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Sticky catch-fly

 

 

A plant of dry habitats – grasslands, slopes, sparse forests but also wastelands; widely scattered distribution all over Estonia. By the way, a relative of carnations.

 

The only concern for a flower picker is that the sticky catch-fly stems smear the hands, but it is also the only plant with that property, a useful identification characteristic. No worries, this „tar“ will easily wash off. The stems of the plant are upright, sometimes reddish, below the leaves covered with a dark and sticky mass, with which the plant wards off ants so that they cannot get at the flower nectar. A good honey plant for flying insects and according to some theories, one starting material for the bee glue or propolis of bees.

 

Sticky catch-fly