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Small Enchanter'S Nightshade (Circaea alpina)

Description

Circaea alpina commonly called enchanter's nightshade or small enchanter's nightshade is a 10-30 cm tall perennial herb found in cool forests of the Northern Hemisphere.The leaves are opposite, ovate, 2-6 cm and coarsely dentate. The 1.5-4 cm (0.6-1.6 in) petioles have a wing beneath. The flowers and fruits are clustered near the top of the fruiting raceme; each raceme bears 15 or less white or pink flowers in mid-May through early September.Each flower has two white to light pink petals 1-1.5 mm (0.04-0.06 in) long with two lobes. The two white sepals are 1-2 mm (0.04-0.08 in) long.The fruit is a small bur with one seed. C. alpina can reproduce vegetatively and via stolons

Taxonomic tree

  • Domain: Eukarya

    • Kingdom: Plantae

      • Phylum: Magnoliophyta

        • Class: Magnoliopsida

          • Order: Myrtales

            • Family: Onagraceae

              • Genus: Circaea