About Stachys floridana Shuttlew. ex Benth.
Taxonomic Identity and Growth Form
Stachys floridana Shuttlew. ex Benth. is a perennial herb that grows an erect, hairy stem reaching a maximum height of around half a meter.
Rhizome and Tuber Development
It develops from a network of rhizomes that produce tubers.
Tuber Morphology
The species has a distinctive pale tuber that is several centimeters long and roughly one centimeter wide, with segmentation that makes it resemble the rattle on a rattlesnake's tail.
Common Name Origin
This appearance is the origin of its common name "rattlesnake weed"; the tuber has also been described as resembling "a fat grub".
Tuber Size Variation
Reportedly, the tuber can grow as long as one meter in sandy soils.
Leaf Characteristics
Its leaves are arranged oppositely, with leaf blades growing up to 5.5 centimeters long, attached to petioles that reach up to 3.5 centimeters in length.
Inflorescence Arrangement
Flowers grow in clusters of 3 to 6 from the upper leaf axils.
Calyx Morphology
The calyx of sepals is tubular, hairy, and has pointed lobes.
Corolla Characteristics
The two-lipped corolla grows up to 1.3 centimeters long, and ranges from white to pink, marked with purple spots or darker lines.
Fruit and Seed Traits
The fruit is a schizocarp a few centimeters long that splits into two parts, and its seeds are approximately one millimeter long.
Tuber Edibility
Like its relative Chinese artichoke, this plant's crisp, succulent tuber is edible, with a pleasingly crunchy texture and a bland, slightly sweet taste.
