E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia

Lycopus europaeus L.
European horehound (gypsywort)
Lamiaceae (Mint family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

© Virginia Skilton  Email the photographer   (Photo ID #10068)

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Distribution of Lycopus europaeus
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Species Information

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General:
Perennial herb from a creeping rhizome; stems erect, unbranched or with ascending branches, 30-100 cm tall, 4-angled, somewhat hairy.
Leaves:
Opposite, egg-shaped to lanceolate, to 10 cm long, tips pointed, pinnately-lobed, the lobes triangular and pointed, the lower often lobed to the midrib; short-stalked.
Flowers:
Inflorescence of many-flowered, distant clusters, in axils of bracts similar to leaves; corollas tubular, 4-lobed, white with a few small purple dots on lower lip, about 3 mm long and wide; calyces egg-shaped to bell-shaped, the teeth 5, lanceolate, hairy, spine-tipped.
Fruits:
Nutlets, 4 clustered together, 4-angled, flat at the top.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Habitat / Range

Wet lakeshores, pond margins and riverbanks in the lowland zone; rare in SE BC (Salmo), common in SW BC, known only from the lower Fraser Valley; introduced from Europe.

Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Climate

The climate type for this species, as reported in the: "British Columbia plant species codes and selected attributes. Version 6 Database" (Meidinger et al. 2008), is not evaluated, unknown or variable.

Synonyms and Alternate Names

Lycopus europaeus subsp. mollis (Kern.) Rothm. ex Skalickÿ
Lycopus europaeus var. mollis (Kern.) Briq.

Taxonomic and Nomenclatural Links

Additional Photo Sources

General References