Eyebright -Euphrasia officinalis - Western Isles White Wildflowers

Eyebright - Wildflowers of the Hebrides
Eyebright
Native Wildflowers of The Western Isles. These lovely tiny white or lilac flowers to be seen all over The Western Isles throughout the summer.

Eyebright is actually a name that has been given to a group of wildflowers which contains many different species - (there are nearly forty different types in The Western isles) some of which are quite hard to identify. - however as a guide the small flowers, white of lilac with purple veins and a distinct yellow spot in the centre are really pretty.

Flowers That Hide In The Grass
These short, hairy plants often hide in the grass so that they are barely visible; (they really are quite tiny) they are found beside lowland streams and up on heath and mountainsides.

A tiny white (or lilac) wildflower that's really is so pretty when you stoop down low to look a little closer at the flower.

It really is very tiny, each bloom only being up to 10mm in size. The eyebright has distinctive lobed petals and often, a bright yellow centre. Its leaves are toothed
The plant has round, toothed, small leaves. The tiny white flowers with yellow centres and dark purple veins were once thought to have resemble blood-shot eyes.

Semi Parasitic
This wildflower plant is really a parasite as it attaches itself to the roots and stems of grasses.

Caterpillars like these Flowers
Caterpillars and Moths like this plant.

Leaves
The leaves of eyebright are very small, measuring 6-20 mm. in length, slender.

The leaves vary in colour from light to dark green, sometimes with a bronze sheen.

They are coarsely toothed having brown tips, and are densely arranged along the length of the stem and throughout the flower cluster

Capsule Like Fruit
Eyebright produces a small capsule like fruit



Eyebright - Folklore
Carry eyebright flowers if you are wanting to know id someone is telling the truth and also to enhance your physic powers.

Folk names that are attached to these wildflowers are 'Christ's Eyes' and 'Christ's Sight'

Enhance Memory
People used to take an infusion of eyebright tea to enhance your memory

Tobacco
In the past it was mixed with Coltfoot to create a tobacco which was said to ease asthma.


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