Common Scurvygrass
Common Scurvygrass on a saltmarsh
Common Scurvygrass on a cliff
Flowerhead
Developing pods
Fleshy leaves
Pods en masse on saltmarsh
Cochlearia officinalis
Brassicaceae
April to August
It is found in the marine fringes in the West, Northwest and
Northeast.
See the BSBI distribution map for Common Scurvygrass
It grows on cliffs, saltmashes, rocky shores and northern
hills.
It also grows in hedge-banks in the Southwest and beside
salted roads.
Common scurvygrass is a native, biennial or perennial
herb growing up to 60cm, although it is usually much
smaller.
It tends to be low and sprawling, when in crowded
communities on saltmarshes, and tall and straggly
as individual plants on cliffs.
The white flowers (8-15mm) are in flowerheads.
Leaves are heart-shaped, dark green and fleshy.
The fruit pods are round produced in large numbers.
Common Scurvygrass is larger than Danish Scurvygrass
(see February) and there is some overlap in habitats,
including alongside salted roads.
Before citrus fruits were available in England, scurvygrass
leaves were used as a source of vitamin C in the prevention
of scurvy. Presumably, if limes had not become available
to the Navy, English sailors would have been known as
'scurvies'.
Previous page: Common Mouse-ear
Next page: Common Stork's-bill
Common Scurvygrass on a saltmarsh
Common Scurvygrass on a cliff
Flowerhead
Developing pods
Fleshy leaves
Pods en masse on saltmarsh
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