Virginia water horehound

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Virginia bugleweed
• Virginia water-horehound
• bugleweed
• water horehound
• water-bugle
• Virginia water horehound
• sweet bugleweed

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Lycopus virginicus var. pauciflorus
• Euhemus officinalis
• Euhemus sylvaticus
• Lycopus macrophyllus
• Lycopus virginicus var. quercifolius
• Lycopus virginicus var. macrophyllus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Lamiales and the family Lamiaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Lycopus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide and varied geographical distribution across different continents. In Middle Europe, it can be found growing within the borders of Germany. Moving to North America, the species is present in the Northwestern U.S.A., specifically in Idaho. It also inhabits several regions in the North-Central U.S.A., including the states of Illinois and Kansas. Finally, its range extends further into the North-Central U.S.A. within Minnesota.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Lycopus virginicus is characterized by its status as a perennial plant, allowing it to persist through multiple growing seasons. As a hemicryptophyte, its perennuating buds are located at the soil surface, protected by leaf litter or other organic debris during unfavorable conditions. This specific life form, categorized both as a hemicryptophyte and within the broader classification of hemicryptophytic growth, enables the plant to effectively navigate seasonal shifts and maintain its presence within its ecological niche over long periods.

Life form :

hemicryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Lycopus virginicus is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. The plant typically reaches a mean height of 1.2 m and exhibits a self-supporting habit, functioning as neither a liana nor a vine. It is categorized as a terrestrial species, rather than being aquatic or semiaquatic, and it grows as an independent organism without parasitic or epiphytic tendencies.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height mean:

1.2 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

Reproduction in Lycopus virginicus occurs primarily through the production of small, inconspicuous seeds following pollination. The plant typically relies on insect vectors to facilitate the transfer of pollen between flowers, leading to the development of nutlets. These seeds are characterized by their minute size, with a measured seed mass mean of 0.0042 g. Once the seeds reach maturity, they are dispersed into the surrounding moist soil or wetland habitats, where favorable environmental conditions trigger germination. In addition to sexual reproduction via seeds, the plant can also spread through vegetative means, such as creeping rhizomes, which allows it to colonize local areas and form dense patches within its ecosystem.

Seed mass mean:

0.0042 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Lycopus virginicus has 25 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include ellagic acid, rosmarinic acid, 1,8-Cineole, ALPHA-PINENE, BETA-PINENE.

ellagic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme

rosmarinic acid

1. Dr. Duke
2. Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme

1,8-Cineole

1. Dr. Duke

ALPHA-PINENE

1. Dr. Duke

BETA-PINENE

1. Dr. Duke

CAMPHENE

1. Dr. Duke

CHLOROGENIC ACID

1. Dr. Duke

Caryophyllene

1. Dr. Duke

DELTA-CADINENE

1. Dr. Duke

EO

1. Dr. Duke

Activities

Lycopus virginicus has 302 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include (-)-Chronotropic, (-)-Inotropic, ABeta-Inhibitor, ACE-Inhibitor, AChE-Inhibitor.

(-)-Chronotropic

1. Dr. Duke

(-)-Inotropic

1. Dr. Duke

ABeta-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

ACE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

AChE-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Abortifacient

1. Dr. Duke

Acaricide

1. Dr. Duke

Adenylate-Cyclase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor

1. Dr. Duke

Allelochemic

1. Dr. Duke

Conditions

Lycopus virginicus has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include hyperthyroidism.

Hyperthyroidism

1. Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme

Preparations

Lycopus virginicus has 1 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include Aqueous extracts.

Aqueous extracts

1. Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme