The woodland pimpernel

The yellow pimpernel is one such flower and is very pretty and quite delicate.

It is small, creeping, and favours damp spots with a little sunshine dappling through; so woodland glades, rides and streamsides are its favourite haunts.

This plant is related to the loosestrifes and creeping-Jenny and is a lysimachia.

It has two species that share the common name of ‘pimpernel’, but these are both in another genus, the anagallis species, bog pimpernel and the famous scarlet pimpernel.

Yellow pimpernel is a very stable perennial flower of ancient woods, whereas the scarlet pimpernel is a tiny annual weed of disturbed ground such arable fields or waste ground.

Its behaviour is the opposite of its yellow cousin and the scarlet pimpernel moves with the years often not appearing at the same place twice.

The flower was the symbol and pseudonym of the hero of a book set in the French Revolution who rescued aristocrats from the guillotine, and essentially a secretive ‘now you see me, now you don’t’ character.

Prof Rotherham is a researcher and writer on wildlife and environmental issues.

Follow his Walk on the Wildside blog at ukeconet.org