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