Corn spurrey (Spergula arvensis) is found on waste ground
throughout Great Britain, and it often invades crops as an unwanted weed - it
is known in some places as 'pickpurse' because of its effect on crop yields.
However, there is evidence that in past times it was used as a food crop.
When fully grown it can be anything from 3 to 16 inches
high. The stems branch close to the ground; they grow horizontally at first but
then bend upwards. The leaves, which are narrow and fleshy, grow in clusters.
Flowers appear from June to August. They are small and white, with the five
undivided petals being slightly longer than the sepals.
© John Welford
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