Salvia lyrata

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Salvia lyrata

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Salvia
Species: S. lyrata
Binomial name
Salvia lyrata
L.

Salvia lyrata (Lyre-leafed Sage), is a species of sage native to the eastern United States, from Connecticut west to Kansas, and south to Florida and Texas.

It is a herbaceous perennial plant with low growing leaves and flowering stems growing to 50 cm tall. The leaves are arranged in a basal rosette of large leaves, and smaller leaves in opposite pairs on the erect flowering stem. The basal leaves are up to 15 cm long and 5 cm broad, with several lobes, some approximating to the shape of a lyre, from which the species is named. The flowers are pale blue, up to 25 mm long. The species is often a lawn weed that self seeds into lawns and is tolerant of being mowed.

[edit] Cultivation and uses

It is sometimes grown in gardens for its attractive foliage and flowers. Several cultivars have been developed with purple leaves. Two readily available seed raised cultivars include:

  • 'Purple Prince' - Grows about 35 cm tall with reddish purple colored veins and dark purple spikes with small lilac colored flowers in dark purple calyces.
  • 'Purple Volcano' - Grows about 35 cm tall with dark purple leaves that have a shiny sheen to them. The flowers are light blue in color.

[edit] Suspected hazards to livestock

A few species of Salvia are known nitrate accumulators, namely S. cocinea and S. reflexa, both listed as toxic plants. The phenome is generally characteristc of other toxic indigenous plants of North America, including Nuttall Deathcamas ( Zigadenus nuttallii), but is also considered to be a species of wildflower. Salvia Lyrata is easily recognized by it’s lyre shaped leaf lobes with purple veins, rectangular shaped branching stalk with fine short hairy bristles, and trumpet shaped purple flower clusters. The leaves are slightly hairy, green lobed, and have beautiful purpled veins. Debate involves edibility. A reference to antidotes include laxatives categorized previously under perennial herbs. But, the family of Salvia wildflower poisoning also is not common, and only general clinical signs are reported: muscular weakness,diarrhea,& colic. Animals that die after consuming contaminated hay show post-mortem evidence of gastrointestinal inflammation and liver necrosis. Lethal level of contamination has not been determined.

A broad spectrum herbicide is effective in reducing Salvia Lyrata contamination in pastures growing fodder, and forage products like alfalfa, and hay. A mixture of 40:1 dimethylamine salt of 2,4 dichlorophenoxyacetic acid liquid distributed with an anti-drift spray solution of water mist at a rate of 41 gallons per acres can be effective against Salvia contamination during late winter, or early spring when wildflower blooming stages first appear. Precaution should be taken to protect people and livestock.

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[edit] References

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