Culver’s root

not listed

N4? - Apparently Secure

SNR - Unranked

not listed

FAC - Facultative

FAC - Facultative

FAC - Facultative

Culver’s root is a 32″ to 79″ tall, erect, perennial forb that rises from a taproot and creeping rhizomes.

The stem is erect; green; round in cross section; and hairless or sparsely covered with soft, long or short hairs. It is unbranched below the middle and usually branched above the middle. The stem somewhat depends on nearby vegetation for support and, lacking any, may flop over, especially on slopes.

The leaves appear in whorls of usually 4 or 5 but as few as 3 or as many as 7. They may be stalkless or on ⅛″ to ⅜″ long leaf stalks. The blade is lance-shaped to narrowly oblong, up to 4¾″ long, and up to ¾″ wide. It is tapered at the base and tapers to a point at the tip with concave sides along the tip. The upper surface is green and hairless. The lower surface is similar in color and is hairless to densely covered with long, soft, shaggy but unmatted hairs. The margins are finely toothed with sharp, forward pointing teeth.

The inflorescence is a cluster of several spike-like, unbranched clusters (racemes) at the end of the stem and branches. The racemes are arranged like a candelabra, with an erect, long, central raceme and several lateral, shorter, ascending racemes, all rising from the same point at the end of the stem. Each raceme is densely flowered, 2″ to 6″ long, slender, and tapered. The flowers bloom from the bottom upward and the raceme elongates as the season progresses.

The flowers are ¼″ to ⅜″ long. There are 4 sepals, 4 petals, 2 stamens, and 1 style. The sepals are green, lance-shaped, and hairless. They are united at the base into a very short calyx tube then separated at the tip into 2 long lips. The upper lip has 2 lobes that are longer than the 2 or 3 lobes of the lower lip. Though anatomically the calyx has 2 lips, the calyx lobes are separated almost to the base, giving the appearance of 4 or 5 distinct sepals. The petals are usually white, sometimes pinkish. They are fused at the base and for most of their length into a narrow corolla tube then separated at the tip into 2 lips. The upper lip has 1 rounded lobe. The lower lip has 2 lateral lobes and a lower lobe. All of the lobes are rounded and about 1 ⁄16″ long, much shorter than the tube. The stamens have white, up to ½″ long filaments and brown anthers. They extend well beyond the corolla tube. The style is white and has a minute, 1-lobed stigma at the tip. It extends beyond the corolla tube but is shorter than the stamens.

The fruit is a narrowly egg-shaped, ⅛″ to 3 ⁄16″ long capsule with many seeds. It is round in cross section, not flattened.

32″ to 79″

White

Moist to moderate moisture. Woods, prairies. Full or partial sun.

June to September

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 24, 28.

Native

Common

"Culver's Root"

I believe these tall slender spire like flowers are called Culver's Root.

Plant

Inflorescence

Leaves

Infructescence

Location: Woodbury, Minnesota

Location: Sandpiper Prairie SNA, Norman Co., MN

I believe these tall slender spire like flowers are called Culver's Root.