Latin name: Cynoglossum offi cinale
Common name: Hound’s tongue
Other names: Beggar’s lice, dog bur, gypsy flower, rose noble, Tory weed, wood mat
How to spot it and where to find it: Hated by gardeners as an invasive weed, hound’s tongue grows in clumps with dusty, downy leaves at the base and dull redishpurple funnel-shaped flowers on long stems. When the flowers die, they are replaced with four ‘nutlets’ or fruits, which turn yellow and develop tiny spikes that attach them to the fur of any passing animal.
Interesting facts: In its first year, the plant appears only as basal leaves, some curving, with a red tinge on the end, reminiscent of dogs’ tongues, hence the common name. Hound’s tongue contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that, if ingested, can cause liver failure…
