Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Lamiales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Perilla frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Read more about Beefsteak Plant at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Perilla frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Perilla frutescens
INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Perilla frutescens var. crispa
INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Perilla frutescens var. frutescens
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 164-34-001:
Perilla frutescens FAMILY Lamiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Perilla frutescens
COMMON NAME:
Beefsteak-plant, Perilla
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_pefr4_001_lvd
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide pnd_pefr4_003_lvd
)
JK Marlow jkm130128_185
January Spartanburg County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm250213_1977
February Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
Roxanna Martin rlmperillafrutescens_1
February Spartanburg County SC
Calyx long-pubescent, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
Roxanna Martin rlm7210_183
July Spartanburg County SC
Leaves purple or green, ovate, 5-13cm long, 4-10cm wide, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm180814_3826
August McCormick County SC
Parks Mill
)
Gill Newberry gn09_p_frutescens_fruits
September
Calyx tube hairy, per Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005).
)
Gill Newberry gn09_p_frutescens_plant
September
Sometimes cultivated for its foliage, now escaped to roadsides and dry woods, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
)
JK Marlow jkm130928_729b
September Spartanburg County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm130928_730
September Spartanburg County SC
Leaves large (to 6" long), ovate, tapered to a long point, and long-stalked, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
)
JK Marlow jkm140924_941
September Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm140930_004
September Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
)
JK Marlow jkm140930_011
September Greenville County SC
Swamp Rabbit Trail
Stems 0.3-2m tall, green or purple, finely pilose or densely villous, per Flora of China.
)
Roxanna Martin rlm9209_039
September Spartanburg County SC
)
Roxanna Martin rlm9509_066
September Spartanburg County SC
Flowers borne in loose, elongate, terminal and axillary spikelike racemes, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_perilla_frutescens
September
)
Richard and Teresa Ware rtw_perilla_frutescens_3
September
)
JK Marlow jkm131002_828
October Greenville County SC
Ashmore Heritage Preserve
)
Roxanna Martin rlm10210_276
October Spartanburg County SC
Flower <.25" long, one of its 5 lobes slightly longer, with 4 stamens, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
)
Roxanna Martin rlm10210_290
October Spartanburg County SC
Calyx zygomorphic, 2-lipped, upper lip 3-toothed, lower lip 2-toothed, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968).
)
JK Marlow jkm151113_685
November McCormick County SC
Sumter National Forest: Edgefield Ranger District
)
JK Marlow jkm151113_699
November Edgefield County SC
Sumter National Forest: Edgefield Ranger District
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Perilla frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Perilla frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Perilla frutescens
INCLUDING
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Perilla frutescens var. crispa
INCLUDING
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Perilla frutescens var. frutescens
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 164-34-001:
Perilla frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Perilla frutescens
3336
Forb
Annual
Habitat: Moist disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: India
Common
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Jil M. Swearingen, NPS, 2000-2007
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2014
LEAVES:
Simple
Opposite
Leaves ovate
Leaves have petioles.
Margins coarsely serrate
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
White/ Lavender
Slightly bilaterally symmetrical
2-lipped 5-toothed calyx
5-lobed corolla
4 stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Fall
Brownish/ Reddish
Schizocarp of mericarps
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast (Cotterman, Waitt, & Weakley, 2019) p325
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p238
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005) p266
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998) p148
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