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Prunella
vulgaris L.
Standardized Common
Name: Heal
All
Other Common Names: All Heal, Brunella,
Prunella, Self Heal
Family: Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
Taxonomy: Prunella
includes 4 herbaceous species and ranges from Europe to East Asia and North
Africa. Prunella vulgaris has also been widely naturalized in North
America. It is a variable species, and many varieties or forms have been
created to name variations in leaf shape, flower color, and so forth.
Indigenous American populations have narrower leaves than European populations,
and are often termed P. vulgaris var. lanceolata (Bart.) Fern.
Description: Perennial herb;
stems usually multiple, quadrangular, unbranched or branched, often creeping
and rooting at the nodes, ascending in flower, 5–25(–60) cm high, purple below,
more or less pubescent. Leaves opposite, petiolate, (2.5–)4–5(–9) cm long,
ovate to rhomboid-ovate, or narrowly elliptical to lanceolate; base rounded
when leaves are broad, or tapering when leaves are narrow; apex acute to obtuse
or rounded; margins entire or slightly crenulate; surface dark green above,
more or less pubescent especially beneath. Inflorescence a short crowded spike
of flowers in clusters of 3; flowers sessile, subtended by bracts, opening a
few at a time; bracts membranous, nearly round, 5–15 mm long, with cuspidate
apex. Calyx bilabiate, usually 8–9 mm long, green or purple, 10-nerved, usually
somewhat pubescent; upper lip 3-toothed, teeth tipped with tiny points, central
tooth broadest; lower lip 2-toothed, narrower than the upper. Corolla
bilabiate, (8–)13–15(–18) mm long, violet to bluish or lavender, or rarely pink
or white; upper lip larger, erect and arched, unlobed, pubescent; lower lip
spreading to somewhat reflexed, with 3 lobes, the central lobe largest and rounded,
with minutely toothed margins, the lateral 2 lobes at sides of corolla mouth
smaller, oblong. Stamens 4, 2 longer, 2 shorter; filaments 2-toothed at apex,
the anthers borne on lower teeth. Ovary deeply 4-lobed, style gynobasic; fruit
4 nutlets.
Parts
in Commerce:
Inflorescence (or occasionally whole herb)
Identification:
- Compact spike,
with same diameter throughout (not narrowing at the top)
- Flowers sessile,
subtended by bracts; bracts nearly round, to 15 mm long, with a narrowed
point at the apex
- Calyx green to
purple, persisting after corolla has fallen
- Calyx strongly
bilabiate, usually 8–9 mm long, shorter than corolla
- Upper lip of
calyx broader than lower lip, 3-toothed with teeth ending in small points;
central tooth much broader than lateral teeth
- Lower lip of
calyx narrower, 2-toothed; teeth lanceolate, to 2 mm long
- Calyx 10-nerved,
usually pubescent at least along nerves and margins of teeth
- Corolla purple
to bluish-violet or lavender (wild plants rarely rose-pink or white),
typically pubescent
- Corolla
(8–)13–15(–18) mm long, bilabiate, with upper lip larger, arching, unlobed
- Lower lip of
corolla spreading to somewhat reflexed, 3-lobed, the central lobe largest
and rounded
- Stamens 4;
filaments branched at the top, with lower branch bearing the anther and
upper branch forming a pointed tooth
Adulterants: Adulteration has not
been reported. Although P. vulgaris is usually cultivated, other species
of Prunella could conceivably be confused with it in Europe. Features
found only in other species include:
- Corolla length
over 18 mm
- Corolla not
purplish
- Calyx teeth
nearly equal in breadth or reduced to almost absent on upper lip, or over
2 mm long on lower lip
Prunella
grandiflora
Jacq. hybridizes readily with P. vulgaris, producing populations with
numerous intermediate features. Hybrids tend to have long corollas and short
rounded teeth on the filaments, as well as a peduncle of 1.5 cm or more between
the inflorescence and the uppermost pair of leaves.
References:
Fernald ML. The indigenous varieties of Prunella
vulgaris in North America. Rhodora. 1913;15:179–186.
Högström S. Identifiering av hybrider mellan
praktbrunört Prunella grandiflora och brunört P. vulgaris. Svensk
Bot Tidskr. 1999;93:95–102.
Smith AR. Prunella. In: Tutin TG, Heywood VH, Burges NA, et al.,
eds. Flora Europaea. Vol. 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press; 1972:162.
Figure 58: a–b, Prunella vulgaris calyx and flower
inside bracts.
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