Lamiaceae, the mint family.
Description:
Plant:
Tall, upright, mostly unbranching plant, to about 3', with square stem, opposite leaves, and
axillary clusters of hairy pink to lavender flowers. Perennial.
Flowers:
Pink, bilateral, about 1/2" long, with hairy upper lips, in tight axillary clusters, which
form an interrupted, leafy spike. One of the typical mint-family patterns. Blooms have five
sharply pointed sepals surrounding the two-lipped corolla.
Leaves:
Opposite, petioled, 2"-4" long, usually 3-lobed and toothed, with the lobes more pronounced
on the lower leaves. Overall outline tends towards ovate.
Fruit:
A four-parted fruit surrounded by the dried sepals.
Blooming:
June -September
Habitat:
Waste areas, clearings, roadsides.
Comments:
Introduced from central Asia, this plant has a long history in herbal medicine.
The common name refers to its traditional use in treating menstrual disorders.
The specific name cardiaca refers to its use as a cardiac tonic.
Where to find it:
By the slough along the entrance road.