Galeopsis angustifolia Status UK Biodiversity Action Plan Priority species. Upper lip Nationally Scarce. Outer stamens IUCN threat category: Critically endangered (2005). longer than inner stamens Taxonomy Magnoliopsida: Lamiaceae Boss Scientific name: Galeopsis angustifolia Ehrh. ex Hoffm. G. ladanum auct. Lower lip 3-lobed Common names: Red Hemp-nettle, Penboeth Culddail Calyx 5-lobed Galeopsis is one of many genera which has flowers readily recognisable as typical members of the Dead- nettle family (Lamiaceae or Labiatae) with their strongly 2-lobed flowers, the upper lip being hooded and the Figure 1. Galeopsis angustifolia Detail of flower. Scale bar = 1 cm. lower lip forming a platform for bees to land on. Biology & Distribution It occurs as an arable weed, on waste ground, on open calcareous soils and scree, quarries, and on coastal sand and shingle. It was once common as a cornfield weed, but is declining markedly though still widespread in southern England and Wales, rarer in Scotland (Preston et al. 2002). In Wales it has only been seen recently in three localities on the south coast. Details of all records are held in the Threatened Plants Database (Lockton & Whild 2000). It is a spring-germinating annual which flowers from July to October which is susceptible to a range of herbicides (Wilson & King 2003). Identification & Field survey Galeopsis is distinguished by being annual plants with whorls of flowers, with four straight stamens included under the laterally compressed upper lip and the outer pair being longer than the inner pair, a strongly 3-lobed lower lip with two bosses or projections at the base, and a five-lobed, tubular calyx (Figure 1). The most similar genera are Lamium, which has only weakly toothed lower lips, and Stachys, which lacks bosses or projections at the base of the lower lip. Six species of Galeopsis have been recorded in Britain. Galeopsis angustifolia is relatively distinct and readily recognisable species with red flowers and narrow leaves. Figure 2. Galeopsis angustifolia (from J. E. Smith & J. Sowerby Galeopsis bifida, G. speciosa and G. tetrahit can be (1852). English Botany. London). immediately distinguished by having rigid, bristl hairs Key characters on the stems which are swollen immediately below each Annual, softly hairy, not swollen at the nodes. Leaves pair of leaves (with soft hairs and stem not swollen in G. (broadly ovate-) lanceolate (-narrowly linear), margins angustifolia). Galeopsis segetum has pale yellow or whitish entire to weakly toothed with 1-4 teeth on each side, flowers and densely silky hairy leaves. sometimes strongly toothed. Calyx tubular with five ± equal lobes, whitish or canescent with whitish hairs. Galeopsis angustifolia is very similar to the very Corolla c. 15-25 mm long, two-lipped, usually red or rare alien G. ladanum, of which there are very few reddish purple, lower lip strongly 3-lobed with two confirmed records and is probably also extinct. They bosses or projections at the base. can be distinguished as follows (Townsend 1962; Rich & Jermy 1998): References Lockton, A. J. & Whild, S. (2000). The status of Red G. angustifolia: Leaves broadly ovate to narrowly Hemp-nettle, Galeopsis angustifolia Ehrh. ex linear, though commonly lanceolate, margins Hoffm., in Britain. TPDB report, January 2000. entire to weakly toothed with 1-4 teeth on each Preston, C.D., Pearman, D. A. & Dines, T. D. eds. side, sometimes strongly toothed (leaf shape and (2002). New Atlas of the British & Irish flora. serration vary significantly). Calyx whitish or Oxford University Press, Oxford. canescent (rarely sparse), hairs dull harsh white Rich, T. C. G. & Jermy, A. C., eds. (1998). (lens) due to dense, crowded, coarse papillae Plant Crib 1998. BSBI, London. (microscope × 400), if sparse then hairs short Stace, C. A. (1997). New flora of the British Isles. 2nd and appressed; tube often tinted brownish or edition. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. purplish. Townsend, C. C. (1962). Some notes on Galeopsis ladanum L. and G. angustifolia Ehrh. ex Hoffm. G. ladanum: Leaves broadly ovate to lanceolate, Watsonia 5: 143-149. sharply toothed with 3-7 prominent teeth on Wilson, P. & King, M. (2003). Arable Plants - a field each side. Calyx green, hairs patent, glistening guide. WILDGuides Ltd, Old Basing. when fresh (lens), papillae sparse or absent; tube usually greenish. Additional photographs are available on the ARKive website (http://www.arkive.org/species). Two varieties of G. angustifolia can be recognised, though there are intermediates (Townsend 1962): Var. angustifolia: Tall or short, branched above or below, pubescent to nearly glabrous; calyx with appressed hairs, ± without glands. Widespread. Var. calcarea (Schönh.) C. E. Salmon: Rather short, branched almost from the base, canescent; calyx with dense patent, long white hairs, usually glandular around the inflorescence. Widespread on chalk in E and SE England..