Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Core Eudicots: Asterids: Lamiids: Lamiales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Perilla frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
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.
INCLUDING
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Perilla frutescens var. frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
INCLUDING
PLANTS National Database
Perilla frutescens var. crispa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 164-34-001:
Perilla frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
COMMON NAME:
Beefsteak Plant, Perilla
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
JK Marlow jkm130128_185
January Spartanburg County SC
)
Roxanna Martin rlmperillafrutescens_1
February Spartanburg County SC
Calyx long-pubescent, per Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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 (11/30/12):
Perilla frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
INCLUDING
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Perilla frutescens var. frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
INCLUDING
PLANTS National Database
Perilla frutescens var. crispa
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 164-34-001:
Perilla frutescens
FAMILY
Lamiaceae
3336
Forb
Annual
Non-native: India
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Common
Look for it in moist disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
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
Bisexual
Slightly bilaterally symmetrical
2-lipped 5-toothed calyx
5-lobed corolla
4 stamens
Superior ovary
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 p325
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians p266
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains p148