About Chelone glabra L.
Description and ecology Chelone glabra L. has opposite, simple leaves that grow on stout, upright stems. Its flowers are white, and bloom in late summer and early fall. This species is the main plant where the Baltimore checkerspot butterfly lays its eggs, though the butterfly also uses a small number of other species to some degree. It is a popular browse plant for deer. It also acts as a food plant for two species of sawfly: Macrophya nigra and Tenthredo grandis, which belong to the family Tenthredinidae in the order Hymenoptera. A species of flea beetle from the genus Dibolia, in the family Chrysomelidae of the order Coleoptera, has also been documented feeding on this plant. Uses The Abenaki people have used Chelone glabra L. as a method of birth control.
