Directory       News       Site Map       Home
    Jepson eFlora
Key to families | Table of families and genera




John M. Miller & Dieter H. Wilken

Perennial herb from rhizome, glabrous or hairy. Stem: erect, branched or not. Leaf: short-petioled to sessile; blade generally ovate to lanceolate, margin toothed to deeply lobed or cut. Inflorescence: head-like in leaf axils. Flower: calyx generally 5-lobed, lobes ± equal, obtuse to short-awned; corolla ± bilateral, not 2-lipped, generally 4-lobed, lobes ± unequal; stamens 2, exserted, staminodes 2, minute, club-shaped; style exserted. Fruit: nutlets ± compressed, truncate to rounded, edges corky-thickened.
14 species: temperate North America, Eurasia, Australia. (Greek: wolf foot, from French common name) [Moon et al. 2006 J Plant Res 119:633–644]
Unabridged references: [Moon & Hong 2003 Ann Bot Fenn 40:191–198; Henderson 1962 Amer Midl Naturalist 68:95–135]

Key to Lycopus

1. Calyx lobes ovate, tip obtuse to acute, ± = fruit; leaves generally short-petioled, generally serrate ..... L. uniflorus

1' Calyx lobes awl-like, tip acuminate to short-awned, generally > fruit; leaves ± sessile to short-petioled, serrate to deeply lobed or cut

2. Leaves generally short-petioled, deeply lobed to cut, especially in lower 1/2; fruit 1–1.5 mm, tip rounded ..... L. americanus

2' Leaves generally ± sessile, serrate; fruit 1.5–2 mm, tip ± truncate ..... L. asper

