Lycopus L.

Waterhorehound (en), Lycope (fr)

Genus

Angiosperms > Lamiales > Lamiaceae

Characteristics

Cal evidently to obscurely 4–5-nerved, sometimes with additional lesser nerves, the 4–5 teeth equal or nearly so; cor small, the tube short, internally hairy at the throat, the limb nearly regularly 4–5-lobed, when 4-lobed the upper lobe tending to be broader than the others and emarginate; fertile stamens 2, slightly exserted, the upper pair obsolete or represented by small staminodes; pollen-sacs parallel, separately attached to the short connective; nutlets widened upward, bearing a corky ridge along the lateral angles and often across the top, the outer surface smooth and nearly plane, the inner convex and commonly glandular; rhizomatous and/or stoloniferous perennials, scarcely aromatic, with serrate to pinnatifid, wholly cauline lvs and numerous dense axillary clusters of small white fls in the summer. Our spp. are habitally much alike, 1–10 dm, growing in wet places. 14, widespread but mainly N. Amer.
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Herbs perennial, usually with enlarged rhizomes. Leaves dentate or pinnatifid. Verticillasters sessile, many flowered, subtended by minute bracteoles; floral leaves similar to stem leaves, gradually reduced upward; outer bracteoles equal to longer than calyx. Flowers sessile. Calyx campanulate, ± regular, glabrous inside; teeth 4 or 5, equal or 1 larger. Corolla campanulate, 2-lipped, throat intricately villous; upper lip entire or emarginate; lower lip 3-lobed, middle lobe larger than lateral lobes. Anterior stamens fertile, slightly exserted, straight, posterior 2 rudimentary or filiform, apex clavate or capitate; filaments glabrous; anther cells 2, parallel, becoming divergent. Style exserted, apex 2-cleft; lobes flattened, acute, equal or posterior smaller. Nutlets brown, dorsiventrally flattened, ± adaxially ribbed, glabrous or adaxially glandular, base cuneate, margin thickened, apex truncate.
Perennial, odourless herbs with creeping rhizomes. Lvs simple, coarsely toothed to pinnatisect. Verticels many-flowered, in dense, discrete, globose whorls. Bracts usually similar to lvs. Calyx campanulate, 13-nerved, not gibbous at base; teeth 5, equal. Corolla tube mostly < calyx; lobes 4, subequal, the uppermost usually widest. Stamens 2, exserted, divergent; staminodes 0 or 2. Style gynobasic, its branches equal. Nutlets angular, with broad margin, mostly smooth; apex truncate.
Life form perennial
Growth form herb
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Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
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Root system rhizome
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Hardiness (USDA) 4-9

Usage

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Cultivation

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