Skullcaps get their name from the small hump on the top of the calyx at the base of the flower. They usually have blue or violet flowers growing in pairs, with a hooded upper lip and flaring lower lip. There are many different Skullcaps sometimes difficult to tell apart, and at least 9 species are common in the northeast.
Skullcap is a powerful herb in alternative medicine, used as an anti-inflammatory, to treat nervous conditions such as epilepsy, insomnia, ADD, tranquilizer withdrawal, and to promote menstruation. It is usually prepared as an herbal tea. The Mad-dog Skullcap is the one most often used by herbalists, though the other species are equally suitable.
The Hairy Skullcap is recognizable by the distinct hairy stems and flowers in terminal racemes. This is identified by the nearly stalkless elongated, slightly toothed leaves and blue-violet flowers growing singly from the axils. This specimen was intertwined with other plants and appeared was almost like a vine, but normally it grows upright.The hooded flower is not the only unique aspect of this plant. The leaves are huge, up to 2' long and a foot wide. The aroma is not as bad as its name implies, and there are worse-smelling plants, such as the . The odor, more noticeable when the plant is bruised, resembles decaying flesh to lure pollinating insects. Despite this, the young leaves can be eaten once they are thoroughly dried and reconstituted. Drying destroys the calcium oxalate that causes an intense burning in the mouth.
The medicinal herbal uses of this plant include an antispasmodic, expectorant and narcotic, but large doses can cause nausea, headache, vertigo and dim vision.
There is a wonderful web page devoted to this plant, with hand sketches showing the plant in various stages of development. Another member of the Arum family is Taro, which is used to make the Hawaiian poi, a fermented, pasty condiment with an “interesting” taste. Like the , Smartweeds have jointed stems with sheathes above each joint. They all have small ball-like flowers growing in spikes, and the 35 species in this area are sometimes difficult to tell apart. Other Smartweeds in this catalog include , , and . There are just a handful of these shrubs in this area that appear to grow wild. It is native to New England and, while not particularly attractive, some varieties are planted in gardens. It was constrained to limey ledges before varieties escaped from cultivation to roadsides. The name comes from the pure white berries that last into the early winter. The zigzag pattern of the stem and shapes of the leaves resemble members of the true Solomon’s seals, such as the , but the False Solomon’s Seal belongs to a different genus in the same family. The flowers of the false Solomon’s seal are quite different, consisting of 1/8" long flowers in a terminal cluster that looks feathery from a distance, rather than the characteristic “hanging bells.” This is a common plant of roadsides, and a long row of them grows here between a hedge and the street. Another name for this plant is the Wild Spikenard. This is a member of the true Solomon’s seals, so named because, when you break away the leaf stalk from the root stalk (the rhizome) it leaves a scar resembling the official seal of King Solomon. Indians and colonists used these rhizomes for food.
This genus is easily distinguishable from the more common by the flowers. However there are several species of Solomon’s seals that resemble this specimen. There are two unrelated genera commonly called sorrels, Rumex and Oxalis ( and ). Both have sour-tasting leaves: the common name is derived from the Middle English “sorell,” which means “to sour.” Also the species name acetosella is derived from the word that means “vinegar” in Latin.
This is a very weedy plant, growing in dry, dusty roadsides and abandoned fields. It loves acid soils low in nutrients. The flowers can be showy in dense stands, but the greenish/reddish ones in the photo don’t look like much. The inset is highly magnified: the flowers are only 2mm long and lack petals. This species has separate male and female plants.
This family is primarily tropical—only the Oxalis genus is common in New England. The name derives from the oxalic acid content of the leaves, which is the reason for the sour taste from which the common name “sorrel” is derived (see the description of ). Also Oxys is Greek for “sour.” Desipite the sour taste, Wood Sorrels can be used sparingly in salads. While the trio of notched leaflets resemble that of other Wood Sorrels, the white flower with violet stripes is distinctive. This plant is a very common yard weed, but not particularly troublesome as it doesn’t grow densely and is easy to pull out. It is a European introduction. The leaves in these pictures are in varying stages of folding. They close at dusk and open in the morning.