NEN Gallery

A herb with creeping runners, bright yellow flowers (held singularly or in clusters), a grooved stem and spreading sepals. The leaves are three lobed and hairy with a longer middle lobe. It has smooth clustered fruits. It is very common in woods, meadows and wasteland and flowers from May to August. It will invade arable and disturbed land, meadows and lawns. It is very difficult to get rid of as its runners spread in all directions. It is slightly poisonous to cattle and they avoid eating the plant and the surrounding grass. At one time it was believed the ground up roots could cure plague and the flowers hung around the neck could cure madness. This picture was taken May 17th 2008 at Hinxworth, Hertfordshire.