Verbenaceae
Vervain Family
Verbena urticifolia L.
- Stem: perennial; 3’ to 4’ tall; unbranched; stem square; hairy.
- Leaves: opposite; oval, with rounded bases and tapering, sharp tips; blades 4” by 1 3/4”; leaf stalks 1/2”, few, stiff hairs; margins toothed; hairy.
- Inflorescence: racemes on flower stalks from the stem tip and upper leaf axils; flowers crowded at the tip of the raceme but elongating in fruit; up to 6” long at the end of the season.
- Flowers: corolla white, exceeding the calyx by 1/16”, dropping soon after opening; the calyx tubular, 3/32” long, with sharp lobes, hairy; flowering from mid-July to early August.
- Fruits: four nutlets, just exceeding the calyx; fruiting begins in late July.
- Habitat: common in open woodland on upland to lowland sites; also on low prairies, pastures, and roadsides; tolerates some disturbance.
- Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Vascular Plants of Iowa
Can be found in these counties:
