Stachys sylvatica, commonly known as hedge woundwort,[1]whitespot,[2] or sometimes as hedge nettle, is a perennialherbaceous plant growing to 80 cm (31 in) tall in woodland and unmanaged grassland. In temperate zones of the northern hemisphere it flowers in July and August. The flowers are purple. The leaves, when crushed or bruised, give off an unpleasant fetid smell.[3]
Hedge woundwort is an erect perennial plant with slender underground runners. The stem branches occasionally and is squarish and hairy, with glandular hairs on the upper part of the plant. The nodes are widely spaced, and the mid-green, stalked leaves are in opposite pairs. The leaf blades are hairy, have a cordate base and are ovate with a blunt tip and with regular large teeth on the margin. The inflorescence forms a dense terminal spike and is composed of dense whorls of purple flowers with white markings. The calyx has five lobes and the corolla forms a two-lipped flower about 12 to 18 mm (0.47 to 0.71 in) long with a fused tube. The upper lip of each flower is convex with dense, glandular hairs and the lower lip is three-lobed, the central lobe being the largest. There are four stamens, two long and two short, the gynoecium has two fused carpels and the fruit is a four-chambered schizocarp. The plant has a slightly unpleasant smell.[4]
Distribution and habitatedit
Hedge woundwort is native to Europe and central and western Asia. It grows in dappled shade at the edge of woods, in hedgerows and on rough ground.[5] It has been introduced into New York state, Ontario, and New Zealand.[6]
Usesedit
Hedge woundwort is popular with bees.[4] Along with its close relatives field woundwort and marsh woundwort, as their common names suggest, they are used to promote the healing of wounds. The famous 17th century herbalist John Gerard was very impressed with its powers and used it extensively.[7]
^USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Stachys sylvatica". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 30 November 2015.
^Anne Pratt, Wild Flowers, London, 1852, pp. 125–126.
^"Stachys sylvatica L." Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2022-07-15.
^McDougal, Kevin. . 2013 Incredible Edible Todmorden. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2024.
May 08, 2024
stachys, sylvatica, commonly, known, hedge, woundwort, whitespot, sometimes, hedge, nettle, perennial, herbaceous, plant, growing, tall, woodland, unmanaged, grassland, temperate, zones, northern, hemisphere, flowers, july, august, flowers, purple, leaves, whe. Stachys sylvatica commonly known as hedge woundwort 1 whitespot 2 or sometimes as hedge nettle is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 80 cm 31 in tall in woodland and unmanaged grassland In temperate zones of the northern hemisphere it flowers in July and August The flowers are purple The leaves when crushed or bruised give off an unpleasant fetid smell 3 Stachys sylvatica Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Tracheophytes Clade Angiosperms Clade Eudicots Clade Asterids Order Lamiales Family Lamiaceae Genus Stachys Species S sylvatica Binomial name Stachys sylvaticaL Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stachys sylvatica Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Uses 4 ReferencesDescription editHedge woundwort is an erect perennial plant with slender underground runners The stem branches occasionally and is squarish and hairy with glandular hairs on the upper part of the plant The nodes are widely spaced and the mid green stalked leaves are in opposite pairs The leaf blades are hairy have a cordate base and are ovate with a blunt tip and with regular large teeth on the margin The inflorescence forms a dense terminal spike and is composed of dense whorls of purple flowers with white markings The calyx has five lobes and the corolla forms a two lipped flower about 12 to 18 mm 0 47 to 0 71 in long with a fused tube The upper lip of each flower is convex with dense glandular hairs and the lower lip is three lobed the central lobe being the largest There are four stamens two long and two short the gynoecium has two fused carpels and the fruit is a four chambered schizocarp The plant has a slightly unpleasant smell 4 Distribution and habitat editHedge woundwort is native to Europe and central and western Asia It grows in dappled shade at the edge of woods in hedgerows and on rough ground 5 It has been introduced into New York state Ontario and New Zealand 6 Uses editHedge woundwort is popular with bees 4 Along with its close relatives field woundwort and marsh woundwort as their common names suggest they are used to promote the healing of wounds The famous 17th century herbalist John Gerard was very impressed with its powers and used it extensively 7 References edit BSBI List 2007 xls Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland Archived from the original xls on 2015 06 26 Retrieved 2014 10 17 USDA NRCS n d Stachys sylvatica The PLANTS Database plants usda gov Greensboro North Carolina National Plant Data Team Retrieved 30 November 2015 Anne Pratt Wild Flowers London 1852 pp 125 126 a b Hedge woundwort Stachys sylvatica NatureGate Retrieved 2013 12 15 Stachys sylvatica Botanique Retrieved 2013 12 15 Stachys sylvatica L Plants of the World Online Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Retrieved 2022 07 15 McDougal Kevin Hedge Woundwort 2013 Incredible Edible Todmorden Archived from the original on 15 December 2013 Retrieved 12 April 2024 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Stachys sylvatica amp oldid 1218959714, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
