Barren-worts
Barren-wort below a Lilac tree
Panicle of flowers
Sepals, petals and stamens
Stamens and style
Fruit capsule
Glandular hairs
Leaves
Epimedium spps
Epimedium x perralchicum hybrid shown in pictures
Rowdy Lamb Herb, Bishop's Hat, Fairy Wings,
Horny Goat Weed
Berberidaceae
April to May
Thinly scattered garden escape.
See the BSBI distribution map for Barren-worts
It has been grown as a ground cover garden plant
since the 1700s.
It occasionally escapes into the wild but does not
become naturalised for long.
It is a neophyte originating from China.
Several species are grown in the UK.
Barren-wort is a low growing, hardy, perennial herb
growing up to 30cm.
The flowers are in panicles.
They are 4-merous, up to 1cm across, and with
yellow sepals and petals.
The 4 stamens have large yellow anthers.
The fruit is a capsule.
Leaves are large compared to the flowers (up to
13cm) and can become marbled, leathery and
bronzed.
Barren-wort has been used as an aphrodisiac with
a well known chemistry - see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epimedium
Barren-wort below a Lilac tree
Panicle of flowers
Sepals, petals and stamens
Stamens and style
Fruit capsule
Glandular hairs
Leaves
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