Plants and mushrooms

Foxglove

Common name		Foxglove
Botanical name		Digitalis purpurea
Other common names		-
Family		Scrophulariaceae
General description		An annual or short-lived perennial with robust stems, cultivated mainly in temperate gardens.
Flowers		The flowers are bell-shaped, pink to purple (rarely white) with spots inside the floral tube, and are crowded on a long stem at the top of the plant. Individual flowers are 4–6cm long hanging down on the stem.
Leaves		The softly hairy leaves have a serrated margin, and prominent veins. The lower leaves are larger, with long stalks, while the upper leaves are smaller with shorter stalks.
Fruit/Berries		The fruit are capsules containing numerous tiny seeds.
Other		The sap is clear.
Symptoms		All parts of the plant are toxic if eaten. Symptoms can include nausea, diarrhoea and abdominal pain, slow heart rate, tiredness and dizziness. Contact with the sap may cause skin irritation.
Toxicity category		1, 3
Warning		Seek urgent medical attention if any part is ingested.