Plant identification help please

[Somnophore]

http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab21 ... to-146.jpg

http://s864.photobucket.com/albums/ab21 ... to-147.jpg

Found a lot of this today in a old drained quarry, looks a bit like sage or mint, has a slight smell but can't say of what and doesn't seem to be either of those, any ideas?

[Odsox]

If it doesn't smell of sage, it's probably Wood Sage.
As far as I know it's not edible, or at least I wouldn't eat it.

[Thomzo]

I'm almost tempted to say a lamium, possibly a dead nettle variant, except that the leaves aren't serrated enough. They do have a distinctive smell which could be confused for an edible herb. I'd wait until they flower, it'll be easier to tell then.

Zoe

[MKG]

That looks so much like mint that I'm tempted to say it's mint.

Pluck a few leaves and give them a firm crushing in your hands. Really mill them. Then smell your hands. If you have very definite mint smell, it's mint. If you don't, it's not.

I'm betting mint.

Mike

[Somnophore]

I know what you mean about the dead nettles, ground ivy for instance has a very distinctive herby smell and that's a dead nettle family, you're right it does look like mint but it just isn't, it has a very mild smell and mint is pretty strong, wood sage makes sense, as it was used to flavour beer, and I said the stuff smelt (like some sort of alcohol can't work out what) to my mrs at the time.

I'm always on the lookout for wild herbs which is why I wanted to know what this was but doesn't look like its very useful.

Loads of wild strawberry plants there though and the first I've found locally so will be going back, also lots of ramsons, sweet violet, gorse, raspberry etc do nice new foraging place.

[boboff]

I have a new book!

Looks like Balm Leaved Figwort to me, scrophularia scorodonia, right habitat, but my book says only found in SW England!

Although could be Wild Basil, that fits too, although you could tell when it flowers, these are tiny purple ones.

You can discount Bastard Balm Melittis melissopyllum, due to the lack of smell, but I thought I would mention it anyway!

[laurey81]

Hi,

I'd agree that it looks very much like wood sage (teucrium scorodonia). Does it have a square stem? Wood sage is mint family, and all members of the mint family have a square stem!

[daz101]

Also smells like you just lifted an old log rather than Sagey or Minty (YUK!)