The Common Fumitory is abundant in all parts of Britain, and it blooms
in summer. The flowers grow in loose clusters. Those that are lowest
down the stem come out first, and the buds are always at the top of the
stem.
The flowers are a pretty rose pink colour, but the tips are often
purple, especially before the flower is fully out. The petals are
curiously shaped. They are joined together into a tube which is curved
at the end, and inside this tube the stamens and the seed-vessel are
hidden. You will notice that there is a tiny piece of one petal which is
not joined to the others. It stands out by itself and looks like a small
pink tongue, which broadens at the end. You can always recognise the
Fumitory by this pink tongue.
There are two tiny green sepals with edges cut like the teeth of a saw,
and the pink tube lies in between these sepals. After the pink tube
falls off, the seed-vessel, which is inside, grows into a little green
knot. You can see many of these little green knots on the lower part of
the stem where there have once been flowers.
The green leaves of the Fumitory are very delicate and pretty. They are
finely cut up into many little divisions, and each division is a
beautiful shade of grey-green.