Aquatic and Wetland Vascular Plants of the Northern Great Plains
41. Lamiaceae, the Mint Family
3. Physostegia Benth. -- Obedient plant3. Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth.
Stems 4-15 dm tall, from buds along slender rhizomes. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate to oblong or oblanceolate, 4-15(18) cm long, 1-4(5) cm wide, acute to acuminate at the tip, serrate on the margins, tapered to slightly widened to a sessile base, not clasping. Racemes 5-20 cm long; bracts ovate to ovate-lanceolate, about 1/2 as long as the calyx. Calyx 4-8 mm long in flower, to 10 mm long in fruit, often with some stipitate glands, the teeth triangular, 1-2 mm long; corolla deep lavender to white with purple spots, (13)17-25 mm long, puberulent to glabrous, lacking stipitate glands. Nutlets 2.5-3.2 mm long. Jul--Sep. Wet meadows, shores, fens, floodplains and wet woodlands; frequent, e and nc ND, e SD and e NE; (Que. to Man., s to VA, TN, IL, MO and ne KS).
This plant is sometimes cultivated in gardens for its attractive flowers.
Physostegia virginiana, occurring with common mint and river bulrush. |
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