Figwort

I managed to identify another plant. It first attracted my attention in Escondido where it grew sporadically. Well, it turns out it is spread all over, including redwood forests. I found several plants in the nearest forest. The plant is called figwort.

Figwort is the plant that reminds me of epazote, especially the leaves (after all, my blog is called Leaves of Plants). See my first entry for this blog The Mystery of Epazote. Took me awhile to identify it but here it is. I give you... figwort.

Figwort (Scrophularia nodosa) in Escondido, CA

Apparently there are several varieties of figwort. The peculiar characteristic is symmetrical leaves alternating on stem. The leaves are serrated, though the degree of serration varies among the species. It produces tiny red flowers. Here is another picture:

 Figwort

Figwort is a medicinal plant. It belongs to figwort family (Scrophulariaceae). One feature that allows you to easily identify this plant is its rather unpleasant odor. That is why, one of the names it is known by is Stinking Christopher.

And here is the picture of figwort in the redwood forest:

Figwort plants among redwood sorrel

Another picture of figwort flowers

Figwort flowers

Notice that figwort is also looks similar to nettle.

Wood nettle

Nettle will sting you but figwort won't. Nettle has kind of a square stem. These plants have very different flowers.The flowers of nettle are tiny and hang in clusters or tassels. They are wind pollinated. Figwort is pollinated by bees.