping perennial that produces upright long, slender flowering stems that are unwinged, downy and ridged. FLOWERS are borne in heads, 20-25mm across, with reddish purple florets and darker bracts; heads are solitary (Jun-Jul). FRUITS have feathery pappus hairs. LEAVES are oval, toothed, green and hairy above and white cottony below. STATUS-Locally common in S and central England, Wales and Ireland.
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  • SEA CLUB-RUSH Bolboschoenus maritimus (Cyperaceae) Height to 1.25m. Creeping, robust perennial that grows at the margins of brackish water near the sea. The stems are rough and triangular in cross-section. FLOWERS comprise a tight, terminal cluster of egg-shaped spiklets, flanked by a long, leafy bract (Jul-Aug). FRUITS are dark brown. LEAVES are rough and keeled. STATUS-Locally common.
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  • WATERCRESS Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum (Brassicaceae) Height to 15cm. Usually creeping perennial of shallow streams and ditches. FLOWERS are 4-6mm across with 4 white petals; in terminal heads (May-Oct). FRUITS are narrow pods, 16-18mm long, containing 2 rows of seeds. LEAVES are dark green and pinnately divided; persist through winter. STATUS-Widespread and common; widely cultivated in S England.
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  • PROCUMBENT YELLOW-SORREL Oxalis corniculata (Fabaceae) Prostrate. Creeping, downy perennial of dry, bare ground. FLOWERS are 6-10mm across and bright yellow; borne on stalks (May-Sep). FRUITS are capsules, borne on reflexed stalks. LEAVES are trefoil, with notched leaflets. STATUS-Garden escape, naturalised locally.
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  • SPOTTED MEDICK Medicago arabica (Fabaceae) * Prostrate<br />
Creeping annual of dry, grass places, often near the sea. FLOWERS are small and yellow; borne in heads (5-7mm across) of 1-6 flowers (Apr-Sep). FRUITS are spirally coiled and spiny pods. LEAVES are trifoliate, the heart-shaped leaflets bearing a dark central spot. STATUS-Local in S and E England, and mainly coastal.
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  • COMMON SOLOMON’S-SEAL Polygonatum multiflorum (Liliaceae) Height to 60cm. Creeping perennial with rounded, arching stems. Grows in dry woodland, often on calcareous soils. FLOWERS are bell-shaped, waisted in the middle, and white; in clusters of 1-3, arising from leaf axils (May-Jun). FRUITS are bluish black berries. LEAVES are ovate and alternate. STATUS-Locally common in S England only; scarce or absent elsewhere.
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  • SPRING CINQUEFOIL Potentilla tabernaemontani (Rosaceae) Height to 15cm. Creeping, mat-forming perennial with woody stem bases. Found in dry, calcareous grassland. FLOWERS are 1-2cm across with 5 yellow petals; borne in loose clusters (Apr-Jun). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES comprise palmate basal leaves with 5-7 leaflets, and trifoliate stem leaves. STATUS-Widespread but extremely local.
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  • IVY-LEAVED SPEEDWELL Veronica hederifolia (Scrophulariaceae) Prostrate. Creeping, hairy and much-branched annual that grows on bare ground and in cultivated fields. FLOWERS are 4-5mm across, the corolla 4-lobed and pale lilac-blue; borne on short stalks arising from leaf axils (Mar-Aug). FRUITS are flattened, broadly rounded and hairless capsules. LEAVES are 10-12mm across, kidney-shaped to rounded, and deeply lobed, often rather ivy-like. STATUS-Widespread and common, least so in the N.
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  • Blue Pimpernel Anagallis arvensis foemina (Primulaceae) Creeping. Low-growing, hairless annual of cultivated and disturbed ground, mainly on chalky soils. Superficially very similar to blue forms of Scarlet Pimpernel. FLOWERS are 10-15mm across with 5 blue petals that are not fringed with hairs; flowers open wide only in bright sunshine and are borne on slender stalks (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are narrow and lanceolate. STATUS-Widespread but commonest in the S.
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  • BOGBEAN Menyanthes trifoliata (Menyanthaceae) Height to 15cm. Distinctive, creeping aquatic perennial that is found in shallow water as well as damp peaty soil in marshes, fens and bogs. FLOWERS are 15mm across, star-shaped, pinkish white with 5, fringed petal lobes; borne in spikes up to 25cm long (Mar-Jun). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are trifoliate; emergent ones have the texture and appearance of Broad Bean leaves. STATUS-Widespread and locally common throughout.
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  • TWINFLOWER Linnaea borealis (Caprifoliaceae) Height to 7cm. Charming, delicate, creeping and evergreen perennial. Sometimes mat-forming. Grows on the woodland floor in mature and undisturbed Scottish pine forests. FLOWERS are 5-9mm long, the corolla pink and bell-shaped; borne in pairs on upright, slender stalks (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are oval to rounded and borne in pairs on wiry stems. STATUS-Rare and restricted to a few locations in NE Scotland.
