| Vervain |
| Verbena lasiostachys |
| Family: Verbenaceae (Verbena) |
| Flowers — color: lavender, size: 1/4", type: 5 petals |
At first glance, Vervain has a lavender flower with five petals, about 1/4" diameter. It has two lips like sage flowers: the upper lip has two lobes and the lower three, and all seem fused. The stamens and pistil remain hidden in the narrow throat. Multiple blooms on a budding head shaped like a football or cylinder.
Habit:
Vervain is a perennial herb and pioneer plant, aggressively spreading after wildfires. The dark green leaves are deeply veined and hairy, and the edges have coarse teeth. They attach in opposition, and a branching stem may start in these nodes. The largest stems terminate in the large blooming heads. They seem to enjoy open (disturbed) sunny ground.
Observations:
I found these vervain growing in the middle of a recently bulldozed service road below Jupiter, west of Hwy 1.