Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_0771.JPG-06-18-2017
Flower name (scientific): Leonurus cardiaca Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) le-on-U-rus (or lee-ON-or-us or le-o-NI-rus or lee-oh-nur-uss) kar-DI-a-ka (or kar-DI-ak-a)
Flower name (common): Motherwort
Family name (common): Mint
Family name (scientific): Lamiaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: Derived from the Greek leon for lion, and oura for tail (tailed), hence, the plant supposedly resembles a lion's tail.
    Specific epithet: From the Greek kardia, for heart.
Common name origin: Formed by compounding mother + wort (plant). A name applied to different plants with medicinal value for uterine disorders and as a aid for childbirth.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.2 to 0.5 inches (5 to 13 mm)
     Petal count: 5
     Color: purple or pink
     Other: flower arrangement, Whorl
Plant description: Erect
     Size: 18 to 60 inches (46 to 152 cm) tall.
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is opposite, type is simple and lobed
     Size: Lower leaves up to 12 cm long and 8 cm wide. Upper stem leaves typically up to 5 cm long and 2 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, upper leaves often oblong-ovate (IL)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): June to August
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Forests, fields, woodlands, thickets, riverbanks, marshes, disturbed sites, roadsides, sun, wet or dry.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes in Wisconsin.
Ethnobotany: No recorded uses by tribes from Wisconsin. The Cherokee used the plant as a stimulant. The Delaware, Shinnecock, and the Mohegan employed the plant for female diseases. The Iroquois utilized the plant as an aid to digestion (Moerman, p. 301, 1998).
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Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Dunn, Eau Claire, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY)
In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NB, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK)
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: na
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym: na