Family feud!

[agrumpycow]

I posted this pic on the wildflower Gallery a few days ago and identified it as ground-ivy.


However, my father-in-law has just looked at my photos and thinks it is Purple Nettle. He really knows his stuff so now I'm confused

Can anyone help to work this one out?

BTW, it was abundant on the edge of a field in a local nature reserve and was about 6" high.

[nutmeg]

I think I'm with your father-in-law on it not being ground ivy

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi

looks like Red Dead Nettle - Lamium purpureum to me.

neil

[JennyS]

Hi - yes its Red Dead-nettle, Ground-ivy has much bluer flowers, a different leaf and long runners.

[agrumpycow]

Thanks for the replies,
Looking at both I can't see why I thought it was ground-ivy

[Stefan]

Thanks - I had the same problem with them in our garden - although I had no clue as to what they were! Looking at them now they do look like nettles :P

[Bub-les]

Yep its Red dead-nettle (Lamium purpureum)
and because of its latin name it could be called purple dead-nettle.
Barbara

[Jez]

Originally Posted by JennyS

Hi - yes its Red Dead-nettle, Ground-ivy has much bluer flowers, a different leaf and long runners.

As Jenny has said leaves more rounded and hoof shaped hence the name Ale hoof! The Ale part of the vernacular name is that it was a plant of ole that was used to flavour Ale!

[agrumpycow]

I'm quite embarrassed now that I got the id wrong, they look totally different from each other!
I may have to use my father-in-law more for id's, 80 years of knowledge can't go amiss