Prunella vulgaris var. lanceolata

Native

Disturbed sites.

June to October

Purple to violet-blue

4″ to 20″

This is a 4″ to 20″ tall, perennial forb that rises on one or more stems from fibrous roots.

The stems can be drooping, almost laying flat on the ground, to almost erect. They are unbranched, 4-angled, and winged.

The leaves are opposite, lance-shaped to oblong lance-shaped, ⅝″ to 1½″ long, and ¼″ to ⅜″ wide. The middle stem leaves are ⅓ as wide as long. They are on ¼″ to 1″ long leaf stalks. The upper and lower surfaces are hairless or have sparse, long, soft, shaggy, unmatted hairs. The margins are untoothed.

The inflorescence is an egg-shaped, ¾″ to 2″ long, and ⅝″ to ¾″ wide spike of many flowers at the end of the stem.

The flowers are ⅜″ to ¾″ long. There are 5 petals fused at the base into a tube about ⅛″ long, then separated into an upper and lower lip. The upper lip is purple, almost round, hood-like, about 3 ⁄16″ in diameter, and notched at the tip. The lower lip is white and about half as long as the upper lip. It is divided into 3 lobes, a large central lobe and 2 smaller lateral lobes. The lateral lobes are about 1 ⁄16″ long and spreading. The central lobe is about ⅛″ long, strongly bent downward, and fringed at the tip. There are 4 stamens that are concealed under the hood.

The fruit is a smooth brownish-yellow nutlet about 1 ⁄16″ long.

Heal-all (Prunella vulgaris var. vulgaris) leaves tend to be a little longer and much wider. They are egg-shaped to oblong egg-shaped, up to 2⅜″ long, and up to 1″ wide. The middle stem leaves are ½ as wide as long. The upper surface is almost hairless or is covered with very small, coarse, stiff hairs. The lower surface is almost hairless. The margins are wavy.