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Taxon  Report  
Verbena bonariensis  L.
Purple top vervain,   Purpletop vervain
Verbena bonariensis is an annual or biennial herb that is not native to California.
There is a high risk of this plant becoming invasive in California according to Cal-IPC.
Siskiyou Del Norte Modoc Humboldt Shasta Lassen Trinity Plumas Tehama Butte Mendocino Glenn Sierra Yuba Lake Nevada Colusa Placer Sutter El Dorado Yolo Alpine Napa Sonoma Sacramento Mono Amador Solano Calaveras Tuolumne San Joaquin Marin Contra Costa Alameda Santa Cruz Mariposa Madera San Francisco San Mateo Merced Fresno Stanislaus Santa Clara Inyo San Benito Tulare Kings Monterey San Bernardino San Luis Obispo Kern Santa Barbara Ventura Los Angeles Riverside Orange San Diego Imperial
Observation Search
~182 records in California
redone or more occurrences
within a 7.5-minute quadrangle
DJJJASONAFMM

Bloom Period
Genus: Verbena
Family: Verbenaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Dicot
Jepson eFlora section: eudicot

Wetlands:
Arid West: Occurs usually in non wetlands, occasionally in wetlands
Mountains, Valleys and Coast: Equally likely to occur in wetlands and non wetlands

Habitat: disturbed

Communities: wetland-riparian, weed, characteristic of disturbed places

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF + PLANTS

Alternate Names:
JEF + PLANTSVerbena bonariensis var. bonariensis
JEF + PLANTSVerbena bonariensis var. conglomerata
JEFVerbena incompta
PLANTSVerbena incompta
Information about  Verbena bonariensis from other sources

[Wikipedia] Etymology: Verbena is derived from Latin, meaning sacred bough, in reference to the leafy twigs of vervaine (Verbena officinalis) which were historically carried by priests, used in wreaths for druidic rituals, and for medicine. Named by Virgil and Pliny the Elder. The common name, vervaine, comes from the Celtic name, ferfain.[3] Its specific epithet bonariensis means from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Buenos means good and aires means air (good air) (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 11/21/2024).