Flower ID: IMG_0760.JPG-08-12-2018 Flower name (scientific): Verbena hastata Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) ver-BEE-nuh hass-TAH-tuh Flower name (common): Blue Vervain Family name (common): Verbena Family name (scientific): Verbenaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: For the plants from which the leafy branches or twigs were taken and used in religious ceremonies or for medicinal applications. Also, medieval Latin for vervain. Specific epithet: Formed like an arrow-head. Interestingly, the leaves are lanceolate in shape, rather than hastate (shaped like a spear head), though the overall leaf shape does have some similarity with the head of a spear. Common name origin: From the common color and from the French verveine, plants thought to have therapeutic properties. Flower description: Size: 0.1 to 0.3 inches (3 to 8 mm) Petal count: 5 Color: blue Other: flower arrangement, Spike Plant description: Size: 16 to 40 inches (41 to 102 cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is opposite, type is simple Size: Leaves up to 20 cm long and up to about 4 cm wide. Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, lanceolate (IL) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Native Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): July to October Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Biennial Habitat: Prairies, meadows, fields, forests, disturbed areas, roadsides, streambanks, sun, moist to wet. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): Verbena stricta (Hoary Vervain) has some resemblance, but this species has flowers about 5 to 10 mm in size and leaves that are sessile to very short petiolate, whereas Verbena hastata has flowers about 3 to 8 mm in size and leaves with petioles that are typically 10 to 25 mm long. Ethnobotany: The Chippewa used this plant to treat nosebleed (Densmore, p. 356, 1928). The Menominee employed the root to prepare a tea that was used as a urinary aid to treat cloudy urine (Smith, p. 58, 1923). The Cherokee, Dakota, Delaware, Iroquois, and Mahuna used the plant to treat a variety of ailments including bowel complaints, dysentery, colds, coughs, fevers, stomachaches, worms, anr others (Moerman, pp. 591-592, 1998). Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: 221.40 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, Forest, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Iron, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Manitowoc, Marathon, Marinette, Marquette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Monroe, Oconto, Oneida, Outagamie, Ozaukee, Pierce, Polk, Portage, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Rusk, Sauk, Sawyer, Shawano, Sheboygan, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Washington, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Winnebago, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, 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: (BC, MB, NB, NS, ON, QC, SK) References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym: na