Stachytarpheta - Two Species Collected Today to Add to the Garden - Seaview, Lower Puna, Far East Hawai'i - May 9, 2022

Warm greetings all! 🙏 💚

Today, on the walk home from the beach, I collected two species of Stachytarpheta (Vervain, Porterweed, Snakeweed, Velvetberry, Rat's Tail) (I brought a hand shovel and a bag), to plant in the garden here at The Sanctuary of The Blue Dragon (in Seaview, Lower Puna, far East Hawai'i), to add to the one species already present.

I first met these beautiful and medicinal plants at GaiaYoga Gardens (the 18-acre, off-grid, food-forest, jungle community where I lived for almost four years), where two species grow wild all over the place. Stachytarpheta species are notoriously challenging to correctly identify one from the other (especially when they hybridize, which they do often when growing together), and it took me quite some time of daily observation to begin to be able to distinguish the two species growing in that jungle community. Here in and around Seaview, three species can be found growing - two of the same species from GaiaYoga, and one more that is new to me.

As to exactly which species these three are, that I'm still noodling out. It is very challenging to find fully accurate information online about what designates one species from another. There are four species recorded to be found growing wild on the Big Island: Stachytarpheta australis (Branched Porterweed), Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Cayenne Porterweed), Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (Light-Blue Snakeweed), and Stachytarpheta urticifolia (Nettleleaf Velvetberry).

Medicinally they seem to be similar enough to be able to be used interchangeably, as they share the same properties. They should not be eaten raw, except for the flowers, which taste like mushrooms. The leaves and stems can be prepared as a tea, which I've done for years now, combined with other medicinal plants. They have a quite wide range of uses, ranging from treating digestive and intestinal issues to various infections, high blood pressure to headaches, among others. They are also used as food in some areas, though only cooked I believe. Another wonderful benefit to having them in the garden is that butterflies and bees of many species love them!🦋🐝

For those curious about their systematics, here is a bit more info:

Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Lamiales
Family: Verbenaceae – Verbena family
Genus: Stachytarpheta Vahl – porterweed

Here are the two species that I collected today, growing side by side. I think the species on the left is Stachytarpheta cayennensis, though it could possibly also be Stachytarpheta urticifolia. The species on the right I think is Stachytarpheta jamaicensis.

These are the plants I collected today, in the same order as in the a above photo. Some are wilting a bit, but they all got a good watering and were put in the shade to to recover. I can't wait to plant then in the garden!

This is the species already growing in the garden. I think this species is Stachytarpheta australis. Sadly this plant didn't have many flowers open when I took the photos. Soon the other two species will join it in the garden.

Thank you all so much for allowing me to share more of the beauty and magic from my life and my world with you, and for your continuous appreciation and support! I am deeply grateful! 🙏 💚

Image created by @doze.