Texas Betony
Scarlet Hedgenettle
Stachys coccinea
Photographed at Haunted Canyon, east of Superstition Mts., Gila Co., Arizona. Oct. 26, 2002. A denizen of wet springy places, i.e. a rarity in the Sonoran Desert.
FLOWERS: Bright
red, two-lipped flowers are a favorite of hummingbirds.
PERENNIAL HERB: Above ground portion of this plant is entirely herbaceous. Regrows from a perennial root
stock.
LEAVES: Elliptical to deltoid leaves have serrated margins and are opposite
on stems. Also note the stems that are square in cross-section, a common trait
of the mint family.
RANGE: Uncommon in the Sonoran Desert. Found in moist, shady canyons
mostly above 900 m elevation.
FRUIT: Dry capsules with usually four nutlets each.
UNARMED.