Prostrate Vervain

Verbena bracteata

This inconspicuous plant of open places and poor soils has lower leaves that are deeply lobed and flowering spikes up to several inches long that usually recline along the ground. Tiny blue -lavendar flowers with a white throat (each flower about 1/16 inch across, five rounded petals) appear near the growing tip of the flowering spike, nestled among  many long, pointed bracts.  The entire plant is hairy.

This small creeper is difficult to spot, but in the right season can be found among the intermittent pavers on the south side of the Museum of Science and Industry, facing the Columbia Basin.

3 inches, sun.

Summer-Fall (June-September).

Prostrate Vervain, 26 August 2020.

Flowers and long, pointed, hairy bracts.

16 July 2021.

Overall tiny size evident from this photo.

16 July 2021.