vervain

genus Verbena

Member of verbena family (family Verbenaceae)
dicots (class Magnoliopsida)
flowering plants (subphylum Angiospermae)

Except for historical records that I'm ignoring, there are no other wild species of this genus in the bay area.

---

purpletop vervain
Verbena bonariensis

• flower bract 1–4.5 mm, generally ≤ calyx
• stem generally ascending to erect
• most cauline leaf blades generally unlobed, coarsely serrate
• leaf 7–15 cm, generally clasping
• rare

bigbract verbena
Verbena bracteata

• flower bract 4–8 mm, 2–4 mm > calyx [longer than the flower, even]
• stem prostrate to decumbent
• leaf 1–3 cm, base tapered to ± flat petiole
• very rare

Toxicity of vervain (Verbena spp.):
0 – Non-toxic.

---

1 observed taxon / 3 unobserved taxons / 2 keys

Chris’s observations: 31 (13 are research grade)

Locations:

• Russian Ridge OSP: 4
• Coal Creek OSP: 3
• Mt. Madonna SP: 3
• Sweeney Ridge National Recreation Area: 3
• Bear Creek Redwoods OSP: 2
• Henry Coe SP: 2
• Long Ridge OSP: 2
• Andrew Molera SP
• Castle Rock SP
• Coyote Lake / Harvey Bear Ranch CP
• El Corte de Madera OSP
• Fremont Older OSP
• Joseph D. Grant CP
• Murray Ranch SP
• Pescadero Creek CP
• Sam McDonald CP
• Saratoga Gap OSP
• Skyline Ridge OSP
• Wunderlich CP

Months:

• May: 7
• Jun.: 11
• Jul.: 6
• Aug.: 3
• Sep.: 3
• Oct.: 0
• Nov.: 1

For more details, use advanced search.

---

Not all sites include this taxon:

• genus Verbena → iNaturalist – Calflora – Jepson eFlora
• not yet listed → FNA

Bay Area species: iNaturalist – Calflora