Moschatel - Adoxa moschatellina

A delicate, low, rhizomatous, carpet forming plant. Stems slender, erect, unbranched. The flowers are green, 6 to 8 mm, in clusters of five, and known as 'Town Hall Clock' because the flowers face out in four directions at 90 degrees to each other, rather like the four faces of a town clock. The four outward facing flowers usually have 5 parts whilst the upward facing flower usually has only four parts.

Shady, moist habitats, often in deciduous woodland.

April and May

Perennial.

Fairly common in England and Wales, but rare in northern Scotland.

Fairly frequent in suitable habitats in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 63 of the 617 tetrads.