Verbena L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 20 (1753)
This genus is accepted
The native range of this genus is Cosmopolitan.

Descriptions

Verbenaceae, B. Verdcourt. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1992

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs or subshrubs
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite or sometimes in whorls of 3, simple and dentate or deeply divided, rarely entire
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers in simple spikes or panicles of spikes, often dense and compact or more elongate and lax, bracteate, terminal
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tubular, distinctly and ± unequally (4–)5-toothed, 5-ribbed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla funnel-shaped or hypocrateriform; tube straight or ± curved, ± pubescent within; limb 5-lobed, ± spreading, feebly to distincdy 2-lipped
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens (2–)4(–5), included, usually inserted near the middle of the tube but sometimes higher, didynamous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary entire or 4-lobed, 4-locular with a single ovule in each locule; style slender but ± short; stigma unequally 2-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit splitting into 4 nutlets at maturity, enveloped in the persistent calyx Nutlets with inner face often scabridulous or granulate.
[FTEA]

Flora Zambesiaca. Vol 8, Pt 7. Avicenniaceae, R. Fernandes. Nesogenaceae, M.A. Diniz. Verbenaceae, R. Fernandes. Lamiaceae, R. Fernandes. 2005.

Morphology General Habit
Annual or perennial herbs, small shrubs, woody climbers or trees Annual or perennial herbs, small shrubs, woody climbers or trees.
Morphology Stem
Stems 4-angled, erect ascending or procumbent, glabrous or hairy Stems 4-angled, erect ascending or procumbent, glabrous or hairy.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite and usually decussate, rarely 3-whorled or alternate, dentate, or often incised or variously lobed or partite, rarely entire Leaves opposite and usually decussate, rarely 3-whorled or alternate, dentate, or often incised or variously lobed or partite, rarely entire.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescences spicate with the spikes terminal, sometimes axillary, simple or corymbosely or paniculately arranged; spikes densely crowded, or elongate with distant flowers Inflorescences spicate with the spikes terminal, sometimes axillary, simple or corymbosely or paniculately arranged; spikes densely crowded, or elongate with distant flowers.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers small or medium-sized, sessile, each solitary in the axil of a narrow bract Flowers small or medium-sized, sessile, each solitary in the axil of a narrow bract.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary 2-carpellate, entire or slightly lobed at the apex, 4-locular at anthesis, each locule l-ovulate; ovules anatropous, erect, attached laterally at or near the base; style usually equalling the stamens, divided at the apex into a short, stigmatic anterior lobe and an acute horny sterile posterior tooth
Note
The species found the Flora Zambesiaca area, with the exception of Verbena officinalis subsp. africana , are all introduced and most have become naturalized.  Taxa which occur the Flora Zambesiaca area only as cultivated garden ornamentals include: Verbena wrightii A. Gray, Verbena × hybrida Groenl. & Rümpler and Verbena × teasii Moldenke. The concept of Verbena employed here includes Glandularia J.F. Gmel. which has often been recognized as a separate genus, e.g. by Sanders, R.W., Harvard Papers Botany 5 , 2: 303–358 (2001).   The treatment of V. bonariensis L., V. brasiliensis Vell. and V. litoralis Kunth by  Dr. P. Yeo,  Kew Bull. 45 : 101–120 (1990), is followed here.
Distribution
A genus of c. 350 taxa (including species and infraspecific taxa), mostly native to temperate and tropical America, with 2 species Europe, Asia and N Africa.  Several species, and their hybrids, are introduced in the Old World as garden ornamentals.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx tubular, 5-angled and ribbed on the angles, unequally 5-toothed, ± dilated at the base in the fruiting stage and then ventricose, eventually splitting. Calyx tubular, 5-angled and ribbed on the angles, unequally 5-toothed, ± dilated at the base the fruiting stage and then ventricose, eventually splitting
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla funnel-shaped or hypocrateriform; tube straight or curved, cylindric or widening slightly towards the apex, usually villous within particularly at the mouth and about the insertion of the filaments; limb spreading, oblique, weakly 2-lipped, with unequal obtuse lobes, rounded or emarginate at the apex. Corolla funnel-shaped or hypocrateriform; tube straight or curved, cylindric or widening slightly towards the apex, usually villous within particularly at the mouth and about the insertion of the filaments; limb spreading, oblique, weakly 2-lipped, with unequal obtuse lobes, rounded or emarginate at the apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 4, included, didynamous; filaments inserted about or above the middle of the corolla tube; anthers ovate, with parallel or diverging thecae without appendages, or the connectives of upper 2 stamens each provided with a clavate or glanduliform appendage. Stamens 4, included, didynamous; filaments inserted about or above the middle of the corolla tube; anthers ovate, with parallel or diverging thecae without appendages, or the connectives of upper 2 stamens each provided with a clavate or glanduliform appendage
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil
Ovary 2-carpellate, entire or slightly lobed at the apex, 4-locular at anthesis, each locule l-ovulate; ovules anatropous, erect, attached laterally at or near the base; style usually equalling the stamens, divided at the apex into a short, stigmatic anterior lobe and an acute horny sterile posterior tooth.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Fruit a schizocarp, enclosed within the persistent calyx, separating when ripe into four 1-seeded mericarps; mericarps linear or oblong, with dry pericarp, longitudinally ribbed with a raised reticulation toward the apex. Fruit a schizocarp, enclosed within the persistent calyx, separating when ripe into four 1-seeded mericarps; mericarps linear or oblong, with dry pericarp, longitudinally ribbed with a raised reticulation toward the apex
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds oblong; endosperm lacking or scanty. Seeds oblong; endosperm lacking or scanty.
[FZ]

Sources

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2025. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
  • Neotropikey

    • Milliken, W., Klitgard, B. and Baracat, A. (2009 onwards), Neotropikey - Interactive key and information resources for flowering plants of the Neotropics.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0