Lycopus
europaeus L.
Standardized Common
Name: European
Bugleweed
Other Common Names: Bitter Bugle, Gypsy
Herb, Marsh Horehound, Water Horehound
Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Taxonomy: Most of the 15
species of Lycopus are native to North America; Lycopus europaeus
is one of two European species. It is sometimes divided into two subspecies,
subsp. mollis (A. Kerner) Rothm. ex Skalický and subsp. menthifolius
(Mabille) Skalický, based on variations in the shape and pubescence of the
leaves.
Description: Perennial herb,
spreading by branching stolons. Stems 40–120 cm high, erect, quadrangular,
pubescent. Leaves opposite, short-petioled, 3–12 cm long, 1–5 cm broad,
lanceolate to ovate or elliptical, pubescent particularly along veins and
glandular-punctate; base cuneate; apex acute to acuminate; margins sinuate or
coarsely serrate with deepest lobes near base, or base pinnatifid in lower
leaves. Inflorescences axillary, verticillate, bracteate; bracts lanceolate,
3–5 mm long, with narrow pointed apex. Calyx campanulate, 3.5–4.5 mm long,
13-nerved, pubescent; teeth 5, equal, longer than tube, awned. Corolla white
with small purple spots, about 4 mm long, nearly radially symmetrical, tubular
below, gradually widening above, 4-lobed; upper lobe slightly wider and
crenate on outer margin. Stamens 2, protruding from corolla; anthers 2-loculed;
staminodes 2, minute. Style gynobasic. Fruit 4 nutlets, 1.6–1.9 mm long,
1.0–1.3 mm broad, with a corky crest.
Parts
in Commerce:
Leaves and flowers
Identification:
Leaves
- 3–12 cm long,
1–5 cm broad
- Shape varying
from lanceolate to ovate
- Margins
sinuately toothed, approaching pinnatifid in some large leaves
- Base cuneate;
petiole short
- Apex acute to
acuminate
- Glandular-dotted;
pubescence otherwise variable
Flowers
- Subtended by
lanceolate, pointed bracts 3–5 mm long
- Calyx
bell-shaped, pubescent, with 5 equal teeth; teeth longer than tube, awned
- Corolla 4-lobed,
~4 mm long, tubular below, widening above, white with small purple spots
- Stamens 2,
protruding from corolla at flowering
Adulterants: Although adulteration is not reported, L.
europaeus shares a
large portion of its range with L. exaltatus L. f., which it closely
resembles. The two can be distinguished by the following features:
|
Lycopus europaeus
|
Lycopus
exaltatus
|
|
Leaf margins wavy, or pinnatifid only near bases
of lower leaves
|
All leaves strongly pinnatifid almost to apex
|
|
Bracts 3–5 mm long
|
Bracts 6–9 mm long
|
|
Calyx teeth 5, equal, awned, often 2 mm long
|
Calyx teeth 4–5, equal or with one smaller, not
awned, <2 mm long
|
|
Staminodes minute or not present
|
Staminodes present, with enlarged tips
|
Reference:
Henderson NC. A taxonomic revision of the genus Lycopus
(Labiatae). Am Midl Naturalist. 1962;68:95–138.
Figure 41: a–c, Lycopus
europaeus habit, flower and leaf
close-up.
