Ground Ivy or Alehoof
by Chris, 22 May, 2013, 0 comments
At this time of year, when walking through the bluebells and emergent bracken there is often a small labiate hiding in the herb layer - Ground Ivy. Like other labiates / members of the Lamiaceae (for example, the dead nettles or yellow archangel), it has square stems and flowers formed from petals that have fused together forming two lipped, ‘open mouthed’, or funnel shaped flowers. These flowers vary somewhat in colour from blue and violet, through to lavender.
The leaves are a dark green colour (with paler undersides) and are slightly downy; sometimes described as kidney shaped with regular but blunt teeth on the margins of the leaf. The young / immature leaves may have a purple or deep red colour on their edges. The leaves are stalked (have petioles) and arranged opposite to one another. The hairs on the leaves and stems can be seen in the jpg below. When crushed, the leaves emit a pungent smell. Read more...
