Picture © 2004, FBCP

Hedge / Wood Woundwort - Stachys sylvatica

A hairy perennial plant of shady spots in woodland, forests, roadsides, alpine meadows and grasslands growing to 90cm (3ft) growing from a green rhizome, found over Europe and Asia. Flowers in whorls of 5 or 6 at the base of leaf-like bracts, 13-15mm (0.5-0.75in) long, claret or dark red colouration with whitish markings, upper lip hooded and the lower lip subdivided into 3 lobes, the middle being the largest and and un-notched. Calyx with 5 near-equal teeth. Leaves 4-9cm (1.6-3.5in) long, narrow on stalks 2-6cm (0.8-2.3in). Reputed to have a rather unpleasant smell when crushed. Differing from Marsh Woundwort S. palustris in habitats, they can nevertheless hybridise where possible. It was used as a medicinal herb from where it gets the "woundwort" part of it's name, and dye plant producing a yellow tint. Food plant for the Small Rivulet moth.

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