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 | |
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] It has been recorded in the Mid Cornwall Moors SSSI, which was created in 2017.[12]
