Verbenaceae
Verbena

Verbena officinalis L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 20 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Old World to Australia. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the temperate biome. It is used as a poison and a medicine, has environmental uses and social uses and for fuel and food.

Descriptions

M. Thulin. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1–4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit
Erect perennial herb or subshrub, up to 1.5 m tall; young stems scabrid
Morphology Leaves
Leaves ovate to lanceolate in outline, 2–8(–11) x 0.8–8.5 cm, pinnately lobed or divided, appressed scabrid pubescent, acute to ± obtuse at the apex, cuneate at the base and tapering into an indistinct winged 0.5–2 cm long petiole; upper leaves narrower and less lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers numerous in 2–30 cm long spikes; bracts lanceolate- to ovate-acuminate
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx 2–3 mm long, pubescent; lobes c. 0.5 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla lilac-purple, pink or mauve, often with yellow throat; tube 2.5–4 mm long; lobes subequal, 0.75–2 mm long
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets oblong, 1.5–2 x 0.6–0.8 mm, reticulate outside.
[FSOM]

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

Morphology General Habit
Erect perennial, rarely annual, laxly branched herb 0.3–1.6 m. tall; stems ± woody at base, 4-angled, sulcate, sparsely scabridulous or ± glabrous.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves more or less ovate in outline, 2–7(–11) cm. long, 0.8–8.5 cm. wide, pinnatisect or pinnatifid with broad acute bluntly serrate lobes, adpressed hispidulous above, scabridulous beneath, acute or ± obtuse at the apex, cuneate at the base into an indistinct winged petiole 1–2 cm. long; upper stem-leaves often lanceolate or oblanceolate in oudine, less lobed and more bluntly serrate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers minute in numerous elongate spikes 5–30 cm. long, dense above, lax below; rhachis and narrowly ovate-acuminate bracts glandular-pubescent.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx ± 2–2.5 mm. long, glandular-pubescent outside; teeth triangular, ± 0.4 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla
Corolla pale lilac-purple, pink or mauve, often with yellow throat, glabrous; tube ± 3 mm. long; limb subequally 5-lobed; lobes ± oblong, 0.75–2 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens inserted at 2 levels near or above the middle of the tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Style
Style 0.5–1 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Nutlets brown, oblong, 1.5–2 mm. long, 0.6–0.8 mm. wide, longitudinally rugulose-reticulate outside, whitish scabridulous-papillose inside.
[FTEA]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Cultivada en Colombia; Alt. 1300 - 1400 m.; Andes.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
[CPLC]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Andean. Elevation range: 1300–1400 m a.s.l. Cultivated in Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, Bogotá DC.
Habit
Herb.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, shrubland, artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

Uses

Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Fuel
Used for fuels.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Materials
Used as material.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
Use Social
Social uses.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Colombian resources for Plants made Accessible

    • ColPlantA 2021. Published on the Internet at http://colplanta.org
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • 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

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2023. 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 2023. 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

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0