Enchanter's-nightshade - Circaea lutetiana

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Alternative names
Enchanter's Nightshade
Description

Short to medium somewhat hairy plant with long slender stolons. Leaves opposite. Flowers white or pinkish, small, 4 to 7 mm in lax racemes with open flowers well spaced.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Woodland and various other shaded habitats.

When to see it

June to September.

Life History

Perennial.

UK Status

Widespread in Britain except for the north of Scotland.

VC55 Status

Quite frequent in shady places in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 246 of the 617 tetrads.

  • David Nicholls
    Martinshaw Wood
    27 June 2009
  • David Gould
    Braunstone, Wood Close Plantation
    28 June 2020
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    06 September 2007
  • Lostash
    Swithland Woods
    27 September 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Cloud Wood
    24 June 2011
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage, Elmesthorpe Plantation
    04 September 2019
    seeds
  • David Gould
    Narborough Bog
    11 August 2017
  • AJ Cann
    Cloud Wood
    21 July 2015

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Common Enchanter's Nightshade, Enchanter's-nightshade
Species group:
Wildflowers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Myrtales
Family:
Onagraceae
Records on NatureSpot:
191
First record:
11/05/1992 (John Mousley;Steve Grover)
Last record:
25/04/2025 (Higgott, Mike)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • Graham Calow
    Dunton Bassett Quarry
    16 July 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Wood
    16 August 2015
  • Ron.stevens
    Burbage Common and Woods
    10 August 2011
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    04 July 2007
  • David Nicholls
    Cloud Wood
    24 June 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Cloud Wood
    24 June 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ulverscroft
    14 July 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Swithland Wood
    25 August 2011
  • Craig Mabbett
    Dunton Bassett Quarry
    16 July 2015
  • David Nicholls
    Cloud Wood
    07 July 2012
  • Graham Calow
    Burbage Common and Woods
    20 June 2014