NEN Gallery

A plant which grows in rough pasture, copses, by streams and by roads throughout the British Isles. Its stem is covered in spiny prickles. Its leaves form a cup with the stem and, in this way, the plant traps water in which insects sometimes drown. It is not known if the plant gains benefit from this. It produces small pink or white flowers. This plant was pictured in late August at the Old Warden railway cutting, Bedfordshire, after its flowers had died away. For a late flowering plant see September's plant diary.