Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Rubia peregrina

Family

Rubiaceae

Flowering season

June to August

English distribution

It is found mainly in the South and the Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map for Wild Madder

Habitat

It grows mainly near the coast in quarries, hedge banks

and scrubland and on walls and cliffs.

Description

Wild Madder is a native, scrambling, evergreen, perennial

herb growing up to 1.5m.

The flowers are in clusters and each has 5 yellow-green

petals and is up to 5mm across.

The petals end in a distinct point.

There are 5 stamens with yellow anthers and 2 capitate

stigmas.

The fruits are fleshy berries which are initially green

and turn black when ripe.

The leaves are ovate, up to 6cm and have curved prickles.

The stem is 4 angled and has downward pointing prickles.