''Physostegia'', the lionshearts or false dragonheads (in reference to their similarity to ''

Dracocephalum ''Dracocephalum'' is a genus of about 60Sonboli, A., et al. (2011)Molecular characterization of Iranian ''Dracocephalum'' (Lamiaceae) species based on RAPD data.''Acta Biologica Szegediensis'' 55(2), 227-30. to 70 speciesLazarević, P., et al. ( ...

''), is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Lamiaceae The Lamiaceae ( ) or Labiatae are a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint, deadnettle or sage family. Many of the plants are aromatic in all parts and include widely used culinary herbs like basil, mint, rosemary, sage, savory ...

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

to North America (United States, Canada, northern Mexico).Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families
/ref>Biota of North America Program, 2013 county distribution maps
/ref> They are erect rhizomatous

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s inhabiting damp, sunny places. They grow up to tall with purple or pink tubular flowers in

raceme A raceme ( or ) or racemoid is an unbranched, indeterminate type of inflorescence bearing flowers having short floral stalks along the shoots that bear the flowers. The oldest flowers grow close to the base and new flowers are produced as the s ...

s in summer. The generic name comes from two Greek words, ''physa'' (a bladder) and ''stege'' (a covering), referring to the calyx, which becomes full of fruit when mature. ''

Physostegia virginiana ''Physostegia virginiana'', the obedient plant, obedience or false dragonhead, is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. It is native to North America, where it is distributed from eastern Canada to northern Mexico. ''Physost ...

'' is the most common species, and is known as "obedient plant". ;Species # '' Physostegia angustifolia'' Fernald - lower Mississippi Valley, southern Great Plains # '' Physostegia correllii'' (Lundell) Shinners - Texas, northern Mexico # '' Physostegia digitalis'' Small - Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Alabama # '' Physostegia godfreyi'' P.D.Cantino - Florida Panhandle # '' Physostegia intermedia'' (Nutt.) Engelm. & A.Gray - lower Mississippi Valley, southern Great Plains # '' Physostegia ledinghamii'' (B.Boivin) P.D.Cantino - Northwest Territories, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota # '' Physostegia leptophylla'' Small - Southeast from Florida to Virginia # '' Physostegia longisepala'' P.D.Cantino - Texas, Louisiana # '' Physostegia parviflora'' Nutt. ex A.Gray - western Canada (Manitoba to British Columbia), northwestern + north-central United States (Illinois to Washington) # '' Physostegia pulchella'' Lundell - eastern Texas # '' Physostegia purpurea'' (Walter) S.F.Blake - Southeast from Florida to North Carolina # ''

'' (L.) Benth. - much of eastern + central US + Canada; northeastern Mexico

References

External links

University of Texas Herbarium
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2702592 Lamiaceae Lamiaceae genera Flora of Northern America