West Highland Flora

Broad-leaved Willowherb

Epilobium montanum

Photo © Carl Farmer
8 Sep 2002 Portree, Skye

Very common on waste ground, roadsides, walls, banks.

Plant c 25-60 cm tall. Flower diameter c 10-15 mm

ID: Stigma with 4 outspread lobes (white cross-shape in pic on left), petals deeply notched. Leaves stalked and with blade only about 2.5x as long as broad.

Other features: Flowers pale mauve or sometimes almost white. Leaves conspicuously saw-toothed. Stem round without raised lines.

Photo © Carl Farmer
21 Oct 2003 Scorrybreac, Skye
Leaf c 10 cm long

This picture shows how the reddish fruit capsule lengthens with the flower still on the end, then the flower falls and the capsule straightens up, green at this stage, then dries to a strawy colour and splits along its length to release the seeds.

Back to species list