Verbena carnea Medik.

Carolina Vervain; Carolina False Vervain

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Carolina Vervain is a native herbaceous perennial in the Verbena family (Verbenaceae). It can be found in the southern two thirds of Alabama. Carolina Vervain grows in sand hills, in scrub oak woods, in dry long leaf pine woods, and in dry mixed pine/hardwood forests. Carolina Vervain is a perennial from a tap root. One or more upright stems, 1-3 feet in height, are produced by each rootstock. Stems are square, green in color and often purple at the base. The stems are pubescent and glandular, especially towards the top. Leaves are opposite, sessile, pubescent, elliptic to oblong in outline, and serrate. The leaves are reduced in size up the stem. Flowers are produced in terminal spikes. Plants may produce from 1-5 spikes. The flowers are often widely spaced on the inflorescence. They may be solitary, in opposite pairs, or whorled, all on the same inflorescence. Flowers are pink to pale lavender in color. Only a few flowers are open at any one time, and flowering progresses from the bottom to the top of the spikes. The corolla is five lobed. The fruit is a schizocarp with tightly adhering mericarps. Carolina Vervain is not especially showy and is not usually available from wildflower nurseries.--A. Diamond

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Native

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