Verbena incompta P.W. Michael

Clasping Verbena

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Clasping Verbena is an introduced, weedy herbaceous annual or short-lived perennial in the Verbena family (VERBENACEAE). It is native to South America. In Alabama it can be found in the southern half of the state. Clasping Verbena grows in disturbed areas such as on roadsides, in fields, in clear-cuts, and under bridges. It is an annual or short-lived perennial from a tap root. Stems are erect, clumped, 3-5 feet in height, square in cross section, green in color, scabrous, and eglandular. The dark green leaves are basal and cauline. The stem leaves are opposite, sessile and clasp the stem. The leaves are lanceolate to elliptic or ovate in outline, pubescent on both surfaces, with coarsely serrate margins. Flowers are produced in dense purplish spikes arranged in compound cymes. The central spike is sessile. Each flower is subtended by a keeled, ovate or lanceolate floral bract that is slightly longer than the calyx, with ciliate margins. The corolla has a tubular portion with 5 spreading lobes. It is purple to blue or white in color. The fruit is a nutlet. Clasping Verbena is very similar to Purple Top Vervain (Verbena bonariensis Linnaeus), and has been treated as a variety of that species. Purple Top Vervain differs in having a much longer corolla tube, larger flowers, and glandular peduncles and calyx. Clasping Verbena is a larger, more robust plant than Purple Top Vervain. Although weedy and not very showy, the flowers of Clasping Verbena are visited by large numbers of insects including many bees and butterflies.—A. Diamond.

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Not Native FAC+ (NWPL)

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