European Globeflower

Description

Trollius europaeus grows up to 60 cm high with a bright yellow, globe-shaped flower up to 3 cm across. The colourful petaloid sepals hide 5-15 inconspicuous true petals with nectaries at their base and, typically for the family, a large number of stamens. Each flower produces a large number of wrinkled follicles. The leaves are deeply divided into 3-5 toothed lobes. It grows in damp ground in shady areas, woodland and scrub, flowering between June and August. It is slightly poisonous and is purgative and rubefacient when used fresh. This species is pollinated mostly by seed-eating flies belonging to the genus Chiastocheta (Anthomyiidae).