Archangel from Heaven or Monster from Libya. Purple Deadnettle / Purple Archangel, Lamium purpureum, Meuse Dike, Venlo, The Netherlands
Taking a walk on the dikes at Venlo that narrow the Meuse River to a manageable waterway, I noticed the pretty early wildflowers of Lamium purpureum. The light was not very good for photos. So I went out again this morning and had a very pleasant hour or so as the sun was rising.
Urtica iners - inert nettle (that is to say: non-stinging fire) - was a name for this plant. It's not a nettle at all, of course, but was thought to look similar. Abraham Munting (1626-1683) in his massive 'Description' gives a long list of synonyms among which 'Haanekop' (Henhead) and 'Verkeerd Neetelkruyd' (Inverted Nettle). Although he usually mentions rather a lot of uses for the plants he describes, for our Lamium he remarks only that bruised in red wine it will alleviate 'roode Loop', 'bloody flux' or dysentry, a major pest in his times.
The word 'Lamium' is said to go back on the name of the female monster Lamia from Libya of Greek mythology, who had a great appetite for children. With a bit of imagination, the purple flower resembles an open maul. Purple Archangel, on the other hand, might just refer to the Archangel Jeremiel, the Angel of Mercy, who is thought to inhabit a Purple Divine Ray.
Whatever...
Most people today regard our plant as a weed. The descriptive literature is full of words like 'pest', 'weed', 'infest', 'it must be controlled', 'wily weed', 'eradication'...
But for me it was pure Purple Beauty this morning even though it measures only about 1,5-2 by 5-6 mm.
Archangel from Heaven or Monster from Libya. Purple Deadnettle / Purple Archangel, Lamium purpureum, Meuse Dike, Venlo, The Netherlands
Taking a walk on the dikes at Venlo that narrow the Meuse River to a manageable waterway, I noticed the pretty early wildflowers of Lamium purpureum. The light was not very good for photos. So I went out again this morning and had a very pleasant hour or so as the sun was rising.
Urtica iners - inert nettle (that is to say: non-stinging fire) - was a name for this plant. It's not a nettle at all, of course, but was thought to look similar. Abraham Munting (1626-1683) in his massive 'Description' gives a long list of synonyms among which 'Haanekop' (Henhead) and 'Verkeerd Neetelkruyd' (Inverted Nettle). Although he usually mentions rather a lot of uses for the plants he describes, for our Lamium he remarks only that bruised in red wine it will alleviate 'roode Loop', 'bloody flux' or dysentry, a major pest in his times.
The word 'Lamium' is said to go back on the name of the female monster Lamia from Libya of Greek mythology, who had a great appetite for children. With a bit of imagination, the purple flower resembles an open maul. Purple Archangel, on the other hand, might just refer to the Archangel Jeremiel, the Angel of Mercy, who is thought to inhabit a Purple Divine Ray.
Whatever...
Most people today regard our plant as a weed. The descriptive literature is full of words like 'pest', 'weed', 'infest', 'it must be controlled', 'wily weed', 'eradication'...
But for me it was pure Purple Beauty this morning even though it measures only about 1,5-2 by 5-6 mm.