After the local council did some repair work on the bank of the River Trothy, they disturbed the ground and several arable weeds turned up although no new soil had been introduced. Seed can live longer than we think, dormant in the seed bank waiting for germination conditions to be right. In the middle ages it was used as an astringent.

Although there are a few sites for this plant in the north of the UK it is predominantly a Midlands and Southern arable weed so as a Northern England botanist, this was the first time I had seen this plant. In Ireland it is confined to the far south east.

Newly disturbed ground in village near Monmouth 6th September 2005

Added on September 7th 2005, updated 16th February 2010, updated 13th April 2010