Stachys palustris

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Stachys palustris
Stachys palustris - soo-noianoges.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Stachys
Species:
S. palustris
Binomial name
Stachys palustris
L.
Synonyms [2]
  • Stachys aquatica Bubani
  • Stachys austriaca Heynh.
  • Stachys maeotica Postrig.
  • Stachys segetum Hagen
  • Stachys wolgensis Wilensky
Inflorescence Stachys palustris - inflorescence.jpg
Inflorescence

Stachys palustris, commonly known as marsh woundwort, [3] marsh betony, clown's woundwort, clown's heal-all, marsh hedgenettle, [4] or hedge-nettle, [5] is an edible [6] perennial grassland herb growing to 80 centimeters tall. It is native to parts of Eurasia but has been introduced to North America. [5] The species epithet palustris is Latin for "of the marsh" and indicates its common habitat. [7]

Contents

Description

Marsh woundwort is a perennial plant growing from a horizontal tuberous runner. It has square stems with opposite pairs of leaves that are almost stalkless, linearly lanceolate, slightly cordate at the base and toothed. The calyx has five sharply-pointed lobes. The purplish-red flowers are in terminal spikes, with gaps in the lower part of the spike. They are arranged in whorls, each flower consisting of five fused petals, the corolla being two-lipped, the upper lip being gently hooded and the lower lip flat and three-lobed. The flowers are mostly visited by bumblebees. [8] There are four stamens, two long and two short and the fruit is a dry four-chambered schizocarp. [9] [10]

Distribution and habitat

The marsh woundwort is native to Europe and Asia. Its typical habitat is near the shore of lakes, in marshes with alder trees, on the banks of ditches and streams, in damp meadows, in arable ground and in waste places. In arable land, it is a difficult weed to get rid of because of its persistent tubers. [10]

Ecology

Although the marsh woundwort has little fragrance, it is very attractive to bumblebees. Nectar indicators guide the insect to probe into the centre of the flower and the anthers of the stamens and the pistils are correctly located for the insect to transfer pollen between flowers. The seeds of this plant disperse well, the dry fruit capsules float away and this probably why the plant is frequently found on the banks of lakes and other bodies of water. It also spreads vegetatively by means of hollow tuberous root which can throw up shoots far from the original plant. [10]

Uses

As their common names suggest, along with its close relatives field woundwort and hedge woundwort it is used to promote the healing of wounds. Wort is a middle English word for an herb or vegetable.

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<i>Caltha palustris</i> Species of flowering plant in the buttercup family

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<i>Symplocarpus foetidus</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Paris quadrifolia</i> Flowering plant, family Melanthiaceae

Paris quadrifolia, the herb Paris or true lover's knot, is a species of flowering plant in the family Melanthiaceae. It occurs in temperate and cool areas throughout Eurasia, from Spain to Yakutia, and from Iceland to Mongolia. It prefers calcareous soils and lives in damp and shady places, especially old established woods and stream banks.

<i>Acanthus mollis</i> Species of flowering plant

Acanthus mollis, commonly known as bear's breeches, sea dock, bear's foot plant, sea holly, gator plant or oyster plant, is a species of plant in the family Acanthaceae and is native to the Mediterranean region. It is a leafy, clump-forming perennial herb, with a rosette of relatively large, lobed or toothed leaves, and purplish and white flowers on an erect spike.

<i>Parnassia palustris</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae

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<i>Calla</i> Monotypic genus of flowering plant in the arum family Araceae

Calla is a genus of flowering plant in the family Araceae, containing the single species Calla palustris.

<i>Aconitum lycoctonum</i> Species of plant

Aconitum lycoctonum is a species of flowering plant in the genus Aconitum, of the family Ranunculaceae, native to much of Europe and northern Asia. It is found in lowlands to the subalpine zone, mainly in forests and shaded habitats. Along with A. napellus, A. lycoctonum is of the most common European species of the Aconitum genus. They are also grown ornamentally in gardens, thriving well in ordinary garden soil. As such, A. lycoctonum can be found in North America, especially in eastern Canada, often in old gardens or as garden escapees.

<i>Viola palustris</i> Species of flowering plant

Viola palustris is a perennial forb of the genus Viola. It inhabits moist meadows, marshes, and stream banks in northern parts of North America and Eurasia. The species epithet palustris is Latin for "of the marsh" and indicates its common habitat.

