The other large Willowherb in the UK

Continuing my tutorial on the willowherbs, this is the great willowherb, great hairy willowherb or hairy willowherb, Epilobium hirsutum.


It differs from rosebay in many ways.  Firstly, as its name says, it is hairy, and just a light touch is needed to feel its downy texture.



The flower spikes are different too.  They are multi-branched at the top instead of a single spike.


The flowers are different in many ways.  The sepals are not visible between the petals. The petals are heart-shaped with two lobes so that the four petals look more like eight.



Sexually, the stigma (female) develops first and in fact emerges from the bud even before the petals open (top-right in my blip).  That way, cross-pollination will occur before the flower's own stamens ripen.  The stigma's four branches are thicker and wider than in rosebay willowherb.



Compare with my yesterday's blip of rosebay willowherb:
https://www.blipfoto.com/entry/3266173709521519909