Seasonal Wild Flowers

Yellow-wort

Blackstonia perfoliata

Gentianaceae

June to October

It is found throughout the country except for parts of the

North, the Midlands, Norfolk and the far Southwest.

See the BSBI distribution map Yellow-wort

Yellow-wort grows on open, dry, shallow, stony limestone

soils, calcareous turf, stabilised sand dunes and by paths,

roads, railways and quarries.

It is a native, annual or biennial, greyish, upright herb,

growing up to 50cm.

Flowers are 1 to 1.5cm with 6 to 9 yellow petals.

There are 6 to 8 linear stamens, a large, yellow, bilobed

stigma and a yellow, oval ovary.

The calyx has linear lobes and appears claw-like.

Flowers close when the sun is behind cloud.

Leaves are greyish, 1 to 2 cm long and joined so that

paired leaves look single with the stem growing out

through the middle.

Yellow-wort, Cogdon Nature Reserve,

Dorset

Yellow-wort - bilobed stigmas and

linear stamens

Flower buds, linear lobed calyx

Greyish leaves and stem

Stem through greyish, joined leaves