Leonurus cardiaca L.
common motherwort
Lamiaceae (Mint family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Diane Williamson     (Photo ID #11573)


Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Leonurus cardiaca
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb with fibrous root, from stout, branching rhizome; stems erect, 40-150 cm tall, branched, 4-angled, the stem with downward-facing, stiff, short hairs on the angles.
Leaves:
All stem leaves, the lower early deciduous; opposite, palmately 3- to 7-lobed and veined, 5-10 cm long and wide, coarsely toothed, loosely short-hairy underneath, inconspicuously stiff-hairy above; stalks about the length of blade; middle and upper leaves gradually smaller, narrower, with fewer lobes, shorter stalked; uppermost often entire.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of many-flowered, widely separated, axillary clusters, forming a leafy, interrupted spike; bracts leaf-like; corollas tubular, pale pink, 8-12 mm long, 2-lipped, the upper lip white-hairy, the lower lip 3-lobed; calyx tubes firm, 3-4 mm long, 5-angled, the teeth about same length as tube, spine-tipped, the 2 lower teeth bent backward.
Fruits:
Nutlets, 4 clustered together, three-angled, squared-off and bristly-hairy at tips.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat and Range

Dry to moist waste places in the steppe zone; rare in SC BC; introduced from Eurasia.

SourceThe Illustrated Flora of British Columbia