Small Enchanter'S Nightshade

Description

Circaea alpina commonly called enchanter's nightshade or small enchanter's nightshade is a 10-30 cm tall perennial herb found in cool forests of the Northern Hemisphere.The leaves are opposite, ovate, 2-6 cm and coarsely dentate. The 1.5-4 cm (0.6-1.6 in) petioles have a wing beneath. The flowers and fruits are clustered near the top of the fruiting raceme; each raceme bears 15 or less white or pink flowers in mid-May through early September.Each flower has two white to light pink petals 1-1.5 mm (0.04-0.06 in) long with two lobes. The two white sepals are 1-2 mm (0.04-0.08 in) long.The fruit is a small bur with one seed. C. alpina can reproduce vegetatively and via stolons