Wildflowers Found in Oregon

Field Madder

Sherardia arvensis - Field Madder is an annual plant with trailing and upright stems growing up to 40 cm long, having a square cross-section. The rough pointed bristly leaves of about 1 cm in length are in whorls of four to six (normally six at the ends of the shoots, but four nearer the root). The tiny pale lilac or pink flowers are approximately 3mm in diameter and have a long tube, with only the end part of the four petals free. The flowers grow in "heads" of two or three together in an involucral structure formed out of a ring of six bracts. The fruit are dry and about 3mm long with two lobes giving rise to the two seeds (nutlets). This is a common weed of fields, pasture, grassland, and disturbed areas. The roots can be used as a red dye but this plant is considered inferior to true Madder.