Hesperis matronalis, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1964, Flora Europaea - Volume 1. Lycopodiaceae to Platanaceae, Cambridge University Press : 276

3. H. matronalis L. , Sp. Pl. 663 (1753).

Indumentum variable, glandular or eglandular, rarely glabrous. Lower leaves serrate to lyrate; upper leaves entire or dentate, shortly petiolate to subsessile, not amplexicaul. Petals purple or white. 2n = 24. Damp or shaded habitats. Scattered through C. & S. Europe but absent from the extreme south and much o f the west. A frequent escape from cultivation throughout most o f Europe. Al Au Cz G a Hs Hu It Ju Po Rm Rs (W, K) [Be Br D a Fe Ge He Ho Is N o Rs (B, N) Su].

Often cultivated for ornament. A variable species containing a number of subspecies which may be identified as follows. Glabrous variants of at least 2 of the subspecies occur.

1 Flowers white

2 Lower leaves with only unbranched hairs, or glabrous

(c) subsp. candida 2 Lower leaves with branched and unbranched hairs

(d) subsp. voronovii 1 Flowers purple

3 Lower leaves with numerous branched hairs

(b) subsp. cladotricha 3 Lower leaves with mainly unbranched hairs

(a) subsp. matronalis