I am using this page for British species which do not fit well into any of the other habitat categories I am using on this web-site.
PARIETARIA DIFFUSA
The plant above sprouting of the base of a small tomb in a Buckinghamshire churchyard is 'Pellitory-of-the-Wall' (PARIETARIA DIFFUSA).
Druce, who knew this as 'Wall Pellitory' under the name of PARIETARIA JUDAICA, found it spread throughout all districts of Buckinghamshire on old walls and hedgebanks a century ago.
A softly hairy perennial 30-100cm; stems terete, much-branched, spreading or decumbent, usually reddish - to be honest, not particularly attractive, as is often the case with members of URTICACE, the Nettle family
Inflorescence cymose, axillary, cymes clustered, dichotomous, 3-several-flowered
Flowers usually unisexual; female flowers terminal; male flowers lateral, surrounded by a calyx-like involucre of 1 bract and 2 bracteoles
Leaves up to c. 7cm, lanceolate to ovate, obtuse to acuminate; petiole shorter than blade, slender
Under surface of leaf - with a lot of insect life!
Upper surface of bract
Under surface of bract
Reddish stems
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