Mints, Nightshades, Figworts, Broomrapes, Ivy

Ajuga reptans (up to 30 cm) Bugle Hairy stem and long rooting runners. Pale blue flowers with a small upper lip. Flowers are in a leafy spike with purplish bracts. Flowers from April to July. Oval leaves with a purplish tinge. Found in woods and shaded grassy areas. Image taken at Bentley Wood, near Winterslow, Wiltshire .

Scutellaria galericulata (up to 50 cm) Skullcap Bright purplish-blue flowers (10-18 mm) present in pairs. Lanceolate leaves. Found in wet grassland often near freshwater. Image taken at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Silverdale, Lancashire .

Scutellaria minor (up to 25 cm) Lesser skullcap Pinkish-purple flowers (6-10 mm) are present in pairs. Flowers from July to October. Leaves are broad and lanceolate. Found in damp heaths and woodland - never on limestone soils. Image taken at Fritham, New Forest, Hampshire .

Prunella vulgaris (up to 30 cm) Self-heal Violet flowers (10-15 mm) with purple sepals in oblong or square heads. Flowers from June to October. Oval, pointed leaves that may be slightly toothed. Found in grassy bare places such as woods. Image taken at Bentley Wood, near Winterslow, Wiltshire .

Glechoma hederacea (up to 100 cm) Ground ivy Low purplish aromatic creeper. Blue-violet flowers (15-20 mm) present from March to June. Kidney-shaped leaves that are blunt toothed and on long stalks. Found on hedge embankments, woods and bare ground. Image taken at Bentley Wood, near Winterslow, Wiltshire .

Lamium album (up to 60 cm) White deadnettle (White archangel) White flowers with greenish streaks on the lip (18-25 mm). Flowers from March to November - even through mild winters. Heart-shaped leaves. Found on hedge embankments, roadside verges, bare and wasteground. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Lamium purpureum (up to 40 cm) - Red deadnettle Pale pinkish-purple flowers (10-18 mm) present from January to December. Heart-shaped leaves that are stalked and slightly toothed. Found in cultivated areas, woods and wasteground. Image taken at Garston Wood RSPB reserve, Sixpenny Handley, Wiltshire .

Galeopsis tetrahit (up to 100 cm) - Common hemp-nettle Pinkish-purple flowers with white and darker markings inside the lip (10-20 mm). Sepals tinged purplish-brown. Flowers from July to September. Found in damp woodland, river and stream banksides, fens and heaths; sometimes also present on arable land and disturbed ground. Image taken at Moors Valley country park, West Moors, Dorset .

Galeopsis angustifolia (up to 60 cm) - Red hemp-nettle Downy erect stems. Deep pink flowers (14-25 mm) with green sepals. Flowers from July to September. Narrow lanceolate leaves. Found on farmland with limestone soils and on sand or shingle near the coast. Image taken at ??????? .

Lamiastrum galeobdolon (up to 30 cm) - Yellow archangel Hairy patch-forming plant. Yellow flowers with red markings (17-21 mm) present from April to June. Dark green heart-shaped leaves. Found in woods, scrub and hedgerows. Image taken at Garston Wood RSPB reserve, Sixpenny Handley, Wiltshire .

Salvia verbenaca (up to 80 cm) - Wild clary Pale purple flowers (10-15 mm) with white haired sepals. Flowers from June to September. Broad, lanceolate blunt toothed leaves that are greyish and wrinkled. Found in dry grassland and bare places. Image taken at ?????? .

Stachys palustris (up to 100 cm) - Marsh woundwort Downy, slightly pungent plant. Pinkish-purple flowers (12-15 mm) with maroon sepals. Flowers from late June to September. Narrow heart-shaped leaves. Found in damp places by ditches and riversides. Image taken at Leighton Moss RSPB reserve, Silverdale, Lancashire .

Stachys sylvatica (up to 100 cm) - Hedge woundwort Rough, hairy pungent plant. Beetroot purple flowers with white blotches (13-18 mm) with bristle-like bracts. Flowers from July to October. Dark green heart-shaped stalked leaves. Found on hedge banks and woodland rides. Image taken at Garston Wood RSPB reserve, Sixpenny Handley, Wiltshire .

Stachys germanica (up to 100 cm) - Downy woundwort Stems and leaves covered in thick greyish-white hairs. Pale pinkish-purple flowers (6-8 mm) present from July to August. Pointed oval leaves. Found in sparsely grassy places and hedge embankments. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Clinopodium vulgare (up to 75 cm) - Wild basil Downy and faintly aromatic herb. Pinkish-purple flowers (12-22 mm) present in whorls with purple sepals with white hairs. Flowers from July to September. Pointed oval leaves slightly toothed. Found on dry limestone grassland and bushy places. Image taken at ?????????? .