<i>Stachys byzantina</i> Species of flowering plant

Stachys byzantina, the lamb's-ear or woolly hedgenettle, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to Armenia, Iran, and Turkey. It is cultivated throughout much of the temperate world as an ornamental plant, and is naturalised in some locations as an escapee from gardens. Plants are very often found under the synonym Stachys lanata or Stachys olympica.

<i>Stachys sylvatica</i> Species of herb

Stachys sylvatica, commonly known as hedge woundwort, whitespot, or sometimes as hedge nettle, is a perennial herbaceous plant growing to 80 cm (31 in) tall in woodland and unmanaged grassland. In temperate zones of the northern hemisphere it flowers in July and August. The flowers are purple. The leaves, when crushed or bruised, give off an unpleasant fetid smell.

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

Ajuga pyramidalis, commonly known as pyramidal bugle, is a flowering plant of the genus Ajuga in the family Lamiaceae. It is a native plant in Europe.

<i>Lathyrus palustris</i> Species of legume

Lathyrus palustris is a species of wild pea known by the common name marsh pea. It is native to Europe, Asia, and North America. It is a perennial herb with leaves made up of oval-shaped or oblong leaflets a few centimeters long. It has branched, coiled tendrils. The plant bears an inflorescence of two to eight pinkish purple pea flowers each up to two centimeters wide. The fruit is a dehiscent legume pod.

Palustris is a Latin word meaning "swampy" or "marshy", and may refer to:

<i>Triglochin palustris</i> Species of flowering plant in the arrowgrass family


Triglochin palustris or marsh arrowgrass is a species of flowering plant in the arrowgrass family Juncaginaceae. It is found in damp grassland usually on calcareous soils, fens and meadows. The species epithet palustris is Latin for "of the marsh" and indicates its common habitat. It has a circumboreal distribution, occurring throughout northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere. It can be found locally in the British Isles especially the north.

<i>Stachys arvensis</i> Species of flowering plant

Stachys arvensis is a species of flowering plant in the mint family known by the common names field woundwort and staggerweed. It is native to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. It is known on other continents as an introduced species and widespread weed.

<i>Achyranthes aspera</i> Species of plant

Achyranthes aspera is a species of plant in the family Amaranthaceae. It is distributed throughout the tropical world. It can be found in many places growing as an introduced species and a common weed. It is an invasive species in some areas, including many Pacific Islands environments.

<i>Stachys recta</i> Species of flowering plant

Stachys recta, commonly known as stiff hedgenettle or perennial yellow-woundwort, is herbaceous perennial plant of the family Lamiaceae.

<i>Pedicularis palustris</i> Species of flowering plant

Pedicularis palustris, commonly known as marsh lousewort or red rattle, is a plant species in the family Orobanchaceae. It is native to central and northern Europe and Asia where it grows in wetlands and boggy habitats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of least concern.

References

  1. Khela, S.; Lansdown, R.V. (2014). "Stachys palustris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T203274A42396400. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-1.RLTS.T203274A42396400.en . Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  2. "Stachys palustris L." Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 27 December 2024.
  3. BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  4. NRCS. "Stachys palustris". PLANTS Database. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 30 November 2015.
  5. 1 2 Dickinson, T.; Metsger, D.; Bull, J.; & Dickinson, R. (2004) ROM Field Guide to Wildflowers of Ontario. Toronto:Royal Ontario Museum, p. 298.
  6. northern bushcraft
  7. Archibald William Smith A Gardener's Handbook of Plant Names: Their Meanings and Origins , p. 258, at Google Books
  8. Van Der Kooi, C. J.; Pen, I.; Staal, M.; Stavenga, D. G.; Elzenga, J. T. M. (2015). "Competition for pollinators and intra-communal spectral dissimilarity of flowers". Plant Biology. 18 (1): 56–62. doi:10.1111/plb.12328. PMID   25754608.
  9. Webb, D.A., Parnell, J. and Doogue, D. (1996) An Irish Flora. Dundalgan Press (W.Tempest) Ltd. ISBN   0-85221-131-7
  10. 1 2 3 "Marsh woundwort: Stachys palustris". NatureGate. Retrieved 2013-12-14.