Verbena
This article is about the plant of genus Verbena. For other plants called "verbenas", see For other meanings, see Verbena (disambiguation).
"Vervain" redirects here. For other uses, see Vervain (disambiguation).
Verbena (pronounced /vərˈbiːnə/) (verbenas or vervains) is a genus in the family Verbenaceae. It contains about 250 species of annual and perennial herbaceous or semi-woody flowering plants. The majority of the species are native to the New World from Canada south to southern Chile, but some are also native in the Old World, mainly in Europe. These include Common Vervain (V. officinalis) and V. supina.
The leaves are usually opposite, simple, and in many species hairy, often densely so. The flowers are small, with five petals, and borne in dense spikes. Typically some shade of blue, they may also be white, pink, or purple, especially in cultivars.
The genus can be divided into a diploid North American and a polyploid South American lineage, both with a base chromosome number of 7. The European species derived from the North American lineage. It seems that Verbena as well as the related mock vervains (Glandularia) evolved from the assemblage provisionally treated under the genus name Junellia; both other genera were usually included in the Verbenaceae until the 1990s. Intergeneric chloroplast gene transfer by an undetermined mechanism – though probably not hybridization – has occurred at least twice from vervains to Glandularia, between the ancestors of the present-day South American lineages and once more recently, between V. orcuttiana or Swamp Verbena (V. hastata) and G. bipinnatifida. In addition, several species of Verbena are of natural hybrid origin; the well-known Garden Vervain has an entirely muddy history. The relationships of this close-knit group are therefore hard to resolve with standard methods of computational phylogenetics.
Ecology and human uses
Some species, hybrids and cultivars of vervain are used as ornamental plants. They are valued in butterfly gardening in suitable climates, attracting Lepidoptera such as the Hummingbird Hawk-moth (Macroglossum stellatarum), Chocolate Albatross (Appias lyncida), or the Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor), and also hummingbirds, especially Common Vervain (V. officinalis), which is also grown as a honey plant.
For some vervain pathogens, see List of verbena diseases. Cultivated vervains are sometimes parasitized by Sweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and spread this pest to other crops.
Vervain has longstanding use in herbalism and folk medicine, usually as a herbal tea. Nicholas Culpeper's 1652 The English Physitian discusses folk uses. Among others effects, it may act as a galactagogue and possibly sex steroid analogue. It is one of the original 38 Bach flower remedies, prescribed against "over-enthusiasm". The plants are also sometimes used as abortifacient.
Compounds that have been identified in vervains include β-myrcene, verbenone, caffeic acid (and derivatives) and indeterminate glycosides.
The essential oil of various species - mainly Common Vervain - is traded as Spanish Verbena oil. Considered inferior to oil of Lemon Verbena (Aloysia citrodora) in perfumery, it is of some commercial importance for herbalism and it seems to be a promising source of medical compounds. Verveine, the famous green liqueur from the region of Le Puy-en-Velay (France) is flavored with vervains.
Vervains in human culture
See also Verbena (disambiguation)
Verbena has long been associated with divine and other supernatural forces. It was called "tears of Isis" in Ancient Egypt, and later on "Juno's tears". In Ancient Greece, it was dedicated to Eos Erigineia. In the early Christian era, folk legend stated that Common Vervain (V. officinalis) was used to staunch Jesus' wounds after his removal from the cross. It was consequently called "Holy Herb" or (e.g. in Wales) "Devil's bane".
Other legends held it that vervain protects people from vampires, by mixing it in a herbal tea, keeping it near you, or using oil extracted from it in a bath. Vervain flowers are engraved on cimaruta, Italian anti-stregheria charms. In the 1870 The History and Practice of Magic by "Paul Christian" (Jean Baptiste Pitois) it is employed in the preparation of a mandragora charm.
While Common Vervain is not native to North America, it has been introduced there and for example the Pawnee have adopted it as an entheogen enhancer and in oneiromancy, much like Calea zacatechichi is used in Mexico.
The generic name is the Ancient Roman term for sacrificial herbs considered very powerful. Pliny the Elder describes verbena presented on Jupiter altars; it is not entirely clear if this referred to a Verbena rather than the general term for prime sacrificial herbs.
The common names of Common Vervain in many Central and Eastern Europes languages often associate it with iron. These include for example the Dutch IJzerhard ("iron-hardener"), Danish Læge-Jernurt ("medical ironwort"), German Echtes Eisenkraut ("true ironherb"), Slovak Železník lekársky ("medical ironherb"), and Hungarian vasfű ("iron grass").
In hanakotoba (花言葉, Japanese flower-language), vervains are called bijozakura (美女桜) and are a symbol of cooperativeness. In Western culture, they are the birthday flower of July 29.
An indeterminate vervain is among the plants on the eighth panel of the New World Tapestry ("Expedition to Cape Cod"), embroidered in 1602/03.
According to the William Faulkner short story "An Odor of Verbena", vervain is the only scent that can be smelled above the scent of horses and courage.
Selected species
See also Aloysia, Glandularia and Junellia for species formerly placed here.
Verbena alata Cham.
Verbena andalgalensis Moldenke
Verbena atacamensis Reiche
Verbena australis Moldenke
Verbena balansae Briq.
Verbena bangiana Moldenke
Verbena berterii (Meisn.) Schauer
Verbena berterii f. albiflora Moldenke
Verbena berterii f. berterii
Verbena bonariensis L. – Purpletop Vervain, Clustertop Vervain, Tall Verbena, Pretty Verbena, "South American vervain", "purpletop"
Verbena bracteata Lag. & Rodr. – Large-bracted Vervain
Verbena brasiliensis – Brazilian Verbena, Brazilian Vervain
Verbena californica – California Vervain, Red Hills Vervain
Verbena canescens Kunth
Verbena caniuensis Moldenke
Verbena carnea Medik.
