Goat's-rue
White and lilac Goat's-rue,
Brookside Walk, London
Lilac flower spike
White flower spike
Close-up of leguminous flowers
Long-pointed sepals
Pods
Leaf with weakly-pointed leaflets
Galega officinalis
French Lilac
Fabaceae
June to September
It is found mainly in the South, the East and parts of the
Midlands.
See the BSBI distribution map for Goat's-rue
It is a neophyte, which has been grown in England since
the 1650s and known in the wild since the 1640s.
It grows on waste land and grassy banks.
Goat's-rue is an alien, perennial,nitrogen-fixing herb,
growing up to 1.5m and forming extensive colonies.
Flowers are on stalked spikes and range from white
to pinkish lilac.
Individual flowers are up to 15mm and have 4 bristle
-like sepal teeth.
Pods are linear and up to 3cm.
Leaves have paired leaflets and a terminal leaflet.
Leaflets are ovate to lanceolate and weakly pointed.
Stems are erect and stiff.
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White and lilac Goat's-rue,
Brookside Walk, London
Lilac flower spike
White flower spike
Close-up of leguminous flowers
Long-pointed sepals
Pods
Leaf with weakly-pointed leaflets
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