Scientific name: Euphrasia nemorosa (Pers.) Wallr.
Common name: Eyebright
Description
Habit: A hemiparasitic annual, to 35 cm high.
Stems: Erect, with 1-9 pairs of semi-erect and short branches, often again branched.
Leaves: Stalkless, with pointed teeth, without stipules; upper leaves alternate, lower leaves opposite.
Flowers: Usually white (sometimes lilac) lower lip with a patch of yellow, and white or lilac upper lip, zygomorphic, hermaphrodite, stalkless in axils of upper leaves often forming a loose and terminal spike, lowest flower at node 10-14; calyx of 4 sepals fused, with 4 undivided and finely pointed lobes; corolla of 4 petals fused into 2-lips, 5-7.5 mm across, with a slender corolla tube, upper lip 2-lobed, lower lip deeply 3-lobed with notched lobes; stamens 4, borne on corolla tube; ovary superior, 2-celled, style 1.
Fruits: A capsule with many seeds, twice as long as broad, with long fine hairs.
Euphrasia is a difficult group, the species boundaries complicated by hybridisation. Several plants are necessary for identification.
Habitat: In a wide variety of habitats, most commonly in heathy pastures.Distribution: Frequent on limestone, rather rare elsewhere.
Native status: Native
Of conservation interest: No