Putnam Park Wildflowers


Flower ID: IMG_0921.JPG-08-30-2018
Flower name (scientific): Physostegia virginiana (Linnaeus) Bentham PY: 1834. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) fy-so-STAY-jee-ah vir-jin-ee-AY-nah
Flower name (common): Obedient Plant
Family name (common): Mint
Family name (scientific): Lamiaceae
Scientific name origin:
     Genus: Latin for inflated cover, referring to the inflated calyx.
    Specific epithet: Of or from Virginia.
Common name origin: If the flowers are moved in any direction, they tend to stay in the new position.
Flower description:
     Size: 0.5 to 0.7 inches (1.3 to 1.8 cm)
     Petal count: 4
     Color: pink, sometimes white.
     Other: flower arrangement, Spike
Plant description:
     Size: 24 to 60 inches (61 to 152 cm)
     Stem hairy:
     Other:
Leaf description: attachment is opposite, type is simple
     Size: Leaves up to 12 to 18 cm long and up to 4 cm wide.
     Color:
     Hairy:
     Other: Shape: leaf, lanceolate or oblanceolate (IL)
Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native
Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common
Bloom time (typical): August to October
Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Perennial
Habitat: Prairies, fields, woodland openings, forests, thickets, streambanks, swamps, disturbed areas, roadsides, sun or part shade, dry to moist soil.
Fruit:
Seed:
Importance to wildlife:
Similar species (if any): Both Physostegia angustifolia (Narrowleaf False Dragonhead) and Physostegia intermedia (Slender False Dragonhead) have a resemblance to Physostegia virginiana, but neither is reported from Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, and Iowa, but they both have a more southern geographic distribution. Chelone obliqua (Purple Turtlehead, Red Turtlehead) has some slight resemblance, but this species has only two reported observations and with a very limited distribution in Wisconsin.
Ethnobotany:
Latitude: 44.800055
Longitude: -91.507782
Altitude: 240.90
Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Calumet, Chippewa, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map
In US: (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV)
In Canada: (MB, NB, NS, ON, QC)
References:
Synonym(s):
Basionym: Dracocephalum virginianum Linnaeus Sp. Pl. 2: 594 1753.
Homotypic Synonym(s):
Heterotypic Synonym(s):
Autonym: Physostegia virginiana subsp. virginiana (The other infraspecific is Physostegia virginiana subsp. praemorsa (Shinners) P. D. Cantino which is present in eighteen US states and northern Mexico.)