The Mignonette Family (Resedaceae)
	Family Description	These are all perennial herbs. The family includes Weld and White Mignonette.
	Weld Reseda luteola	Weld is a tall green-yellow herb. The leaves are long and thin and have wavy edges. This plant is one of the most ancient producers of dye - its leaves are used to colour material bright yellow. As a result, it was also called Dyer's Rocket and "Yellow Rocket. Weld is a native to this country. However, when it was in great demand, extra weld was imported from France, and crops were grown, especially in Kent, around Canterbury.
	Habitat	Dry, stony and sandy habitats, field edges, roadsides, waste places and old quarries. Prefers limestone soils. Open areas with lots of light. Soil with a reasonable amount of nutrients.
	Special features	Weld has a deep tap root. This is a root with a central stem, with smaller branches growing from it. This is ideally suited to places where there is little soil. In these places, moisture is in short supply so a deep tap root can reach down to moisture in the ground. The tap root also stores water in times of water shortage.
	Reproduction	The flowers contain a fleshy nectar-secreting disk to attract insects. The insects help to pollinate the flowers.
	Distribution	Seasonal Flowers from June to September. Geographical Throughout Britain, but scarce in the North.
	Fun Fact	The first English record of the name "Weld" appears in a poem by the famous medieval poet - Chaucer. Written about 600 years ago, in the old English language, the poem expresses sorrow at the passing of the age of innocence: "Allas, allas! now may men wepe and crye! For in our dayes nis but covetyse And doublenesse, and tresoun and envye, Poysoun, manslauhtre and morde in sondry wyse. A blisful lyf, a paisible and a swete Ledden the peples in the former age. No mader, welde, or wood (woad) no litestere Ne knew; the flees was of his former hewe." This poem longs for the days before tyrants, dictators, wars, evil, greed and luxury. It describes how blissful and sweet life was for people in days gone by, when there were no ships, mills, merchants or farmers. Then there was no trade in weld(e) or woad, and there were no dyers (litesteres).