Showy Skullcap, Scutellaria serrata
Lamiaceae or Mint Family
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Small but very showy plant. Flowers blue or blue-purple, typical mint-flower shape, about 1 inch long, in loose spikes. Leaves are oval, toothed, pointed, and opposite each other. Blooms in late spring.
Beautiful native of shady woods. Common, especially on the east slope of the Park. 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. It could be easily confused with hairy skullcap (S. elliptica), but that species has somewhat smaller flowers, rounded leaf teeth, and hairy 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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