Tricky plant ID

[Barney]

Saw this plant tonight, did not have the camera though, any useful guidance appreciated.

Leaf slightly smaller but almost identical to dock.
Habitat was shady but neither a particularly wet area nor bone dry either.
Lots clumped together, Kinda like how Ransoms appear.
Plant was about a foot high with a single stalk protruding a good foot from the bushy clump of dock like leaves, on each stalk leaves were on opposite sides with perhaps 3 leaves, which were again dock like but smaller, on each stalk. At the top of each stalk was a small set of flowers around the stalk about 1 1/2 -2 " long which looked like a plantain seed head. They were a very nice shade of pink.

Hope someone can direct me to a plant to even look at.

 

[Toddy]

The only pink flower that sounds like that, and is beginning to bloom just now around here, is Red Campion.
I can find lots of images on line of the flowers but none that really show the way it comes up with the leaves in clumps and the flower stalks rising above them.

Bound to be someone else along who can help.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Barney]

Thanks toddy, but it is nothing like that.

The flower heads were a bit like this shape


https://www.thehayexperts.co.uk/Grow+Your+Own.16/Plantain+Seeds.358.html




Thank goodness for google

 

[Toddy]

No idea
Redshank isn't out until June, comfrey has a leaf like that but doesn't have bud clusters like the one you show.
Be interesting to find out

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Barney]

Found it

http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/common-bistort:bistorta-major-photo-8604.html

Handy it is too.

 

[Toddy]

Nice find.

Not one I'm familiar with around here, but it is very useful

http://purplesage.org.uk/profiles/bistort.htm

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Barney]

Gonna try this for my tea tommorrow

http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/ancient/fetch-recipe.php?rid=ancient-easter-ledge-pudding

 

[Toddy]

That recipe strikes me as very similar to the stuffing for white puddings, but with herbs added.
Let us know how it works out ?

I think if the mix was put into a cloth and boiled, or into a bowl and steamed, you'd get a real 'pudding' since the gluten in the oats would stick it all together and the steam would cook the oats and allow the herbs to season it all

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Barney]

I hope it does come out like white pudding I love that more than the black pudding. There is turning out to be a fair bit of scran on my little walk.

 

[Barn Owl]

That was a good description Barney.

I was looking in my Wild Flowers by colour book and C. Bistwort was a contender.
The author is Marjorie Blamey.

Good book.

 

[Barney]

Thanks for that recommendation Barn Owl I will be getting a copy of that one.

I eventually found it in Collins herbs and healing plants, that has sections by colour which I had not noticed before, and seems to have in all the edible plants. I must remember to take it out more often.