Lycopus virginicus

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Lycopus virginicus
Lycopus virginicus 002.JPG
Status TNC G5.svg
Secure  (NatureServe) [1]
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Lycopus
Species:
L. virginicus
Binomial name
Lycopus virginicus
L.
Synonyms

Lycopus communis
Lycopus membranaceus

Lycopus virginicus is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by many common names, including Virginia water horehound, [2] American water hoarhound, sweet bugleweed, water bugle, carpenter's herb, green archangel, purple archangel, wolf foot, [3] and Egyptian's herb. [4] It is native to North America, where it is widespread in eastern Canada and the eastern United States. [1]

This is a perennial herb with a hairy, squared stem reaching a meter tall. The oppositely arranged leaves have oval to lance-shaped blades with toothed edges. [4] [5] The leaves are dark green or purple. [3] Clusters of tiny white or pink-tinged flowers occur in the leaf axils. [4] [5] The plant has a mint scent and a bitter taste. [3] This species can be easily confused with Lycopus uniflorus . The latter has stamens exserted from the flowers, while the stamens of L. virginicus are included. The two species may hybridize, producing Lycopus × sherardii. [5]

Habitat types include damp, shady places. [3] [4] It can be found in riparian zones, such as floodplains. It grows in wet spots in forests, woodlands, and swamps. [5]

This plant has had uses in traditional herbal medicine. It was perhaps best known as a treatment for hyperthyroidism conditions, including Graves' disease and thyrotoxicosis. Indications included signs and symptoms such as dyspnea, tachycardia, tremor, and exophthalmia. Medical research has not validated the use of the herb for these conditions. It was also used for anxiety, insomnia, and respiratory ailments such as pneumonia, bronchitis, hemoptysis, and chronic cough. [4] In Native American tradition, the Iroquois considered the plant poisonous, but the Cherokee found it useful for treating snakebite in people and in dogs. It was given to infants to help them learn to speak, and it had ceremonial uses. [6]

Related Research Articles

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Basil Species of plant, important culinary herb

Basil, also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints).

<i>Salvia officinalis</i> Species of plant

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<i>Lythrum salicaria</i> Species of plant

Lythrum salicaria or purple loosestrife is a flowering plant belonging to the family Lythraceae. It should not be confused with other plants sharing the name loosestrife that are members of the family Primulaceae. Other names include spiked loosestrife and purple Lythrum.

<i>Mentha aquatica</i> Species of flowering plant

Mentha aquatica is a perennial flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae. It grows in moist places and is native to much of Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia.

<i>Monarda</i> Genus of flowering plants

Monarda is a genus of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. The genus is endemic to North America. Common names include bergamot, bee balm, horsemint, oswego tea, the latter inspired by the fragrance of the leaves, which is reminiscent of bergamot orange. The genus was named for the Spanish botanist Nicolás Monardes, who wrote a book in 1574 describing plants of the New World.

<i>Lycopus europaeus</i> Species of flowering plant

Lycopus europaeus, common names gypsywort, gipsywort, bugleweed, European bugleweed and water horehound, is a perennial plant in the genus Lycopus, native to Europe and Asia, and naturalized elsewhere. Another species, Lycopus americanus has also been erroneously called L. europaeus.

<i>Ajuga reptans</i> Species of flowering plant

Ajuga reptans is commonly known as bugle, blue bugle, bugleherb, bugleweed, carpetweed, carpet bugleweed, and common bugle, and traditionally but less commonly as St. Lawrence plant. It is an herbaceous flowering plant, in the mint family, native to Europe. It is invasive in parts of North America. Ajuga reptans is also a component of purple moor grass and rush pastures, a Biodiversity Action Plan habitat in the United Kingdom.

<i>Monarda citriodora</i> Species of flowering plant

Monarda citriodora is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae, that is native to much of the United States and Mexico. Common names include lemon beebalm, lemon mint and purple horsemint. When crushed, the leaves emit an odor reminiscent of lemons. This odor is sometimes described as more resembling oregano, especially late in the season. Its purple flowers are highly attractive to butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

Thai basil

Thai basil is a type of basil native to Southeast Asia that has been cultivated to provide distinctive traits. Widely used throughout Southeast Asia, its flavor, described as anise- and licorice-like and slightly spicy, is more stable under high or extended cooking temperatures than that of sweet basil. Thai basil has small, narrow leaves, purple stems, and pink-purple flowers.

<i>Lycopus</i> Genus of flowering plants

Lycopus is a genus in the family Lamiaceae. They are all herbaceous plants native to Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America. The species are most often found in wetlands, damp meadows, and stream banks. Some of the wetland species have become endangered.

<i>Agastache rugosa</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Anemone hepatica</i> Species of flowering plant

Anemone hepatica, the common hepatica, liverwort, kidneywort, or pennywort, is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to woodland in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. This herbaceous perennial grows from a rhizome.

<i>Verbascum blattaria</i>

Verbascum blattaria, or moth mullein, is a flowering biennial herb belonging to the Scrophulariaceae (figwort) family. A native to Eurasia and North Africa, it has naturalized in the United States and most of Canada since its introduction and has become an invasive species there. It has been declared a noxious weed by the state of Colorado.

<i>Lycopus asper</i> Species of plant

Lycopus asper is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name rough bugleweed. It is native to much of North America, where it can be found most often in moist areas, such as the soil near lakes. This is a perennial herb growing from a rhizome with thick, knobby tips. The plant grows erect to around 80 centimeters in maximum height, but is known to reach one meter. Its stem is lined with pairs of toothed leaves with heads of flowers in their axils. The flower is white and a few millimeters in length.

<i>Lycopus uniflorus</i> Species of plant

Lycopus uniflorus is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common name northern bugleweed. It is native to much of North America and east Asia

<i>Anacampseros</i> Genus of plants

AnacampserosL. is a genus comprising about a hundred species of small perennial succulent plants native to Southern Africa. The botanical name Anacampseros is an ancient one for herbs supposed to restore lost love.

<i>Frasera caroliniensis</i> Species of plant

Frasera caroliniensis, commonly known as American columbo or yellow gentian, is a herbaceous perennial of the gentian family Gentianaceae found in the deciduous forest of Southern Ontario and throughout the eastern and southeastern United States. It was previously known as Swertia caroliniensis.

<i>Blephilia hirsuta</i> Species of flowering plant

Blephilia hirsuta is an herbaceous perennial of the mint family Lamiaceae native to eastern North America. It is commonly called hairy wood-mint or hairy pagoda plant.

<i>Sesbania punicea</i> Species of legume

Sesbania punicea is an ornamental shrub with reddish-orange flowers. It has deciduous leaves and grows to a height of 15 feet. This plant has a high demand for water, and thrives in swamps or wet areas. It requires a mildly acidic soil, with a pH between 6.1 and 6.5.

References

  1. 1 2 Lycopus virginicus. NatureServe. 2012.
  2. Lycopus virginicus. USDA PLANTS Profile.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Bugleweed (Lycopus virginicus L.) The Center for New Crops & Plant Products. Purdue University.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Grant, N. Lycopus virginicus. Southern Cross Plant Science. Southern Cross University.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Penskar, M. R. 2010. Lycopus virginicus. Michigan Natural Features Inventory.
  6. Lycopus virginicus. Native American Ethnobotany Database. University of Michigan, Dearborn.

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