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Lamiaceae Family - "Mad Dog Skullcap"

Scutellaria from the Latin scutella meaning "dish-shaped", or a "a dish", referring to the appendage on the fruiting calyx. Lateriflorus is the Latin word for "flowering on the side".

Becoming somewhat less common throughout the Tallgrass region, prefers lake edges, sedge meadows and wet prairies. Violet to blue-violet flowers appear from June into August. Rarely grows taller than 3 feet.

The name "Mad Dog Skullcap" comes from the fact that early settlers once used a decoction of this plant to treat rabies. A strong tea was used as a sedative, nerve tonic and antispasmodic for all types of conditions including epilepsy, insomnia, anxiety and neuralgia. Larger doses are of an unknown toxicity, fatalities have been reported.