Teucrium canadense L. (American germander, wood sage)

American Germander, Canadian Germander, Wood Sage

Teucrium canadense L.

(Order Lamiales, Family Lamiaceae)

Wood sage in abundance. Image from http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=TECA3

 

Close-up of a Wood Sage flower. Image from http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TECA3

 

 

Diagnosis:

Height: 0.3 meters to 1.0 meter (1-3 feet) tall.

Stems: Leaves simple or sparingly branched, 3-10 dm tall.

Leaves: Leaves ovate, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, 3-12 cm long.

Flowers: 4-6 flowered spiciform in florescences, purplish, 6-20 cm long.

Fruits: Nutlets light redish brown, 1.5-2.4 mm long.

 

 

Flowering Period: May, June, July, August, September

 

Habitat: Open or shaded usually moist sites such as stream banks, lake shores, marshes, prairies, ditches, sometimes pastures.

 

Conservation status: Not threatened

 

Native Status: Native to the United States.

 

Distribution: This species is widespread in Kansas.
 

Distribution in the US and Canada (green).  Map from http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=TECA3

 

Visitors: Pollinating insects.

 

Video: Wood Sage

 

Human uses: “Woodsage” was once used to flavor beer before hops were used.

 

Links:

http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=TECA3

http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=TECA3

 

References:

Great Plains Flora Association, 1986. Flora of the Great Plains. University Press of Kansas. Lawrence Kansas. 724 pp.    

 

Stevens, W. (1961). Kansas wild flowers. (3rd ed.). Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press.

 

Niering, W., & Olmstead, N. (2001). North american wildflowers, eastern region. (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Chanticleer Press.

 

 

Image Credits:

http://www.wildflower.org/gallery/result.php?id_image=27697

http://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=TECA3

 

 

Submitted By: Chris Bevilacqua, August, 2013