PLOUGHMAN'S SPIKENARD
Inula conyzae
Daisy & Dandelion [Asteraceae] 
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Daisy & Dandelion [Asteraceae]
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flower
inner
petals
stem
smell
perfume
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| A young specimen not fully grown to 4 feet; this one only 18 inches high. Flowers in umbel-like open clusters at top of stems. |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| A mass of thistle-like but yellow flowers. |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Foliage a golden green. Leaves long, linear, matte, and supple. Flowers surrounded by a corona of light-green sepal-like bracts, brownish purple on the outside. |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Flower-head consists of a compact mass of disc-florets; no ray florets present. |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Pointed sepals peel away from flower-head at intervals in a way not dis-similar to those of Slender Thistle. The bracts, which are brownish purple especially when in bud, are hairy and without sharp points. |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| The ray florets remain in a cylindrical bunch, with the sepal-like bracts peeling away in whorls around it. Outer ray florets are streaked brown/purple. |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Brownish-purple streaks on outer edges of bracts. |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Disc florets are deep yellow and have the usual five points. |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Presumably these parts, on top of the plant, have yet to grow taller. |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Upper leaves are lanceolate, attaching directly to the stems without stalks. All leaves hairy. Stems brownish purple |
| 8th July 2009, Ainsdale dunes, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
| Lower leaves more linear than lanceolate, also without stalks. |
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The above specimen is a young one, not fully matured to 4 feet high, and at only 18 inches high is not as open at the top as more mature specimens.
It has flowers not dis-similar to those of It was used in mediaeval times to make an expensive perfume, and ploughmen used to hang this plant up in their huts to sweeten the air. Likes to grow in open woods, grassy places and prefers limey soils. Although the flowers are self-sterile (they wont fertilise themselves) they are hermaphrodite (having both male and female parts). ANY TEXT GOES HERE |
 Inula (Fleabanes) |
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Daisy & Dandelion [Asteraceae]
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