Euphrasia officinalis subsp. pratensis Rostkov's Eyebright

This is the most common member of the Euphrasia officinalis group in south Wales. It is distinguished from many other eyebrights by its relatively large flowers, long glandular hairs and its erect stems and branches. Montane Eybright (Euphrasia montana) is similar but its stem internodes are longer and flowers often a little larger. English Eyebright (Euphrasia anglica) is also similar but its flowers are smaller. It is a plant of species-rich hay meadows and pastures, sometimes occuring in roadside verges, preferring at least some base-richness. It has a mostly western distribution in Britain where it is well represented in Wales with more scattered occurrences further north. It is occasional in herb-rich hay meadows and pastures in West Glamorgan, mostly in the upland parts of the South Wales Coalfield in Neath Port Talbot. It has been lost from many parts of the county in recent decades as a result of habitat loss or lack of appropriate management. Its occurrence in meadows is usually a good indicator of  biodiverse grassland and as such it is an important axiophyte.

This species is probably better known as Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne.

Native