The flora of PĂ©rigord in South-West France is abundant and diverse. In this blog you can find, in pictures, brief encounters with several hundreds of wild flowers and plants as they grow here in French Perigord. Following the seasons other species are added. An index of scientific and English names you find below on the right.

Corine Oosterlee is a botanist and photographer and she offers guided Botanical Walks and other activities around plants and vegetation in nature in Perigord. Do you want to know more? On www.baladebotanique.fr you can find more information. For Corine's photography see www.corineoosterlee.com. Both websites also in English.

Enjoy!




November 29, 2020

Pale Swallow-wort

On this field, plants are covered in dewdrops and spider-webs. Some yellow plants are especially ceye-catching. They are Pale Swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum hirundinaria) in autumn attire.

 

 

They grow on limestone soil, mainly in meadows or open spaces in Downy Oak woods where the sun can get to them.



 

 

Here a place after logging. Now the trees are gone many plants took advantage of the light and there is no space left. Pale Swallow-wort looks a bit lost in all this green.

 

 

 

 

It has many small cream-colored flowers. The petals are thick. The opposite oval-shaped leaves are thin and supple. With some effort you can understand that Pale Swallow-wort is a cousin of Periwinkles, the shape of the flowers and the number of petals, and also the leaves look alike, even if Periwinkle has thin and supple petals and leathery leaves.

Pale Swallowwort has a reputation as an antidote against snake-bites. But, maybe you should avoid this remedy, you risk being empoisoned twice. Notwithstanding 'officinal' in its name, this is a really toxic plant.

 



But beautiful with those autumn leaves!

(The red berries that contrast so well with it are from another plant, also poisonous, Black Bryony.)