Photographs: Co. Cork and Co. Waterford

Field Madder Sherardia arvensis Dearg faille Family: Rubiaceae Flowering time: May-September. Annual. Native. Terminal clusters of small pink 4-petalled flowers, the clusters surrounded by leaf-like bracts. The round, bristly fruit are surrounded by the sepal teeth. Unstalked, pointed leaves are lanceolate with 6 leaves in each whorl. A small, branched, more/less bristly and usually prostrate plant Decreasing on dry, open waste and arable land, cliffs and dunes Wild Madder, Rubia peregrina is much larger, to 1.5m. White flowers

Field Madder, Sherardia arvensis, Dearg faille