VERVAIN FAMILY VERBENACEAE 
NARROW-LEAVED VERVAIN 
Verbena angustifolia Michx. 
The Narrow-leaved Vervain is not as common as some of the 
Verbenas but is found in dry or sandy ground in open places from 
Massachusetts to Florida and west to Minnesota, Kansas and 
Arkansas. In Illinois it is found on 
dry barren slopes throughout but is 
not common. 
This is a perennial with a slender 
4-sided stem that grows 1-2 feet high 
and is slightly rough with short hairs. 
It may be recognized at once by the 
sessile leaves, which vary from ex- 
tremely narrow to lanceolate but are 
without the prominent lobes or teeth 
found in other species. 
The flowers bloom from June to 
August, beginning at the base of the 
spike and opening successively toward 
the top. The calyx is tubular and 
nearly equally 5-toothed. The corolla 
is blue or purple and distinctly 2- 
lipped. Four stamens inserted on the 
corolla tube are arranged in 2 pairs 
of unequal length. The pistil consists 
of a 4-celled ovary, a short slender 
style and a 2-lobed stigma. The fruit 
is within the persistent calyx and it 
finally breaks up into 4 single-seeded 
nutlets. 
The Showy Verbena, Verbena cana- 
densis (L.) Britton, is so called because 
of its very large blue, purple or white flowers in short heavy spikes, 
which become 2-4 inches long in fruit. It is a hardy perennial, found 
only on the Ozark extension and frequently cultivated in the same 
locality. The very hairy stem is slender, branching and sprawling, 
not over 20 inches high. The membranous, petioled leaf is 1-3 inches 
long, cut lobed and divided, with wedge-shaped base and elongated 
petiole. The corolla is about 1 inch long and the limb one-half to 
three-quarters of an inch broad. 
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