Yellow rattle

Rhinanthus minor

This pretty little annual sends out roots that grow into the roots of neighbouring grass plants, and steal nutrients (that is, food) from them. It will produce many tiny seeds that rattle around in the papery brown calyx – hence the common name – and it can spread itself year by year, weakening the poor, hard-working grasses that it grows among! But you can get rid of it easily: just cut the flowers before they can produce seed, and the yellow rattle will disappear from your meadow. But if you like variety in your field, keep the rattle; it will weaken the grass, giving other species more chance to survive.

Description
An annual herb, 15–50 cm tall, with roots that penetrate the roots of other plants. The toothed leaves are borne opposite each other on the stem. The flowers are borne above the leaves, and are small and yellow, just peeping out of the inflated green calyx. The calyx turns brown in fruit, and holds the rounded capsule in which the seeds rattle about – hence the common name. Yellow rattle flowers in summer and is pollinated by bumblebees; if that fails, it can fertilize itself. Several varieties have been described, but are now all thought to be part of a single, variable species..

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