3. Salvia lyrata L. (lyre-leaved sage, cancerweed)

Pl. 441 c, d; Map 1990

Plants perennial, with a short, thick rootstock. Stems 30–50(–70) cm long, sparsely pubescent with short, more or less spreading hairs. Basal leaves several to many at flowering, the petiole 20–70 mm long, the blade 6–15 cm long, oblanceolate to elliptic, oblong-obovate, or oblong-elliptic in outline, the first set of leaves deeply pinnately lobed with a large terminal lobe and several pairs of smaller, spreading, rounded to broadly pointed, lateral lobes, the later leaves progressively less divided, sometimes unlobed and more or less spatulate, the margins otherwise entire or with a few, irregular, blunt teeth, the surfaces glabrous or sparsely to moderately short-hairy. Stem leaves absent or only 1 or 2 pairs, sessile or short-petiolate, the blade similar to those of the basal leaves, but only 2–7 cm long. Bracts usually persistent, 4–7 mm long, linear to lanceolate. Calyces 6–9 mm long at flowering, becoming elongated to 8–12 mm at fruiting, moderately short-hairy below the lobes, the upper lip shallowly 3-lobed, the lower lip more deeply 2-lobed. Corollas 18–30 mm long, the outer surface sparsely to moderately short-hairy mostly on the tube, pale lavender to pale blue or white, the tube much longer than the calyx, the upper lip usually folded longitudinally but relatively straight, truncate, and not hooded, entire, the lower lip with relatively small lateral lobes and a depressed-oval to depressed-obovate central lobe, this usually shallowly and broadly notched at the tip. Stamens and style not or only slightly exserted. Nutlets 1.7–2.2 mm long, the surface dark brown, with dense, minute tubercles, otherwise glabrous. 2n=36. April–June.

Scattered, mostly in the Ozark, Ozark Border, and Mississippi Lolwands Divisions (eastern U.S. west to Kansas and Texas). Bottomland forests, mesic upland forests, banks of streams and rivers, margins of fens, bases, ledges, and tops of bluffs, and occasionally glades; also pastures, lawns, cemeteries, railroads, roadsides, and disturbed areas.

This attractive species sometimes is sold by wildflower nurseries, both for its interesting flowers and as a groundcover for its unusual basal leaves.