Rare plant species observed for the first time in Turnhout (Turnhout)
This unique deaf nettle that blooms in a street in Turnhout has never been imagined in Belgium before. – © Elly Vaes
Elly Vaes discovered a plant species in a Turnhout street at the beginning of April that has never been observed in Belgium. It is about the Lamium Bifidum.
Natuurpunt publishes the news that a plant species that has never been seen before has been observed in Turnhout. Elly Vaes, who is active in the plant working group Floristic research for nature conservation, happened to discover the species when she was on their way to a company in the industrial estate.
The plant looks like a deaf nettle, but the flowers look different. The Lamium Bifidum was observed in the Netherlands for the first time in 2020 and has no Dutch plant name yet.
The plant is not grown as ornamental plant, Natuurpunt reports. The Lamium Bifidum is possible via mud on shoes, car tires or packaging material in Turnhout. Because there are already several plants, that may have happened at least a year ago. Ants like the seed like and may have spread that seed locally. Natuurpunt presented the observation to Filip Verhoove of the Botanic Garden Meise. He confirms that it is a first Belgian observation.
The Labium Bifidum blooms in the Spoorwegstraat in Turnhout. – © Guy Van Nieuwenhuysen
