Plant for ID please

[Susie]

Plant for id please.

Growing in a dry stream bed in Surrey. Opposite deeply toothed leaves. Square stem. Up to a metre tall.

(seems to make me itch!)

Any ideas?

I thought it was one of the Hemp Nettles, maybe Common, but now I am not so sure.

Thanks.

[aeshna5]

Looks like Gipsywort, Lycopus europaeus, to me.

[Susie]

I have just done a Google and I think you have it spot on again, aeshna5

Well done and thank you very much. I have never seen that plant before.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Susie

I have just done a Google and I think you have it spot on again, aeshna5

Well done and thank you very much. I have never seen that plant before.

It's quite common near water/ damp places + was used by gipsies to extract a black dye.

[Susie]

So I read. And used by conmen to darken their skins to make them look like Gypsys so they could pretend to read peoples' fortunes.

I love our plants, they have such interesting stories attached.

[mrs fish]

It is flowering around here

[Susie]

Thanks, Mrs Fish. The flowers aren't the most impressive, are they?

[leifus]

yes i found it in a marsh/fen last year

[mrs fish]

It is very abundant here