Flowers are organized alphabetically by genus and species. Hover over a photo series to control the images.

Verbena (Glandularia bipinnatifida)

The checklist for the Sandia Mountains lists just one species of verbena, hence my ID to the species level.

Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)

Blue vervain is common in the northeastern U.S., rare in New Mexico, and supposedly absent in the Albuquerque area. I found a few exceptions growing at the marshy edge of a nature pond. Unlike Verbena macdougalii, the common tall vervain in the area, V. hastata has many skinny flower spikes per stalk. Also, the leaves are long and narrow.

Spike Verbena, New Mexico Vervain (Verbena macdougalii)

Most of these images are cropped so you can see the stems and leaves as well as the blossoms. When I encountered this vervain, the leaves reminded me vaguely of mint leaves (but see the hyssop leaves elsewhere on this page; unlike vervains, hyssops are actually in the mint family). To see more pictures of New Mexico vervain,

check out my butterfly page.

Carpet Vervain (Verbena bracteata)

Also known as bigbract or prostrate vervain. A low plant, often sprawling outward from a taproot, with tiny flowers.