Verbena is aherbaceous flowering plant, belonging to the Verbenaceaefamily, and may be annual or perennial depending on thespecies. The leaves are usually opposite, simple, and in many species hairy, often densely so. The flowers are small, with five petals, and borne in dense spikes. Typically some shade of blue, they may also be white, pink, or purple, especially incultivars.[5]
The genus can be divided into adiploid North American and apolyploid South American lineage, both with a basechromosome number of seven. The European species is derived from the North American lineage. It seems that verbena as well as the relatedmock vervains (Glandularia) evolved from the assemblage provisionally treated under the genus nameJunellia; both other genera were usually included in the Verbenaceae until the 1990s.[6] Intergenericchloroplastgene transfer by an undetermined mechanism – though probably not hybridization – has occurred at least twice from vervains toGlandularia, between the ancestors of the present-day South American lineages and once more recently, betweenV. orcuttiana orV. hastata andG. bipinnatifida. In addition, several species of verbena are of naturalhybrid origin; the well-knowngarden vervain/verbena has an entirely muddy history. The relationships of this close-knit group are therefore hard to resolve with standard methods ofcomputational phylogenetics.[7]
Some species, hybrids and cultivars of verbena are used asornamental plants. They are drought-resistant, tolerating full to partial sun, and enjoy well-drained, average soils. Plants are usually grown from seed. Some species and hybrids are nothardy and are treated as half-hardy annuals inbedding schemes.[8]
For some verbena pathogens, seeList of verbena diseases. Cultivated verbenas are sometimes parasitized bysweet potato whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and spread this pest to other crops.
Although verbena ("vervain") has been used inherbalism andtraditional medicine, usually as anherbal tonic, there is no high-quality evidence for its effectiveness.[11] Verbena has been listed as one of the 38 plants used to prepareBach flower remedies,[12] a kind ofalternative medicine promoted for its effect on health. According toCancer Research UK, "essence therapists believe that using essences can help to increase your mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. However, essences are not used to prevent, control, or cure cancer or any other physical condition."[13]
Theessential oil of various species, mainly common vervain, is traded as "Spanish verbena oil". Considered inferior[14] to oil oflemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) inperfumery,[11] it is of some commercial importance for herbalism.
Verbena has long been associated with divine and other supernatural forces. It was called "tears ofIsis" in ancient Egypt, and later called "Hera's tears". In ancient Greece, it was dedicated toEos Erigineia. Thegeneric name is the Latin term for a plant sacred to the ancient Romans.[15][16]Pliny the Elder describesverbena presented onJupiter altars; it is not entirely clear if this referred to a verbena rather than the general term for prime sacrificial herbs.[non-primary source needed]
Nulla tamen Romae nobilitatis plus habet quam hiera botane. aliqui aristereon, nostri verbenacam vocant. haec est quam legatos ferre ad hostes indicavimus; hac Iovis mensa verritur, domus purgantur lustranturque. genera eius duo: foliosa, quam feminam putant, mas rarioribus foliis.[17]
No plant however is so renowned among the Romans as hiera botane ('sacred plant'). Some call it aristereon, and Latin writers verbenaca. This is the plant which I mentioned as carried to the enemy by envoys. With this the table of Jupiter is swept, and homes are cleansed and purified. There are two kinds of it; one has many leaves and is thought to be female, the other, the male, has fewer leaves.[18]
Pliny the Elder notes "the Magi especially make the maddest statements about the plant: that [among other things] a circle must be drawn with iron round the plant".[18] The common names of verbena in many Central and Eastern European languages often associate it withiron. These include for example the DutchIJzerhard ("iron-hard"), DanishLæge-Jernurt ("medical ironwort"), GermanEchtes Eisenkraut ("true ironherb"), SlovakŽelezník lekársky ("medical ironherb"), and Hungarianvasfű ("iron grass").
In the early Christian era, folk legend stated thatV. officinalis was used to stanch Jesus' wounds after his removal from the cross. It was consequently called "holy herb"[19] or (e.g. in Wales) "Devil's bane".[20]
According to the Wiccan writerDoreen Valiente, Vervain flowers signify the goddess Diana and are often depicted oncimaruta, traditional Italian amulets.[21] In the 1870The History and Practice of Magic by"Paul Christian" (Jean-Baptiste Pitois), it is employed in the preparation of amandragora charm.[22] The book also describes its antiseptic capabilities (p. 336), and use as a protection against spells (pp. 339, 414).[23]Romani people use vervain for love and good luck.[24]
While common vervain is not native to North America, it has been introduced there; for example, thePawnee have adopted it as anentheogen enhancer and inoneiromancy (dream divination), much asCalea zacatechichi is used in Mexico.
An indeterminate vervain is among the plants on the eighth panel of theNew World Tapestry (Expedition to Cape Cod).[25]
In the Victorianlanguage of flowers, verbena held the dual meaning of enchantment and sensibility.[26]
^S. M. Botta; S. Martinez & M. E. Mulguta de Romero (1995). "Novedades nomenclaturales en Verbenaceae" [Nomenclatural revisions in Verbenaceae].Hickenia.2:127–128.
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