Flower for the Day American Wood Sage

At the edge of the woods west of the meadow grows American wood sage (Teucrium canadense) in abundance. Commonly known as American or Canada germander it is a perennial herb in the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is a robust native which grows in clumps with a fibrous root system, and upright squarish stems with opposite leaves. The terminal inflorescence has scentless flowers which bloom from the bottom of the raceme upward.  There are numerous pale lilac-pink lipped flowers with large shelf like lower lips.  For those with a need to know the genus name is related to Teucus, the first King of Troy. Try that on your neighbor. Here is an unrelated poem by a friend. Wave Theory Channel Lake, Illinois Without fail, through the dawn and the long summer days, a myriad of waves cross and re-cross Channel Lake. They fall apart, regroup, intersect and pay respect to superiors along the way. Together they capture and refract morning, noon, and night. Observing this complex dance, this perceived chaos, I ask what confluence of wave upon wave upon wave produced my family and me? Doug Twells