Symphytum ×uplandicum
Nyman Russian ComfreySpreading to erect, to 1 m high; stems narrowly winged by decurrent leaf-bases or not. Leaves scabrous above with short prickly tuberculate-based deciduous hairs and curved or uncinate hairs, or with appressed tubercule-based stiff non-deciduous hairs above, with occasional tubercle-based stiff hairs along veins below, apex acuminate, margins entire, flat; rosette leaves elliptic-lanceolate, 15–30 cm long, to 6 cm wide, petiole to 12 cm long; cauline leaves smaller, lanceolate to ovate, uppermost nearly sessile with cuneate base, bases slightly decurrent or not. Flowers on pedicels to 10 mm long; sepals triangular-lanceolate, to 12 mm long, obtuse, connate in basal two fifths; corolla 10–16 mm long, glabrous, pink or purple in bud, pink, pinkish-blue or blue in flower, lobes small, tips recurved, throat scales triangular-lanceolate, longer than stamens; anthers c. 2.5 mm long. Mericarps 3–4 mm long, dull, brown. Flowers Nov.–Feb.
HSF. Known in Victoria from few occurrences in the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley in weedy disturbed sites such as roadsides and river embankments.
Symphytum × uplandicum hybridises naturally throughout Europe between introduced Symphytum asperum from the caucasus and native European Symphytum officinale (Gadella 1984; Tutin 1956; Wade 1958).