Prunella vulgaris L. var. lanceolata (W.P.C. Barton) Fernald

American Self Heal

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Self Heal is a perennial herbaceous herb in the Mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. In Alabama in occurs throughout the state. Self Heal grows in prairies, on outcrops, in cedar glades, on roadsides, along woodland edges, and along streams. It is a perennial with leafy basal offshoots. The stems are 4-angled, erect, green in color, and pubescent. The leaves are petiolate (upper often sessile), opposite, elliptic to lanceolate in outline, with entire, crenate or serrate margins. Flowers are produced in a terminal spike-like thyrse. Flowers are subtended by a ciliate, reniforn bract. The calyx is 2-lipped with the upper lip 3-toothed and the lower lip 2 parted. The corolla is 2-lipped with the upper lip hood-like and the lower lip 3 lobed. The middle lobe of the lower lip has a fringed margin. The corolla is blue to white in color. The fruit is a dark brown, ribbed, mericarp. Self Heal is edible in salads, soups, and stews. It has also been widely used to treat various ailments. Two varieties occur in Alabama. Prunella vulgaris L. var. lanceolata (W.P.C. Barton) Fernald has stem leaves that are lanceolate to oblong in outline with cuneate bases and is native. Prunella vulgaris L. var. vulgaris has stem leaves that are ovate to ovate-oblong with broadly rounded bases and is introduced.—A. Diamond

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Native

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