Settle Wildflowers 149: Epilobium palustre and Epilobium parviflorum

 I found a very small, slightly hairy willowherb in a tiny patch of marshy  beside the beck just above Catrigg Foss above Stainforth. In my enthusiasm to score a new plant each day during August I jumped to the conclusion it must be Marsh Willowherb -  Epilobium palustre.  In a Marsh and a willowherb - yes?

It wasn't - (as three people in a the wildflower Facebook group "Wildflowers of Britain and Ireland" kindly told me...

It turned out to be Epilobium parviflorum - Hoary Willowherb -Which I have already found at least twice this year, once at Giggleswick Railway Station and once beside the drain at the railings beside the railway at the Hoffman Kiln workshops. 

So on Friday 30 August on a sunny late afternoon, early evening I drove up to the Tarn and looked for the real Marsh Willowherb

Here are pictures of the Real Marsh Willowherb.

Real Marsh Willowherb has 

1. a club shaped stigma.
2. narrow leaves that are connate (joined) to each other at the base.

Marsh willowherb

Marsh willowherb

Marsh willowherb

Marsh willowherb

Hoary Willowherb has 

1. a four lobed stigma , and
2.  much hairier leaves with a gap between the petioles., and the upper leaves are not opposite

Hoary willowherb

Hoary willowherb

Pretty obvious really!.

Thank you Wildflowers of Britain and Ireland People

Still this led me to record what flowers were still out at Malham Tarn Fen on 30 August.. but that is for another post.

See more Wildflowers around Settle posts