Hairy Skullcap, Scutellaria elliptica
Lamiaceae or Mint Family
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Small but very showy plant. Flowers blue or blue-purple, typical mint-flower shape, a little under 1 inch long, in a loose spike at the top of the plant. Leaves are opposite each other, egg-shaped to oval, with large rounded teeth and a fringe of hairs. Stem hairy. Blooms in late spring.
Beautiful native of dry woods. At least occasional in the Park, but easily confused with showy skullcap. Members of the mint family are often hard to tell apart. The long spikes of large purple flowers make this one fairly easy ot recognize. Could be easily confused with showy skullcap (S. serrata), but that species has somewhat larger flowers, pointed teethon the leaves and smooth, hairless stems. Small skullcap (S. parvula) is a smaller plant with untoothed leaves. Veined skullcap (S. nervosa) is also smaller and has white flowers. |
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