Verbena. Blue Vervain. Verbena hastata.
Verbena. N. F. IV. Blue Vervain.—"The dried overground portion of Verbena hastata Linné (Fam. Verbenaceae), collected when flowering." The plant is a tall shrub growing in damp situations throughout the United States. "In broken or cut pieces; stem stout, obtusely quadrangular, rough, pubescent; leaves opposite, petioles from 12 to 25 mm. in length, blades from 6 to 12 cm. in length, lanceolate, acuminate, acute, coarsely and sharply serrate or the lower hastate lobed, deep green above, paler beneath, conspicuously veined; flowers in terminal interrupted panicles of spikes, spikes erect cylindraceous, densely flowered, each flower subtended by a lanceolate acute bract; calyx adherent, little more than half the length of the corolla, tubular, five-lobed, the mouth slightly oblique; corolla small, bright blue, salver-form tube externally pubescent, sub-equally five-lobed; stamens adnate to the corolla tube, included, di-dynamous; fruit dividing at maturity into four one-seeded parts. Odor heavy, especially if dampened; taste bitter and disagreeable. Verbena yields not more than 10 per cent. of ash." N. F. The fluidextract of verbena is official in the N. F. There is no reason to suspect it of medicinal virtue. The dose stated in the N. F. is fifteen grains (1 Gm.).
