Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Flowers can be more lilac coloured than this. This is a particularly pink specimen. The flowers are not really like anything else except perhaps Hedge Woundwort but that has much shorter calyx tubes.

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Flowers can be more lilac coloured than this. This is a particularly pink specimen. The flowers are not really like anything else except perhaps Hedge Woundwort but that has much shorter calyx tubes.

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). There are always more calyx tubes than flowers as many are barren.

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). There are always more calyx tubes than flowers as many are barren.

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). The whole plant has a tendency to turn red-purple, especially when sun-stressed.

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). The whole plant has a tendency to turn red-purple, especially when sun-stressed.

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons).

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons).

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Some sepal tubes are in fact barren with no flower.

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Some sepal tubes are in fact barren with no flower.

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). A mass of it here.

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). A mass of it here.

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Can grow pretty tall.

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Can grow pretty tall.

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). This one has pretty much gone over leaving all the calyx/sepal tubes, some of which will contain seeds, others will be barren (as they would not have contained flowers).

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). This one has pretty much gone over leaving all the calyx/sepal tubes, some of which will contain seeds, others will be barren (as they would not have contained flowers).

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Classic nettle-like leaves, hairy but no sting!

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Classic nettle-like leaves, hairy but no sting!

Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Seeds just visible within the front-most calyx tube.

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons). Seeds just visible within the front-most calyx tube.

Black Horehound (Ballota nigra) (24/07/2022) Widewater Lagoon, Shoreham-by-Sea, W Sussex (in a shrubby mass of wildflowers in the grassy area to the end of the lagoons).