Lithospermum officinale Common Gromwell C DD N
Uncommon in northern England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland this plant is nevertheless quite frequently found on the basic soils of central and southern England. The flowers are usually yellow or yellowish green on plants which can reach 1 m in height. The nutlets (seeds) of this plant are greyish white in colour which is thought to account for the derivation of the English name. The Old French name Gromil (now Grémil) which led to the English Gromwell is a combination of two words gré (grey, the colour) and mil (for millet seed) which gives grey millet the colour of the nutlets.
The plants from Gaitbarrows were found during a successful hunt for Hameaeris lucina (The Duke of Burgundy butterfly) which patrolled rides on which the L officinale grew in clumps.
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| Lithospermum officinale Common Gromwell |
LHS: Ranscombe Farm , Kent 3rd June 2007 RHS: Gaitbarrows, Lancashire 1st June 2009
Added on November 7th 2005, updated 1st December 2010, updated 29th May 2013