Scientific Family
Lamiaceae
Synonyms
Scutellaria lateriflora var. albiflora, S. lateriflora var. axillaris, S. lateriflora var. grohii
Other common names
mad dog skullcap
Plant type
Forbs and Subshrubs
Origin
Native
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
Up to 32 inches tall
Riparian
Yes
Branches occasionally; stems are light green to pale reddish-green, 4-angled, hairless or sparsely hairy, tendency to sprawl; rhizomes slender; stems smooth or hairs sparse; generally not glandular; 6 inch flower stems of 6 to 7 pairs of flowers.
Slender spreading rhizomes; may have sparse hairs or no hairs; leaves triangular to lance-shaped; flowers 2–lipped, upper lip dome-like, lower lips white-patched, flowers blue to purplish-blue, in spike-like elongated terminal or axillary clusters.
Habitat
Moist bottomlands, marshes, wet meadows. Low, wet borders of lakes, ponds, and swamps, in low wet woods, and dredged ditches, and sometimes in roadside ditches.
Plant Community
Riparian
Disturbed Areas
Low elevation
3700
High elevation
6200
Flower Characteristics
Small, tubular, 2-lipped, snapdragon-like, paired flowers (to 1/3 inch) bloom solitary or in 6 inch long spike-like clusters, flower with 2 lips, upper lip helmet-like, lower often white; flower tube 1/4 inch long; 4 stamens; sepals 1/16 inch long.
Flower color
Blue to purplish-blue, white
Flower shape
Regular
Tubular
Yes
First bloom month
July
Last bloom month
August
Flower clusters
Elongated
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
Leaf blades 1 to 2-1/2 inches long; rounded, squared-off at base; smooth above, paler, often hairy on veins below, hairs flattened; leaf stems from 1/4 to 1 inch long; there are 2 leaves per node along the stem; upper leaf surface has conspicuous veins.
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf color
Green
Leaf shape
Round or oval
Leaf margin
Toothed
Leaves clasp
No
Leaf hairs
Leaves & stems
Spines
No
Fruit and Seed Characteristics
Tuberculate (with small rounded projections) or papillose (covered with raised dots), brown.
Fruit type
Nutlet
Fruit color
Brown