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Writer's pictureWildlife Friendly Otley

COMMON TOADFLAX


These are easy to spot on the old railway line east of town. Also known as Butter & Eggs and Impudent Lawyer (!), they are a popular food source for bumblebees and flies, and have been commonly used in folk medicine for a wide variety of conditions. They are similar to Snapdragons, and share the characteristic that children can make the “snapping” flowers “talk” by squeezing them at the base of the corolla (the crown of outer petals). This comparison has led to other colloquial names such as Bunny Mouths, Lion’s Mouth and Calf’s Snout. As you may know, I’m very much an amateur botanist, and I’m helped immeasurably by the free app Seek (see link below). This uses your phone’s camera to identify plants (and invertebrates, fungi etc), and if there’s no coverage, can use a photo later. Although it is incredibly accurate, I usually go online later to check its verdict.


Photo by Pixabay

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