Synonym: Cynoglossum virginianum.
English: Wild Comfrey; Blue houndstongue.
TaxonomyAndersonglossum was formerly placed in the genus Cynoglossum.
Region: Eastern United States, southern New England, New York to Illinois, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Florida, Canada.
Habitat: open uplands; needs humidity, low temperature, low competition, in forests; increased light, richer soil, as after fires; survives fires.
Content: pyrrolizidine alkaloids, hepatoxins.
BotanyHerb; erect, unbranched; perennial.
Root: taproot
Stem: with rough fine hair
Leaves: simple; entire; alternate; 10 to 20 cm long, 2 to 7 cm wide; denser at the lower end of the stem, smaller up the stem; with rough fine hair
Inflorescence: 2 to 6 racemes.
Flowers: 8 to 12 mm; pale blue; 5 deep lobes, connected to a superior ovary, deeply lobed into four parts, connected to the style; corolla 5 to 8mm wide, sympetalous, short tube, lobes oblong and do not overlap.
Calyx: 1–3 mmrounded, light blue corollas, alternate with stamen with anthers; monoecious, self-compatible; flowers from May to June.
Fruit: prickly; convex surface, protruding horizontally; 1 to 4 nutlets per flower; 3 to 5 mm, each with one seed
Seeds: 4 grayish brown seeds, adhere to animals.