Origanum vulgare (up to 50 cm) Marjoram Aromatic pale purple flowers with purple bracts in loose clusters. Flowers from July to September. Oval leaves that may be slightly toothed. Found on dry limestone grassland. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Thymus polytrichus (up to 10 cm) Wild thyme Aromatic mat forming herb. Square stems with downy hairs. Pinkish-purple two-lipped flowers (6 mm) present in whorls and terminal heads. Flowers from May to September. Small oval leaves present in pairs. Found in dry grassland primarily on chalk. Image taken at Collard Hill, near Street, Somerset .

Solanum dulcamara (up to 200 cm) Bittersweet (Woody nightshade) Clambering, sprawling hairless plant with a woody stem. Bright purple flowers (10-15 mm) with distinct yellow anthers. Flowers from June to September. Oval pointed leaves. Oval berry, green when unripe, turning yellow then red. Found in damp and dry habitats such as hedgerows, woods, wasteground, fens and ditches. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Verbascum rhapsus (up to 200 cm) Great mullein Five petalled, yellow flowers (15-30 mm) in a large downy leafy spike. Flowers from June to August. Thick woolly leaves. Found on dry grassland. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Scrophularia nodosa (up to 100 cm) Common figwort Square stems. Purple-brown flowers (7-10 mm) that are broader than long. Flowers from late May to August. Oval, toothed, pointed leaves. Found in woods, hedgerows and other shady places. Image taken at Bentley Wood, near Winterslow, Wiltshire .

Antirrhinum majus (up to 80 cm) Snapdragon Familiar garden flower that is generally red in the wild (30-45 mm) with characteristic pouch. Flowers from May to October. Narrow lanceolate leaves. Found on wasteground. Image taken at Broadcroft Quarry, Isle of Portland, Dorset .

Cymbalaria muralis (up to 60 cm) Ivy-leaved toadflax Sprawling toadflax with lilac flower (9-15 mm) with a yellow bulge. Flowers from April to December. Pinnately lobed roundish leaves. Generally found on walls. Introduced in 1617 in Essex and is now widespread and common. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Linaria vulgaris (up to 80 cm) Common toadflax Yellow flowers (18-35 mm) with a long spur and orange bulge in spikes. Flowers from June to October. Found in grassy places such as roadside verges and wasteground. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Odontites verna (up to 50 cm) Red bartsia Pinkish two-lipped flowers (8-10 mm) with the lower lip 3-lobed. Present in a leafy spike from June to September. Narrow lanceolate toothed leave present on the stem in pairs. Found in grassland and wasteground. Image taken at ???? .

Digitalis purpurea (up to 200 cm) Foxglove Bright pink flowers (40-55 mm), occasionally white, present in a tall spike. Flowers from June to September. Large lanceolate, soft downy leaves. Found in woods and heaths, preferring acidic soils. Image taken at Bentley Wood, near Winterslow, Wiltshire .

Veronica chamaedrys (up to 50 cm) Germander speedwell Low hairy sprawling speedwell. Azure blue flowers with a white eye (8-12 mm). Flowers from April to July. Pointed oval toothed leaves. Heart-shaped hairy fruit. Found in grassy places. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Veronica filiformis (up to 50 cm) Slender speedwell Low mat-forming speedwell. Mauvish-blue flowers (8-15 mm) present from March to June. Blunt toothed, kidney-shaped leaves. Found in grassy places including lawns. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Veronica persica (up to 60 cm) Common field speedwell Low sprawling hairy speedwell. Sky blue flowers with darker veins (8-12 mm), lower petal generally white. Flowers from January to December. Pale green oval toothed leaves. Fruits have widely diverged lobes. Found on cultivated land and grassy places. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Veronica hederifolia ssp. lucorum (up to 50 cm) Lilac ivy-leaved speedwell Low hairy speedwell. Lilac flowers (4-6 mm0 present from March to August. Palmately lobed leaves. Globular hairless fruit. Found on disturbed ground. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Rhinanthus minor (up to 50 cm) Yellow rattle (Hay-rattle) Two-lipped yellow flowers (12-15 mm) with down-turned lower lip. Flowers from May to September. Laeves are toothed, unstalked and arranged in pairs. The ripe fruit rattle within the inflated sepals giving rise to the common name. Found on grassland and fens. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Melampyrum pratense (up to 60 cm) Common cow-wheat Yellow flowers (10-18 mm) - two lipped but the lower lip lobes have bulges that close the mouth. Flowers from May to September. Untoothed leaves. Found in woodland, scrub, heaths and moors. Image taken at Aira Force, Ullswater, Lake District .

