Paris quadrifolia   Herb Paris C DD N

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This is a woodland plant or to be more specific a plant of deep shade and calcareous soils. Photographs are not easy since there is never enough light. It is such a weird looking plant that it is one of the few you really can't confuse with anything else. It grows mostly in long established undisturbed woodland. I was shown this plant on my first WFS expedition in 1987 growing behind a big rock by the main path. The patch is still there over 30 years later.

P. quadrifolia is found throughout England but hardly at all in western Wales - only near the borders. Frequency of records diminishes as you go north and again it is rarer in the west of Scotland. It is completely absent from Ireland.

Paris quadrifolia

Paris quadrifolia Herb Paris

Gaitbarrows, Lancashire, 10th May 2005

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Paris quadrifolia Herb Paris

LHS: 25th May 2004 RHS: 2oth July 2004 both atGaitbarrows, Lancashire, 10th May 2005

Added on January 30th 2005, updated February 15th 2011

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