BOG PIMPERNEL

Anagallis tenella

Myrsine Family [Myrsinaceae]  
Formerly in: Primrose Family [Primulaceae]

month8May month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8Aug month8sep month8sept

status
statusZnative
flower
flower8pink
inner
inner8white
morph
morph8actino
petals
petalsZ5
stem
stem8round

8th July 2009, Boggy Slacks, Birkdale Sand Dunes, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The small pink flowers amidst even smaller leaves. Often mat forming this covered the receding water-line of a drying pond on dune slacks. Flowers only fully open when in the sun.


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
The stigmas here are standing proud of the white staminal filaments. (Leaves and stems in background belong to other plants).


8th July 2009, Boggy Slacks, Birkdale Sand Dunes, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The leaves are in pairs, trailing along the ground as does Creeping Jenny. The flowers are solitary and on the ends of long stalks.


8th July 2009, Boggy Slacks, Birkdale Sand Dunes, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The large round leaves are of Marsh Pennywort.


8th July 2009, Boggy Slacks, Birkdale Sand Dunes, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The splayed out rounded petals and stubby appearance of the flower are characteristic.


8th July 2009, Boggy Slacks, Birkdale Sand Dunes, Southport. Photo: © RWD


5th Aug 2011, Lingmell Fell, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The flower is surprisingly long, sepal teeth extending just a short way up the floral tube.


5th Aug 2011, Lingmell Fell, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The central area is dominated by a mass of white staminal filaments.


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
Each of the 5 pink petals, which are longer that often seem, have 7 or 8 fine darker-pink lines almost parallel to the centreline of the petals.


4th July 2015, Leasowe Lighthouse, Moreton, Wirral. Photo: © RWD
There are 5 stamens with cream-coloured pollen and a single slightly longer stigma. They are surrounded by thin white staminal filaments which lack anthers.


5th Aug 2011, Lingmell Fell, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The string of roundish, small and oppositely-paired leaves is very similar to those of New-Zealand Willowherb, in size too.


8th July 2009, Boggy Slacks, Birkdale Sand Dunes, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The plant is so frail it came apart in my hands. Leaves small, and at short intervals on opposite sides of a trailing stem which roots at the nodes. Leaf shape varies from round through oval to slightly heart-shaped.


1st July 2016, Cors Goch, Anglesea Photo: © Sally Tolladay
The albino form. Most flowers also occasionally produce an albino form wherin the flower lacks the colouring pigmentation.


Slight resemblance to : Creeping Jenny, but that is five times bigger, and yellow not lilac-pink with red veins.

Uniquely identifiable characteristics: Once you've spotted it, and got close enough to see it properly, it is un-mistakable.

Distinguishing Features : The splayed-out lilac-pink rounded petals. The petals have faint longitudinal red veins. Opposite pairs of leaves on shortish stalks beyond the flowers, which are also in opposite pairs. Some leaves give the appearance of an Ace of Spades shape. Occupies shallow boggy ground on acidic peaty soils. It is quite small, prostrate, and easily over-looked. Unlike the square stems of Scarlet Pimpernel, Bog pimpernel has round stems.

The high magnification belies how delicate and small this plant is, only 1/5 the size of Creeping Jenny, to which it is related.

Habitat is damp peaty ground and bogs. Occupies niches in much of the West and upland areas of the Pennines and Cumbria, but is absent from much of the East and most of Scotland. It is procumbent, barely reaching above 8 inches, and rooting at the nodes.


USE BY BUTTERFLIES
LAYS EGGS ON CATERPILLAR CHRYSALIS BUTTERFLY
Arran Brown
Large Heath



  Anagallis tenella  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Myrsinaceae  

Distribution
family8Myrsine family8Myrsinaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8anagallis
Anagallis
(Pimpernels)

BOG PIMPERNEL

Anagallis tenella

Myrsine Family [Myrsinaceae]  
Formerly in: Primrose Family [Primulaceae]

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