Family: Fabaceae Common Restharrow Ononis repens Flowering time: June - September. Perennial Often coastal on dunes, rough grassland, scrub and waste ground A sprawling plant with branched, woody stems, sticky shoots and alternate leaves with 1-3 leaflets. The solitary pinkish-purple flowers grow on short stalks from the leaf axils, followed by seedpods +/- same length as calyx. Height/spread 10-50cm. The long, tough roots made ploughing and harrowing very difficult as they would become entangled and bring horse-drawn machinery to a halt.

   
Common Restharrow, Ononis repens
The Purbecks, Dorset. June 2006