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Whitlow Grass Erophila verna One of the earliest spring flowers is Whitlow Grass Erophila verna, but it is so small, that it is very easy to miss it. Unless that is there is a lot of it growing in the same place. It is a member of the cabbage family (Brassicaceae or Cruciferae as it used to be known). They were called Crucifers because they have four petals, but in the case of Whitlow grass each petal is divided to the base. The 1p coin gives an idea of scale. It grows in dry inhospitable places which you would hardly be worth calling a suitable environment and at the moment it can be found in Hughenden Valley growing, and in some abundance on the road verge of Coombe Lane just above Wedgewood Drive. Please don't stop or low down if you are driving, because you will not find it an hospitable place. Stop in Wedgewood Drive and walk the few yards from there!Whitlowgrass apparently used to be used in medieval times by herbalists to treat whitlows, those annoying inflammations you can get just under you finger or toe nails. Perhaps you know the dried seed pods of Honesty. When ripe, the pods of Whitlowgrass look very like miniature Honesty pods.
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