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Species Image Gallery (opens in a new window) |
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| THE VERVAIN FAMILY | |||||||||
| The vervains are herbs, shrubs or woody vines or tress. When herbaceous, the stems are commonly square in cross-section, a feature they share with the mint family. The leaves are opposite or whorled and may be simple to lobed or compound. The flowers are sometimes two-lipped and the petals are of various colours. There are usually four stamens fused to the petals. The fruit is single-seeded and fleshy or separating into two or four nutlets. | |||||||||
| WHITE VERVAIN | |||||||||
| LATIN NAME: Verbena urticifolia var. urticifolia | |||||||||
| WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE? | |||||||||
| White vervain grows as tall as 250 cm. This perennial plant has an erect, simple or branched stem with stiff hairs. The leaves are opposite and on winged stalks. The margins are coarsely saw-toothed or doubly saw-toothed. The flowers are sessile in loose spikes. The petals are white. The stamens are five and are attached to the petals. The fruits are netted or grooved nutlets. | |||||||||
| WHERE DOES IT GROW? | |||||||||
| White vervain grows on low grassy or shrubby, slopes. | |||||||||
| WHERE IS IT FOUND IN SASKATCHEWAN? | |||||||||
| This plant is found in southeastern Saskatchewan in the Aspen Parkland ecoregion. | |||||||||
| WHY IS IT RARE? | |||||||||
| White vervain is endangered because it is extremely rare and restricted to a small region in southeastern Saskatchewan. This species faces threats relating to habitat loss and human development. | |||||||||
| HOW TO IDENTIFY WHITE VERVAIN | |||||||||
| * Are the flowers and fruits in lax spikes? * Are the flowers white? * Are the stems erect? * Did you find it in southeastern Saskatchewan? | |||||||||
| If you answered yes to all of these questions, you may have found white vervain! | |||||||||