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  • Creeping Buttercup - Ranunculus repens
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  • Field Bindweed - Convolvulus arvensis. Creeping or climbing Height to 3m. Familiar perennial that grows in disturbed ground and arable land; a persistent weed in the garden. Twines around other plants to assist its progress. FLOWERS are 15-30mm across, funnel-shaped and either white or pink with broad, white stripes (Jun-Sep). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are arrow-shaped, 2-5cm long and long-stalked. STATUS-Widespread and common throughout the region, except in N Scotland.
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  • Scarlet Pimpernel - Anagallis arvensis. Creeping. Low-growing, hairless annual of cultivated and disturbed ground. FLOWERS are 10-15mm across with 5 scarlet or pinkish orange (sometimes blue) petals fringed with hairs; flowers open wide only in bright sunshine and are borne on slender stalks (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are capsules. LEAVES are oval and usually in pairs. STATUS-Widespread and generally common throughout the region, except in Scotland.
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  • WHITE CLOVER Trifolium repens (Fabaceae) Height to 40cm<br />
Creeping, hairless perennial that roots at the nodes. Found in grassy places on a wide range of soil types. FLOWERS are creamy white, becoming brown with age; borne in long-stalked rounded heads, 2cm across (May-Oct). FRUITS are concealed by the calyx. LEAVES are trifoliate, the rounded leaflets often bearing white mark and translucent lateral veins. STATUS-Widespread and often extremely common throughout the region.
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  • WHITE CLOVER Trifolium repens (Fabaceae) Height to 40cm<br />
Creeping, hairless perennial that roots at the nodes. Found in grassy places on a wide range of soil types. FLOWERS are creamy white, becoming brown with age; borne in long-stalked rounded heads, 2cm across (May-Oct). FRUITS are concealed by the calyx. LEAVES are trifoliate, the rounded leaflets often bearing white mark and translucent lateral veins. STATUS-Widespread and often extremely common throughout the region.
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  • COMMON RESTHARROW Ononis repens (Fabaceae) Height to 70cm. Robust, creeping and woody perennial with hairy, spineless stems. Restricted to calcareous soils. FLOWERS are 10-15mm long and pink, the wings and keel similar in length; in clusters (Jul-Sep). FRUITS are pods that are shorter than the calyx. LEAVES are stickily hairy and trifoliate with oval leaflets. STATUS-Locally common.
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  • PARSLEY-PIERT Aphanes arvensis (Rosaceae) Creeping<br />
 Easily overlooked, greyish green downy annual. Found on dry, bare ground and arable field margins. FLOWERS are minute, petal-less and green; borne in dense, unstalked clusters along stems (Apr-Oct). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are fan-shaped, deeply divided into 3 lobes and parsley-like. STATUS-Widespread and generally common.
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  • TORMENTIL Potentilla erecta (Rosaceae) Height to 30cm<br />
Creeping, downy perennial of grassy places, heaths and moors. FLOWERS are 7-11mm across with 4 yellow petals; borne on slender stalks (May-Sep). FRUITS are dry and papery. LEAVES are unstalked and trifoliate, but appear 5-lobed because of two large, leaflet-like stipules at the base. STATUS-Widespread and often abundant.
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  • IVY-LEAVED CROWFOOT Ranunculus hederaceus (Ranunculaceae) Creeping annual or biennial, associated with bare muddy places close to water. FLOWERS are 3-6mm across with 5 white petals, and sepals of similar length (May-Aug). FRUITS are borne in rounded heads. LEAVES are vaguely ivy-like, being rounded or kidney-shaped with lobed margins. STATUS-Widespread but local.
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  • ROUND-LEAVED CROWFOOT Ranunculus omiophyllus (Ranunculaceae) Floating. Creeping annual or biennial. Favours damp, muddy places, often water seepages. FLOWERS are 8-12mm across and comprise 5 white petals, twice as long as sepals (May-Aug). FRUITS are borne in rounded heads. LEAVES are lobed and rounded. STATUS-Rather local and restricted mainly to S and W England and Wales, and S Ireland.
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  • LESSER WATER-PLANTAIN Baldellia ranunculoides (Alismataceae) Height to 25cm. Creeping, spreading perennial that thrives best in still, calcareous waters. FLOWERS are 12-16mm across, pale pink, 3-petalled and usually solitary (Jun-Aug). FRUITS are greenish, nut-like and borne in clusters. LEAVES are narrow and long-stalked. STATUS-Locally common in S and W; scarce or absent elsewhere.
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  • MAY LILY Maianthemum bifolium (Liliaceae) Height to 20cm<br />
Attractive perennial with a creeping rhizome and upright stalks bearing a single pair of leaves and the flower spike. Grows in mature woodlands, often on acid soils. FLOWERS are 2-5mm across, white and 4-parted; borne in spikes, 3-4cm long (May-Jun). FRUITS are red berries although these are produced only rarely. LEAVES are heart-shaped and shiny, the lower one long-stalked. STATUS-Local, N England only.
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