Foxglove
Digitalis purpurea

The Common Foxglove or Purple Foxglove is a herbaceous biennial plant native to most of Europe and is common in grassland, forestry rides, old walls, moorland and streamsides. The leaves are spirally arranged and the flowering stem develops in the second year. The flowers are arranged in an elongated cluster, each tubular and are commonly purple and they have a spotted appearance inside the bottom of the tube. The leaves, flowers and seeds are highly toxic and may be fatal if eaten. The earliest known name for this plant is the Anglo-Saxon "foxes glofa" (the glove of the fox). It derives its name from the flowers which resemble the fingers of a glove. Early Northern legend told the story that bad fairies gave the blossoms to a fox to put on his toes, so that he might soften his tread while he hunted for prey.