Physostegia

Scientific name

Physostegia Benth.

Common names

slenderleaf false dragonhead, false dragonhead, lion’s heart, narrowleaf obedient plant, tidal marsh obedient plant, swamp obedient plant

Family

Lamiaceae

Similar genera

Hygrophila, Hypericum, Limnophila, Pogostemon, Veronica

Native distribution

Virginia to Florida and Texas (United States)

Species cultivated

commonly cultivated, sold, and traded among hobbyists:

Physostegia leptophylla Small

P. purpurea (Walter) S. F. Blake

Adventive distribution

information not available

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

naturally emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
, rarely submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
, amphibiousamphibious:
(adj) of a plant able to live on land or in water
small to medium herb

Brief description

Rhizome rhizome:
(n) an underground stem, usually growing horizontally, from which both roots and shoots emerge directly; the thick, above-ground stem of ferns
branching into numerous horizontal secondary rhizomes; stem erect or ascending, square. Leaves oppositeopposite:
(adj) (of leaves) two leaves per node; in pairs on opposite sides of an axis
, typically basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
, caulinecauline:
(adj) pertaining to or belonging to the stem
during flowering. Lower leaves petiolatepetiolate:
(adj) relating to or in the form of a petiole; bearing petioles
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
elliptical to lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
; base cuneatecuneate:
(adj) wedge-shaped; triangular, with narrow end at the base
to attenuateattenuate:
(adj) narrowing gradually to a point
; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
obtuse or acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entireentire:
(adj) having a continuous margin that is not toothed or lobed
: Upper leaves sessilesessile:
(adj) attached directly, without a stalk
, usually clasping the stem; narrowly ellipticalelliptical:
(adj) in the form of an ellipse (oval)
to lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
; base cuneatecuneate:
(adj) wedge-shaped; triangular, with narrow end at the base
; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
to attenuateattenuate:
(adj) narrowing gradually to a point
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
undulate or crenatecrenate:
(adj) (of a margin) with shallow, rounded teeth
. Inflorescenceinflorescence:
(n) the arrangement of flowers on the floral axis
a terminalterminal:
(adj) at the apex
racemeraceme:
(n) an indeterminate, unbranched inflorescence having pedicelled flowers on a usually elongated axis (may be cymose)
; bracts lanceolatelanceolate:
(adj) lance-shaped; widest point below the middle, tapering to the apex
to ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
, with attenuateattenuate:
(adj) narrowing gradually to a point
base. Flowers loosely spaced, zygomorphiczygomorphic:
(adj) bilaterally symmetrical; symmetrical along only one plane
; calyxcalyx:
(n) the outer whorl of the perianth; all the sepals of a flower
tube 5-lobed, lobes triangular-lanceolate, apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
acuteacute:
(adj) tapering to a sharp, pointed apex with more or less straight sides; broader than acuminate; forming an angle of less than 90 degrees
, glandular-punctate or not; corollacorolla:
(n) the inner whorl(s) of the perianth; all the petals of a flower
tube 2-lipped, upper lip hood-like, lower lip 3-lobed; stamens 4; pink to lavender.

Natural habitat

edges of rivers and streams; common in shallow water, wooded rivers, swamps, fresh and brackish marshes

Additional comments

A genus comprising about 15 mainly wetland species, of which Physostegia leptophylla is the only species common in standing water. Synonyms of P. leptophylla are Dracocephalum leptophyllum (Small) Small, Dracocephalum veroniciforme (Small) Small, and Physostegia veroniciformis Small.