Collinsonia canadensis

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Cladus: Asterids
Cladus: Lamiids
Ordo: Lamiales

Familia: Lamiaceae
Subfamilia: Nepetoideae
Tribus: Elsholtzieae
Genus: Collinsonia
Species: Collinsonia canadensis
Name

Collinsonia canadensis L. (1753)
Synonyms

Heterotypic
Collinsonia angustifolia Raf., Med. Fl., 1: 114. 1828.
Collinsonia canadensis var. cordata Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept., 1:20. 1813.
Collinsonia canadensis var. ovata Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 1: 20. 1813.
Collinsonia canadensis var. tuberosa (Michx.) A.W.Wood, Cl. Bk. Bot. 544. 1861.
Collinsonia cuneata Wender., Schrift. Ges. Bef. Gesammt. Naturw. Marb. 2: 242. 1831.
Collinsonia decussata Moench, Meth. 379. 1794.
Collinsonia ovalis Pursh, Fl. Am. Sept. 1: 20. 1813.
Collinsonia praecox Walter, Fl. Carol. 65. 1788.
Collinsonia scabriuscula Aiton, Hort. Kew., ed. 1, 1: 47. 1789.
Collinsonia scabriuscula var. puberula Benth., in DC., Prodr. 12: 253. 1848.
Collinsonia scabra Pers., Syn. Pl. 1: 29. 1805.
Collinsonia tuberosa Michx., Fl. Bor.-Am., 1: 17. 1803.
Collinsonia urticifolia Salisb., Prodr. 75. 1796.
Pleuradenia precox (Walter) Raf., Neogenyt. 2. 1825.
Pleuradenia scabra (Pers.) Raf., Neogenyt. 2. 1825.

References

Linnaeus, C. 1753. Species Plantarum. Tomus I: 28. Reference page.
Peirson, J.A., Cantino, P.D. & Ballard, H.E. 2006. A Taxonomic Revision of Collinsonia (Lamiaceae) Based on Phenetic Analyses of Morphological Variation. Systematic Botany 31(2): 398–409. DOI: 10.1600/036364406777585838 JSTOR ResearchGate Reference page.
USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. [1]

Collinsonia canadensis, commonly called richweed[1] or stoneroot,[2] is a perennial herb in the mint family.

It is native to eastern North America, primarily east of the Mississippi River, where it is widespread. It is the most broadly distributed member of the genus Collinsonia,[3] ranging north to Quebec and south to Florida.[4] Its natural habitat is nutrient-rich mesic forests, most often in rocky, calcareous areas.[5][6] Collinsonia canadensis can grow up to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall and has terminal clusters of tiny, tubular yellow flowers. Leaves are green, large, sharply toothed, and ovate.[7]

It produces lemon-scented flowers in mid-summer, a time when little else is in bloom in densely shaded forests.[5]
Traditional herbal use

Collinsonia canadensis was used by Native Americans to treat a variety of ailments.[3] However, European-American settlers in North America did not often use this species after they initially discovered it, due to it lacking any conspicuous toxic qualities.[8] It was not until the mid-1800s when it regained popularity as a medicinal herb.[9][10]

The leaves can be brewed into tea, and the subterranean stem was once used as a diuretic, tonic, and astringent.[11]
Gallery

Detail of Collinsonia canadensis flowers.

References

USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Collinsonia canadensis". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
Hoffmann, David (2003-10-24). Medical Herbalism. Inner Traditions. p. 383. ISBN 9781594778902.
Yatskievych, George (2013). Flora of Missouri, Volume 3. Missouri Botanical Garden Press. p. 312.
"Collinsonia canadensis". County-level distribution map from the North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Biota of North America Program (BONAP). 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
IllinoisWildflowers
Alan Weakley (2015). "Flora of the Southern and Mid-Atlantic States".
"Collinsonia canadensis - Plant Finder". www.missouribotanicalgarden.org. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
Scudder; Fyfe; Felter; Locke; Webster; et al. (1904). Mundy, William (ed.). A Treatise on Collisonia canadensis (PDF). Lloyd Brothers. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-06-23. Retrieved 2007-05-10.
Cook, William (1869). Collinsonia canadensis in Physiomedical Dispensatory. Scanned and republished on Web.
Petersen, J. Fred (1905). Materia Medica and Clinical Therapeutics.
Niering, William A.; Olmstead, Nancy C. (1985) [1979]. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers, Eastern Region. Knopf. p. 571. ISBN 0-394-50432-1.