Galeopsis segetum

Yellow blossom of a hollow tooth ( Galeopsis segetum )

The Yellow hollow tooth or seed hollow tooth ( Galeopsis segetum ) is a plant from the mint family ( Lamiaceae).

Features

These are annual herbaceous plants reach stature heights from 10 to 50cm. The stem nodes are at most very slightly thickened in this species.

The leaves of the yellow hollow tooth are decussate at the hairy and four-sided stems. They are ovate - lanceolate with roughly serrated leaf edge. The 2 to 3 cm long flowers are pale yellow to whitish, often with a yellow throat and sometimes with small purple spots throat. ( However, never the entire lower lip purple, as is sometimes the case with similar Colorful hollow tooth. During this addition, the stem nodes are considerably thickened and hairy bristly. ) Just like the upper leaves, the flowers are hairy and glandular fluffy. The flowering time is in Germany from July to August ( to October ).

Color variations

There is also a red-flowering form of the Yellow hollow tooth, probably mostly with the broadleaf hollow tooth ( Galeopsis ladanum ) is confused. In this, however, the flowers are smaller.

Dissemination

The Yellow Hollow tooth comes in Western Europe, Southern Europe and Central Europe.

It grows like on nutrient- poor soil such as sand, gravel or crushed stone on the way or field edges or in sparse shrubbery. On calcareous soils it does not happen. He is regarded as characteristic species of calcium deficiency debris hallway companies ( Galeopsietum segetum ).

Others

Because of the tannins and saponins contained in the Yellow Hohlzahn a tea made from the aerial parts of plants was formerly sometimes used as an expectorant cough medicine. As a medicinal plant, he now has only historical significance.