Linaria purpurea
| Linaria purpurea | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Lamiales |
| Family: | Plantaginaceae |
| Genus: | Linaria |
| Species: | L. purpurea
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| Binomial name | |
| Linaria purpurea | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
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Linaria purpurea is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family known by the common name purple toadflax.[2][3]
Description
It is a perennial herb growing 30 to 70 centimeters tall with linear leaves 2 to 5 centimeters in length. The inflorescence is a raceme of flowers occupying the top of the stem. The flower is between 1 and 2 centimeters long with five lobes arranged into two lips with a spur at the end. The flower is usually light to medium purple in color. The fruit is a capsule.
There is a pale pink cultivar of the species named 'Canon Went'.[4]
Range
It is native to Italy,[5] but it can be found growing wild as an introduced species in parts of western North America, including California,[6] western Washington,[7] and British Columbia,[3] and it is cultivated as an ornamental plant.[8] It occurs naturally in moist, moderately nutrient-rich places. In the UK it is regarded as something of a weed, although it is tolerated for its attractive, long-lasting flowers which are very attractive to bees.[9]
Effects
This plant is poisonous to livestock, though ruminants may tend to avoid consuming it. The larvae of some species of Lepidoptera (butterflies) use this plant as a food source.[10]
References
- ^ The Plant List: A Working List of All Plant Species, retrieved 13 September 2016
- ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
- ^ a b NRCS. "Linaria purpurea". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 26 January 2016.
- ^ https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/details?plantid=1172
- ^ "Linaria purpurea". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
- ^ Jepson Manual Treatment
- ^ Burke Museum
- ^ Kemper Garden Center
- ^ https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/apr/27/alys-fowler-gardening-column-toadflax Retrieved at 9.55 on 18/6/21
- ^ "Purple Toadflax - Linaria purpurea, species information page". www.brickfieldspark.org. Retrieved 2016-06-30.
External links
Media related to Linaria purpurea at Wikimedia Commons