Verbena rigida Spreng.                                                                           Verbenaceae (Vervain Family)    S. Brazil & Argentina   Verbena

                                       May Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Herbaceous perennial, 2.5-5 dm. tall, with tuberous roots; sts. simple, creeping at base, ascending, 4-angled, hispid; lvs. rigid, hispid, prominently nerved, oblong to oblong-lanceolate, 5-10 cm. long, unequally subincisely and often saliently dentate or serrate, acute at apex, entire and half-clasping at base; spikes in a close terminal panicle, subternate, fastigiate and finally cylindric, at least the lateral pedunculate; bracts subulate, ciliate, often purplish, exceeding the hairy calyx; corolla lilac or bluish-purple to nearly sky-blue, 6 mm. across, very thinly villous without, the slender tube three times as long as calyx.

Habitat:  Escape from cultivation.  Grows in all climate zones.  (Sunset Editors, New Western Garden Book 1984. 495).

Name:  Latin, verbe-na, ancient name of the common European vervain, Verbena officinalis.  (Bailey 840).  Latin, rigidus, stiff.  (Jaeger 223).

General:  Rare in the study area with only two plants found, these in upper Big Canyon, near Jamboree Rd.  (my comment).

Text Ref:  Bailey 840; Sunset Editors, New Western Garden Book 1984. 495.

Photo Ref:  May-June 00 # 4,5,7.

Identity: by R. De Ruff, confirmed by John Johnson.

First Found:  May 2000.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 521.

Plant specimen donated to UC Riverside in 2004. 

Last edit 8/8/05. 

                                    May Photo