Echium vulgare, L.

Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M. & Webb, D. A., 1972, Flora Europaea. Volume 3. Diapensiacea to Myoporaceae, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press : 99

10. E. vulgare L. , Sp. Pl. 139 (1753) .

Erect, hispid biennial (or sometimes perennial?) 20-90 cm, with 1 to several flowering stems. Leaves with rather soft, appressed setae; the basal and lower cauline 50-150 x 10-20 mm, elliptical to lanceolate, attenuate and petiolate at base; the upper narrowly lanceolate, sessile. Inflorescence more or less spike-like to paniculate. Calyx 5-7 mm. Corolla 10-19 mm, blue to bluish-violet, with 4-5 long-exserted stamens. 2n= 16, 32. Almost throughout Europe. All except Az BI Fa Is Rs (N) Sb; casual in some of these. Very variable and requiring further study. Plants with more or less sparse, rigid setae sometimes arising from white tubercles have been separated as E. pustulatum Sibth. & Sm. , FI. Graec. Prodr. 1: 125 (1806) but many intermediates occur.