Physostegia virginiana (Linnaeus) Bentham ssp. virginiana . Northern Obedient-plant. Phen: Jul-Oct. Hab: Streambanks, seepages, marshes, grassy balds (native occurrences usually over mafic or calcareous rocks), other open or semi-open moist to wet habitats, disturbed areas, ditches. Dist: Native from QC west to MB, south to e. VA, nc. TN, nw. GA, s. MO, and ne. KS; escaped elsewhere (as in most of our area).

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Taxonomy Comments: Cantino (1982) discusses ambiguous plants from a zone of intergradation between the two subspecies in sw. NC, n. GA, ne. AL, e. TN, and sc. KY. Moreover, garden escapes show some intermediacy between the two subspecies, and Cantino (1982) suggests that cultivars are likely inter-subspecific hybrids, stating "because the genetic background of modern cultivars is unknown, they cannot be reasonably placed in either subspecies and should not be identified below the species level".

Synonymy: = GrPl, K1, K3, Mi, NE, Tn, Cantino (1982); = Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth. var. virginiana – C; > Dracocepalum virginianum var. virginianum – WV; < Dracocephalum virginianum L. – G, RAB, S; > Dracocephalum virginianum L. var. granulosum (Fassett) Core – WV; >< Physostegia speciosa (Sweet) Sweet – Il; < Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth. – GW2, NY, Pa, Tat; >< Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth. – Il; > Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth. var. granulosa (Fassett) Fernald – F; >< Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth. var. speciosa (Sweet) A.Gray – F; >< Physostegia virginiana (L.) Benth. var. virginiana – F

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Great Plains: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Midwest: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACW (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ?: 7