Galeopsis bifida Bifid Hemp Nettle C DD N
Splitting this plant from G. tetrahit (Common Hemp-nettle) is very tricky. Published photos of the two show so much variation that it's hard to tell them apart. The flowers of G. bifida are usually smaller than G. tetrahit with the colours on the lower lip going to the margin of the leaf and not leaving much edge. The edges of the flower also turn under slightly (revolute) and have a slight notch. Just to make matters really complicated G. tetrahit and G. bifida hybridise with each other so in a patch like this one the gradual merging of characters from one extreme to the other might be expected as you survey the different flowering Galeopsis plants.
Galeopsis bifida is common throughout the England, Wales and Scotland but there are few records in the extreme north. It is not as common in Ireland.
Edge of field at Newtonmore Scotland 19th July 2007
Added on 19th January 2009, updated 31st March 2010, updated 5th Feb 2015