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 ntroduced |
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Common name: Foxglove
Botanical name: Digitalis purpurea Family: Scrophulariaceae (Dog flower family)
Foxglove is a bienneial plant with soft, hairy, toothed, ovate and
lance-shaped leaves in a basal rosette. The life span of the plant is 2
seasons. The first year growth remains in a basal rosette of leaves. Second
year growth produces flowering stems, 3 -6 feet in height. Flower spikes have
purple to white spotted thimble-like flowers which hang down and last about
six days. The earliest known name for this plant is the Anglo-Saxon "foxes
glofa" (the glove of the fox) It derives its name from the flowers which
resemble the fingers of a glove and possibly from a northern legend that bad
fairies gave the blossoms to the fox to put on his toes, so that he might
soften his tread while he hunted for prey. The heart medication, digitalis,
was originally derived from this plant. It is now synthetically made. Today,
foxglove is used mainly in landscaping.
| Photographed in Garden of Five
Senses, Delhi |
Identification credit: Shaista Ahmad
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