lance selfheal

Lance selfheal is a 4″ to 20″ tall, perennial forb that rises on one or more stems from fibrous roots.

The stems can be drooping, almost laying flat on the ground, to almost erect. They are unbranched, 4-angled, and winged.

The leaves are opposite, lance-shaped to oblong lance-shaped, ⅝″ to 1½″ long, and ¼″ to ⅜″ wide. The middle stem leaves are ⅓ as wide as long. They are on ¼″ to 1″ long leaf stalks. The upper and lower surfaces are hairless or have sparse, long, soft, shaggy, unmatted hairs. The margins are untoothed.

The inflorescence is an egg-shaped, ¾″ to 2″ long, and ⅝″ to ¾″ wide spike of many flowers at the end of the stem.

The flowers are ⅜″ to ¾″ long. There are 5 petals fused at the base into a tube about ⅛″ long, then separated into an upper and lower lip. The upper lip is purple, almost round, hood-like, about 3 ⁄16″ in diameter, and notched at the tip. The lower lip is white and about half as long as the upper lip. It is divided into 3 lobes, a large central lobe and 2 smaller lateral lobes. The lateral lobes are about 1 ⁄16″ long and spreading. The central lobe is about ⅛″ long, strongly bent downward, and fringed at the tip. There are 4 stamens that are concealed under the hood.

The fruit is a smooth brownish-yellow nutlet about 1 ⁄16″ long.

4″ to 20″

Purple to violet-blue

Common selfheal (Prunella vulgaris ssp. vulgaris) leaves tend to be a little longer and much wider. They are egg-shaped to oblong egg-shaped, up to 2⅜″ long, and up to 1″ wide. The middle stem leaves are ½ as wide as long. The upper surface is almost hairless or is covered with very small, coarse, stiff hairs. The lower surface is almost hairless. The margins are wavy.

Disturbed sites.

June to October

Sources

4, 7, 24, 29, 30.

Native

Plant with small purple flower clusters...

I seen a few of these recently only in one certain small area at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA. All were short plants maybe 5-8 inches tall.

Prunella vulgaris lanceolata SELFHEAL
Frank Mayfield

Location: Frenchman’s Bluff SNA

I seen a few of these recently only in one certain small area at Frenchman’s Bluff SNA. All were short plants maybe 5-8 inches tall.