About Collinsonia anisata Sims
Collinsonia anisata Sims is a robust perennial herb that grows from a thickened rhizome. Its stems are erect, somewhat square in cross-section, and usually do not branch below the inflorescence. The leaves are arranged oppositely, are large in size, shaped ovate to broadly ovate, and have long petioles. Leaf margins are serrate, and leaf tips taper to a pointed acuminate apex. When crushed, the foliage gives off a strong anise scent. The plant produces inflorescences made up of terminal panicles. Its flowers are bilabiate, with a tubular corolla that ranges in color from pale yellow to cream; the lower corolla lobe is whitish and has a fringed edge. The calyx is campanulate (bell-shaped) and five-lobed, and it encloses the fruit as the fruit develops. Collinsonia anisata is endemic to the southeastern United States, with a range extending from Georgia west to southern Mississippi, and includes parts of the Florida panhandle. It grows primarily in rich, mesic hardwood forests and woodland habitats.