Pedicularis sylvatica (up to 25 cm) Lousewort Pinkish-purple flowers (20-25 mm) with distinctive larger hooked upper lip (3 toothed) in a leafy spike. Flowers from April to July. Pinnate toothed leaves. Found on marshes and wet grassland habitats. Image taken at Powerstock Common, near Dorchester, Dorset .

Lathraea squamaria (up to 30 cm) Toothwort Parasite of Hazel. Two-lipped pink flowers (14-20 mm) in a drooping one-sided spike. Flowers from April to May. Found in clumps on the roots of Hazel in woods. Image taken at Garston Wood RSPB reserve, Sixpenny Handley, Wiltshire .

Euphrasia nemorosa (up to 35 cm) Eyebright Low sprawling eyebright. White flowers (5-8 mm) with a yellow spot and purple streaks on the lower lip. Flowers from May to September. Dark green, oval, deeply toothed leaves. Found in grassy places. Widespread and common. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire

Veronica agrestis (up to 30 cm) Green field speedwell Pale blue flowers (3-8 mm) with the lower petal white. Flowers from March to November. Pale green, oval toothed leaves. Fruit has a small style. Found in cultivated areas. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Orobranche hederae (up to 60 cm) Ivy broomrape Parasite on Ivy. Similar to Common broomrape but differs by creamier flowers (12-20 mm) that may have downy stamens and a yellow stigma. Flowers from June to July. Image taken at Broadcroft Quarry, Isle of Portland, Dorset .

Orobranche elatior (up to 75 cm) Knapweed broomrape Parasite of Greater knapweed. Flowers are honey-yellow with a two-lobed upper lip (18-25 mm); yellow stigma. Flowers from June to July. Present on limestone soils. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Hedera helix (up to 3000 cm) Ivy Evergreen woody climbing plant. Dark green five lobed leaves with pale veins. Green flowers (7-9 mm) present in umbels from September to November. Fruit is a black berry. Found carpeting the floor, tree trunks and walls almost anywhere. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Veronica serpyllifolia (up to 30 cm) Thyme-leaved speedwell Low creeping speedwell. Small pale blue to lilac flowers (5-10 mm). Flowers from April to October. Oval, shiny untoothed leaves. Found in bare and sparsely grassy places. Image taken at Martin Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Scrophularia auriculata (up to 200 cm) Water figwort Winged hairless square stems; redder stems than the Common figwort. Reddish-brown flowers (5-9 mm) that are broader than long. Flowers from June to September. Oval, toothed, pointed leaves. Found near freshwater and marshy areas. Image taken at River Avon, Salisbury, Wiltshire .

Teucrium scorodonia (up to 50 cm) Wood sage Pale greenish-yellow flowers (7-9 mm) with prominent stamens and anthers.Pointed oval leaves with a wrinkled appearance. Found on dunes, scree and dry heathy places often with acidic soils. Image taken at Arnside Knott, Arnside, Lancashire .

Mentha aquatica (up to 90 cm) Water mint Commonest waterside mint. Lilac flowers (3-4 mm) have hairy sepals and are present in a large terminal head (20-30 cm). Pleasantly aromatic. Flowers from July to September. Pointed oval leaves. Stalks are hairy. Found in wet grassy places near freshwater. Widespread and common. Image taken at Bentley Wood, near Winterslow, Wiltshire .

Stachys officianalis (up to 75 cm) - Betony Slightly hairy, medium woundwort. Bright reddish purple flowers (12-18 mm) present in terminal oblong heads from June to October. Leaves are bluntly toothed and mainly present in a basal rosette. Upper leaves are thinner than lower leaves. Found in heathland and grassy places, avoiding clay soils. Image taken at ????????? .

Atropa belladonna (up to 200 cm) Deadly nightshade (Belladonna) Tall, stout bushy perennial. Bell-shaped dull purple flowers (24-30 mm) with a greenish tinge; present from June to August. Broad, pointed, oval leaves. Large glossy black berry (15-20 mm) - poisonous . Found on scrub, quarries, waste ground, particularly on limestone. Image taken at Porton Down, near Salisbury, Wiltshire .