Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with the
Western New Mexico University Department of Natural Sciences

Verbena hastata Linnaeus
(Arrowhead Vervain)

Family: Verbenaceae

Status: Native

Synonyms:
None

Verbena hastata is a tall plant reaching over 6 feet in height. The alternate leaves are dentate. The multiple flowering spikes are dense with overlapping purple flowers. The fruit consists of four nutlets in a persistant calyx. With the large numbers of flowers per flower spike, a very large number of nutlets is produced. Compared to Verbena macdougalii, a very similar species, the flower spikes of Verbena hastata are much slimmer and the stem hairs of V. hastata are appressed to ascending compared to the spreading stem hairs of V. macdougalii. Verbena hastata is found in moist swales at middle elevation.
Please click on an image for a larger file.



Verbena hastata, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Mangas, July 23, 2007



Verbena hastata, appressed stem hairs, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Mangas, November 21, 2009



Verbena hastata, calyces persistant on stem, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Mangas, November 21, 2009



Verbena hastata, large numbers of nutlets per entire flower spike, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Mangas, November 21, 2009



Verbena hastata, four nutlets per persistant calyx, photo Russ Kleinman, Burro Mtns., Mangas, November 21, 2009


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