Verbena carolina L.
Verbena carollata Briq.
Verbena catamarcensis Moldenke
Verbena chacensis Moldenke
Verbena clavata Ruiz & Pav.
Verbena cloverae Moldenke
Verbena cochabambensis Moldenke
Verbena concepcionis Moldenke
Verbena cumingii Moldenke
Verbena cuneifolia Ruiz & Pav.
Verbena × deamii
Verbena delicatula Mart. & Zucc.
Verbena demissa
Verbena ehrenbergiana Schauer
Verbena × engelmannii
Verbena ephedroides Cham.
Verbena ephedroides var. entreriensis Tronc.
Verbena ephedroides var. ephedroides
Verbena fasciculata Benth.
Verbena ferreyrae Moldenke
Verbena filicaulis Schauer
Verbena gentryi Moldenke
Verbena glabrata Kunth
Verbena glutinosa Kuntze
Verbena goyazensis Moldenke
Verbena gracilescens (Cham.) Herter
Verbena gracilis Desf.
Verbena grisea B.L.Rob. & Greenm.
Verbena halei – Texas Vervain Small Munir (sometimes included in V. officinalis)
Verbena hastata – Swamp Verbena, Blue Vervain
Verbena hayekii Moldenke
Verbena hintonii Moldenke
Verbena hirta Spreng.
Verbena hispida Ruiz & Pav.
Verbena imbricata Wooton & Standl.
Verbena inamoena Briq.
Verbena intermedia Gillies & Hook.
Verbena intermedia f. albiflora Moldenke
Verbena intermedia f. intermedia
Verbena intermedia var. intermedia
Verbena intermedia var. lanuginosa Moldenke
Verbena johnstonii (Moldenke) G. L. Nesom
Verbena kuhlmannii Moldenke
Verbena landbeckii Phil.
Verbena lasiostachys Link
Verbena lindbergi Moldenke
Verbena lindmanii Briq.
Verbena litoralis Kunth
Verbena lobata Vell.
Verbena longifolia M.Martens & Galeotti
Verbena lucanensis Moldenke
Verbena macdougalii A.Heller
Verbena macrodonta L.M.Perry
Verbena malmii Moldenke
Verbena menthifolia Benth.
Verbena minutiflora Briq.
Verbena montevidensis Spreng.
Verbena monticola Moldenke
Verbena multiglandulosa Moldenke
Verbena neomexicana (A.Gray) Small
Verbena neomexicana var. hirtella L.M.Perry</small>
Verbena neomexicana var. neomexicana
Verbena neomexicana var. xylopoda L.M.Perry
Verbena nivea Moldenke
Verbena occulta Moldenke
Verbena officinalis – Common Vervain, Simpler's Joy, Holy Herb, "mosquito plant", "wild hyssop"
Verbena orcuttiana L.M.Perry
Verbena ovata Cham.
Verbena paraguariensis Moldenke
Verbena paranensis Moldenke
Verbena parvula Hayek
Verbena paulensis Moldenke
Verbena paulsenii Phil.
Verbena pedicellata Moldenke
Verbena perennis Wooton
Verbena × perriana
Verbena pinetorum Moldenke
Verbena plicata Greene
Verbena polycephala Turcz.
Verbena porrigens Phil.
Verbena pseudojuncea Gay
Verbena ramboi Moldenke
Verbena ramulosa Phil.
Verbena recta Kunth
Verbena rectiloba Moldenke
Verbena regnelliana Moldenke
Verbena reineckii Moldenke
Verbena reitzii Moldenke
Verbena ribifolia Walp.
Verbena rigida Spreng.
Verbena rigida var. obovata (Hayek) Moldenke
Verbena rigida var. rigida
Verbena riparia Raf. ex Small & A. Heller
Verbena robusta Greene
Verbena runyonii Moldenke
Verbena russellii Moldenke
Verbena × rydbergii
Verbena scabra Vahl
Verbena scabrella Sessé & Moc.
Verbena sedula Moldenke
Verbena simplex Lehm. – Narrow-leaved Vervain
Verbena spartioides Turcz.
Verbena speciosa
Verbena sphaerocarpa L.M.Perry
Verbena storeoclada Briq.
Verbena stricta Vent. – Hoary Vervain
Verbena strigosa Cham.
Verbena subuligera Greene
Verbena supina L.
Verbena swiftiana Moldenke
Verbena tecticaulis Tronc.
Verbena tessmannii Moldenke
Verbena teucroides
Verbena thymoides Cham.
Verbena tomophylla Briq.
Verbena townsendii Svenson
Verbena trachea Phil.
Verbena trifida Kunth
Verbena triphylla L.
Verbena triternata Phil.
Verbena urticifolia – White Vervain
Verbena valerianoides Kunth
Verbena variabilis Moldenke
Verbena villifolia Hayek
Verbena weberbaueri Hayek
Verbena xutha Lehm.
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Translation
The word "Verbena" occurs as such in the following languages: English, French, Lithuanian, Portuguese, Romanian.
Translation(s) in other languages: Arabic: لويزة (نبات), Bulgarian: Върбинка, Catalan: Berbena, Danish: Jernurt, German: Verbenen, Spanish: Verbena (botánica), Italian: Verbena (genere), Kazakh: Вербена, Hungarian: Vasfű, Japanese: バーベナ, Polish: Werbena, Russian: Вербена, Vietnamese: Chi Cỏ roi ngựa.
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