Texas
Wildbuds

Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella

(New Mexico Verbena)

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Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella, along Hwy 118, Big Bend National Park 6108

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Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella, along Hwy 118, Big Bend National Park 6100

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Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella, Hot Springs-Rio Grande Village Trail, Big Bend National Park 6039

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Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella, Hot Springs-Rio Grande Village Trail, Big Bend National Park 6036

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Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella, along Hwy 118, Big Bend National Park 6121

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Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella, along Hwy 118, Big Bend National Park 6111

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Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella, Hot Springs-Rio Grande Village Trail, Big Bend National Park 6047

Scientific Name Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella USDA PLANTS Symbol VENEH
Common Name Hillside Vervain, New Mexico Verbena ITIS Taxonomic Serial No. 530782
Family Verbenaceae (Verbena) SEINet
Reference
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Description Habitat: Desert scrub, dry washes, plains, foothills and canyons, 2000 to 6000 ft.
Plant: Slender, erect perennial, 12 to 28 inches tall, single or a few hairy stems branched from base and above.
Leaves: Opposite, narrowly ovate in outline and shallowly incised, 3/4 to 2 inches long, sessile or nearly so, hairy surfaces and somewhat glandular; lower leaves withering early.
Inflorescence: Small, violet flowers in 1 to 3 slender elongated spikes per stem; each flower subtended by a small ovate-triangular bract, shorter than the calyx; 5-toothed calyx 1/8 to 3/16-inch long; blue to violet, rarely white, tubular corolla with 5 united flaring petals (salverform), tube slightly longer than the calyx.
Bloom Period April to November.
References: "Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas" by Correll and Johnston, SEINet, iNaturalist, Southeast Arizona Wildflowers and Plants.
Note: V. neomexicana is not shown in the Big Bend area according to the BONAP map on the right; however it appears in the SEINet Big Bend Checklist and on iNaturalist. It is possible that the images here are actually V. perennis or V. canescens; however, there are differences in leaf shape, hairiness, and bracts with these images being more like V. neomexicana in these respects.
BONAP Distribution Map

Map Color Key
Texas Status:
Native

Banner photo of Castilleja indivisa and Lupinus ssp. taken along FM 1323 north of Johnson City, Blanco County

© Tom Lebsack 2024