Linaria vulgaris Mill.
Butter and eggs, common toadflax, yellow toadflax
I prefer the name butter and eggs for this attractive plant—the colors are right. This species of toadflax is native to most of Europe and part of Asia. It was introduced to North America as an ornamental in the mid 1800s, and it is now common, or even invasive.
Plants: 6–35″ (15–90 cm) in height.
Leaves: Leaves are numerous, narrow, shaped like grass blades, ¾–4 ⨉ 1/32–⅛″ (2–10 cm ⨉ 1–5 mm).
Flowers: Groups of flowers appear on a stalk. Each flower is about 1″ (2.5 cm) long, pale yellow with an orange spot. The flower shape, which resembles snapdragons, and color are the most obvious identifying characteristics.
Fruits: Rounded capsules ⅛–⅜ ⨉ ⅛–¼″ (5–11 ⨉ 5–7 mm), containing numerous small seeds.
Habitats: Waste places, pastures, roadsides, meadows; sandy or gravely or chalky soils.
Online References:
Linaria linaria (L.) Karst.， nom. inval.
9/18/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 2 × 2″ (5.4 × 5.7 cm) 
9/23/2023 · Kelly's Landing, Greenville Junction, Maine 
9/18/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 2½″ (9.1 × 6.4 cm) 
9/10/2016 · Arlington St., Groton, Massachusetts 
9/18/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 2½ × 2½″ (7 × 6.3 cm) 
6/26/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 12″ (23 × 29 cm) 
9/5/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts 
9/19/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 3½ × 6″ (8.7 × 14 cm) 
9/15/2018 · Oak Hill, Littleton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 7″ (13 × 17 cm) 
9/15/2016 · Cadillac Mountain Summit, Acadia, Bar Harbor, Maine 
9/18/2009 · Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine · ≈ 5 × 5″ (12 × 13 cm) 
10/7/2001 · Eastern Promenade ME, Portland, Maine · By Constance B. Kent 
ID is uncertain 
7/27/2016 · Michaux State Forest, Caledonia State Park, Fayetteville, Pennsylvania 
| Kingdom | Plantae | Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae (from Stearn's Botanical Latin) |
| Subkingdom | Tracheobionta | Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients |
| Division | Magnoliophyta | Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms |
| Class | Magnoliopsida | Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves |
| Subclass | Asteridae | A large class that encompasses asters |
| Order | Lamiales | Aromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary |
| Family | Plantaginaceae | Plantains |
| Genus | Linaria | From the Latin linum, “flax,” referring to the flax-like leaves of some species |
| Species | vulgaris | Common |
Linaria vulgaris description by Thomas H. Kent, not updated.
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