Euphrasia vigursii, also known by its common names of Vigur's eyebright[3] or Cornish eyebright,[4] is an endangered annual of the eyebright family which is endemic to Devon and Cornwall.[5][6][7] It is a facultative hemiparasite and needs open conditions and regular grazing of larger shrubs and grasses to grow.[8][9] It is named after C. C. Vigurs, a Cornish doctor and botanist.[1]

Euphrasia vigursii
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Lamiales
Family:	Orobanchaceae
Genus:	Euphrasia
Species:	E. vigursii
Binomial name
Euphrasia vigursii Davey, 1907[1][2]

Appearance

E. vigursii can be identified by its bright reddish-purple flowers and long glandular hairs on its upper leaves.[7] It has dull grey-green leaves, often permeated with violet or black due to anthocyanins.[10] It is considered a stable hybrid between Euphrasia micrantha and Euphrasia anglica.[10]

Distribution

E. vigursii is endemic to the Agrostis curtisii-Ulex galli heathlands of South West England,[9][11] specifically Cornwall and Devon.[7] The largest global population of E. virgusii is believed to be Lydford High Down in Dartmoor National Park, Devon,[7][11] which had 21,000 instances in 2002.[8] This dropped as low as 97 in 2004 but has since recovered to a stable level at between 250 and 350 (for comparison, levels recorded at other sites in Devon have never reached more than 10).[7]

References