Lyre-leaved Sage

(Salvia lyrata)

 

Color photographs: Copyright Nearctica.com, Inc.

 

Lyre-leaved Sage (Salvia lyrata)

Identification: Flowers tubular, violet to blue-violet. Lower petals lobes fused into a three-lobed hanging banner. Upper petal lobe narrow, folded, containing the stamens. Sepals fused forming a spiny capsule containing the corolla. Stem square, weakly hairy. Upper leaves blade-shaped, with slightly irregular outer margins. Lower leaves forming a rosette with outer margins irregularly lobed. Plant 1 to 3 feet in height.

Distribution: Illinois in the west to southern New England in the east, southward to Florida and Texas.

Habitat: Lyre-leaved Sage is found in sandy soiled woods and clearings.

Flowering period: April to June.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

Lyre-leaved Sage (Salvia lyrata)

Similar Species:

The rosette of irregularly lobed leaves at the base is a distinctive feature of the genus Salvia. There are several other species of Salvia in eastern North America.

Similar Species

No Similar Species