Euphrasia officinalis - Eyebright - (Scrophulariaceae)

There are known to be over 30 species of Eyebright to be found in the UK alone, and a considerable amount of expertise is required to separate one from another. The two photographs below reveal some of the differences to be found in the plants - the top one having rather more reddish-tinted stems and leaves than the lower one.

The plants are short, hairy and often hide in the grass so that they are barely visible; they are found beside lowland streams and up on heath, mountainsides and coastal clifftops.

Eyebright

The attractive little flowers first appear in June and flowering continues into October.

Closeup of the flowers of Eyebright

The specimens photographed on this page were found in West Wales in July.