Rigid Hedge Nettle :

Rough Hedge Nettle, Woodmint
Stachys rigida var. rigida
NATIVE

Description (Jepson, PlantID.net)

Eudicotyledon
- Eudicots are a major lineage of flowering plants; see family for general characteristics
Mint Family (Lamiaceae)
Perennial upright herb
Whole plant can be hairy and glandular (sticky)
Stems are square in cross-section
Leaves
- Opposite (2 leaves at each junction with stem)
- Rounded shape (ovate to lanceolate) with toothed margins
- Leaf venation is prominent on upper surface, appearing cobbled
Flowers
- Inflorescence (flower arrangement) is spike-like, with flower clusters arranged in whorls (3 or more flowers at each junction with stem) at the leaf axils (branching points)
- Bilaterally-symmetric flowers with 5 fused petals, in 2 distinct lips
  - Rounded upper lip of 2 fused, pink petals
  - Large, lower lip of 3 fused petals, pale pink-purple, with darker dots and lines
- Ovary superior (above the attachment of other flower parts)
Height to 16 in.

Distribution

Native to California
- Grows in shady, dry places in the understory of oak woodlands
- See Calflora for statewide observations of this plant
Outside California, grows in Washington, Oregon, and Nevada
Grows at elevations to 7,670 ft.

Uses (San Mateo County Parks prohibits removal of any natural material)

Name Derivation

Stachys (STAY-kis) – from the Greek stachus, “ear of grain” or “a spike,” referring to the spike-like arrangement of the flowers
rigida (RIJ-i-da) – from the Latin for “rigid,” referring to the stiff leaves or hairs
Hedge nettle – refers to the resemblance of the leaves to those of stinging nettles (Urtica species) in the Nettle family
Woodmint – used for several members of the genus Stachys, most commonly California hedge nettle (S. bullata), which does not grow at Edgewood

Notes

Unlike most members of the Mint family, rigid hedge nettle is not aromatic
The genus Stachys includes the common, non-native garden plants lamb’s ears (S. byzantina) and big betony (S. macrantha)
Edgewood’s rigid hedge nettle is classified as a variety
- Variety indicates a population with small morphological variations, e.g. color, seen throughout the geographic range of the species; interbreeding is possible
- Subspecies indicates a geographically-separated population with distinct morphological characteristics; when not isolated, interbreeding is possible
- In practice, botanists have not consistently applied these ranks

ID Tips

	Rigid Hedge Nettle	Short-spiked Hedge Nettle
Growth Habit	≤ 16 in.	≤ 20 in.
Stems	green	green
Leaves	rounded (ovate to lanceolate) ⋯ toothed ⋯ ≤ 2 in.	generally lanceolate ⋯ finely toothed ⋯ ≤ 5 in.
Flowers	in whorls at intervals (like a pagoda)	in stout, tIghtly clustered whorls
Habitat	common in oak woodlands	uncommon trailside; in seeps along Clarkia trail

At Edgewood

Found in woodlands and grasslands
- See iNaturalist for observations of Stachys rigida
Flowers April – May

General References

Calflora Database. 2014. Berkeley, California.

Calscape. 2018. California Native Plant Society.

Corelli, T. 2004. Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve (2nd. ed.). Monocot Press, Half Moon Bay, California.

Elpel, T.J. 2013. Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification. HOPS Press, Pony, Montana.

Harris, J.G., and M.W. Harris. 2013. Plant Identification Terminology: An Illustrated Glossary. Spring Lake Publishing, Spring Lake, Utah.

Keator, G. 2009. California Plant Families. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, California.

Regents of the University of California. Jepson eFlora. Jepson Herbarium. University of California, Berkeley.