Salvia lyrata

Salvia lyrata forms a basal rosette of leaves that are up to {{convert|8|in|cm}} long, broadening toward the tip. The leaves have irregular margins and are typically pinnately lobed or cut, looking somewhat like a lyre. The center vein is sometimes dark wine-purple. A square-shaped hairy stem up to {{convert|2|ft|m}} long grows from the rosette, with uneven whorls of two-lipped lavender to blue flowers. Flowering is heaviest between April and June, though sparse flowering can happen throughout the year. The leaves were once thought to be an external cure for cancer, thus one of the common names "Cancerweed".{{cite web|url=http://www.floridata.com/ref/S/salv_lyr.cfm|title=Salvia lyrata|last=Duever|first=Linda Conway|publisher=Floridata|access-date=2009-03-11}} Salvia lyrata grows in full sun or light to medium shade, with native stands found on roadsides, fields, and open woodlands.{{cite web|url=https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/doc/fs_saly2.docx|title=Lyreleaf Sage|work=USDA Plant Fact Sheet|publisher=United States Department of Agriculture|access-date=2009-03-12}}

Salvia lyrata is sometimes grown in gardens for its attractive foliage and flowers, though it can prolifically seed, easily spreading into lawns. Its ability to thrive despite being mowed and walked on, however, mean it can be used as a turf grass alternative that is attractive to bees.{{cite web |title=Salvia lyrata |url=https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=saly2 |website=wildflower.org}} Several cultivars have been developed with purple leaves. 'Burgundy Bliss' and 'Purple Knockout' are two cultivars with burgundy leaves that are deeper in color than the species.{{cite book|last=Anisko|first=Tomasz|title=When Perennials Bloom|publisher=Timber Press|year=2008|pages=402|isbn=978-0-88192-887-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ODYpMZXFnSQC&pg=PA402}} Native Americans used the root as a salve for sores, and used the whole plant as a tea for colds and coughs.{{cite book|last1=Choukas-Bradley|first1=Melanie|last2=Brown|first2=Tina Thieme|title=An Illustrated Guide to Eastern Woodland Wildflowers and Trees|publisher=University of Virginia Press|year=2004|pages=210–211|isbn=978-0-8139-2251-5|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hNaulBz0djcC&pg=PA210}}{{cite book|last=Moerman|first=Daniel E.|title=Native American Ethnobotany|publisher=9780881924534|year=1998|pages=510|isbn=9780881924534|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UXaQat5icHUC&pg=PA510}}

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{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=456622-1&back_page=%2Fipni%2FeditSimplePlantNameSearch.do%3Ffind_wholeName%3DSalvia%2Blyrata%26output_format%3Dnormal IPNI Listing]
• [http://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_saly2.pdf USDA Fact Sheet]
• [http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SALY2 USDA Plant Profile]
• [http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=SALY2 University of Texas at Austin description]
• {{CalPhotos|Salvia|lyrata}}
• {{PFAF|Salvia lyrata}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q5963510}}

lyrata

Category:Flora of the Eastern United States

Category:Plants described in 1753

Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus