Species: Betony (Betonica officinalis)
Family: Mints and Dead-Nettles (LAMIACEAE or LABIATAE)
Category: Flowering Plants
Location: NE
A. Flowering Plants
More extensive information on flowering plants can be found in a separate blog post.
B. Mints and Dead-Nettles (LAMIACEAE or LABIATAE)
Often aromatic, the members of this large family have square stems, and usually undivided leaves in opposite pairs. The flowers are normally two-lipped and open-mouthed.
C. Betony (Betonica officinalis)
Betony is a shortish, hairy perennial plant with tall stems that throw out narrow, toothed leaves. The flowers that top these stems form a spike of pink-purple tubes, each of which can be 12 - 18 millimetres long. These flowers appear between June and September.
Betony is a native wild flower, widespread in hedge banks, woodlands and shaded gardens in Britain and Europe. The one seen in the Cemetery in June 2022 was planted.
Alternative names for Betony are common hedgenettle, purple betony, wood betony, bishopwort and bishop's wort.
This herbal plant was thought to be an old remedy for arthritis and gout. Sometimes it was used against snake bites and dog bites. Today herbalists prescribe Betony as a treatment for anxiety, gallstones, heartburn, migraine and neuralgia.
Images
Betony
Betony is a native wild flower, widespread in hedge banks, woodlands and shaded gardens in Britain and Europe. The one seen in the Cemetery in June 2022 was planted.
