Scutellaria ovata Hill

Persistence: PERENNIAL

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

This perennial wildflower is ¾-3' tall and usually unbranched, except near the apex where the inflorescence occurs. Erect leafy stems may be produced individually or in small clusters. The central stem is is whitish green, 4-angled, and covered with either glandular or non-glandular hairs (or both). Pairs of opposite leaves occur along each stem. The leaf blades are 1-4" long and ¾-3" across; they are cordate in shape with coarse dentate-crenate margins. The upper blade surface is medium to dark green and either sparsely covered with short hairs or glabrous. The lower surface is slightly more pale and varies from densely hairy to sparsely hairy (rarely glabrous). The slender petioles are ½-2" long and hairy. The central stem terminates in a raceme of flowers about 3-12" long. In addition, any upper lateral stems may produce smaller racemes of flowers. The racemes are narrow and usually only a few flowers are in bloom at the same time. Individual flowers are ½-1" long. Each flower consists of a blue-violet or purple corolla with 2 lips, a short tubular calyx with 2 lips, 4 inserted stamens, and a pistil with an inserted style. The corolla is much longer than the calyx. The corolla is narrow and tubular at its base, but becomes more wide and swollen towards its lips. The upper lip of the corolla consists of a protective hood, while the lower lip is larger, more rounded, and somewhat lobed. There is usually a large patch of white along the inside of the lower lip that is speckled blue-violet or purple. The calyx is about 1/8" long, whitish green, and covered with glandular hairs. A protuberance occurs along the upper side of each calyx.. The pedicels of the flowers are very short (about 1/8" in length). Underneath the flowers, there are leafy bracts of variable length