Family: Lamiaceae
American germander, Canadian germander, wood sage
Julie Rueckheim
Christopher Noll
University of Wisconsin - Madison (WIS-VP)
Etymology: Teucrium: from Teucer, "a Trojan king"
Plants: erect, perennial, 12"-40" tall forb; stems square, unbranched, densely hairy
Leaves: opposite, toothed, stalked, softly hairy on the top
Flowers: pink to purple, 5-parted, 3/8"-3/4" long, not hooded;
inflorescence a 2"-8" tall, dense, terminal, spike-like, conical cluster (raceme) of stalked flowers; blooms July-Aug.
Fruits: 1-seeded nutlet
Habitat: moist to wet; woods, prairies
Conservation Status: Native
Plants: erect, perennial, 12"-40" tall forb; stems square, unbranched, densely hairy
Leaves: opposite, toothed, stalked, softly hairy on the top
Flowers: pink to purple, 5-parted, 3/8"-3/4" long, not hooded;
inflorescence a 2"-8" tall, dense, terminal, spike-like, conical cluster (raceme) of stalked flowers; blooms July-Aug.Fruits: 1-seeded nutlet
Habitat: moist to wet; woods, prairies
Conservation Status: Native
Fields, shores, mesic to wet prairies and savannas, dry hillside prairies, sandstone and limestone bluffs, talus slopes, lowland forests, mesic woods of maple, oak-hickory, or rarely oak-pine, sedge meadows, thickets, fencerows, along railroads, roadsides, and ditches. This a rhizomatous plant, often forming colonies.
Two taxa occur in Wisconsin, but they are highly variable and seem to intergrade. The typical variety has calyces with short (not over 1 mm) ± appressed eglandular hairs that range from sparse to dense in their abundance; these plants were formerly called var. virginicum (L.) Eaton. Plants with calyces covered in both glandular and eglandular spreading hairs (1 mm or longer) are var. occidentale (A. Gray) E. M. McClint. & Epling. Some specimens with calyx indumentum like var. canadense possess very few short, glandular hairs while some with long indumentum like var. occidentale lack glandular hairs entirely; these may represent hybrids or are simply intermediates. Leaf undersides are said to be more grayish in color in var. occidentale (owing to a woolier indumentum) but this character does not seem to always hold true in our material. Clearly more work is needed to determine the validity of these taxa. The typical variety is mostly found within the Driftless Area with a few outlying stations. Variety occidentale is mostly found in the eastern part of the state but overlaps a bit with the range of var. canadense. Both taxa are uncommon north of the Tension Zone (except around Lake Michigan) and mostly absent from an area between Lake Michigan and Lake Winnebago spanning Kewaunee Co. to Ozaukee Co.
Two taxa occur in Wisconsin, but they are highly variable and seem to intergrade. The typical variety has calyces with short (not over 1 mm) ± appressed eglandular hairs that range from sparse to dense in their abundance; these plants were formerly called var. virginicum (L.) Eaton. Plants with calyces covered in both glandular and eglandular spreading hairs (1 mm or longer) are var. occidentale (A. Gray) E. M. McClint. & Epling. Some specimens with calyx indumentum like var. canadense possess very few short, glandular hairs while some with long indumentum like var. occidentale lack glandular hairs entirely; these may represent hybrids or are simply intermediates. Leaf undersides are said to be more grayish in color in var. occidentale (owing to a woolier indumentum) but this character does not seem to always hold true in our material. Clearly more work is needed to determine the validity of these taxa. The typical variety is mostly found within the Driftless Area with a few outlying stations. Variety occidentale is mostly found in the eastern part of the state but overlaps a bit with the range of var. canadense. Both taxa are uncommon north of the Tension Zone (except around Lake Michigan) and mostly absent from an area between Lake Michigan and Lake Winnebago spanning Kewaunee Co. to Ozaukee Co.
Floristic Rating: Coefficient of Conservatism = 4, Wetland Indicator = FACW- USDA Plants Database: Federal Distribution and detailed information including photos Dan Tenaglia's The Missouri Flora: Fabulous photographs; detailed descriptions; color and leave arrangement key. Illinois Wildflowers: Wonderful photographs; detailed descriptions; color and leaf arrangement key Southwest School of Botanical Medicine: Britton & Brown Illustrated Flora - 2nd Edition (1913) "An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada"
Christopher Noll
Christopher Noll
Christopher Noll
Rob Baller
Aaron_Carlson
Aaron_Carlson
Caroline A. Creevey
Aaron_Carlson
Merel R. Black
